WEBVTT 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:07.540 And I'm going to invite you to the book of Malakai as we go through our series together on leaving a legacy in the Lord and what that looks like for 00:00:07.540 --> 00:00:07.940 us. 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:15.780 Then I'm gonna let you know as we, as we jump into this series together, we're on week four of week six because Malakai is a book that has six messages in it. 00:00:15.800 --> 00:00:22.900 So we're taking six weeks to go through each message, because the way that the Lord has shared these messages with the people, 00:00:22.900 --> 00:00:29.510 his people at this particular time in history, and we're drawing the relevance of each message for us today. 00:00:30.020 --> 00:00:35.830 God's re, God's word is timeless and therefore because it's timeless, it is always timely. 00:00:36.400 --> 00:00:43.660 There's something that we can glean from it and our relationship with him and what you find as you study scripture is the same questions they were asking 00:00:43.660 --> 00:00:46.780 a couple thousand years ago or longer. 00:00:47.060 --> 00:00:49.600 The same question or the same questions we ask today. 00:00:49.660 --> 00:00:56.800 We are no different than any generation of people really in the question that we ask as it relates to God and life and why we're here, 00:00:56.920 --> 00:00:58.650 where we're going and how we're going to get there. 00:00:59.040 --> 00:01:01.760 And so this series is important to us. 00:01:01.760 --> 00:01:08.790 And so as a church family, just so you know, the way that we operate, when we study scripture, sometimes we do that expositionally 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:10.830 which means we take a book of the Bible. 00:01:10.880 --> 00:01:16.040 We go through that, the book of the Bible, thought by thought verse by verse to see what we can glean from it. 00:01:16.340 --> 00:01:23.840 Other times we study things that are topical, that'll be relevant, maybe more for our culture today than it is for, other situations. 00:01:23.860 --> 00:01:29.560 It just helps our church to get further in where God has called us as individuals, but or we study textually. 00:01:29.820 --> 00:01:34.800 We look at just passages that relates to life as according to the way that scripture teaches them. 00:01:34.800 --> 00:01:39.800 But the whole point of it in all of it is for us to be encouraged in our walk with the Lord. 00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:46.000 And so I want to tell you, regardless of whatever we do on Sunday, however we approach whatever message that we're on, the goal is always the same. 00:01:47.220 --> 00:01:54.340 And the goal is always for us as his family to draw closer to him and glorifying his name and closer to one another as his body that we can shine brighter for 00:01:54.340 --> 00:01:54.810 the Lord. 00:01:54.980 --> 00:01:56.140 That is always the goal. 00:01:56.360 --> 00:02:03.480 So anytime we ever walk out of our building, if we've not utilized that time to draw closer to the Lord and what he's called 00:02:03.480 --> 00:02:10.280 us to and encourage the body of believers around us or encourage anyone that walks through our doors, I call that a fail. 00:02:10.600 --> 00:02:15.980 But if we do that, I call that a, when I run out like a cheerleader on Sunday, which is every, every Sunday, right? 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:18.910 So, if you want to see that, just stick around. 00:02:19.100 --> 00:02:20.100 I'll wait till everyone's gone. 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:25.340 And then, just that went off the rails. 00:02:25.340 --> 00:02:32.560 so Malakai if you've been through the last three weeks with us, what you've probably noticed, we gone through Malakai 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:34.570 is that this is a very heavy book. 00:02:35.160 --> 00:02:37.450 And what God is sharing with his people. 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:38.950 It gets right to the point. 00:02:39.080 --> 00:02:40.300 It speaks right to their heart. 00:02:40.580 --> 00:02:43.260 It challenges them in their relationship with God. 00:02:43.260 --> 00:02:48.560 And it's really revealing, where they value God in their lives or even if they, if they value God in their lives. 00:02:48.860 --> 00:02:56.560 And this book, the book of Malakai is the last book that God shares before he goes silent for 400 years in the history of Israel and 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:57.860 before the whole earth. 00:02:58.220 --> 00:03:02.650 And at the end of 400 years then starts the gospel and the coming of Jesus. 00:03:02.720 --> 00:03:09.520 And so this is the last message she shares with the nation of Israel, the people of God, before he goes silent. 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:16.720 And his desire for them is in his calling to them, is for them to leave a legacy that not only impacts their generation, but the generations to 00:03:16.720 --> 00:03:18.280 come and the people around them. 00:03:18.640 --> 00:03:22.140 And so this book we are approaching from that same perspective in our own lives. 00:03:22.160 --> 00:03:29.160 Got, how can you use us in order to not only make an impact in our lives and our relationship with you, but 00:03:29.160 --> 00:03:31.780 for those around us and generations to come. 00:03:34.020 --> 00:03:41.420 You know, when you study the first few chapters of Molokai, one of the things that we have, recognizes that each section have a message that they are spoken 00:03:41.420 --> 00:03:42.680 to from the Lord. 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:50.060 Starts off with a question God gives a challenge, asks the question, they ask a question in return and the questions that you see as you have, 00:03:50.360 --> 00:03:51.470 we study this book together. 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:58.720 The more accusative than curious and one of the things I want to do in making that distinction is when it comes to your understanding of God, 00:03:58.720 --> 00:03:59.580 your walk with God. 00:03:59.920 --> 00:04:01.990 Curious questions are important. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:05.580 They're paramount to your relationship and the Lord, do not be afraid to ask them. 00:04:05.580 --> 00:04:06.350 Ask them often. 00:04:06.580 --> 00:04:07.220 Ask them continuously. 00:04:08.020 --> 00:04:09.240 Never stop asking them. 00:04:09.260 --> 00:04:11.480 In fact, I do it as often as I can. 00:04:11.700 --> 00:04:15.900 Looking at scripture, seeing what challenging things I can find going to other people that I know love God's word. 00:04:15.900 --> 00:04:21.579 Asking them those questions to see, to see how they've worked through it, to see how church history has worked through it. 00:04:21.860 --> 00:04:23.830 I mean, there's nothing new under the sun that we're going to ask. 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:31.310 And I think it's, it is helpful for us to see the beauty of who Christ is so that we can walk in truthfulness and that relationship 00:04:32.760 --> 00:04:38.500 to know him and to enjoy him as he is not how I perceive him to be or make him up to me. 00:04:39.200 --> 00:04:44.860 And so the questions we ask out of curiosity are important to our relationship with God. 00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:51.580 But questions that we ask out of the accusative can be detrimental to our relationship with God. 00:04:51.620 --> 00:04:56.070 And what I mean is Israel asking questions, but they don't really want the answer. 00:04:57.720 --> 00:04:59.100 It's like I've compared it to this. 00:04:59.180 --> 00:05:01.650 In the past you asked the question, why are you so ignorant? 00:05:03.520 --> 00:05:05.860 Like you don't care what kind of answer they give. 00:05:05.880 --> 00:05:10.840 You've already, you've already met it out the sentence, judge, you've called them full of this, right? 00:05:10.940 --> 00:05:12.160 So you don't want them to respond. 00:05:12.500 --> 00:05:14.260 Well, let me tell you why I'm so ignorant. 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:22.380 You're making an accusation in your statement and when it comes to the questions that Israel, as opposing towards 00:05:22.380 --> 00:05:24.520 God, it carries that attitude. 00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:28.410 they ask God in the beginning, God, how have you loved us, which was important. 00:05:28.820 --> 00:05:31.760 It got setting the foundation of everything that he wants to explain to Israel. 00:05:31.760 --> 00:05:34.700 And the legacy all starts in a healthy relationship with God, with him. 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:36.580 God, how have you loved us or God? 00:05:36.940 --> 00:05:38.880 How have we despised your God? 00:05:38.980 --> 00:05:48.000 How have we polluted you really believe that God. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:55.020 In chapter two, verse 17, this last verse of chapter two, before we dive into verse three, it says, or chapter three, it says this, 00:05:56.620 --> 00:06:03.440 you have the Lord with your words, but you say, how have we wearied you? 00:06:03.620 --> 00:06:08.220 It's like this, that dad, that dad, that, are we there yet? 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:09.050 Are we there yet? 00:06:09.780 --> 00:06:10.340 Are we there yet? 00:06:11.460 --> 00:06:14.800 Are we there yet? 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.460 Sean, is this driving batty, right? 00:06:18.060 --> 00:06:19.850 God is saying it in this context. 00:06:20.060 --> 00:06:21.340 Your words they're wearing. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:23.960 How have we wearied you? 00:06:25.340 --> 00:06:32.480 Then God gives the answer by saying, everyone who does evil is good and the side of the Lord and he delights 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:32.960 in them. 00:06:33.020 --> 00:06:36.060 Or by asking, where's the good or the God of justice? 00:06:38.960 --> 00:06:41.430 So you're wearing me by two actions, which has already pointed out. 00:06:41.460 --> 00:06:42.980 One, you're calling the bad good. 00:06:42.980 --> 00:06:51.280 The people that are living in contrary to God's nature in sin, you're calling that good and then you're asking the question, God, 00:06:51.340 --> 00:06:52.290 where are you and your justice? 00:06:52.520 --> 00:06:53.200 God, you're not good. 00:06:53.200 --> 00:07:00.220 We're good God, we're sitting on the throne and we're declaring to you that you're the one doing the bad 00:07:00.220 --> 00:07:00.620 job. 00:07:02.100 --> 00:07:02.540 I'm in charge. 00:07:06.600 --> 00:07:13.600 Sometimes you have people ask this question, which can be a good question from a curiosity standpoint in order to understand how God works, 00:07:13.860 --> 00:07:18.440 but what about things happen, right? 00:07:18.900 --> 00:07:20.030 Sometimes people were like this. 00:07:20.120 --> 00:07:24.200 If God is so good, the wire thing is so bad, right? 00:07:24.200 --> 00:07:25.980 And then the, then the assumption is placed. 00:07:26.100 --> 00:07:34.060 Well God is either all powerful or not good or he is all good and not all powerful because 00:07:34.060 --> 00:07:40.340 if he was all good then and all powerful, he would take that power to make things good. 00:07:41.660 --> 00:07:49.100 That's the assumption that's assumed by the question I want her to administer recently by the name of Vadi Bachman 00:07:49.100 --> 00:07:56.400 he was talking to someone that asks him this question and he told this young college student in philosophy class, 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:03.470 you're asking the question wrong and then the young man wanted to know why. 00:08:03.580 --> 00:08:06.920 All right, you need to start the premise of the question this way. 00:08:09.520 --> 00:08:10.640 Why does God even let you live? 00:08:15.760 --> 00:08:22.920 Let's assume for a moment he is good in his Holy like the scriptures say Holy means no imperfection comes 00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:29.980 before him and since he is good and since 00:08:29.980 --> 00:08:34.730 he is Holy, why does he even allow you to live? 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:45.300 We can pretend to be great people in public all day long, but when 00:08:45.300 --> 00:08:52.500 you get by yourself, you know things that you've done and 00:08:52.500 --> 00:08:58.540 you know the way that your heart can lean before. 00:08:58.600 --> 00:08:58.720 Perfect. 00:08:58.780 --> 00:08:59.100 Totally God. 00:09:01.860 --> 00:09:09.000 Maybe the question shouldn't be started off by asking, why does God allow bad to exist? 00:09:09.020 --> 00:09:12.150 Maybe the question should be, why does he allow you to exist at all? 00:09:13.420 --> 00:09:20.140 The reason is because it's acknowledging something about our nature. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:25.400 I've heard another minister by the name of Mark Driscoll say it like this. 00:09:26.140 --> 00:09:33.200 and talking about sin, he's acknowledging that we as individuals, the scripture says this, and uh, Romans three 23, all of us of 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:40.580 sin, we're all sinful and they said this, sin isn't a thing unto itself. 00:09:43.460 --> 00:09:46.280 Sin is a corruption of a good thing God has made. 00:09:48.260 --> 00:09:48.880 It is a parasite. 00:09:50.940 --> 00:09:53.500 And what that means is that send needs a host. 00:09:55.020 --> 00:10:03.720 If you think of it in terms like this, a rust needs metal, the 00:10:03.760 --> 00:10:13.080 computer virus needs a computer, cancer needs 00:10:13.100 --> 00:10:13.460 a body. 00:10:16.400 --> 00:10:20.360 Sen needs a host. 00:10:22.520 --> 00:10:25.910 We are that host. 00:10:26.520 --> 00:10:30.720 And that makes the question relevant again to ask rather than say, God, what is bad exist? 00:10:30.780 --> 00:10:33.880 And to simply ask the question, God, why do you allow us to exist at all? 00:10:34.340 --> 00:10:35.920 Right? 00:10:36.260 --> 00:10:45.060 Because to get rid of sin when meeting read 00:10:45.060 --> 00:10:50.500 the world of OS or get rid of us. 00:10:52.100 --> 00:10:58.500 What we acknowledge in ourselves that we become the host from where sin exists is that we need healing from sin. 00:10:58.520 --> 00:11:01.500 We need rescued, we need cured. 00:11:04.280 --> 00:11:12.060 And the way that Peter put it, [inaudible] asking that same question in second Peter chapter three come 00:11:12.060 --> 00:11:14.790 on, give me a quick second. 00:11:16.140 --> 00:11:18.600 Peter chapter three in verse nine I'll just read it to you. 00:11:19.380 --> 00:11:27.180 The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowly slowness, but as patient towards you not 00:11:27.180 --> 00:11:31.180 willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. 00:11:31.800 --> 00:11:32.360 Let me say it again. 00:11:32.860 --> 00:11:37.260 The Lord is not slow as a second Peter three nine he is not slow about his promise. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:44.760 Meaning God has is the promise, sir of eternal life, the restoration of the world that's been corrupted by sin. 00:11:44.760 --> 00:11:50.490 He's not slow in his promise as some count slowness, but rather rather than being slow as some might make the accusation. 00:11:50.700 --> 00:11:57.800 This is the statement he is patient towards you not wishing for any to perish, but for all 00:11:57.800 --> 00:11:59.040 to come to repentance. 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:09.210 I've sat with people before that, when they've come to the question of whether or not God can exist because evil exists in the world, 00:12:09.910 --> 00:12:16.960 they're there as they go down that train or the follow that trail, it's led them to believe that there must not be 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:17.520 any God. 00:12:17.580 --> 00:12:25.020 But I, I just want to tell you this morning that I don't think there's any other worldview that even comes close to giving an answer to why 00:12:25.020 --> 00:12:28.280 good and evil or bad exists more than Christianity. 00:12:29.100 --> 00:12:36.200 In fact, when you deny biblical perspective of what God says about it, I think you have more problems and answers 00:12:36.200 --> 00:12:40.320 to find solutions to rather than just denying the biblical Jesus. 00:12:42.260 --> 00:12:49.360 Well, and what I mean is when it comes to just answering that the question of evil and then just denying 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:54.100 that there must not be a God, there must not be a God because evil exists in the world. 00:12:54.280 --> 00:12:59.760 Well, I think that leaves you in a sort of a conundrum and being able to answer the question of good and evil even to begin with. 00:12:59.820 --> 00:13:04.620 Because in our hearts, when we look at the evil around us, the bad happens around us. 00:13:04.680 --> 00:13:11.680 When we deny a God, we're also acknowledging a God at the same time because something within us is recognizing that the evil is not 00:13:11.680 --> 00:13:14.820 good and something good should triumph over the evil. 00:13:15.880 --> 00:13:18.340 I mean, who even told us what's good and what's evil to begin with? 00:13:18.560 --> 00:13:19.760 Where does that even come from? 00:13:21.400 --> 00:13:26.520 And so, but denying God, it puts you in a greater position of having problems to answer the question of evil than does. 00:13:26.520 --> 00:13:29.820 Simply follow what the Bible tells us about the Lord. 00:13:31.580 --> 00:13:40.940 If you came from nothing and you're looking at evil in this world and you're denying that a God exists, who 00:13:41.020 --> 00:13:41.680 cares about evil? 00:13:44.880 --> 00:13:50.700 I mean really, if there's nothing to this world, just live for whatever makes you happy at the moment and just go for it. 00:13:50.700 --> 00:13:53.260 And who cares what's violated against it's survival of the fittest. 00:13:56.140 --> 00:13:56.800 You won't do that. 00:13:57.080 --> 00:13:57.780 We won't do that. 00:13:57.780 --> 00:13:57.940 Why? 00:14:00.520 --> 00:14:06.080 Because written in the nature of our own lives, we see the injustice of that and know that we're created to live for more than that. 00:14:09.960 --> 00:14:13.500 And so God is acknowledging it in second Peter three nine this is it. 00:14:13.580 --> 00:14:14.620 It's the rescuing of humanity. 00:14:15.660 --> 00:14:18.790 It's what our soul needs was the ending of rust and the stopping of cancer. 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:23.540 It's the sin that becomes a part of us as we host it. 00:14:23.740 --> 00:14:26.620 It's the eradication of that because of who Christ is. 00:14:27.720 --> 00:14:34.740 And you gotta think Christianity, just how ridiculous it would be if God 00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:41.920 did not put an in his justice to evil because the things that God calls us to is to live for more than beyond the pleasure 00:14:41.920 --> 00:14:42.850 of the circumstance. 00:14:43.300 --> 00:14:50.860 I mean, listen to these verses in first Corinthians 1557 but thank God he gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:14:51.100 --> 00:14:58.100 So my dear brothers and sisters, be strong in a moveable, always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you 00:14:58.100 --> 00:15:00.680 do for the Lord is ever useless. 00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:05.780 I mean, this is in the context of even suffering. 00:15:05.780 --> 00:15:12.890 If Jesus wasn't victorious over all things and wouldn't reconcile all things in his justice, how bad it would be to call Christians 00:15:12.980 --> 00:15:15.050 to live in the world in suffering. 00:15:15.420 --> 00:15:22.520 God calls his people into situations where it may not always be perfect and it may even include suffering. 00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:32.380 The reason we can live like that in Victor, it's because we live for something greater than just this world. 00:15:34.520 --> 00:15:41.660 Romans eight Paul said this in verse 17 if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified 00:15:41.660 --> 00:15:48.760 with him for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is 00:15:48.760 --> 00:15:50.730 to be revealed to us. 00:15:54.880 --> 00:16:02.240 God is looking at Malikai are the people that Malika is speaking to, I should say, and they're asking God, 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:03.260 how have we wearied you? 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:08.400 Well, really because you're pursuing pleasure apart from me. 00:16:08.400 --> 00:16:11.160 You're pursuing things that in that pleasure are contrary to me. 00:16:11.420 --> 00:16:18.640 You're calling the bad things good and then accusing me of being that when my desire is to be slow towards you, 00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:22.240 that you would come to repentance and pursue me with your life. 00:16:24.780 --> 00:16:31.880 By the way, just for clarity, repentance isn't penance like I always have to say 00:16:31.880 --> 00:16:35.460 that when I say those words, repentance isn't penance. 00:16:36.280 --> 00:16:43.340 Penance is this process of paying this period of suffering or sacrifice so that way you can get back in 00:16:43.340 --> 00:16:44.040 right standing. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:53.280 The reason repentance isn't penance is because Jesus has already paid your penalty, but the purpose of having a relationship with 00:16:53.280 --> 00:17:00.520 him and so we talk about repentance, it's turning from any other kingdom contrary to him and turning to him, and 00:17:00.520 --> 00:17:07.180 so what he's saying in this verse is that he would call us to that relationship in him and then I like what God does here. 00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:09.839 He hits the chill button. 00:17:13.619 --> 00:17:20.780 The reason I like it is because the first few chapters were pretty heavy slating and sometimes you go through that 00:17:20.780 --> 00:17:22.260 enough and it starts to feel a little messy. 00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:26.310 Yeah, we get that in life. 00:17:26.380 --> 00:17:27.550 You've got so many problems to deal with. 00:17:27.579 --> 00:17:28.460 You're like, ah, nothing. 00:17:28.540 --> 00:17:28.930 Let's use nothing. 00:17:29.120 --> 00:17:29.660 It's too much. 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:42.920 Well, here in this text, it's like the Lord knows based on the first couple 00:17:42.920 --> 00:17:42.920 of chapters that it's just time to hit that button. 00:17:42.920 --> 00:17:47.360 Let's just chill for a moment and reorient our focus to what's significant. 00:17:47.480 --> 00:17:50.460 And so he says this, you can try at home with your kids. 00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:54.420 This means like when things are going crazy, it's this introduction to everyone. 00:17:54.420 --> 00:17:55.380 Pay attention for a second. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:59.200 He goes, behold, I really try when I get home. 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:05.840 Listen everybody, I mean behold children, behold I have something important to say. 00:18:05.900 --> 00:18:06.510 That's what I say to everyone. 00:18:07.060 --> 00:18:12.980 Listen right here for a moment, I'm going to hit the reset button just for a second for our minds just to walk in this thought. 00:18:13.040 --> 00:18:20.320 And so behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare 00:18:20.320 --> 00:18:21.260 the way before me. 00:18:23.040 --> 00:18:28.760 And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight. 00:18:29.040 --> 00:18:32.960 Behold he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:37.420 So what is saying in this passage? 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:40.560 It's actually promising us a few things. 00:18:40.560 --> 00:18:45.320 He tells us to listen and he's coming in the presence of his temple. 00:18:47.820 --> 00:18:48.060 What? 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:52.940 What the word temple equated with in the Jewish mind is the presence of God. 00:18:54.560 --> 00:19:01.410 He's saying sometimes you got all of these questions Israel, that you're asking me, and sometimes you just don't need answers to all these questions. 00:19:01.580 --> 00:19:02.920 What you really need is my presence. 00:19:06.140 --> 00:19:15.780 God could explain to you every detail on every answer to every question in the world, but one thing that details' will not do does 00:19:15.780 --> 00:19:16.160 it give you comfort? 00:19:22.310 --> 00:19:24.040 We need his presence. 00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:34.760 Sometimes in life, we need as council, we need to know the answers and 00:19:34.780 --> 00:19:36.060 other times we need his comfort. 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:39.200 Yeah. 00:19:39.280 --> 00:19:48.280 The Bible describes him as both Isaiah nine six he 00:19:48.280 --> 00:19:56.400 will be called wonderful counselor, almighty God, everlasting 00:19:56.640 --> 00:20:01.640 father, the Prince of peace. 00:20:04.100 --> 00:20:11.300 The presence of God is there to give you counsel and direction as a father, Prince of peace to bring 00:20:11.300 --> 00:20:13.230 the comfort of his presence. 00:20:16.900 --> 00:20:24.240 Point of the temple for the people of Israel was the presence of God, but ultimately the 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:31.440 presence of God in the temple was merely a foreshadowing of what would ultimately come with the presence of 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:31.680 Jesus. 00:20:34.900 --> 00:20:42.100 When we say this a lot for us as a church family to understand just by way of reiteration for 00:20:42.100 --> 00:20:49.100 our lives, every practice in the old Testament that Israel was called to was a foreshadowing of what 00:20:49.100 --> 00:20:56.600 Jesus would ultimately fulfill, and you see those thoughts peppered in scripture as Jesus 00:20:56.600 --> 00:20:58.660 expresses his own identity. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:05.340 Jesus went before the temple and he said, in three days I will destroy this and rebuild it. 00:21:05.380 --> 00:21:12.380 Talking about himself and his own resurrection, tearing the temple veil in his, in his death on the cross and blazing into the presence of God was 00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:17.620 no longer there, but would be with his people, that Jesus himself became the temple and he delivered the temple into the hearts of his own. 00:21:19.340 --> 00:21:26.460 John the Baptist said, behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and the lamb was the sacrifice that will be taken into the temple for the sins of 00:21:26.460 --> 00:21:31.060 the people of Israel during the Passover, and yet Jesus has called that lamb. 00:21:31.120 --> 00:21:36.470 Ultimately in revelation, he's described as that lamb and the picture of his sacrifice is seen in the book of revelation. 00:21:38.340 --> 00:21:43.480 Jesus stands in the temple and he makes these proclamations that are very bold that people wanted to kill him afterwards. 00:21:43.580 --> 00:21:50.580 But he calls himself the light of the world during a celebration in the temple where they would take lights on, stick it on the outside of the temple to acknowledge that the temple was the 00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:51.660 presence of God's life. 00:21:52.580 --> 00:21:54.570 And yet Jesus stands in the midst of the celebration. 00:21:54.780 --> 00:21:57.380 He says to the world that he is the light of the world. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:22:04.840 During that same set of ceremonies that were taking place, there was also a sacrifice of the pouring of water out at the temple. 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:11.980 And Jesus then refers to himself as the living water, the events that took 00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:16.340 place in the temple, the sacrificial system put in Israel, the prophet, priest, and King. 00:22:16.340 --> 00:22:23.800 That rollover is, are all of the, all of it was symbolic of who Jesus was and what he would represent as his presence would come near to us. 00:22:26.800 --> 00:22:30.160 So if God's saying in chapter three, do you really want answers to all the questions? 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:41.340 In some cases under that we do, but it's important to recognize you can have the answers and 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:42.620 still be empty. 00:22:46.840 --> 00:22:54.480 Sometimes in Christianity, I think there is no better rationality for anything related to life than the biblical perspective, but 00:22:54.480 --> 00:23:03.880 when it comes to understanding that as Christians, when you, when you see how logical Christianity is in any other worldview, that 00:23:03.880 --> 00:23:09.950 the danger is that the pursuit of Christ becomes an intellectual exercise in our lives and not one of relationship. 00:23:14.320 --> 00:23:16.320 You can have the answers to the questions. 00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:18.260 We love questions. 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:24.040 You can have those answers and still not practice his presence. 00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:35.060 God just pushes that button right here in the midst of the questions that Israel's been asking said, listen, let's start with my presence. 00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:43.660 Well, I said in the beginning when we walk out of church on Sunday, if we've not walked out of here drawing closer to the Lord and closer to one another, 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:46.240 it's not what we are here for. 00:23:46.320 --> 00:23:47.080 We're here for that reason. 00:23:50.300 --> 00:23:52.220 I'm coming to church just to come to church. 00:23:52.320 --> 00:23:55.500 We come to church because Jesus is worthy and we want to draw near to him. 00:23:55.560 --> 00:23:58.480 And what do you wanna see is his glory proclaimed throughout this Valley? 00:24:03.140 --> 00:24:05.740 And so drawing near to him becomes the basis for everything. 00:24:05.740 --> 00:24:09.420 This is, this is what happens in our lives when Jesus is Lord of our lives. 00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:13.470 When we begin to answer questions and seek the answers to questions, it starts from this perspective. 00:24:13.800 --> 00:24:14.480 Jesus is Lord. 00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:15.060 And so now what? 00:24:19.340 --> 00:24:21.710 Rather than I'm Lord and God, this is where you need to fit in. 00:24:25.020 --> 00:24:31.440 And so he says in chapter three verse one I'm coming and then he says, I'm going to bring a messenger who will prepare the way before me. 00:24:31.780 --> 00:24:35.980 And this is an important statement because this statement is what's going to kick off the new Testament. 00:24:36.100 --> 00:24:41.660 If you read the gospels, the gospel of Mark was the first gospel written, the first two verses a Mark. 00:24:42.020 --> 00:24:49.120 It quotes a section of this passage of scripture that it's the coming of Jesus and that there's going to be one who comes and prepares the 00:24:49.120 --> 00:24:49.740 way for him. 00:24:50.020 --> 00:24:57.380 And this one who comes and prepares the way for him, as has mentioned multiple times within scripture, but it's John 00:24:57.380 --> 00:25:02.680 the Baptist and John the Baptist is the, the Halloween costume have always wanted to wear. 00:25:04.600 --> 00:25:10.200 He's just dressed in furries eating bugs and honey, there's so many things I could do with that on Halloween. 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:20.020 But he's the one that just declares from the wilderness that Jesus is coming and the way that this phrase is written as is significant understanding who 00:25:20.020 --> 00:25:20.760 Jesus is. 00:25:21.060 --> 00:25:21.200 Exactly. 00:25:21.240 --> 00:25:24.470 He says that he's going to be the one that prepares the way before the Lord. 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:32.560 In Mark chapter one, when the coming of Jesus is shared in the first couple of verses that says, he's coming prepared the way of the Lord make straight his 00:25:32.560 --> 00:25:32.940 paths. 00:25:34.340 --> 00:25:38.500 That's the type of statement that you give for a King in his kingdom that's approaching to this earth. 00:25:38.780 --> 00:25:43.280 When someone of, of dignity would travel into a town, they would, they would flatten out the roads. 00:25:44.220 --> 00:25:49.690 It would literally make the traveling less bumpy so that when the King came in, he would be impressed and have a smooth ride. 00:25:51.780 --> 00:25:58.200 And what the message of John was the preparation of the hearts of the people for the coming of Jesus that we'd be ready to receive him. 00:26:00.020 --> 00:26:06.390 He would prepare the way for the one who was the calm and the one who was the calmness. 00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:10.650 Last part of this verse, he is coming says the Lord of hosts is Jesus. 00:26:12.540 --> 00:26:19.660 He consider verse one and its historical context for us today and it is significantly powerful and 00:26:19.660 --> 00:26:22.110 his profiting statements, let me just give you for a few reasons why. 00:26:23.760 --> 00:26:31.020 So when it comes to the old Testament, we have an old copies of the old Testament, a few hundred years older than Jesus, prophetic statements about Jesus that are so 00:26:31.020 --> 00:26:37.160 specific about where he will be born, how he will die, what exactly will be happened, what will happen when he dies? 00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:39.630 What is what is going to be paid for him to be betrayed? 00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:47.400 The type of punishment he will, the sacrifice of his own life on a cross before the cruise sufficient even existed. 00:26:49.180 --> 00:26:56.240 And in this one verse and chapter three verse one another prophet, his statement about Jesus that we have hundreds of years older than Jesus is 00:26:56.240 --> 00:27:01.720 now saying to us that Jesus is coming to his temple and John the Baptist will proclaim him. 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:11.760 If you go to Israel today, you will recognize there 00:27:11.760 --> 00:27:18.880 is no temple, there is a wall and there is a mosque where there should be or 00:27:18.980 --> 00:27:19.600 was a temple. 00:27:21.840 --> 00:27:22.400 There is no temple. 00:27:24.900 --> 00:27:31.960 In fact, that temple was destroyed in 78 AD which means the fulfillment of this verse would have had to 00:27:31.960 --> 00:27:33.880 happen and almost 2000 years ago. 00:27:37.520 --> 00:27:44.840 And in fact it did the hindsight for us, we've seen John the Baptist and Jesus coming, but yet it 00:27:44.840 --> 00:27:52.700 reaffirms to us again the significance of scripture and how God uses this prophetically 00:27:52.700 --> 00:27:59.980 to point to the identity of who God is and help us just worship him, pursue him with all of our lives 00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:02.210 because this is the, this is the danger within our culture. 00:28:02.460 --> 00:28:10.800 We want to respect everyone and their religious beliefs and what people want to pursue in their lives and the freedom they have to do that because 00:28:10.800 --> 00:28:13.840 we as followers of Christ want that same freedom for ourselves. 00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:18.480 But this is where we don't have to agree. 00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:19.400 You hear the statement. 00:28:19.800 --> 00:28:27.160 Many say all religions basically teach you the same thing or how to be good now, nevermind that they're all different gods, 00:28:27.160 --> 00:28:29.120 all different ways of salvation, all different, whatever. 00:28:29.140 --> 00:28:36.200 They're not aligned in any way, but then they get this one statement that as long as you're good, right, as all religions are the same, as long as 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:37.220 you're good, that's all it really matters. 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:42.780 I'm just going to make this thought not not to chastise, but the challenge. 00:28:44.560 --> 00:28:52.220 If you're prone to that statement or ever make that statement and just promise, it's 00:28:52.220 --> 00:29:01.100 a statement made out of ignorance because when you study the 00:29:01.100 --> 00:29:08.200 Bible in comparison to any other religious books, in fact, you could culminate 00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:10.340 them all together and compare it to the Bible. 00:29:14.020 --> 00:29:15.430 There's nothing that matches it. 00:29:17.820 --> 00:29:22.160 There's nothing prophetically in any other holy book that even comes close to scripture. 00:29:22.180 --> 00:29:24.280 Nothing historically nothing. 00:29:24.380 --> 00:29:25.460 Archeologically. 00:29:25.660 --> 00:29:33.860 There's no manuscript evidence that validates any other religious book that even holds a candle to 00:29:33.860 --> 00:29:40.960 the Bible almost almost so that when you start to compare other wa 00:29:40.960 --> 00:29:46.180 works to scripture and try to equate them as the same. 00:29:47.620 --> 00:29:52.700 When you look at the historical validation of them, it almost feels like you're trying to convince someone of a joke becoming a reality. 00:29:57.670 --> 00:29:59.680 No, I don't say that to be mean. 00:30:02.120 --> 00:30:09.280 Is that the only reason I make that the thought is so that followers of Jesus can walk with boldness in 00:30:09.280 --> 00:30:09.960 the truth. 00:30:10.020 --> 00:30:11.440 They stand on them. 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:14.080 We love people, love people. 00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:20.160 God calls us to love everyone just because we love them. 00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:27.620 It doesn't validate everything that they do or believe when 00:30:27.620 --> 00:30:28.720 it comes to following after Christ. 00:30:28.860 --> 00:30:32.570 We've got to be convinced in our own mind that what we pursue after is accurate. 00:30:34.230 --> 00:30:41.280 And then when we use the words like faith, that we're not doing it on a blind ignorance, but we recognize that God gave us a mind for the purpose of resting faith on 00:30:41.280 --> 00:30:42.940 a foundation that secures us. 00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:49.700 And then when he comes back to the statement of as long as you're good, that's all. 00:30:50.020 --> 00:30:50.370 That's all that matters. 00:30:50.560 --> 00:30:54.760 Well, when you compare that to what the Bible says, the Bible doesn't even say that. 00:30:54.780 --> 00:30:57.040 There's no verse for that. 00:30:57.140 --> 00:31:04.400 In fact, there is this group of individuals in the Bible that were called the Sadducees, that when they looked at the old Testament 00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:09.040 laws, they equated no living for eternity by obeying laws. 00:31:09.080 --> 00:31:12.680 So in their minds there was no doing good led to eternal living. 00:31:13.060 --> 00:31:14.280 They didn't even equate that. 00:31:14.320 --> 00:31:15.680 In fact, they didn't believe. 00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:16.940 They read the old Testament laws. 00:31:16.940 --> 00:31:23.960 They believe in following the old Testament laws and they didn't even believe in an afterlife and the reason they didn't believe in an afterlife is because they saw no verse after saying be 00:31:23.960 --> 00:31:24.360 good. 00:31:24.640 --> 00:31:27.440 That attached itself to any promise of living forever there. 00:31:27.580 --> 00:31:31.290 It wasn't even there and there was a whole religious group that started out of that called the Sadducees. 00:31:32.820 --> 00:31:36.520 And so when you go to the Bible looking for verses say, do good and you'll live forever, they don't exist. 00:31:37.820 --> 00:31:42.610 In fact, this is what the Bible says about doing good by the works of the law. 00:31:44.220 --> 00:31:51.220 No one bring out the Greek here for no one means no one will 00:31:51.220 --> 00:31:56.240 be justified, justified as a legal term. 00:31:57.600 --> 00:32:05.000 It's like you're going to court before God who is judge and you're guilty sin 00:32:05.000 --> 00:32:13.160 in a host, right, and God is saying in these verses that now you're justified not by the law, not 00:32:13.160 --> 00:32:13.940 by doing good. 00:32:14.300 --> 00:32:21.340 Is that justification ever happening in Galatians three 21 for if a law has been given that could impart life, 00:32:22.220 --> 00:32:24.760 then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:30.120 The scripture has locked up every, every everything under the control of sin. 00:32:31.660 --> 00:32:33.410 So when you say, as long as you're good, that's all that matters. 00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:36.740 If you hold that belief, just know it's not in the Bible. 00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:41.950 And in fact, it undermines the coming of Jesus altogether. 00:32:46.320 --> 00:32:52.520 So Malakai sunny, we recognize our condition. 00:32:52.520 --> 00:32:58.760 We understand just how desperate we are because it doesn't save. 00:32:59.460 --> 00:33:00.060 Jesus does. 00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:07.900 But when you take it in to the thought beyond that, God, God doesn't just want to rescue you. 00:33:07.940 --> 00:33:13.660 He wants to transform you and continue to work in you and grow in that relationship in him. 00:33:13.740 --> 00:33:20.900 And in fact, when you go to Malakai three verse four it says this, he will set as a refiner and purify of silver, and he will purify the sons of 00:33:20.900 --> 00:33:23.180 Levi and refine them like gold and silver. 00:33:23.380 --> 00:33:30.380 And they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord than the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, as in the days of old, as in the former years. 00:33:30.560 --> 00:33:32.360 So this is what I'm saying, presence of God's coming. 00:33:32.660 --> 00:33:33.720 That's what refines you. 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:39.800 This word for refinement is beautiful word. 00:33:39.800 --> 00:33:46.220 And I got to share this quickly cause we're not a time that we talk about refining a few. 00:33:46.240 --> 00:33:53.620 I'm like, if I don't know why I do this, but if I'm turning on the TV and there happens to be this anything about Alaska, I'll watch it. 00:33:54.280 --> 00:34:01.660 So one of the things I watch is gold rush and some, something I learned in gold rush is, how they purify 00:34:01.660 --> 00:34:05.460 the metal and they make the gold bars always at the end get to see their season work in gold bars. 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:13.219 But when they make gold bars, one things I've learned about making gold, they'll heat these things up and as they heat them up, the impurities will float to the top. 00:34:14.739 --> 00:34:17.239 When the impurities float to the top, they'll then skim it off. 00:34:17.239 --> 00:34:18.429 And then you've got the pure gold underneath. 00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:27.560 And that's the way God's describing our relationship with him is that he loves you where you are and he loves you too much 00:34:27.560 --> 00:34:33.560 to leave you like that he's created you for relationship with him, finding purpose and intention in that. 00:34:33.580 --> 00:34:36.389 And so God refines you in him. 00:34:36.540 --> 00:34:37.790 He refines you in that. 00:34:37.860 --> 00:34:40.960 And as the impurities float to the top, he skims those off. 00:34:41.139 --> 00:34:47.560 And here's how a blacksmith who just refines metal, silver Smith, I guess maybe, I don't know what that would be. 00:34:47.560 --> 00:34:49.860 But as they refine that metal, here's how they know that's pure. 00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:56.239 When they look down at the metal and they see their image reflected in it. 00:34:58.380 --> 00:35:01.350 And that's God's desire for us as his people. 00:35:02.160 --> 00:35:09.260 And in fact, when you read it in the Bible, it tells us that multiple times, Romans eight 28 and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to 00:35:09.260 --> 00:35:11.450 those that love God who are called according to his purpose. 00:35:11.960 --> 00:35:13.990 And he all the bad things in this world that happened. 00:35:14.780 --> 00:35:16.200 God's gonna turn it for his good. 00:35:16.200 --> 00:35:23.320 And the way you know that is because he did it at the cross with himself, a demonstration, the most despicable thing used for his glory, the emblem of suffering and 00:35:23.320 --> 00:35:26.060 shame, but for the hope of the church, the glory that is to come. 00:35:26.760 --> 00:35:33.550 And then he says this, for those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of the son. 00:35:35.700 --> 00:35:36.430 So it's the same thing. 00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:40.800 Second Corinthians eight three 1719 now the Lord is the spirit where the spirit of the Lord is. 00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:47.980 There is freedom and we all with unveiled faces, contemplate the Lord's glory are being transformed into his image with ever increasing 00:35:47.980 --> 00:35:52.520 glory, God's desire for your life. 00:35:56.800 --> 00:36:00.500 That's for you to reflect the glory of Jesus in this world and the way that happens. 00:36:03.020 --> 00:36:09.240 It's the experiencing of his presence in your life reset button, right? 00:36:09.260 --> 00:36:16.640 We could deal with every issue that you could think about in this world or Jesus becomes 00:36:16.640 --> 00:36:23.760 Lord and you align your life under him, seeking his will in the way that you live 00:36:23.760 --> 00:36:28.890 life in this world in a Malakai. 00:36:30.580 --> 00:36:36.300 Verse five then talks about the structure one, God's first coming salvation, God's second coming. 00:36:36.640 --> 00:36:37.320 Destruction. 00:36:37.340 --> 00:36:38.310 You don't want to be a part of that. 00:36:38.380 --> 00:36:45.500 You can read it in revelation 19 verse 13 I call it [inaudible] Jesus where he comes back on a horse sword 00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:50.880 flying of his mouth, his robe dipped in blood, and a tattoo down the side that says King of Kings, Lord of Lords. 00:36:51.200 --> 00:36:56.440 Like if you've never peed your pants before in a haunted house or something like that is the moment to do it, right? 00:36:56.440 --> 00:36:57.000 That is, that is. 00:36:57.340 --> 00:37:04.460 That is what's going to happen first coming salvation second coming justice, but this is what he says in verse one and verse six I just want to see how this 00:37:04.740 --> 00:37:08.180 sandwiches together the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight. 00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:09.300 Behold he is coming. 00:37:09.540 --> 00:37:13.880 God gave us the covenant in his blood and verse six for I the Lord do not change. 00:37:14.200 --> 00:37:21.220 Therefore you children of Jacob are not consumed because the consistency of God's character, the salvation in the hope that we have in 00:37:21.220 --> 00:37:24.520 him rest secure because his character does not change. 00:37:27.700 --> 00:37:28.300 You don't save yourself. 00:37:28.620 --> 00:37:29.580 He does. 00:37:31.020 --> 00:37:32.340 You don't sustain your salvation. 00:37:32.620 --> 00:37:33.410 He does well. 00:37:35.100 --> 00:37:37.360 Verse five he just reminded us at the end. 00:37:38.680 --> 00:37:42.700 Then I will draw near to you for judgment, talking about after his coming of salvation. 00:37:42.700 --> 00:37:43.560 Then he comes for judgment. 00:37:43.660 --> 00:37:51.020 Now will be a Swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adults or as against those who swear falsely against those who oppress the hard worker and his wages, 00:37:51.020 --> 00:37:57.170 the widow and the fatherless against those who thrust aside the sojourners and do not fear me, says the Lord of foes. 00:37:59.300 --> 00:37:59.820 Do not fear me. 00:37:59.860 --> 00:38:01.410 Basically includes everyone. 00:38:03.000 --> 00:38:06.820 He's just saying like, my justice is coming, my justice is coming. 00:38:09.680 --> 00:38:11.020 Hey, the rescue here. 00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:13.160 You don't. 00:38:15.220 --> 00:38:16.820 You belong in this salvation or you're not. 00:38:20.060 --> 00:38:21.840 Shake your fist at Christ. 00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:25.070 Are you embracing? 00:38:28.260 --> 00:38:29.640 Jesus is first coming. 00:38:29.640 --> 00:38:37.920 The reason it came was for us in patients can 00:38:38.060 --> 00:38:45.260 find our salvation in Jesus because of what he's done, but rest assured as 00:38:45.280 --> 00:38:53.880 the accusation was made in Malakai chapter one or chapter three verse one God is good and 00:38:53.880 --> 00:39:01.260 therefore his justice will come because long suffering in these moments is for us 00:39:01.360 --> 00:39:08.520 in our lives to align ourselves with them not just for salvation, but 00:39:08.520 --> 00:39:13.980 every day of our lives seeking the will of the Lord that he would direct our paths. 00:39:14.060 --> 00:39:22.920 Let me close with this verse first Peter chapter one or six in this, you greatly rejoice even 00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:27.560 though now for a little while if necessary, you've been distressed by various trials. 00:39:29.540 --> 00:39:36.620 God knows our struggles so that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold, which is perishable, 00:39:36.780 --> 00:39:44.090 even the tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:39:45.540 --> 00:39:46.020 Here's what Peter say. 00:39:49.900 --> 00:39:55.960 Adversity has a way of showing us what we truly believe in is Christ. 00:39:58.560 --> 00:40:05.560 It's not until life brings pressure in the filth surfaces to the top that 00:40:05.560 --> 00:40:15.860 you find out if you're really walk with Jesus, because anyone can say they walk with Jesus when life's easy, but 00:40:15.860 --> 00:40:21.660 it's one it costs you or you find out if Christ is really what your life is about. 00:40:24.640 --> 00:40:27.900 He sang for us, even though there's various trials, he's going to take care of that. 00:40:29.960 --> 00:40:37.040 But what we find in the midst of those trials is if Jesus is truly our hope, so that 00:40:37.100 --> 00:40:44.180 by it [inaudible] he uses those opportunities to refine us so that the image of Christ be shaped in 00:40:44.180 --> 00:40:47.470 us and that we live for his glory in this world.