1 00:00:03,280 --> 00:00:07,400 Our fall sermon series is on First Samuel, and today's 2 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:09,600 message is. About the justice. 3 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,320 And mercy. Of our Lord. 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,560 You can find. This passage. 5 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:20,080 That we're looking at from First Samuel 5 and 6 on page 214 in 6 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:22,040 the. Black church Bible please. 7 00:00:22,240 --> 00:00:25,440 Follow along and. Let's pray together. 8 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,720 As we begin. What a. 9 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,560 Gift and a blessing it is. Lord, that you speak to us 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,160 through Your word. We praise you, for you are not 11 00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:37,160 silent. You are the God who? 12 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:39,240 Speaks and. You are the God who lives. 13 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,640 And through your life, we find life. 14 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,400 Through your word. We find wisdom and direction for 15 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,600 our. Lives through your spirit. 16 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,200 We find understanding. Fill us, Lord. 17 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:57,040 So that we may understand and we may faithfully live according to 18 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:58,120 what? You teach us. 19 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:02,240 In Jesus name, Amen. So this is a. 20 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:06,640 Story for Samuel. About how God delivers his 21 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:08,040 people. Once again. 22 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,400 Out of. Slavery and rescues them from 23 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,000 destruction and gives them a king. 24 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:23,600 In today's lesson, we find the action some I don't know, 1520 25 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:25,680 miles. Due West of. 26 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,320 Jerusalem on the coast, The Mediterranean coast in the 27 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:32,640 Philistine. Seaport of Ashdod where the Ark. 28 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,320 Of the covenant was in exile Israel had been at war with the 29 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:40,480 philistines, from which we derive the modern name 30 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:45,920 Palestinian and in this. Case though, it was the. 31 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:50,000 Philistines who had the better technology? 32 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:54,040 Of war. And there were no Ironworks in 33 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:57,520 Israel. So they literally had to beat 34 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,200 their plowshares. Into swords in order to fight. 35 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,800 If you remember from last. Week, the Israelites thought 36 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,080 that they had a secret. Weapon, though they had been 37 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,840 defeated in battle against the Philistines. 38 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,240 But they brought out their secret. 39 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,400 Weapon. To whip the. 40 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,560 Philistines and when they. Did the. 41 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,480 Philistines were terrified. Because it was the Ark. 42 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,560 Of the covenant. Of the God of Israel. 43 00:02:30,920 --> 00:02:32,800 The Philistines by the. Way were the. 44 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,120 Cousins of the Egyptians and the Philistines. 45 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,160 Were terrified. Because they knew what had 46 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:44,080 happened to Egypt Just a few centuries earlier, Egypt had 47 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:45,840 been one of the. World's or. 48 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:47,640 Had been actually. The world's. 49 00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:52,480 Greatest Empires? It had all of the. 50 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,440 Best of everything? They were at the top of the 51 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:00,000 world, but Israel's God utterly defeated. 52 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,120 Them in. Battle their. 53 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,360 Crops and their. Cattle destroyed their. 54 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,800 Water poisoned their first born sons. 55 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:12,680 Put to death. And their. 56 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,920 Cavalry. Drowned in the sea the people of 57 00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:20,560 Israel then escaped from. Egypt, where they. 58 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,840 Had been enslaved and they eventually returned to Canaan, 59 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,240 to the promised land carrying God's. 60 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,840 Foot rest the Ark. Of the covenant, but once the. 61 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,960 People of Israel. Settled in the land of milk and 62 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:35,360 honey, they. Forgot about God? 63 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:37,440 They didn't treasure. God's Word. 64 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,160 They lived in houses they didn't build. 65 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,080 They drank from cisterns that they hadn't dug. 66 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:46,160 They became fat and lazy like Eli the Blind. 67 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:51,560 Fat, cowardly high priest. And instead of obeying the Lord, 68 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,280 they took him for granted and became subject. 69 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:56,520 To. The Philistines, the cousins of 70 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:01,400 the Egyptians and everything happened all over again, 71 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,880 suffering huge losses in battle. The Sons. 72 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:10,840 Of Eli. Hofni and Phineas. 73 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:15,120 As we heard last week, had this bright idea they could. 74 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:19,880 Bring out their secret weapon, the Ark of the Covenant, and 75 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:23,320 that would enable them to defeat the Philistines. 76 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:25,760 They brought it out as their lucky rabbit. 77 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,720 'S Foot. Even though these men were 78 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,400 wicked and perverse, the Philistines. 79 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,720 Were afraid. But they needn't have been. 80 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:39,760 Because God. Is not kept on a leash. 81 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:45,200 No one can rule over him. Not Israel back then, not Israel 82 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,880 today, Not Russia Today, not the United States today. 83 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,040 God is good. But he is not safe. 84 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:59,760 That day, 30. Thousand soldiers fell in 85 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:03,400 Israel, Hofni and Phineas. Fell. 86 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,200 And the Ark. Of God was. 87 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:10,280 Taken into captivity. Into Ashdod, the city. 88 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:12,760 On the coast, the. City of the. 89 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:14,760 Philistines. But just. 90 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:19,280 As God wouldn't allow the ark. To be used as a lucky rabbit's 91 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:22,240 foot. God also wouldn't allow it to 92 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:23,680 become a. War trophy. 93 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:26,720 In the Philistine temple to Dagon. 94 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,240 So look at verse. Three in chapter 5 and this is 95 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:31,400 where. We pick up the story. 96 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,920 Today, the Philistines. Woke up. 97 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:39,400 The next morning and they found their God Dagon laying prostate 98 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:42,080 on the ground. Before the footstool. 99 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:48,400 Of Almighty God an ominous sign, but maybe it was just a 100 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,200 coincidence maybe there have been an earthquake at night 101 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,920 maybe there had been a mighty wind that had come from the 102 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:57,160 ocean. So they set him back up and then 103 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,200 they went to. Sleep, but they. 104 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:04,520 Slept lightly and early the next morning they ran back to the 105 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:10,200 tomb that is the temple to. See if their God was still 106 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:12,040 upright, but he. Was not. 107 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:13,840 He was not. Alive he was. 108 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:17,000 Dead he had. Fallen again, and this time not 109 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:18,640 only. Had he lost? 110 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:22,160 His hands, something that the Egyptians did to their enemies 111 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,080 in battle, cutting their hands off. 112 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:30,080 But he'd also lost his head. Headless God Dagon. 113 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:31,760 Without a doubt. The living. 114 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:37,080 God of Israel had defeated. Dagon in battle, and what's 115 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,400 more, rats had infested. The seaport city of Ashdod. 116 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:47,080 Rats had come, and with them came plague tumors, hideous 117 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:50,720 tumors, debilitating, disfiguring tumors on the. 118 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,800 People of Philistia. Living in Ashdod. 119 00:06:53,840 --> 00:06:55,680 So the. Philistines, verse 7. 120 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:58,880 Said. The hand. 121 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:00,920 Of God. The hand of. 122 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,400 Israel's God is heavy. Upon us, which is really ironic. 123 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:08,200 Because they're God. Dagon doesn't have any hands and 124 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,000 that becomes a joke. That goes through a dark joke 125 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:12,840 that goes through this entire chapter. 126 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:14,800 As the hand. Of God. 127 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:16,960 Is heavy upon them again and again. 128 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,760 So they said. Verse 8 We can no longer keep 129 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:22,200 the. Ark here. 130 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,320 In the Smithsonian in Washington. 131 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:26,960 Let's send it. South to. 132 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,840 Virginia and get rid of it, let them deal with it. 133 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,560 And so that's what they did. They sent it down. 134 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,120 To Gath, the city of Goliath. And the giants? 135 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:42,040 No repentance, just crisis management when the art got to 136 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:44,920 Gath. So did the rats. 137 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:51,520 And the plague. And the tumors and the hand of 138 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,560 God. It says was heavy. 139 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:55,760 Upon the people. Of gath. 140 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,280 No repentance, no taking responsibility. 141 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,840 Crisis management again. We don't have room for it here 142 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:06,760 in Virginia. Let's send it to Maryland. 143 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,160 Let's get rid of it. They can deal with it. 144 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,920 So the Ark made its way to a new town, to Ekron along. 145 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,320 With the rats. And the plague. 146 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:22,440 And the tumors and the hand. Of God heavy. 147 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,520 Upon them, people of Ekron weren't having it. 148 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,600 Verse 11 they said send it. Back to Israel, for there was 149 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,559 quote a deathly. Panic throughout the whole city 150 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:35,880 and the hand of God. Was. 151 00:08:36,159 --> 00:08:43,120 Kaboda mode very heavy. Kaboda mode very. 152 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,680 Heavy, just as old Eli a couple of chapters ago. 153 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:51,800 Fat, lazy, blind. Eli was habode. 154 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:55,760 He was heavy. And when bad news came of the 155 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:59,640 Ark being taken away. He was so heavy he fell off of 156 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:01,280 his stool. And lost. 157 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:07,000 His head. And his grandson was born, and 158 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,880 his grandson was named EH. Habode, that is, the glory is. 159 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:19,240 Gone now the hand of God. Kaboda mode. 160 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,080 Is very. Heavy upon the Philistines. 161 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:26,200 So chapter 6, verse 2. The Philistine kings called a 162 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,480 summit, and they inquired. With. 163 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,400 The same people that. Pharaoh spoke with. 164 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:34,840 Back in the day, in the time of the. 165 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,800 Exodus, they called. For the priests and the diviners 166 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:41,480 and asked them what to do and they decided to send the ark. 167 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,880 Back to Israel. On a new wagon loaded with five 168 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,920 tumors and. Five rats. 169 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:54,800 That makes 10 plagues just retelling this story the same. 170 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,440 Story it repeats. Itself over and over again in 171 00:09:57,440 --> 00:09:59,840 the Old Testament and to make sure. 172 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:02,120 That all this. Wasn't just coincidence that it 173 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:03,480 really. Was the heavy. 174 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,360 Hand of God upon them. They they built a. 175 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:11,160 New wagon and they had it. Pulled by two. 176 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:14,280 Milk cows, but they pinned up their. 177 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,000 Calves. Behind them and they said. 178 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,160 If this is. Just coincidence, those milk 179 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:22,600 cows will never. Leave their calves. 180 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:25,800 Let's see what. Happens and sure enough when 181 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:29,120 they set the. The cows loose, they took off. 182 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:33,000 Lowing. All the way back to the 183 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:38,880 territory of Israel it was. The heavy hand of God upon them, 184 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,400 and the cows went. Straight to bet. 185 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,240 Shemesh The. House of the. 186 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:50,840 Sun and went and stopped in the field of 1 Yeshua. 187 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:56,000 Short for Yahushua. Which means Yahweh. 188 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:00,080 Saves. God saves. 189 00:11:01,680 --> 00:11:03,240 And that's what happened once again. 190 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:05,520 God. Yahweh. 191 00:11:05,680 --> 00:11:07,800 The one true God, the Maker of heaven and earth. 192 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:12,680 He saved Israel once again. Their leaders had. 193 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:14,880 Committed atrocities in his name. 194 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,320 Hofni and Phineas molesting the girls in the temple. 195 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,000 Justice required. That they be punished, but this 196 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,080 time instead of the people going back into. 197 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:25,760 Slavery. Yahweh. 198 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,400 Did it himself. He went into. 199 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:32,360 Exile for his people. In His mercy and grace, He 200 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:34,000 became their. Substitute. 201 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,040 He paid the price for their. Freedom. 202 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,480 He took their punishment upon himself. 203 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,640 He allowed his ark, his sacred footstool, to be. 204 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:46,480 Humiliated in defeat, carried off into bondage and set. 205 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:52,080 Before a worthless, stupid idol. His punishment? 206 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:57,760 For his. People's salvation when our. 207 00:11:57,760 --> 00:11:59,400 Kids were little. We used to. 208 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,560 Do a lot of wrestling. I don't do that anymore because 209 00:12:02,560 --> 00:12:05,600 now I'm afraid of them. But we. 210 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:07,880 Used to do it. And when we would do it, you 211 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:11,480 know, we'd get on the floor and they would bash my head in with 212 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:15,480 pillows and they would smother me with cushions and they would 213 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:19,800 pin me down to the ground. And then I would stand up and 214 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:21,840 take them and throw them on the sofa one at a time. 215 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,280 You know, because it was never really ever. 216 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:30,320 A fight, right? There was no question who was 217 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:34,520 stronger back then, and in one sense that's. 218 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:36,080 The way it is. For Almighty. 219 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:39,960 God also. In every one of these fights. 220 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,280 Through the whole. Old Testament. 221 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:45,400 He truly is omnipotent. None of these. 222 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:47,360 So-called gods. Or any match for him? 223 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,280 They're a joke. Every single time. 224 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,200 The plagues. Back in Egypt. 225 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,400 Tell this story so well. Because it's 10 plagues and it's 226 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,160 10 gods. You know the 1st. 227 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:04,440 Plague is the. Nile River God and God defeats 228 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:06,920 that one, and then he. Defeats the fertility. 229 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:10,080 God and then the crops God all the way to the ninth plague 230 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,120 where he defeats the sun God Rah. 231 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:14,600 The greatest God of. Egypt. 232 00:13:14,680 --> 00:13:18,520 The only one that is left in the 10th plague is Pharaoh himself, 233 00:13:18,680 --> 00:13:19,960 the house. Of Pharaoh. 234 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,080 And in the 10th plague a. Decisive blow a. 235 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,520 Crippling blow is. Dealt to the House of Pharaoh. 236 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,000 And God shows just in that story that none of them are a match 237 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,440 for him. And over and over again in these 238 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,640 stories, we find the same thing happening. 239 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:39,840 Every other God who does battle with Yahweh loses because. 240 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:42,720 It's never a real fight. Only the Lord, the Maker of 241 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:45,280 heaven and earth, is alive and omnipotent. 242 00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:47,880 But over. Thousands of years and hundreds 243 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,080 of pages in the Old Testament. All of Yahweh. 244 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:55,480 'S magnificent victories do not cure the underlying problem, do 245 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:59,200 they? They only treat the symptoms 246 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,680 rather than the disease. For it's our hearts. 247 00:14:02,680 --> 00:14:06,320 That are rotten they're. Idol factories, they're. 248 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:10,040 Fountains of sin. As Jesus says out of the heart. 249 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:14,600 Come evil thoughts. Murder, adultery, sexual 250 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:18,720 immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 251 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,360 These are what defile us, Jesus says. 252 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:23,920 And washing our hands won't cure it. 253 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:28,560 Sin is encoded into our operating systems. 254 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,760 There's no remedy for it apart from death. 255 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,600 And so in the fullness of time. God did. 256 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:40,920 The unthinkable. He became a man named Yeshua. 257 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:46,400 God saves. And he laid aside his 258 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:49,560 invulnerability and came. To save us by. 259 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:51,600 Putting on human flesh and becoming. 260 00:14:51,760 --> 00:15:01,240 Fragile. Vulnerable Diable, he humbled 261 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,360 himself and became mortal. Like the rest of us. 262 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:07,880 He gave up his omnipotence and became subject to tyrants like 263 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:13,560 Herod and Caesar and living his entire life on the run all the 264 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:16,160 way up until he was delivered into captivity. 265 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:20,600 Before a particular. Knucklehead named Pontius Pilate 266 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,840 Spineless. Weak, soft. 267 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:29,080 Just like Eli the High Priest. When Pilate interviewed him. 268 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,720 Yeshua God saves. He's answered truthfully, he 269 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:34,600 said. My Kingdom is not of this world, 270 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,040 but I have come into this. World to bear witness. 271 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:38,680 To the truth and everyone who is of. 272 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:40,960 Truth. Will listen to my voice and 273 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:45,600 Pilate said. What is truth Soft? 274 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,840 And weak and then Pilate. Brought Yeshua. 275 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:53,520 Before the crowd and he said to the chief priest, find no guilt 276 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,840 in this man, but they. Shouted Crucify him. 277 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,040 Crucify him. So what did Pilate do? 278 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:01,280 He consented, He gave into their demands, and he handed. 279 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:05,880 Yeshua, God saves over to be crucified. 280 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:08,880 And at any moment the Lord. Could have called. 281 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:10,840 For the hand of. God to fall. 282 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:14,560 Upon Pilate and all, the Roman Centurions and all. 283 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,200 Those who were. Torturing him he could have. 284 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,440 Called for the. Angels to rescue and deliver 285 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:21,880 him. Just as God. 286 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,920 Had done so many times before. Once again, the hand of God 287 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,000 could have been Kaboda mode. Very heavy. 288 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,760 Upon those people, pilot and all. 289 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:35,360 His forces, but. If Yeshua had done this. 290 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,560 If he had. Chosen that way out. 291 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:40,360 It would have spelled our. Certain destruction. 292 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:43,800 Our hearts would remain rotten. To the core. 293 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:49,640 And so Yeshua remained instead faithful to His name. 294 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:53,000 To the very end. The Son of God did not lift His 295 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:57,440 hand against His oppressors. He laid aside his glory, His 296 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:02,080 cabode, He laid it. Aside becoming. 297 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:07,440 Ich abode the glory has departed. 298 00:17:10,079 --> 00:17:14,480 Through Roman torture and God's just punishment upon our 299 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:18,720 rebellion, our wicked. Hearts fell. 300 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:22,880 Upon the one person in all of humanity who did not deserve it. 301 00:17:26,079 --> 00:17:28,840 It was his will to be sacrificed for us. 302 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:32,320 That's the only way it could have happened, and the Jewish 303 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:37,640 high priest unwittingly made way for it to happen on the very 304 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:39,800 mountain where centuries. Earlier. 305 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:46,160 Abraham had lifted up a knife to murder his son in sacrifice and. 306 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:48,720 God spared his. Son. 307 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,960 Jehovah Jireh God provided a substitute. 308 00:17:55,480 --> 00:18:00,440 And promised a substitute. And from that point on, the fate 309 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:04,240 of all humanity rested upon God, remembering that promise and 310 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:08,000 keeping that promise. And he did by sending his Son. 311 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:11,200 As our substitute, God did provide. 312 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:12,880 And now for. Those of us. 313 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,960 Who make? Jesus, Yeshua, our. 314 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,000 King, we have assurance that we will. 315 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:19,640 Be. Spared the eternal. 316 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:23,880 Exile that we deserve, he satisfied. 317 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:25,640 Eternal justice. For us, so. 318 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:30,080 That we might enjoy eternal mercy and grace instead. 319 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:33,840 Now the most important thing that happened. 320 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,680 This past week. Is not what you think. 321 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:40,680 It's that we forgot. The most important thing that 322 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,040 happened in all of. History We were bought with a 323 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:48,320 price we. Were ransomed from slavery by 324 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,920 the king, and now we don't belong to any other. 325 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,480 We belong to him and that makes all the difference. 326 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:59,920 For how we should live. So trust in the Lord with all 327 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:03,280 your heart, lean not on your own understanding in all your ways. 328 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:04,920 Acknowledge Him and He will make your. 329 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,400 Paths straight. Whether or not you can see it 330 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,200 right now, God is at work in our world. 331 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:14,800 He's setting our. World to rights. 332 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,320 Just as he did when he went into exile and Felicia and nobody 333 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:19,200 could. See what was. 334 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:24,760 Happening down there in the temple of Dagon, he may give you 335 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,320 or me opportunity to help him in setting the. 336 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,680 World to rights, but be assured of this. 337 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:35,440 He does not need our help. He can do it. 338 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:39,880 He can beat his enemies with his hands tied behind his. 339 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,720 Back because they. Ain't got no hands. 340 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:49,920 His mercies are new every morning, and he meets out. 341 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:54,560 Justice everyday whether? We are on board with that or not 342 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:55,480 so. Take a deep. 343 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:58,200 Breath and relax. Just a little God. 344 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:01,320 Keeps his promises. He will defeat his enemies and 345 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:07,640 ransom his people, guaranteed. And this is the God whom we 346 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:09,600 worship. Don't think for a moment that 347 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:14,640 you can control him. Though they did not honor him as 348 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:16,160 God or. Obey His word. 349 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:19,640 Hofni and Phineas tried to use him as a Talisman as a. 350 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:22,120 Lucky Rabbit's foot to. Defeat their enemies in battle. 351 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:24,400 They learned the hard. Way that that doesn't work. 352 00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:26,880 The Philistines also. Thought that they. 353 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,720 Could tame God, they can make him bow down before their own 354 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:33,160 God, but again it backfired and alleged to their humiliation and 355 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:35,040 defeat. So don't be fooled into thinking 356 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:39,600 that you can control him either. He's good, but he's not safe and 357 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:44,360 he's not subject to our bidding. He does not serve any man, no 358 00:20:44,360 --> 00:20:48,440 matter how important, though many still fancy. 359 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,800 That he does. Though many haven't read these. 360 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:55,560 Stories very closely. Humble yourself then in the 361 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:57,400 sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 362 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:01,120 Do not command Him to. Follow you rather take up your. 363 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:04,440 Cross daily and follow him. That's what he. 364 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:06,160 Invites you to do remember he died. 365 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,720 For you. So that you might live for him. 366 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:16,840 That's the exchange. Follow him. 367 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:18,560 Take up. Your cross and follow him. 368 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,480 Paul says that God. Demonstrates his love for us in 369 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:23,400 this, that while we were still sinners. 370 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:25,680 While we. Were still his enemies. 371 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,920 Christ died for us so that we might no longer be slaves to 372 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:30,360 sin. With slaves to. 373 00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:33,840 Righteousness that we might be friends who live for him. 374 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:39,560 That is the most important thing that ever happened and that's. 375 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:42,760 What should be? Top of mind for us every. 376 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:46,040 Day, so stop. Training your eyes on other 377 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:50,320 leaders, on other voices. Turn your eyes upon Yeshua. 378 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:57,680 Watch him. Listen to him, he is the one who 379 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:00,000 saves. You've heard it said Love your. 380 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:02,440 Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 381 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:06,040 But he says to you. Love your enemies and pray. 382 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:09,120 For those who persecute. You so that you may be children 383 00:22:09,120 --> 00:22:11,840 of your Heavenly Father, he says. 384 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:15,480 Love one another, love one another. 385 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:17,480 Paul writes. Love one another. 386 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,480 As Christ. Has loved you and walk in love. 387 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,480 As Christ loved. Us and gave himself up. 388 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:24,120 For us, A. Fragrant offering and. 389 00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:26,960 Sacrifice to God if Yeshua did this. 390 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:29,720 For us, then we can love one another. 391 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:34,000 Do as he says. Do not swerve to the right or to 392 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,280 the left. But turn your feet from evil and 393 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:39,720 walk in his ways. He will lead you out of exile. 394 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:46,480 He will lead you. To home with him he alone is. 395 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,600 Worthy of our praise, Let's. Pray to him. 396 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:59,200 Together. Thank you Almighty God. 397 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:02,760 For such a. Great salvation and thank you. 398 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:08,120 For the hope that we have. In you alone we praise and 399 00:23:08,120 --> 00:23:10,520 worship. You we bow before you as our. 400 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:15,280 Rightful King, we renew our love for you, and through you, our 401 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:19,160 love for one another. In the name of the Father and 402 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:21,200 the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.