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♪ theme music ♪

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(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,

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an in-depth, interactive study 
of the Word of God.

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I'm glad you joined us today

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as we continue a series of studies

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on the Gospel of Matthew.

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Our topic today: The Sermon 
of Jesus on the Mount.

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It's going to be a great blessing,

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and we're especially happy

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that one of our team, Stephanie,

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is going to be teaching today.

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Stephanie, we are looking forward

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to a great study.

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(Stephanie) Amen.

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(Derek) And we're glad that each one of you

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has joined us for our study today.

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It's been a great series, hasn't it?

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I notice people ask, "It's not

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the same people every time?"

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No, but we're all studying, and this

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Gospel of Matthew, I think

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the biggest challenge is we could take

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a whole series of studies

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on just one section,

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like the Sermon on the Mount,

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but we have to look at the big picture

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and the message that Jesus is giving us

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through His sermon in Matthew.

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So, we want to pray that God would bless.

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Before I do, though, I want to welcome

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our Hope Sabbath School members

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around the world.

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Thank you for writing to us.

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You can write to us at sshope@hopetv.org,

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and we're always happy to know

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how God is blessing your lives.

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Gerald writes from the Cameroon.

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He says, "Hi, Hope Sabbath School team.

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I'm a church member in the Cameroon.

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I like to spend my time studying

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with Hope Sabbath School,

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and I now have an iPhone, and I'm ready

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to get the Hope Sabbath School app."

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(Team) Amen.

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(Derek) Well, I think we have the iPhone

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Hope Sabbath School app in 137 countries,

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and we have the Android app,

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which is only more recent;

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that's, I think, in 150 countries.

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So, we're glad, Gerald, that you're

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going to get the Hope Sabbath School app

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for your iPhone, and it's great

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because you click, and the most

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recent program opens up.

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He concludes by saying,

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"Hope Sabbath School is like
a river of blessing for me,"

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(Team) Amen.

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(Derek) "...and I'm learning more

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about the Word of God.

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My dream is to be with you one day live

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in this amazing Bible study."

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Well, you know if you come over here

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when we're filming, Gerald,

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we would love to have you

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on our team, but you're just as much

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a part of Hope Sabbath School
right there in the Cameroon.

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And I want to invite you 
and everyone else watching

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to think about gathering a group together.

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You can download the outline,

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the same outline that Stephanie

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will be using today in our study,

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from our website, hopetv.org/hopess.

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You can download the outline,

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or you can watch the program with a group

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of friends; hold up your iPHone for them,

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Gerald, but get a group of people watching.

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We can share what we've learned together.

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Here's a note from Pavel.

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Anybody want to guess where Pavel is from?

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(Team) Russia.

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(Derek) He's from Russia, that's right.

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How did you know?

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He says, "Greetings, Hope Sabbath
School, from Russia.

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We always watch the 
Sabbath School discussion

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and truly enjoy it.

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Our younger daughter, Veronica,

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Consistently asks me to send you a message,

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so, here it is."

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Here comes the message from Veronica:

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"I was sitting in the kitchen

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and enjoying your songs; I like you.

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My name is Veronica, and I'm 5 years old."

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Well, it's good to know

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we have Hope Sabbath School members

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who are 5 years old, right?

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(Team) Amen.

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(Derek) Thank you, Veronica,

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for your message,

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and we hope you will sing our new

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Scripture song, "Praise Him
in the Heights."

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You can download that
from our website, too.

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"I'm watching you every week,"

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continues Veronica, "with my mom and dad.

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Thank you for the songs. 
I love them and I love all of you."

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Well, thank you so much, Veronica!
We love you, too.

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And your mommy and daddy, thank you

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for being part of our Hope Sabbath 
School there in Russia.

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It's amazing what a variety of people

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we have watching, isn't it?

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Grace writes to us from China,

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and she says, "I often translate

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Hope Sabbath School for my mother

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who teaches a Sabbath School

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in a small church in Beijing.

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So, this is what we are talking about,

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making Hope Sabbath School available

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in other languages.

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It's already happening by individuals.

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Remember a recent email from someone

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in Russia. Her husband was 
translating for her.

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"Please pray for my family so that we

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can all love and reverence God."

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Wow.

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"These days there are many temptations

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for people of all ages, 
especially young people.

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Pray for us so that we can have
the wisdom to follow God.

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God bless you."

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Well, we'll do that, Grace.

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God bless you there in 
the great country of China.

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May God bless your witness
to those around you.

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Here's one last really encouraging
email from Christian.

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Now, that name has special significance,

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as you'll discover in a minute.

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Christian is from Malawi, and Malawi

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is right there in the heart
of Africa, right?

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"Dear Saints," that's an encouraging title.

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"Dear Saints, I'm happy to God

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for using Hope Sabbath School
to bring a change to my life.

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(Team) Amen.

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(Derek) This is wonderful.

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"It has really made an impact on my life

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since I grew up a Muslim, and I never

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found the truth as I found it now.

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Now I have decided to follow 
Jesus and be baptized.

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(Team) Amen! Praise God.

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(Derek) Wow.

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"As I am speaking, I am now

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a true believer in Bible truth.

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Thank you for the mission you're doing

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in cooperating with Jesus Christ

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in saving lost sinners like me."

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Is that powerful?

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(Team) Amen. Praise God.

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(Derek) "May the Good Lord bless us all,

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and now you understand."

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He has another name, but he's 
been given a new name.

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His name is Christian.

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Thanks for writing to us, Christian,

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from Malawi, and we just want

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to praise God for the way 
He's leading you,

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not only for your salvation but to be

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a blessing to those around you.

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Right now we want to sing
our Scripture song.

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It's word for word from Psalm 148.

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So, it's 3,000 years old, but it's got

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a new tune; I hope you'll enjoy it.

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"Praise Him in the Heights."

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Let's sing it together.

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♪ music ♪

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(Derek) And, for those of you
who don't know,

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in Hebrew "Praise the Lord"
is "Hallelujah!"

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So, what a beautiful, ancient,

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Scripture song with a message
with a message for us today.

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And, Stephanie, as you lead us

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in this important study, "The Sermon

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of Jesus on the Mount," I know in the end

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we are going to say, "Praise the Lord!"

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because it's really encouraging news.

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So, why don't you lead us in prayer
as we begin our study.

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((Stephanie) Let's bow our heads.

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Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much

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for giving us this opportunity 
to study Your Word.

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We just ask that, as we study Your Word,

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You would send Your Holy Spirit

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to guide us and to direct us,

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that at the end of the study, Lord,

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our lives would be changed, and we

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would have something to share

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with those around us.

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In Jesus' name, amen.

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(Team) Amen.

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(Stephanie) So, our study today

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is on the Sermon on the Mount

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according to Matthew, but we also know

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that Luke records this Sermon on the Mount

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as well, and there are some 
differences that we see.

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Before we go looking into looking

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at some verses, we do some differences

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between the account of Matthew
and that of Luke.

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What can we learn from the differences

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that we see?

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Notice that Matthew is how 
many chapters it spans over?

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(Derek) Three whole chapters.

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(Stephanie) Three whole chapters,

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and that's over 100 verses.

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And Luke spans over how many verses?

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(Derek) I think there's 30.

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(Stephanie) Just around 30.

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So, what can we learn from the differences

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that we see there, anyone?

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(Derek) You know, Stephanie,

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it's interesting that even in the 30 verses

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of Luke some things are new.

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So, that tells me that probably

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neither of them has everything.

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If Jesus taught all day on the mount,

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that the Spirit's guiding 
them to share some insights.

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(Stephanie) Yes.

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(Derek) It's not a video.

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(Stephanie) That's right.

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(Derek) Guided by the Holy Spirit,

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which is interesting because then

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we ask, "Why did the Holy Spirit

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inspire Matthew to include what he did?"

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but there's probably much more.

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(Stephanie) So, we've learned that

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it's thought-inspired right?

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It's not exact word-by-word inspired.

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Was there someone else?
Go ahead.

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(Kyle) It's like the four Gospels

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are all a little different because each one

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has a different perspective.

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God uses each personality 
to bring a new insight,

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and He puts it all together 
for a more complete picture.

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(Derek) And, Stephanie, I just want

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to catch you because I understand

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what you are saying about inspired
versus word-for-word.

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I think Matthew and Luke are writing
down the words Jesus said.


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(Stephanie) Yes.

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(Derek) So, it's a little different

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from the prophet being given a vision

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like Daniel, and he writes it

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in his own words, rather than
being dictated.

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I think here Jesus may have said

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different things in different ways

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during the day, and for some reason,

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which maybe we'll discover in our study,

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Matthew decides, "I'm going 
to record some of these."

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By the way, he was there, right?

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He was an eye witness, Matthew.

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(Team) He was.

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(Derek) Luke has to talk to eye witnesses,

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and so he, guided by the Spirit, too,

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gets some other insights,

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but I think the Holy Spirit's definitely

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giving us a reliable account 
of what Jesus said.

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(Stephanie) Amen.

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Is there a difference in the audience

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that Matthew and Luke are speaking to?
Yes, Olric.

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(Olric) Matthew's Gospel, 
from our research,

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is more targeted to a Jewish audience,

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so in his Gospel he tends to play up

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more Jesus' kingship, and in his rendering

264
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the Sermon on the Mount it is

265
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a little longer than Luke's version

266
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because we know in those days

267
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a king is the person invested

268
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
with the authority to enforce the law,

269
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
keep the law in the land like the lawgiver.

270
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So he spends a little more time on that

271
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as opposed to Luke, who was writing more

272
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to Gentiles, but he wanted the Gentiles

273
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to see the law in a way that was

274
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more applicable to them.

275
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So he did not include many of the things
that Matthew was about.

276
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) So, would you say that

277
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in Matthew some of the very detailed

278
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
renditions that Matthew shares
connects with the Jews?

279
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) Yes.

280
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) ...in a way that is powerful?

281
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) Yes, indeed.

282
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) All right.

283
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Let's go ahead and jump into
Matthew, chapter 5,

284
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and we'll read verses 17 through 19.

285
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And, Joshua, if you would be willing

286
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to read for us those first three verses 


287
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in Matthew, chapter 5, 
verses 17 through 19?

288
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) Absolutely, and I'll be reading

289
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
from the New King James 
Version; the Bible says:

290
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) So, what are we 
talking about here?

291
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
We're talking about the Law of God, right?

292
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) Yeah.

293
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) This is the introduction

294
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to the Law of God that Matthew 
is talking about.

295
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Let's go and look at a few more verses,

296
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and then we'll consider some questions

297
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as they relate to the verses that we read.

298
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
In Matthew, chapter 5:21-22.

299
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Olric, would you read that for us,

300
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Matthew, chapter 5, verses 21 and 22.

301
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And then we'll read verses 27 and 28.

302
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) Reading from the New 
Living Translation:

303
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Wow, that's pretty strong.

304
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) Verses 27 and 28?

305
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes, go ahead and continue on.

306
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) So, do you see a pattern?

307
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What is the pattern that you see
in these verses?

308
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Go ahead, Tricia Lee.

309
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Tricia Lee) Well, first if we
were wondering, "Well, what law

310
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
is he talking about," it's clear
as we kept reading

311
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that he's talking about the 
Ten Commandments

312
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that the people at the time believed...

313
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes.

314
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Tricia Lee) ...prided themselves in being
able to keep, and you start to understand

315
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
more about what Jesus meant when He said,

316
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"I've come to fulfill," to give 
a clearer understanding

317
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of what it truly means to keep the Law.

318
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And at the time, they were more concerned

319
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
about the outward physicality of behaviors

320
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that proved that they 
were observing the laws,

321
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but here Jesus starts to point 
to what's happening in our hearts,

322
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in our minds, in our thoughts,
and kind of showing that

323
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
breaking the Law or even sin 
doesn't just occur in an action,

324
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it kind of starts in our hearts
and our minds.

325
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, again, in fulfilling that Law,
He's really kind of peeling back

326
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
what they thought was the reality
in showing that it's much deeper

327
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
than they thought in just the behavior.

328
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
There's something that's happening
in the heart that only He can come

329
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and help them fix or 
help them actually be.


330
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie, Team) Yes.

331
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Did you have a comment, Jason?


332
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Go ahead.

333
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Jason) Yes, I'm looking at this here,

334
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and it talks about how He didn't come

335
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to destroy but to fulfill,

336
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because Jesus could be accused

337
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of these new teachings 
as destroying the law,

338
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but what He's saying is,

339
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Look, I'm not destroying the Law;

340
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I'm showing you what it really means."

341
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, He's not saying what 
was said of old is untrue;

342
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He's saying what was said of old,
it is true, but also this.

343
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, you have a very limited picture

344
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of what the Law is, but this is

345
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a greater understanding,
a greater fulfillment

346
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of what the Law truly is.

347
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And that is what He is doing 
here in the sermon.

348
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) He's expounding on that.

349
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Yes, Missy.

350
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Missy) From the fall of humanity,

351
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you know, they had perfection in Eden.

352
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Then came the fall.
They fell so far.

353
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Humanity just, fell, fell, fell,

354
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and so, step by step, through Scripture

355
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you see how God is taking them

356
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
step by step back to His ideal

357
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
until you could see the fulfillment

358
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the Law in Christ when 
He came to humanity.

359
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And it was supposed to be a revelation

360
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of who God really was.
You know, opening our minds

361
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to what the Law really meant.

362
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes. Nathan.

363
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nathan) Keep in mind that Matthew
is writing to Jews...

364
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes.

365
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nathan) ...and Moses was 
the great hero as the lawgiver.

366
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Moses went up on the Mount Sinai

367
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to receive the Law from God,

368
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and then he gave it to the people,

369
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and the people did their best

370
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to keep the law, but Moses was the one

371
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
who lead them out of slavery 
and into the Promised Land, right?

372
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, the "deliverer."

373
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
((Stephanie) Right.

374
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nathan) Now Matthew is showing

375
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Jesus is the One who went 
up on the mountain

376
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and now expounds upon the Law.

377
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He's the new Moses, showing them,

378
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Okay, you received the Law

379
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
on the mountain from God
through Moses,

380
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
now up on this mountain Jesus

381
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
is saying, 'Let me show you what

382
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
this Law really means and how

383
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it applies deeply inwardly,

384
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and then you're going to be free,

385
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
not just from Egypt 
but from the slavery of sin...'

386
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie, Team) Amen. Wow.

387
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nathan) '...when we get to the depths

388
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of what the Law means deep in the heart.'"

389
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) And I want to go 
to another passage

390
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
before we leave the teaching 
of Jesus about the Law of God.

391
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
We'll move to Matthew 5:43-48,

392
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and, Kyle, would you be willing
to read that for us?

393
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Matthew 5:43-48.

394
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Kyle) I'll be reading from
the New King James Version.

395
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The Bible says:

396
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Wow.

397
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
There's a lot in that verse.

398
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What do you pull out from those verses?

399
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Go ahead, Joshua.

400
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) I will say that it's this aspect

401
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of Christianity that's the most difficult.

402
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You know, if you compare this
sort of command from Jesus

403
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in comparison to the Ten Commandments,

404
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the Ten Commandments 
actually look pretty easy.

405
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You know, if you tell me I'm supposed

406
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to love my enemies, do good to those

407
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
who are persecuting me, it's like,

408
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Are you serious?"

409
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But at the same time we have to think

410
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
about the fact that people

411
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
outside of Christianity judge us 
based on this sort of thing,

412
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
not simply how many times do you

413
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
go to church in a week or how many

414
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Bible verses do you know,

415
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but it's in our character and in the way

416
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that we treat others.

417
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Wow, yes.
Go ahead, Juliana.

418
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Juliana) Actually this summer I was

419
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
traveling around in Europe and happened

420
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to interact with an individual on a train.

421
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And, somehow we got to talking 
about this kind of stuff,

422
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and he told me, "You know, Christianity

423
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
is supposed to be so much more
radical than it is.

424
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So many people, they focus just

425
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
on the Ten Commandments,

426
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but what about the Sermon on the Mount?"

427
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And it kind of goes along with what

428
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you are saying, like, people

429
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
from the outside are looking 
at us, and, it's like, wow!

430
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This is what Christianity 
is supposed to be.

431
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And I think that he was completely right,

432
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that we should be looking a lot more

433
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
at the Sermon on the Mount for many

434
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the things of how we should

435
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
interact with other people.

436
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) So isn't it interesting;

437
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I think Jesus was trying to move us away

438
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
from just a head knowledge 
to a heart knowledge, right?

439
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) Yes. Amen.

440
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) A heart experience.

441
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) You know, I think, Stephanie,

442
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
something Jason said earlier is

443
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
really important because some Christians

444
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
get confused and say the Ten Commandments

445
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
doesn't matter; we just need 
to love, but that's absurd.

446
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That's like saying, "Don't hate people,
but you can kill them."

447
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Don't lust after someone, but you 
can commit adultery with him or her."

448
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It's not that.

449
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The Commandments stand.

450
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But, as Tricia Lee was pointing out,

451
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
God is calling us to a much 
higher standard.

452
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
In fact, to be honest, it's 
an impossible standard

453
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
if we're going to do it

454
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in our own strength because we know

455
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
how feeble we are.

456
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie, Team) Yes.

457
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) It's going to take a miracle...

458
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Exactly.

459
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) ...so that, as Joshua pointed out,

460
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
people will look, and they'll actually see

461
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Jesus reflected, right?
Instead of us.

462
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) And that happens as a result

463
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the head knowledge going 
to our hearts, right?

464
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And that's the next section that we

465
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
want to move into, this outward conformity

466
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
versus an inward conversion.

467
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And, I'd like us to move 
to Matthew, chapter 5, verse 20.

468
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Go back to Matthew, chapter 5, verse 20,

469
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and, Missy, would you read that for us?

470
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Missy) I am reading from 
the New Living Translation:

471
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) So, I think this is coming back

472
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to what Juliana was saying.

473
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
People expect something more than

474
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
just a check off, right?
they want something real.

475
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) But it's not just the realness.

476
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Notice here he says,

477
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Unless your righteousness

478
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
exceeds their righteousness, what was

479
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
their righteousness that was
not sufficient for God?

480
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Their righteousness...mind you,

481
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
righteousness means "right doing."

482
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, they had the outward expression

483
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of doing right, but at the same time

484
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the inward conversion was not there.

485
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What they were doing was not from a heart

486
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that genuinely loved God and loved people.

487
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So you find that a lot 
of what was being done

488
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
looked right to the folks on the outside,

489
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but God knew that the heart
was not transformed.

490
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, Jesus is saying,"It's not just

491
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to do right on the outside; I want

492
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
your heart to be in 
the right condition also."

493
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That means that your actions

494
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
will be inspired and motivated 
by the right desires.

495
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) So, it starts in the heart,

496
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it starts in the mind, and then
our actions follow.

497
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Go ahead.

498
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Kyle) I'm just going to add
onto what he said

499
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because the Pharisees, they had 
a scale of how...

500
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They said, "Okay, this is a sin and this

501
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
is worse and worse and worse,
and this is a good deed,

502
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and this one's really good,
and this one's really, really good."

503
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And they almost would balance and say,

504
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"If your good deeds outweigh

505
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
your bad deeds, then you earned

506
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
righteousness in God's sight."

507
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, it was this whole outward way

508
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of building up themselves, basically,

509
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to feel like they were good
and accepted by God.

510
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But Jesus comes, and He says,

511
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"That's not what it's about.

512
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Every amount of human 
righteousness is inadequate."

513
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The only thing is the 
true heart righteousness

514
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that you were talking about, Pastor Derek.

515
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That is only from the Holy Spirit.

516
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And that's a total transformation

517
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of character; true perfection
in God's eyes.

518
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) By the way, those who

519
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
were listening, because we look at it,

520
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and we say, "Oh, it has to exceed

521
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the righteousness of the Pharisees."

522
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Well, we know what the righteousness

523
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the Pharisees looked like,

524
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but for those who were listening,

525
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the Pharisees were on a high level.

526
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) Right.

527
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) So, for them, they were

528
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
thinking, "Whoa! 
For us to exceed that --

529
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we can't even match them -- 
how do we exceed that?"

530
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, what is Jesus trying to teach?

531
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And, also another question that I

532
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
would have, too, is that,

533
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
have you ever tried to earn 
the favor of Christ, of God?

534
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I mean, let's be real.


535
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Have you ever been in that situation?

536
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Please be willing to share, I hope,

537
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a time when you've tried to do that.

538
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What was that like?
Go ahead, Tricia Lee.

539
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Tricia Lee) Your first question

540
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
about how could they exceed the
righteousness of the Pharisees.

541
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The Pharisees, you're right.

542
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They were very good at doing 
what the law required,

543
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and the different requirements 
that they made,

544
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but they did not love God, 
and they did not love other people

545
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
other than themselves.

546
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And we find that that was what God

547
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
was trying to teach them was that,
at the heart of the commandments,

548
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
loving the Lord more than anything else

549
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and loving your neighbor as yourself,

550
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and they completely missed all of that.

551
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, the "checking of the boxes" meant
nothing because they didn't love God.

552
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They crucified Him, tried to kill Him
at every chance they could.

553
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They did not love their neighbors;
they were the ones walking past

554
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the Samaritan on the road 
and these people.

555
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I think that it's hard because, as humans

556
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and even as you grew up as a child,
you learned that if you study hard

557
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and you get a good grade, 
or if you do this then you get a reward.

558
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, it goes against the way even society

559
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
runs and functions, that, 
if you do something then

560
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you get something.
An action has an equal reaction.

561
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But here God is showing us that
it really doesn't depend upon you

562
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
or me or us, it all has to depend
upon Christ, and that's where

563
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the faith comes in.

564
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, it's the faith, it'is the obedience, 
it's all depending upon Christ.

565
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It's really His righteousness 
that's working in us.

566
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And I think what happens, 
at least for me, is that...

567
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I'm sorry...it's just that
once you are honest with yourself,

568
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and when you realize, "I keep 
trying, and I keep failing,

569
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and that's not good enough,"
at some point you just have

570
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to get tired of trying and failing,
and you realize it can't depend

571
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
upon me anymore. I have to reach out
to somebody who I know

572
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
was successful in this life, 
and it was Christ.

573
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) And who has 
the power to do it.

574
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Tricia Lee) Exactly.

575
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) To get us out of the mess.

576
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And I think we've all 
been there, haven't we?

577
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team Member) Yeah!

578
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) We realize that we need Jesus.


579
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Andrea, you wanted to share?

580
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Andrea) I only wanted to reflect

581
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a little bit on your question, which was

582
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
how would we express if we have been

583
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in a similar situation, and where we felt

584
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we needed to do something in order 
to earn God's favor.

585
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And I recall I was a teenager and have sat

586
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in church many times listening

587
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to baptismal appeals and calls
to give our lives to Jesus.

588
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And, as the pastor's daughter,

589
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it was something I would 
listen to very frequently.

590
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
However, I had the feeling or a tendency

591
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of thinking that I have to be 
very prepared to make that step.

592
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, for years I have resisted the call,

593
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I have considered that

594
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I'm not ready yet, or 
I'm not good enough...

595
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Wow.

596
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Andrea) ...until I was 17 when I started

597
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to meditate more upon this decision,

598
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and decided I have to make this step

599
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
even if I'm not feeling quite ready,

600
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and the Lord will take care of the rest.

601
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Amen.

602
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Andrea) I cannot tell you how blessed

603
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I felt afterwards.
It was the best decision of my life.

604
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie, Team) Amen.

605
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) You know what Jesus said,

606
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Stephanie, in the Sermon 
on the Mount just a little later.

607
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He said, "Seek first the Kingdom

608
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and His righteousness."

609
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes.

610
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) And really what Tricia Lee

611
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
is saying is righteousness is a gift,

612
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
back to that miracle of new creation

613
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that we talked about in a previous study.

614
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
God is going to change us from the inside

615
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
so that we are motivated by love,

616
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
even in the keeping of the Commandments.

617
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Love to God and love to those around us.

618
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And that's a miracle of the new creation.

619
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) And I believe John,

620
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
chapter 14:15 tells us 
a little bit about that.

621
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
John, chapter 14, verse 15.

622
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And, Nathan, would you be willing

623
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to read that for us?
John, chapter 14, verse 15.

624
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nathan) Right. I'm reading
from the New King James Version.

625
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
John 14 and verse 15:

626
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Wow.
Very simple, right?

627
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team Member) Very plain.

628
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) So, how does your attitude

629
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
towards God's law change when you have

630
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
this trusting, loving relationship

631
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
with Jesus as your Savior and your Lord?

632
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
How does that change?
Olric?

633
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) You want to keep it because,

634
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
when you have this love relationship

635
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
with God, I compare it to a marriage.

636
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You know, for those who are 
married here on the set.

637
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You know, you have your spouse, 
you exchange vows and so forth.

638
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And, you know, some folks, they

639
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
may be married for 7 years, 4 years,

640
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
50 years, and sometimes we question

641
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and we ask them, "How did you "guys"

642
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
maintain that relationship,

643
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that connection, the 
obedience to the vows?"

644
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And they just say to me,

645
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"It's very simple:
I love the other person.

646
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That's why I do what I do."

647
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, when you are in that love relationship

648
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
with God, you want to do the things

649
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that pleases Him the same way He likes

650
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
doing things that blesses you.

651
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, you are motivated by a love for God,

652
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that is what really propels 
you to obedience.

653
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) The heart's been changed.

654
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) The heart's been changed.

655
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) The heart's been changed.
Missy and then Nathan.

656
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Missy) I see Scripture as God

657
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in continual pursuit of humanity,

658
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Look at me; look at my face;

659
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
look at what I've done for you.
Please, keep your attention on me.

660
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Look at what I've said in My Word.
Get to know me."

661
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes.

662
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Missy) When we are able 
to hone in on that,

663
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the Law is a natural 
result of the relationship.

664
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Powerful.
Nathan.

665
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nathan) Well, I love this woman.

666
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) You better tell the people

667
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that that's your wife.

668
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nathan) This is my wife, and, you know,

669
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
if I do something that 
hurts her, that hurts me.

670
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
To see my wife hurting

671
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because of something I've done

672
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
would break my heart.

673
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, when we're in love with the Lord,

674
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we realize that when we break 
His Law we're hurting Him.

675
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He's given us His Law because 
He wants us to be happy.

676
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes.

677
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nathan) And when I wander away

678
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
from that Law that He's given, which is

679
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a Law of freedom, a Law of liberty,

680
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and it's a Law that brings joy to my life,

681
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I know that not only am I hurting myself,

682
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but I'm hurting Him.

683
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes.

684
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nathan) So, my love for Him just propels

685
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
me into naturally obeying the Law

686
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because I don't want to break His heart;

687
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I don't want to hurt Him, as well.

688
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Okay, Joshua, and then

689
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we'll go to Tricia Lee, and then 
we have to move on.

690
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) I believe that we not only serve

691
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a holy God but we serve a practical God.

692
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, when I look at His Commandments,

693
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I see that even if I weren't a Christian

694
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it would be in my best interest 
to still keep these Commandments.

695
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Amen.

696
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) So, if you think about what it

697
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
would be like to murder someone, and what

698
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you would have to live with after that,

699
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and if you know what it feels like

700
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to commit adultery and see the effects

701
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of that trickling after, if you look

702
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
at each and every Law, you'll see,

703
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Wait a minute. 
He's not telling me

704
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to keep these Laws as 
hoops to jump through

705
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in order to make it into Heaven,"

706
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but it's for our own good and for our 
best interest to keep these Laws.

707
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes.

708
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Tricia Lee) Something that Missy

709
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and Joshua mentioned 
about getting to know God

710
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and what's in our best interest,

711
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I think that the Devil's deception is that
we would think of God as someone

712
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
who is out to get us, someone
that cannot be trusted.

713
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And if He's a being that is not 
to be trusted or, you know,

714
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
wants to hurt us, then I don't care
about what He's saying, I don't care

715
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
about His Laws, (that breaking them) 
is not good for me.

716
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
When we do exactly what Missy is saying,

717
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
try to get to know Him, allow Him 
to enter our lives, and we see who He is,

718
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
like, how Jesus came, the best example
and revelation of the Father,

719
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He lived a whole life, when 
we see the life of Christ,

720
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
how could we not want to be more like Him?

721
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
How could we not want to see 
truly who the Father is,

722
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and then everything He's saying starts 
to make sense as things for our benefit,

723
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as things that will help us be 
in a loving relationship with Him.

724
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, even Christ coming and expounding
and fulfilling the Law

725
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
was us seeing the Father as who 
He really is, not the deception,

726
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
not the lies, the angry God 
with lightening and thunderbolts.

727
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
When we see that, then the Law
starts to be something beautiful

728
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
for our best interest and something that
helps us be in a good, loving,

729
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
strong relationship with Him.

730
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) We have full confidence...

731
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Tricia Lee) Yeah, yeah.

732
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) ...that He has 
the best interest in mind.

733
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
We need to move on to God's ideal

734
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
for His children, which somewhat connects

735
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
with what we've already 
been speaking about.

736
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Matthew, chapter 5, verse 48, and, Nicole,

737
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
if you would be willing to read that

738
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
for us, and then we'll follow it up

739
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
with Luke 6:36, and, Nancy, if you 
would read that one after Matthew 5:48.

740
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nicole) Okay, Matthew 5:48.

741
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I'm reading it from the New International
Version, and the Bible says:

742
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) And then Luke 6:36.

743
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
We're looking at these two 
in conjunction with each other.

744
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nancy) Okay, and this is from the
New King James Version.

745
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) All right, what is 
Jesus asking us to do?

746
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) Be like God.

747
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) To be like God.

748
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He's asking us, may I mention it this way:

749
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He's asking us to do the 
impossible without Him.

750
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It would be impossible without Him.

751
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You understand what I'm saying?

752
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But He's giving us the strength to do it,

753
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
so, it's not impossible, but without Him,

754
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
if we're trying to do it as only head
knowledge, it is going to be impossible.

755
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) And, you know, Stephanie,

756
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
sometimes people read that like,

757
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Be perfect," and think that's the way to

758
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
make God love us, right?

759
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Never quite good enough.

760
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That's not what it's saying at all.

761
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Right.

762
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) That's why Luke's wording

763
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
is different is important.

764
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He's saying, "I want you to reflect

765
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the beauty of my Father's character."

766
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And what does it look like?

767
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Jesus said, "If you want to know

768
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
what the Father is like, look at Me."

769
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, He's saying, "I want you to 
reflect my character to the world,"

770
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and that is not to earn His love.

771
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He already loves us.
It's out of that loving relationship.

772
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes.
Go ahead, you wanted to say something.

773
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Andrea) I also wanted to add

774
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to what Elder Morris said, that this
perfection that God is calling us to

775
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
is not so much a state of sinlessness

776
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as the spiritual maturity to which we need

777
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to attain, and the Lord can 
help us to attain that.

778
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And, of course, at each state

779
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the Christain's experience,

780
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
there is a different level of maturity

781
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because what is perfect for 
a grade one student to add 2 + 2

782
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
is not perfect for a grade five student

783
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and to a grade eight student.

784
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So this perfection is where we are at;

785
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
if we just fulfill what God requires 
us to do at that stage,

786
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we have attained to God's ideal.

787
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Amen.
All right, Olric.

788
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) Let me encapsulate 
what she's saying.

789
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
At each stage, God reveals light to us.

790
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He reveals more of Himself to us.

791
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Perfection that is being talked about here

792
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
is the progressive state 
of growth, Christian maturity.

793
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
A plant starts out as a seedling,

794
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but then it grows to a big tree 
and bears fruit.

795
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
A baby starts off walking on fours

796
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and mumbling, but eventually 
they grow, and they walk on legs,

797
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and now they can talk well 
and do things for themselves.

798
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
There is maturing; there is growth.

799
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
God's ideal of perfection is that
you should continually grow.

800
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Not that you reach a stage here,

801
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
where, "Hah! You're perfect.
Now you don't need to go any further."

802
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
No.

803
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
His idea of perfection is 
progressive Christian maturity.

804
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) So, let me...
Go ahead, go ahead, Kyle.

805
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Kyle) You know, somebody 
might be worried,

806
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Well, I'm not perfect, and I 
have all these faults,"

807
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and my only thing I think we 
could all say: "Look to Jesus."

808
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie/Team) Yes.

809
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Kyle) Look to Jesus, because Jesus,

810
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
?as we look to Him, "If ye love Me, 


811
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
keep My Commandments," He says.

812
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The only way that we can truly grow

813
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in likeness to Him is to fall in love

814
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
with Him, and how do we 
fall in love with Him?

815
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
By looking to Him, spending time with Him.

816
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie/Team) Yes.

817
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Kyle) That is so key because otherwise

818
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we're just going to try 
to earn our righteousness,

819
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and that will never get us anywhere.

820
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, we must look to Jesus.

821
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek/Team) Amen. Yes.

822
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Beautiful, beautiful.

823
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, my question, I think we already have

824
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
an answer for it, but my question is:

825
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Is this a means of salvation

826
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
or an evidence of a living, 
loving connection with Jesus?

827
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) Simple.


828
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it's an evidence of a living connection

829
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
with Jesus, not a means to salvation.

830
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) All right.

831
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Will you share with us a 
verse that supports that?

832
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) Galatians 2, verses...

833
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Galatians, chapter 2.

834
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, Olric, you'll go ahead and read

835
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Galatians, chapter 2, 
I believe, 20 and 21.

836
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) Galatians, chapter 2, 
verses 20 and 21?

837
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes.

838
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) Reading from the 
New Living Translation,

839
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the Word of God says:

840
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Wow.

841
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Another verse, another 
promise that we can share.

842
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Someone out there, as Kyle was saying,

843
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
may be wondering, "How do I do this?"

844
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"How is this practical?"

845
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Yes.

846
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Let me just say people may not 
know who wrote the Galatian letter,

847
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but Saul of Tarsus, later 
called Paul the Apostle,

848
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
he had gone down that road 
of trying to earn righteousness.

849
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie/Team): Yes.

850
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) He said, "I was 
flawless," you know?

851
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But he was killing people 
who believe in Jesus.

852
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Yes.

853
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) So, he understands 
the miracle of his changed heart.

854
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And I just want to emphasize,

855
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I know it is one stage and then another,

856
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but it's a miracle at every stage.

857
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie/Team): Amen. Yes.

858
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) For us to be who God's 
calling us to be, is a miracle.

859
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) It is.

860
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) And Paul would be the first one

861
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to say that it is a miracle.

862
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That's why he says that 
if anyone is in Christ,

863
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
she or he is a new creation.

864
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Amen.

865
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Because he's seen it himself.

866
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Amen.

867
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) It's key that in that verse

868
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
is mentioned Christ now lives in me.

869
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He says, "It is no longer 
I who live, but I died.

870
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I surrender self and the old way,

871
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I accept Christ in my heart,

872
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and He changes me internally.

873
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Now what I do is motivated by love."

874
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, it is very important 
to see the transformation.

875
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Would you share with us

876
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a time when you experienced

877
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
or you saw someone who represented

878
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the character of Christ.

879
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What impact did that have on you?

880
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You saw someone had 
the character of Christ.

881
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What was the impact on you, or what was

882
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the impact when someone saw

883
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the character of Christ in you?

884
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What impact did that have on you?

885
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Stephanie, I was 7 years old...

886
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Go ahead.

887
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Oh good, if I can 
just share real briefly.

888
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
...and my teacher in Form 2
(this is back in the UK)

889
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
was full of the love of Jesus.

890
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I was only privileged to go

891
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to a Christian school for four years,

892
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but that one year with Christine Emmerson

893
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
my teacher changed my life...

894
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Wow.

895
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) ...because she was 
full of the love of God.

896
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And when you see that, and I think

897
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that's the ultimate witness,
it's not just what we say.

898
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
When the love of God fills a heart,

899
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we just say, "I just 
want to be like that,"

900
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and that person says, "Well, I'm

901
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a follower of Jesus, so follow Him."

902
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Amen.

903
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Reflecting the light of Jesus.
Nancy.

904
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nancy) My dad is full 
of the love of Jesus.

905
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And, you know, what he does is he studies

906
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the Bible in the morning, a chapter

907
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in the morning, and a chapter

908
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in the evening, a chapter in 
the New, a chapter in the Old.

909
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I like to think about it

910
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as him "marinating" his life 
in Jesus, you know?

911
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It's a cooking term, when you take

912
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
some meat or some tofu, and you put it,

913
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you know, in all of those 
sauces and things.

914
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Well, that's what he does with his life,

915
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and so everything he does 
is covered in Jesus.

916
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) Amen.

917
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nancy) He's been a great example to me.

918
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek/Stephanie) Amen.

919
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) Praise God.

920
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) I'm guessing that he's been

921
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
on his knees praying often,

922
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I think that's the section that

923
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we want to move into next.

924
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
We've talked about the head knowledge,

925
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and that it reaches our hearts,

926
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and, as a result, our hands or our actions

927
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
produce what has already happened inside.

928
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Now we are going to talk 
about how we sustain that,

929
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and that is by spending 
time with God in prayer.

930
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, Juliana, if you would read

931
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Matthew, chapter 6, verses 5 through 13.

932
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Matthew chapter 6, verses 5 through 13,

933
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
talking about Jesus teaching on prayer.

934
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Juliana) I'm reading from 
the New King James Version:

935
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie/Team) Amen.

936
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) What important lessons

937
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
can we learn about prayer
from Jesus' example?

938
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Go ahead, Tricia Lee.

939
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Tricia Lee) We're counseled 
not to have vain repetitions,

940
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
so, there were practices that heathens 
had at the time but also was part

941
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the religious practices 
to repeat certain things.

942
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"The more I say it, then 
the more likely God will hear,"

943
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but here this model, in its 
simplest way, is a conversation.

944
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I think, even in talking to God, we are 
acknowledging that He's hearing us.

945
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
We're not just saying phrases out,
and hoping they go somewhere.

946
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
We're actually speaking to another 
Being who can hear and understand

947
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and wants to have a conversation with us.

948
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) So, we have full confidence

949
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in the Person that we love and trust.

950
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Tricia Lee) Yes.

951
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Amen.

952
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Nathan, and then we'll go to Olric.

953
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nathan) I can't miss the distinction

954
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Jesus is making between people who pray

955
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to be seen by others, and it's not just

956
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
what they say but where they 
are when they are saying it.

957
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They're out on the street corners,

958
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
versus people who are praying in secret.

959
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He says, "Go into your room and pray

960
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to your Father who is also in secret."

961
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, in other words, what He's showing us

962
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
here is this is an intimate time.

963
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I'm sorry if this sounds a little

964
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
too far fetched, but just like

965
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a married couple behind closed doors

966
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and the intimacy that they share.

967
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They are having quiet time
or conversation, you know.

968
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
No one else is there, and this is

969
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the same way, He says, "With your Father

970
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in Heaven, you are behind 
closed doors, intimate communion."


971
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It's just you and Him.

972
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You're not showing off to the world.

973
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You're not doing this before others.

974
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You're having quiet time.

975
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, Jesus wants us to be having

976
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
intimate communion 
with our Father quietly.

977
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Just to think that

978
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He's willing to spend quiet time with us.

979
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) Amen.

980
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) The God of the universe.

981
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I mean, think about that.
That's powerful.

982
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Olric) It's very key that Nathan

983
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
points that out because in 
verse 16 of that same chapter

984
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He uses the word "hypocrite."

985
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He says, "Don't fast as the hypocrites do."

986
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That word is a key word,

987
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because in the Greek it means an "actor,"

988
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you know, someone who puts 
on a show, a performance.

989
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, what is Jesus saying about these 
individuals who pray to be heard

990
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
by many people or use many words 
to look religious and so forth?

991
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He's saying, "You're just acting,"

992
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and my Bible says to me, "If you harbor

993
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
iniquity in your heart, God 
will not hear your prayers."

994
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This was a problem with the religious 
leaders and those who were doing it

995
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
for outward show; the heart wasn't right.

996
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Stephanie) Right, He was asking

997
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
for an inward change.

998
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Go ahead, Nicole.

999
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nicole) Just to take it 
a little differently,

1000
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you can also teach someone how to pray,

1001
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
so when I look 48:40