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We've been in the call series, 
if you've. 

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Missed that? 
Do catch up? 

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We've been looking. 
More recently, and we looked at 

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the three different calls. 
There's the call to be with 

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Jesus. 
And we've been unpacking the 

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story of when Jesus called the 
first disciples the first call. 

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Was the call to be with Jesus. 
We're called to be with Jesus 

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before we're ever. 
Called to do something, as I've 

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been saying we're called to 
someone before something. 

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The second thing is. 
We've been called to holiness, 

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which means to be set apart from
the. 

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World and be consecrated to him 
and in the story of calling. 

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The first disciples that we've. 
Been reading when he calls Simon

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Peter into the boat, he says. 
Let's push. 

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Away from the crowd. 
Let's push away. 

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Let's have a separation, we 
unpack. 

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What holiness looks like and we 
look. 

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Specifically at the fear. 
Of God. 

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And then we are in the section 
which is. 

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A call to fulfill. 
The Great Commission and we've 

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been looking at 10 hallmarks. 
Of that that you can find within

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the story that we're going to 
read together now, 10 

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distinctives. 
Around the call of God on. 

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Us. 
And we looked at #1. 

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God. 
Calls us at the. 

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Point where we feel weak and. 
Tired. 

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That's the first. 
Hallmark, the second one we. 

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Looked at, was it? 
Will require us to go deeper 

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than we ever did before. 
Or that we did before #3. 

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It doesn't always seem to make 
sense to us. 

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That I get an Amen in the house.
And #4 we looked at the last one

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was it requires obedience in his
word. 

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And you can do the math. 
We've got 10 to get through. 

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My prayer is that we. 
Get through it right. 

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Up until Christmas time, I might
have to squeeze a couple in on 

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one week. 
So before I unveil Hallmark #5, 

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because I can see you're all so.
Excited about that. 

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We're going to read the story 
together that we can find in 

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Luke. 
Chapter 51 to 11:00 I'm going to

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read this as way of a. 
Reminder and recap because. 

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It has been a couple of weeks 
and then we're going to look at 

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Hallmark #5. 
On one occasion while the crowd 

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was pressing. 
In on him that's Jesus to. 

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Hear the word of God, He was 
standing by the lake of 

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Ganesarat, which. 
Is also the Sea of Galilee. 

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And he saw two boats by the 
lake. 

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But the fishermen had gone out 
of them and were washing their 

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Nets. 
Getting into one of the boats, 

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which was Simon's, he asked him 
to put out a little. 

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From the land, and he sat. 
Down and taught the people from 

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the boat and when he had 
finished. 

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Speaking, he said to. 
Simon put out into the deep and 

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let your net down for a catch. 
And Simon answered Master. 

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Listen, we. 
Toiled all night and took 

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nothing but nevertheless. 
That was the last hallmark we 

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looked at. 
Nevertheless, at your word. 

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Will let down the Nets, and when
they had done this, they 

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enclosed a large number of fish,
and their Nets were breaking. 

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They signaled to their. 
Partners in the other boat to 

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come and help them and they came
and filled. 

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Both the boats, so they began to
sink when Simon Peter. 

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Saw him he fell down at. 
Jesus's knees saying, depart 

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from me, for I am a sinful. 
Man, O Lord, he and all who were

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with him were astonished at the 
catch of fish that they had 

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taken, and so also were. 
James and John son of. 

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Zebedee, who were partners with 
Simon and Jesus, said to Simon, 

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do not be afraid from now on. 
You will be catching men. 

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And when they had brought their 
boats to land, they left 

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everything. 
And followed him well, We get to

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Hallmark. #5 and it. 
Is this hallmark #5? 

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There is blessing in the call. 
There is. 

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Blessing in the call now when we
think about. 

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Blessing what we often think 
about the things that God gives.

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US is that. 
Fair. 

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You know I've been blessed by 
having. 

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So and so. 
Or maybe we say we just pray the

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Lord. 
'S blessing on you or when 

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someone sneezes. 
We say what? 

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Bless you. 
Why not? 

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Any opportunity to bless someone
you know, even even non 

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Christians. 
Will use that phrase. 

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Bless you. 
It's become part of our modern 

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vernacular, in fact. 
There was a social media trend. 

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A number. 
Of. 

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Years ago that was hashtag. 
Blessed. 

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I don't know if any of you 
remember. 

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That some. 
Of you are nodding your head and

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and essentially. 
What you would do is you would 

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take a picture of your new car. 
And say hashtag blessed or your 

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job offer letter hashtag blessed
or your new shoes #blessed. 

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Everyone got into it. 
Which is a way of saying. 

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You know, it's not about me, but
it's all about me. 

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Just saying or This is my latte.
In front of Starbucks, I kid you

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not. 
#Blessed I mean. 

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Blessed has become. 
Synonymous with gifts, doesn't 

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it? 
And it is true here, brothers 

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and sisters, that all good. 
Things come from heaven above as

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we read in the scriptures, and 
it's worth saying. 

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That as it says in the 
scriptures, the sun shines on 

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the righteous and the 
unrighteous, I mean we call it 

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common grace. 
That God is graceful to his. 

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Creation. 
And He pours His blessings. 

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The blessing of of the warmth of
the sun is upon the righteous. 

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And the unrighteous. 
But here's the problem. 

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I think we fall. 
Into a bit of a. 

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Trap, that is. 
Oh, so subtle. 

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Which is we think that the 
blessing of God only resides in 

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the gifts. 
That he gives us the things that

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he enables us to have. 
And So what we think about? 

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When we think about the blessing
of God is that it's almost like 

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an add on, IE I'm saved now 
Lord, would you? 

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Bless me with this and the other
Lord. 

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I pray a blessing of a new car. 
I pray, listen, God wants to 

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bless you in that area, but can 
I respectively? 

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Say it's not just about that. 
It is a trap that is oh so 

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subtle and and I tell you. 
A reason why it's subtle. 

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Because we associate the 
blessings of God with gifts for 

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good behavior. 
Now you might not articulate it 

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in that manner, or necessarily. 
Consciously. 

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Think that way. 
But the way it plays out is if 

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God is pleased. 
With me? 

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He will therefore give. 
Me the blessing. 

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Or if I pray. 
In the right way he will bless 

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me, and so we. 
Put the blessing of God on the 

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condition of our performance. 
You see that? 

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When you really think about it 
and that's why. 

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You can have whole doctrines 
that have been. 

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Formulated that are warped into.
God. 

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God wants to give you whatever 
you name and claim. 

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Because essentially what they do
is they take the blessing of 

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God, one aspect. 
Of it that he wants to give good

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gifts and magnify it to the. 
Point at which it is the only. 

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Thing. 
About God's blessing. 

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But I want to come to you this. 
Morning. 

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To tell you that. 
That is not. 

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Correct that as we read in the. 
Scriptures We see the blessing 

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is owe so much. 
More than that, my my heart this

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morning. 
Is that we reposition blessing? 

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Away from just these material 
items and what we do is we. 

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See the bigger picture and the 
bigger. 

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Narrative of the Lord's blessing
upon us and. 

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Ultimately, to see how the 
blessing of God is absolutely 

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center into the gospel and woven
throughout the gospel. 

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Message The Good news of Jesus 
Christ. 

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So get comfy. 
We're going to go from Genesis 

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all the way through to 
Revelation, because who knows 

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that sometimes in order to go 
deep, you need to get. 

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Far out and have a look from the
aerial view if you want to see a

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trend, if you want to see a 
narrative. 

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If you want to see what 
Hertfordshire looks like above, 

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you need to get into a 
helicopter. 

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And survey it all. 
And so in order for us to go 

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deep into the blessing. 
We need to go. 

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Up. 1st to have a look and 
that's what we're going to do. 

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So follow me on this tour of the
Bible. 

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As we see a theme of blessing 
run throughout, you see in the 

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beginning we. 
See the first ever blessing in 

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Genesis? 
Anyone know what the first ever 

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blessing was? 
OK. 

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I'm going to say like, oh, I 
knew it was that you can be more

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brave if. 
You wish Genesis, Chapter 120. 

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2. 
God blesses the creatures of the

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sea. 
And the birds of the air telling

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them what? 
This was the blessing to be 

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fruitful and multiply. 
The earth. 

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There you go. 
First. 

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Ever. 
Blessing you read in the 

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scriptures now the second 
blessing. 

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Anyone know what the second 
blessing is? 

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Thank you upon Adam and Eve. 
Verse 28 God gave a similar 

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blessing to Adam and Eve. 
But unlike the animals, did you 

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know there was an additional? 
Blessing which he gave them. 

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Which was to exercise. 
Dominion over. 

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Creation. 
So he built upon that original 

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blessing, he said. 
Animal Eve go and multiply and 

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be fruitful and have dominion 
over the creation, in other 

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words. 
I want you to rule on Reign on 

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behalf of myself. 
That's what it's about. 

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I want you to be image bearers 
of me because you've been 

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created in my image. 
The animals haven't, but you 

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have, and therefore the blessing
I pronounce upon you. 

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Is that you would rule and 
reign. 

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And be my Regents here on earth 
and. 

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So we see that blessing of 
fruitfulness and multiplication,

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and a blessing of extending the 
Kingdom of. 

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God on earth. 
You see that and as long as they

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walked in the obedience. 
Of God, and as long as they ate 

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from the. 
Tree of life. 

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All was OK, They would operate 
under the. 

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Blessing. 
But what happened? 

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They didn't, did they? 
There was another tree in the 

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garden. 
Which God said don't have of 

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that tree, the tree of 
knowledge, the good of evil, now

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the tree. 
In this story represents man 

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wanting the blessings of God to 
multiply and be. 

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Fruitful and to have dominion 
but. 

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Without the one who blesses. 
Why do I say that? 

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Because the lie was the 
temptation was you can. 

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Be like God. 
In other words, you don't need 

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God. 
You can be like him. 

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You can disconnect the blessing 
that he pronounced upon you and 

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God himself. 
And you'll be a OK and that's 

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the world we live in as Mark, I 
think. 

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It's Saya says in. 
Australia the world wants the 

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the Kingdom of God without. 
The king We want the benefits of

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the blessing without the one 
that blesses, and so. 

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Adam and Eve ate of the apple. 
Now what happened at that point?

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Well, the opposite. 
Came a curse came. 

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You got the blessing. 
And you got a. 

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Curse. 
Now the curse was a direct 

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consequence of making a decision
to leave the one who blesses and

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come out of. 
The covering of that blessing. 

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That was the decision that Adam 
and Eve made. 

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The curse wasn't some kind of 
special magic. 

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Curse that God pronounced. 
He told them the. 

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Consequence of what That sin 
meant and what? 

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Do we read instead of a blessing
of abundance of life? 

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Health and fruitfulness. 
The curse was what? 

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One of isolation? 
Shame toil. 

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No fruitfulness. 
Lack and ultimately death. 

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Do you see that the curse is a 
direct opposite of the blessing 

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because you cannot disconnect? 
The Blessing of. 

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God with the one who blesses it.
It's not the blessing of God. 

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Isn't a magic formula that you 
can name it and claim. 

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It and receive it. 
Irrespective. 

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Of the one who blesses you, you 
understand. 

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And so this curse came in. 
Now what happens at this point? 

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Well, we have in Genesis. 
Three, the first ever prophetic.

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Declaration of the gospel. 
It's called the Proto 

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Evangelium, which essentially 
means. 

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The first Gospel, and if you 
were here when I did. 

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The Gospel series. 
You'll remember. 

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What I said that in Genesis. 3. 
God curses. 

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The Sermon Serpent and says 
there'll be enmity between the 

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offspring of the woman and you. 
And you will, you will. 

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Bruise his heel, but he will 
strike your head. 

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What is that about? 
That's about declaring that 

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Jesus will come and he will beat
Satan. 

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That's what that proto 
Evangelium is. 

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And so in that moment, you see 
God. 

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Had a plan to. 
Cross. 

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And to put to death the curse. 
That had come into the land. 

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You see that now Adam and Eve 
leave God and obedience. 

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So what? 
What's God going to do now? 

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Did God give up? 
He said, Well, they blew it. 

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That's it. 
Done now? 

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No. 
God chose A. 

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Couple to walk in God's. 
Blessing Abraham and Sarah. 

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Let's look at Genesis 12123 Now 
the Lord said to Abraham. 

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It was Abraham at the time. 
Before God renamed him to 

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Abraham, which means father of 
many nations. 

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He says this Go from your 
country and your kindred and 

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your father's house to the land 
that I will. 

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Show you and I will what make 
you a great nation, and I will. 

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Bless you and make your name 
great. 

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So that you will be a blessing. 
I will bless those who bless you

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and him who. 
Dishonors you, I will curse, and

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in you listen all the families. 
Of the earth. 

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Shall be blessed. 
What do we see here? 

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We see the same blessing he 
gave. 

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Adam and Eve. 
He gave gives to. 

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Abraham and Sarah, namely a 
blessing to multiply and be. 

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Fruitful and a blessing to 
extend God's Kingdom. 

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To bring blessings to others, 
the same blessing again, God 

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says, right, Let's go again. 
That is the blessing of God. 

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To be. 
Fruitful to multiply and to 

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extend his Kingdom. 
And so we see. 

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Exactly that happen, you see 
what happens in this moment is 

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the. 
Blessing of God is. 

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Designed to. 
Reverse the curse. 

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You see that the presence of 
Abraham and Sarah. 

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And the nation of. 
Israel was there to reverse the 

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curse. 
And bring the blessing of God 

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that he had intended, and 
Israel, indeed the nation. 

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Grew into a very large nation 
and then we come into the story 

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where they come to Mount Sinai. 
And you know the story where 

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Moses comes down with the 
tablets and the 10 commandments,

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and here we see once again God 
pronounced that blessing. 

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Over these people. 
See, I'm setting before you 

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today a blessing and a curse. 
The blessing. 

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Is if you obey the commandments 
of the. 

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Lord your God, which I command 
you today. 

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00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:45,520
And so once again, we. 
See the choice if you walk in my

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ways. 
If you recognize me as Lord. 

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As You worship Me as God, you 
will walk in the blessing of 

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multiplication and fruitfulness 
and extending My Kingdom. 

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00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,720
Here. 
But if you choose not to and you

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00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:05,640
walk outside of me, and you 
choose to do your own thing and 

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00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:07,520
be like. 
God which is the same old. 

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00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:10,640
Temptation, Adam and Eve had. 
Then you will walk under the 

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curse. 
Why? 

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Because you cannot disconnect. 
The blessing. 

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00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:17,920
With the one who gives the 
blessing, and that is the. 

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00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:22,480
Story that we see with Israel 
time and time again falling away

295
00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:24,840
from God. 
God in His long-suffering and 

296
00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:30,200
His mercy, calling them back. 
But eventually, what do we see? 

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00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,000
We see that. 
They are exiled into Babylon and

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00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,240
what does that mean? 
What happens next? 

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00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:40,920
Because it clearly hasn't 
worked. 

300
00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:42,320
Does it mean? 
That God gives up? 

301
00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:50,440
No, because actually, indeed, 
there will be one that comes 

302
00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:52,200
from Israel. 
That will be a. 

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00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:56,360
Blessing for all nations. 
Jesus, the Jew. 

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00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,320
Jesus came from Israel. 
Why? 

305
00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,400
To bring a blessing. 
And the prophets declared one 

306
00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,560
would come. 
Who would finally reverse the 

307
00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:12,640
curse and bring the blessing? 
And that is what we see. 

308
00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,119
And so Jesus walked under the 
blessing of the Father. 

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00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:18,800
Why? 
Because of his obedience to the 

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00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:22,200
Father. 
And So what we see when Jesus 

311
00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,560
brings healing and deliverance 
and. 

312
00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:27,319
Peace. 
What is Jesus doing? 

313
00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,360
He is walking under the. 
Blessing of God. 

314
00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:37,600
He is reversing the curse. 
In that moment, what we see him 

315
00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:42,000
doing is being fruitful under 
the abundance of God and 

316
00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,640
extending God's Kingdom in the. 
Place he was at, which is 

317
00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,320
exactly the blessing of God. 
That he gave Adam and Eve. 

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00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:54,640
You see that we see this theme. 
All the way through. 

319
00:17:55,360 --> 00:18:00,040
And so in that moment, Jesus is 
extending God's Kingdom, and 

320
00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:03,480
that's what we're talking about 
when we say. 

321
00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,040
We are here to extend God's 
Kingdom. 

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00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:08,360
We're talking about playing. 
Our part in the. 

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00:18:08,360 --> 00:18:12,840
Redemptive story to reverse the 
curse and bring the. 

324
00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:14,760
Blessing of God. 
That's our job. 

325
00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:16,760
That's. 
The Great Commission, that's. 

326
00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,960
The call that is placed. 
Upon us. 

327
00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:23,880
To reverse the curse. 
And bring the blessing of God. 

328
00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:29,560
It is the blessing of God upon. 
Us to be fruitful and multiply. 

329
00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,000
And to bring the blessing of God
to all families of the earth, 

330
00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:40,880
and that brings. 
Us therefore to this. 

331
00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,080
Hallmark, The blessing of God in
the call. 

332
00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,520
What happens with Jesus? 
He becomes. 

333
00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,400
Arrested, right? 
We celebrated this morning 

334
00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,200
communion where we remembered. 
The sacrifice of. 

335
00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:56,840
Jesus on the cross that he died 
and he rose again. 

336
00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:00,640
And what happened when he was on
the cross? 

337
00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:03,720
The scriptures tell us he took 
the curse. 

338
00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,760
Upon himself. 
That. 

339
00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:09,000
Curse that came in the Garden of
Eden. 

340
00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,320
Because of disobedience, Jesus 
said. 

341
00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:15,240
I'll take that curse on me. 
I'll pay the penalty that curse 

342
00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:18,800
that was poured upon mankind. 
I'll bear that price. 

343
00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:23,400
I'll take the punishment of 
death and in that moment. 

344
00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:28,000
He fulfilled the proto. 
Evangelium in Genesis 3 where 

345
00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:33,960
finally he striked. 
The head of the Serpent Let's 

346
00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,280
look at. 
Galatians 3/13/14. 

347
00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,280
Because Paul the Apostle Paul 
when. 

348
00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,080
But picks up this. 
Theme of blessing and curse. 

349
00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,440
He says this Christ redeemed us 
from the. 

350
00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:50,600
Curse of the law by becoming a. 
Curse for us, for it is written.

351
00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:53,280
Cursed is everyone who is 
hanged. 

352
00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:59,160
On a tree so that in Christ 
Jesus the blessing of Abraham 

353
00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,840
might. 
Come to the Gentiles so that we 

354
00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,280
might receive the promised 
Spirit through faith. 

355
00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,280
Do you see that you see the work
of? 

356
00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,720
Jesus on the cross was to 
reverse the curse. 

357
00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:17,440
Once and for all, and enable us 
to walk in the blessing of God 

358
00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:19,960
that he pronounced upon his 
people. 

359
00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:25,920
Isn't that good news? 
You can be a little bit more 

360
00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:31,680
excited if you wish. 
I'm just suggesting it and. 

361
00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:35,560
So that brings us to Hallmark 
#5, the blessing of God in the 

362
00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:37,320
call. 
Because when we. 

363
00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:42,320
Choose to step into his plan and
purposes for us and to 

364
00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,480
surrender. 
Ourselves to him. 

365
00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:50,280
We are taking our position to 
extend the blessing of God to 

366
00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,400
others. 
And His blessing will always 

367
00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,120
flow in that place when we say 
yes to him. 

368
00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,080
Now if you detach Blessing from 
solely being about. 

369
00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:02,600
Gifts. 
You can fully understand this. 

370
00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,560
Because even in the. 
Difficulty of walking through 

371
00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,400
the Great Commission. 
There is blessing in that. 

372
00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,360
You might be serving Jesus and 
surrendering all to him, and you

373
00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:17,000
say, well, I don't see any 
blessing, I don't see any fruit.

374
00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:20,760
Like, where's the good things? 
Well, you're taking one aspect 

375
00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:23,880
of the blessing alone because 
the blessing of God. 

376
00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:28,560
Upon you is to move in 
abundance, IE the grace of God. 

377
00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:31,360
Upon you. 
The strength to achieve, to do 

378
00:21:31,360 --> 00:21:32,720
things. 
Even when you feel weak. 

379
00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:34,960
And bring the blessing. 
To others, that is the. 

380
00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,120
Blessing that we're talking 
about, but. 

381
00:21:37,120 --> 00:21:39,800
So many Christians miss out on 
that because they say, well, I'm

382
00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:42,160
clearly not very blessed because
I don't have the good gifts that

383
00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,720
they have. 
But you've taken blessing. 

384
00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:46,160
In the wrong way. 
Do you see that? 

385
00:21:47,360 --> 00:21:50,320
The core that we have to be like
Jesus is to operate. 

386
00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:51,840
In the. 
Blessing like Jesus did. 

387
00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,960
And in this story we see two. 
Blessings. 

388
00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,960
Now we often jump to #2. 
Blessing, which is the fish. 

389
00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:02,280
We'll get there in a moment, but
there was a first blessing. 

390
00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:04,920
What? 
Happened in Simon Peter's 

391
00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:07,480
obedience. 
Simon, come in. 

392
00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:09,560
Let's get into the boat. 
Let's push out a bit. 

393
00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:14,920
So people can hear me OK in that
moment other people were. 

394
00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,800
Blessed because of that. 
It wasn't for Simon. 

395
00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:19,560
They would have been able to 
hear Jesus. 

396
00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:21,640
You see that? 
Little blessing that was 

397
00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,960
operating upon other people. 
In that moment, because of his. 

398
00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,240
Agents to follow the call, but 
then he. 

399
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:31,840
Pushes out further and we see 
this amazing aspect of the story

400
00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:35,040
where they told. 
All night and as we unpacked a 

401
00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:37,640
couple of a few. 
Weeks ago, fishermen would go at

402
00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,600
night because. 
Their Nets weren't made out of 

403
00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:41,520
the the. 
The modern day nylon, which is 

404
00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:43,880
see through, kind of see through
in the water, they're made of 

405
00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,200
linen and so the fish would see 
them and so you'd go at night so

406
00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:48,840
that they wouldn't see the Nets 
and they'll go into. 

407
00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:51,320
Them and they've been. 
Out all night and they hadn't 

408
00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,040
caught any fish and Jesus. 
Says We'll go and fish now and. 

409
00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:56,480
They're like, really? 
We don't do it in the day. 

410
00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:58,600
Listen, Jesus, you're a good 
teacher and a Carpenter. 

411
00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,120
But I'm a professional 
fisherman. 

412
00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:02,080
That's. 
Not what we do. 

413
00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,720
And so the blessing is a 
supernatural blessing because in

414
00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:10,360
that moment, the fish. 
The Nets can't hold them. 

415
00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:11,640
What is that? 
It is a. 

416
00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:15,600
Picture of the abundance. 
The blessing that comes when we 

417
00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:18,360
say yes to the call of God. 
It doesn't mean that you're 

418
00:23:18,360 --> 00:23:21,600
going to get loads of fish. 
It doesn't mean that if you say 

419
00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:24,320
yes to Jesus, you're going to 
get a new car, although you may 

420
00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:26,240
do. 
It doesn't mean that your bank 

421
00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:28,320
balance will go. 
From here to here, although I 

422
00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:32,400
pray it does for you. 
What it's representing is a 

423
00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:34,920
significant. 
Part of the. 

424
00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,720
Blessing to say that. 
You are now operating under the 

425
00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,320
provision and an abundance of 
the blesser. 

426
00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:43,160
God, that's what. 
This. 

427
00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:46,920
Is showing us you see and so 
when you say yes to Jesus. 

428
00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:51,440
You are now moving in the 
blessing of God to be provided 

429
00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:53,760
with all that. 
You need to do what? 

430
00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:56,360
Roll and reign to extend his 
Kingdom and be a. 

431
00:23:56,360 --> 00:23:57,960
Blessing to other people. 
Did you see that? 

432
00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:04,520
Now as I try and summarize this.
I was thinking about. 

433
00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:09,720
A statement that I could put 
together like a paragraph that 

434
00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:13,880
would. 
Bring this 30,000 foot view of 

435
00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:15,320
the. 
Blessing this meta narrative, 

436
00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,240
this overarching narrative into 
a into a paragraph. 

437
00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:19,720
So I've had. 
A go at this, we're going to be 

438
00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:20,200
on the. 
Screen. 

439
00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,840
Let me unpack this. 
Let's have this on the screen. 

440
00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,800
It says this the. 
Blessing in the call is 

441
00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,640
operating. 
Within and under. 

442
00:24:31,120 --> 00:24:38,720
God's abundant provision. 
In order to be empowered. 

443
00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:43,840
To fulfill the mandate of God on
us to be. 

444
00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:48,360
Fruitful as we extend his. 
Kingdom, which means bringing 

445
00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,920
blessing to others and reversing
the curse with the. 

446
00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:58,480
Goal and outcome of bringing him
the glory and. 

447
00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:02,280
In. 
So doing experiencing true 

448
00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:04,720
peace. 
Joy and fulfilment, Happiness. 

449
00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:07,680
That is what I think is the 
blessing of God. 

450
00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:10,880
When we talk about it in this 
context, it is a. 

451
00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:16,200
Multifaceted, beautiful diamond 
shape truth. 

452
00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,160
But if you look at it. 
From different aspects and 

453
00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,800
angles you see a different. 
Perspective on it. 

454
00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:27,240
But ultimately, listen, let us 
not confine the blessing of God 

455
00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:30,480
to good gifts. 
Let us look at the blessing of 

456
00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:34,440
God from that 30,000 foot view 
to see that it is part of the 

457
00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:38,440
gospel redemptive story. 
That we have been called to be 

458
00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:41,760
part of. 
And that ultimately it is all 

459
00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:43,640
about. 
Bringing glory to him, not to 

460
00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:45,920
us. 
Hashtag blessed shouldn't. 

461
00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:51,360
Focus on me, it should focus on.
God, maybe we should do 

462
00:25:51,360 --> 00:25:56,000
#blessed. 
With a cross and a verse versus 

463
00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,000
the new shoes or cars. 
And God loves to give good 

464
00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,680
gifts. 
And you see, the blessing of God

465
00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,080
comes upon us as we make a 
decision to operate within and 

466
00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:05,360
under. 
His provision. 

467
00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:07,880
What does that mean? 
It means making a decision to be

468
00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,320
dependent on him and trust in 
him. 

469
00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:14,760
Not on ourselves. 
That's when we are the God opens

470
00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:16,320
up the blessing. 
Upon us. 

471
00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:18,880
And it is there in order for us 
to be. 

472
00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,440
Empowered. 
That means his grace. 

473
00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:23,800
That means his. 
Provision in the moment, that 

474
00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,360
means favor. 
That means opening doors that 

475
00:26:26,360 --> 00:26:29,280
need to be opened. 
That means the gifts of the. 

476
00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:31,640
Spirit to enable us to pray for 
people. 

477
00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:33,240
Why? 
To fulfill. 

478
00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,520
The mandate of God, the Great 
Commission that he's placed on 

479
00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:40,600
us with the goal. 
An outcome that we want to bring

480
00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:44,240
him the glory that we want men 
and women to praise the name of.

481
00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:48,600
Jesus and to be saved. 
And in so doing, what we need to

482
00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,160
understand is that the blessing?
Of God brings happiness. 

483
00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:56,960
It says in the Jesus on the on 
the on the Sermon on the Mount 

484
00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:00,880
in in Matthew. 
I think it's Matthew 5, he says.

485
00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:04,920
Blessed are those who the Greek.
Word for that means happiness. 

486
00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:07,920
It's the sense of. 
Fulfillment the true. 

487
00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:12,680
Fulfillment and happiness that 
we will find is in the place of 

488
00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:16,800
blessing, because when we 
operate under God's blessing, 

489
00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:20,040
that is the place. 
That we experience his. 

490
00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:27,600
Peace and his fulfillment. 
And I said I will go all the 

491
00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:28,720
way. 
Through to Revelation. 

492
00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,200
What happens at the revelation 
at the end of the story? 

493
00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:35,440
Well, Jesus, once and for all 
comes. 

494
00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:40,840
And brings the blessing of God. 
The curse is finally defeated. 

495
00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,840
We know that it was defeated on 
the cross, but the final 

496
00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:47,120
consummation won't come again 
until Jesus comes again. 

497
00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:53,880
Bless you, Dave. 
And in that moment we will walk 

498
00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,000
once again under the blessing of
God. 

499
00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:58,160
There will no longer be the 
curse. 

500
00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:01,160
And we are in the bit of the 
here and not yet. 

501
00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:04,920
And the. 
Question is in the here and the 

502
00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:07,560
not yet. 
Is Are you willing to take up 

503
00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:09,840
the call? 
To extend the blessing of. 

504
00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:12,800
God to operate. 
Under His blessing, and to be 

505
00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:17,360
part of that redemptive story as
we play our part in reversing 

506
00:28:17,360 --> 00:28:22,120
the curse, that is the question.
For us this morning, let us 

507
00:28:22,120 --> 00:28:23,640
stand. 
As I pray, Thank you, Jesus.