9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ♪ theme music ♪ 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 an in-depth, interactive study [br]of the Word of God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm glad you joined us today 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as we continue a series of studies 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on the Gospel of Matthew. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our topic today: The Sermon [br]of Jesus on the Mount. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's going to be a great blessing, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we're especially happy 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that one of our team, Stephanie, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is going to be teaching today. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Stephanie, we are looking forward 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to a great study. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) And we're glad that each one of you 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 has joined us for our study today. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's been a great series, hasn't it? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I notice people ask, "It's not 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the same people every time?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 No, but we're all studying, and this 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Gospel of Matthew, I think 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the biggest challenge is we could take 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a whole series of studies 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on just one section, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like the Sermon on the Mount, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but we have to look at the big picture 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the message that Jesus is giving us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 through His sermon in Matthew. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, we want to pray that God would bless. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Before I do, though, I want to welcome 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our Hope Sabbath School members 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 around the world. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you for writing to us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You can write to us at sshope@hopetv.org, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we're always happy to know 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how God is blessing your lives. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Gerald writes from the Cameroon. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He says, "Hi, Hope Sabbath School team. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm a church member in the Cameroon. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I like to spend my time studying 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with Hope Sabbath School, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I now have an iPhone, and I'm ready 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to get the Hope Sabbath School app." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Well, I think we have the iPhone 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Hope Sabbath School app in 137 countries, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we have the Android app, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which is only more recent; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that's, I think, in 150 countries. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, we're glad, Gerald, that you're 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 going to get the Hope Sabbath School app 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for your iPhone, and it's great 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because you click, and the most 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 recent program opens up. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He concludes by saying, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Hope Sabbath School is like[br]a river of blessing for me," 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) "...and I'm learning more 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 about the Word of God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 My dream is to be with you one day live 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in this amazing Bible study." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Well, you know if you come over here 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when we're filming, Gerald, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we would love to have you 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on our team, but you're just as much 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a part of Hope Sabbath School[br]right there in the Cameroon. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I want to invite you [br]and everyone else watching 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to think about gathering a group together. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You can download the outline, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the same outline that Stephanie 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 will be using today in our study, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from our website, hopetv.org/hopess. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You can download the outline, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or you can watch the program with a group 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of friends; hold up your iPHone for them, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Gerald, but get a group of people watching. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We can share what we've learned together. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here's a note from Pavel. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Anybody want to guess where Pavel is from? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Russia. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) He's from Russia, that's right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How did you know? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He says, "Greetings, Hope Sabbath[br]School, from Russia. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We always watch the [br]Sabbath School discussion 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and truly enjoy it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our younger daughter, Veronica, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Consistently asks me to send you a message, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so, here it is." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here comes the message from Veronica: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "I was sitting in the kitchen 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and enjoying your songs; I like you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 My name is Veronica, and I'm 5 years old." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Well, it's good to know 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we have Hope Sabbath School members 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who are 5 years old, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Thank you, Veronica, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for your message, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we hope you will sing our new 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Scripture song, "Praise Him[br]in the Heights." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You can download that[br]from our website, too. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "I'm watching you every week," 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 continues Veronica, "with my mom and dad. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you for the songs. [br]I love them and I love all of you." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Well, thank you so much, Veronica![br]We love you, too. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And your mommy and daddy, thank you 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for being part of our Hope Sabbath [br]School there in Russia. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's amazing what a variety of people 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we have watching, isn't it? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Grace writes to us from China, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and she says, "I often translate 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Hope Sabbath School for my mother 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who teaches a Sabbath School 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in a small church in Beijing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, this is what we are talking about, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 making Hope Sabbath School available 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in other languages. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's already happening by individuals. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Remember a recent email from someone 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in Russia. Her husband was [br]translating for her. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Please pray for my family so that we 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 can all love and reverence God." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Wow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "These days there are many temptations 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for people of all ages, [br]especially young people. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Pray for us so that we can have[br]the wisdom to follow God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 God bless you." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Well, we'll do that, Grace. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 God bless you there in [br]the great country of China. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 May God bless your witness[br]to those around you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here's one last really encouraging[br]email from Christian. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now, that name has special significance, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as you'll discover in a minute. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Christian is from Malawi, and Malawi 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is right there in the heart[br]of Africa, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Dear Saints," that's an encouraging title. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Dear Saints, I'm happy to God 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for using Hope Sabbath School[br]to bring a change to my life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) This is wonderful. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "It has really made an impact on my life 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 since I grew up a Muslim, and I never 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 found the truth as I found it now. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now I have decided to follow [br]Jesus and be baptized. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen! Praise God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Wow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "As I am speaking, I am now 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a true believer in Bible truth. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you for the mission you're doing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in cooperating with Jesus Christ 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in saving lost sinners like me." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Is that powerful? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. Praise God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) "May the Good Lord bless us all, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and now you understand." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He has another name, but he's [br]been given a new name. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 His name is Christian. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thanks for writing to us, Christian, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from Malawi, and we just want 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to praise God for the way [br]He's leading you, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 not only for your salvation but to be 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a blessing to those around you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Right now we want to sing[br]our Scripture song. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's word for word from Psalm 148. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, it's 3,000 years old, but it's got 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a new tune; I hope you'll enjoy it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Praise Him in the Heights." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Let's sing it together. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ♪ music ♪ 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) And, for those of you[br]who don't know, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in Hebrew "Praise the Lord"[br]is "Hallelujah!" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, what a beautiful, ancient, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Scripture song with a message[br]with a message for us today. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, Stephanie, as you lead us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in this important study, "The Sermon 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of Jesus on the Mount," I know in the end 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we are going to say, "Praise the Lord!" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because it's really encouraging news. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, why don't you lead us in prayer[br]as we begin our study. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ((Stephanie) Let's bow our heads. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for giving us this opportunity [br]to study Your Word. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We just ask that, as we study Your Word, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You would send Your Holy Spirit 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to guide us and to direct us, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that at the end of the study, Lord, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our lives would be changed, and we 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 would have something to share 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with those around us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In Jesus' name, amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, our study today 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is on the Sermon on the Mount 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 according to Matthew, but we also know 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that Luke records this Sermon on the Mount 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as well, and there are some [br]differences that we see. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Before we go looking into looking 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 at some verses, we do some differences 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 between the account of Matthew[br]and that of Luke. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What can we learn from the differences 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we see? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Notice that Matthew is how [br]many chapters it spans over? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Three whole chapters. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Three whole chapters, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that's over 100 verses. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And Luke spans over how many verses? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) I think there's 30. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Just around 30. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, what can we learn from the differences 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we see there, anyone? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) You know, Stephanie, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's interesting that even in the 30 verses 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of Luke some things are new. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, that tells me that probably 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 neither of them has everything. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If Jesus taught all day on the mount, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that the Spirit's guiding [br]them to share some insights. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) It's not a video. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) That's right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Guided by the Holy Spirit, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which is interesting because then 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we ask, "Why did the Holy Spirit 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 inspire Matthew to include what he did?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but there's probably much more. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, we've learned that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's thought-inspired right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's not exact word-by-word inspired. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Was there someone else?[br]Go ahead. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Kyle) It's like the four Gospels 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 are all a little different because each one 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 has a different perspective. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 God uses each personality [br]to bring a new insight, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and He puts it all together [br]for a more complete picture. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) And, Stephanie, I just want 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to catch you because I understand 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 what you are saying about inspired[br]versus word-for-word. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think Matthew and Luke are writing[br]down the words Jesus said.[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) So, it's a little different 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from the prophet being given a vision 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like Daniel, and he writes it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in his own words, rather than[br]being dictated. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think here Jesus may have said 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 different things in different ways 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 during the day, and for some reason, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which maybe we'll discover in our study, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Matthew decides, "I'm going [br]to record some of these." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 By the way, he was there, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He was an eye witness, Matthew. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) He was. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Luke has to talk to eye witnesses, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and so he, guided by the Spirit, too, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 gets some other insights, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but I think the Holy Spirit's definitely 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 giving us a reliable account [br]of what Jesus said. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Is there a difference in the audience 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that Matthew and Luke are speaking to?[br]Yes, Olric. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Matthew's Gospel, [br]from our research, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is more targeted to a Jewish audience, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so in his Gospel he tends to play up 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 more Jesus' kingship, and in his rendering 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the Sermon on the Mount it is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a little longer than Luke's version 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because we know in those days 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a king is the person invested 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with the authority to enforce the law, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 keep the law in the land like the lawgiver. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So he spends a little more time on that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as opposed to Luke, who was writing more 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to Gentiles, but he wanted the Gentiles 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to see the law in a way that was 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 more applicable to them. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So he did not include many of the things[br]that Matthew was about. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, would you say that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in Matthew some of the very detailed 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 renditions that Matthew shares[br]connects with the Jews? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) ...in a way that is powerful? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Yes, indeed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) All right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Let's go ahead and jump into[br]Matthew, chapter 5, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we'll read verses 17 through 19. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, Joshua, if you would be willing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to read for us those first three verses [br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in Matthew, chapter 5, [br]verses 17 through 19? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Joshua) Absolutely, and I'll be reading 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from the New King James [br]Version; the Bible says: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, what are we [br]talking about here? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We're talking about the Law of God, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Joshua) Yeah. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) This is the introduction 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to the Law of God that Matthew [br]is talking about. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Let's go and look at a few more verses, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then we'll consider some questions 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as they relate to the verses that we read. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In Matthew, chapter 5:21-22. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Olric, would you read that for us, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Matthew, chapter 5, verses 21 and 22. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And then we'll read verses 27 and 28. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Reading from the New [br]Living Translation: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Wow, that's pretty strong. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Verses 27 and 28? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes, go ahead and continue on. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, do you see a pattern? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What is the pattern that you see[br]in these verses? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Go ahead, Tricia Lee. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) Well, first if we[br]were wondering, "Well, what law 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is he talking about," it's clear[br]as we kept reading 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that he's talking about the [br]Ten Commandments 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that the people at the time believed... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) ...prided themselves in being[br]able to keep, and you start to understand 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 more about what Jesus meant when He said, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "I've come to fulfill," to give [br]a clearer understanding 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of what it truly means to keep the Law. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And at the time, they were more concerned 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 about the outward physicality of behaviors 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that proved that they [br]were observing the laws, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but here Jesus starts to point [br]to what's happening in our hearts, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in our minds, in our thoughts,[br]and kind of showing that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 breaking the Law or even sin [br]doesn't just occur in an action, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it kind of starts in our hearts[br]and our minds. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, again, in fulfilling that Law,[br]He's really kind of peeling back 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 what they thought was the reality[br]in showing that it's much deeper 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 than they thought in just the behavior. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There's something that's happening[br]in the heart that only He can come 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and help them fix or [br]help them actually be.[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie, Team) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Did you have a comment, Jason?[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Go ahead. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jason) Yes, I'm looking at this here, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and it talks about how He didn't come 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to destroy but to fulfill, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because Jesus could be accused 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of these new teachings [br]as destroying the law, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but what He's saying is, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Look, I'm not destroying the Law; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm showing you what it really means." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, He's not saying what [br]was said of old is untrue; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He's saying what was said of old,[br]it is true, but also this. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, you have a very limited picture 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of what the Law is, but this is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a greater understanding,[br]a greater fulfillment 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of what the Law truly is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And that is what He is doing [br]here in the sermon. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) He's expounding on that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Yes, Missy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Missy) From the fall of humanity, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you know, they had perfection in Eden. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Then came the fall.[br]They fell so far. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Humanity just, fell, fell, fell, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and so, step by step, through Scripture 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you see how God is taking them 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 step by step back to His ideal 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 until you could see the fulfillment 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the Law in Christ when [br]He came to humanity. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And it was supposed to be a revelation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of who God really was.[br]You know, opening our minds 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to what the Law really meant. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. Nathan. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) Keep in mind that Matthew[br]is writing to Jews... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) ...and Moses was [br]the great hero as the lawgiver. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Moses went up on the Mount Sinai 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to receive the Law from God, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then he gave it to the people, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the people did their best 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to keep the law, but Moses was the one 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who lead them out of slavery [br]and into the Promised Land, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, the "deliverer." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ((Stephanie) Right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) Now Matthew is showing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Jesus is the One who went [br]up on the mountain 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and now expounds upon the Law. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He's the new Moses, showing them, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Okay, you received the Law 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on the mountain from God[br]through Moses, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 now up on this mountain Jesus 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is saying, 'Let me show you what 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this Law really means and how 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it applies deeply inwardly, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then you're going to be free, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 not just from Egypt [br]but from the slavery of sin...' 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie, Team) Amen. Wow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) '...when we get to the depths 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of what the Law means deep in the heart.'" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) And I want to go [br]to another passage 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 before we leave the teaching [br]of Jesus about the Law of God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We'll move to Matthew 5:43-48, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and, Kyle, would you be willing[br]to read that for us? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Matthew 5:43-48. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Kyle) I'll be reading from[br]the New King James Version. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The Bible says: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Wow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There's a lot in that verse. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What do you pull out from those verses? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Go ahead, Joshua. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Joshua) I will say that it's this aspect 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of Christianity that's the most difficult. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You know, if you compare this[br]sort of command from Jesus 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in comparison to the Ten Commandments, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the Ten Commandments [br]actually look pretty easy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You know, if you tell me I'm supposed 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to love my enemies, do good to those 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who are persecuting me, it's like, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Are you serious?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But at the same time we have to think 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 about the fact that people 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 outside of Christianity judge us [br]based on this sort of thing, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 not simply how many times do you 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 go to church in a week or how many 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Bible verses do you know, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but it's in our character and in the way 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we treat others. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Wow, yes.[br]Go ahead, Juliana. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Juliana) Actually this summer I was 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 traveling around in Europe and happened 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to interact with an individual on a train. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, somehow we got to talking [br]about this kind of stuff, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and he told me, "You know, Christianity 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is supposed to be so much more[br]radical than it is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So many people, they focus just 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on the Ten Commandments, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but what about the Sermon on the Mount?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And it kind of goes along with what 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you are saying, like, people 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from the outside are looking [br]at us, and, it's like, wow! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is what Christianity [br]is supposed to be. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I think that he was completely right, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we should be looking a lot more 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 at the Sermon on the Mount for many 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the things of how we should 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 interact with other people. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So isn't it interesting; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think Jesus was trying to move us away 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from just a head knowledge [br]to a heart knowledge, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Yes. Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) A heart experience. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) You know, I think, Stephanie, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 something Jason said earlier is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 really important because some Christians 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 get confused and say the Ten Commandments 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 doesn't matter; we just need [br]to love, but that's absurd. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's like saying, "Don't hate people,[br]but you can kill them." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Don't lust after someone, but you [br]can commit adultery with him or her." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's not that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The Commandments stand. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But, as Tricia Lee was pointing out, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 God is calling us to a much [br]higher standard. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In fact, to be honest, it's [br]an impossible standard 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if we're going to do it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in our own strength because we know 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how feeble we are. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie, Team) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) It's going to take a miracle... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Exactly. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) ...so that, as Joshua pointed out, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 people will look, and they'll actually see 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Jesus reflected, right?[br]Instead of us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) And that happens as a result 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the head knowledge going [br]to our hearts, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And that's the next section that we 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 want to move into, this outward conformity 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 versus an inward conversion. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, I'd like us to move [br]to Matthew, chapter 5, verse 20. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Go back to Matthew, chapter 5, verse 20, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and, Missy, would you read that for us? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Missy) I am reading from [br]the New Living Translation: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, I think this is coming back 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to what Juliana was saying. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 People expect something more than 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 just a check off, right?[br]they want something real. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) But it's not just the realness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Notice here he says, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Unless your righteousness 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 exceeds their righteousness, what was 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 their righteousness that was[br]not sufficient for God? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Their righteousness...mind you, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 righteousness means "right doing." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, they had the outward expression 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of doing right, but at the same time 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the inward conversion was not there. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What they were doing was not from a heart 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that genuinely loved God and loved people. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So you find that a lot [br]of what was being done 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 looked right to the folks on the outside, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but God knew that the heart[br]was not transformed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, Jesus is saying,"It's not just 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to do right on the outside; I want 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 your heart to be in [br]the right condition also." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That means that your actions 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 will be inspired and motivated [br]by the right desires. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, it starts in the heart, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it starts in the mind, and then[br]our actions follow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Go ahead. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Kyle) I'm just going to add[br]onto what he said 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because the Pharisees, they had [br]a scale of how... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They said, "Okay, this is a sin and this 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is worse and worse and worse,[br]and this is a good deed, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and this one's really good,[br]and this one's really, really good." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And they almost would balance and say, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "If your good deeds outweigh 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 your bad deeds, then you earned 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 righteousness in God's sight." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, it was this whole outward way 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of building up themselves, basically, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to feel like they were good[br]and accepted by God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But Jesus comes, and He says, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "That's not what it's about. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Every amount of human [br]righteousness is inadequate." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The only thing is the [br]true heart righteousness 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that you were talking about, Pastor Derek. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That is only from the Holy Spirit. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And that's a total transformation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of character; true perfection[br]in God's eyes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) By the way, those who 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 were listening, because we look at it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we say, "Oh, it has to exceed 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the righteousness of the Pharisees." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Well, we know what the righteousness 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the Pharisees looked like, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but for those who were listening, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the Pharisees were on a high level. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, for them, they were 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 thinking, "Whoa! [br]For us to exceed that -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we can't even match them -- [br]how do we exceed that?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, what is Jesus trying to teach? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, also another question that I 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 would have, too, is that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 have you ever tried to earn [br]the favor of Christ, of God? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I mean, let's be real.[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Have you ever been in that situation? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Please be willing to share, I hope, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a time when you've tried to do that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What was that like?[br]Go ahead, Tricia Lee. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) Your first question 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 about how could they exceed the[br]righteousness of the Pharisees. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The Pharisees, you're right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They were very good at doing [br]what the law required, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the different requirements [br]that they made, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but they did not love God, [br]and they did not love other people 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 other than themselves. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we find that that was what God 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was trying to teach them was that,[br]at the heart of the commandments, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 loving the Lord more than anything else 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and loving your neighbor as yourself, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and they completely missed all of that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, the "checking of the boxes" meant[br]nothing because they didn't love God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They crucified Him, tried to kill Him[br]at every chance they could. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They did not love their neighbors;[br]they were the ones walking past 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the Samaritan on the road [br]and these people. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think that it's hard because, as humans 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and even as you grew up as a child,[br]you learned that if you study hard 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and you get a good grade, [br]or if you do this then you get a reward. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, it goes against the way even society 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 runs and functions, that, [br]if you do something then 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you get something.[br]An action has an equal reaction. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But here God is showing us that[br]it really doesn't depend upon you 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or me or us, it all has to depend[br]upon Christ, and that's where 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the faith comes in. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, it's the faith, it'is the obedience, [br]it's all depending upon Christ. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's really His righteousness [br]that's working in us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I think what happens, [br]at least for me, is that... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I'm sorry...it's just that[br]once you are honest with yourself, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and when you realize, "I keep [br]trying, and I keep failing, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that's not good enough,"[br]at some point you just have 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to get tired of trying and failing,[br]and you realize it can't depend 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 upon me anymore. I have to reach out[br]to somebody who I know 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was successful in this life, [br]and it was Christ. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) And who has [br]the power to do it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) Exactly. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) To get us out of the mess. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I think we've all [br]been there, haven't we? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team Member) Yeah! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) We realize that we need Jesus.[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Andrea, you wanted to share? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Andrea) I only wanted to reflect 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a little bit on your question, which was 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how would we express if we have been 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in a similar situation, and where we felt 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we needed to do something in order [br]to earn God's favor. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I recall I was a teenager and have sat 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in church many times listening 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to baptismal appeals and calls[br]to give our lives to Jesus. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, as the pastor's daughter, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it was something I would [br]listen to very frequently. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 However, I had the feeling or a tendency 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of thinking that I have to be [br]very prepared to make that step. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, for years I have resisted the call, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I have considered that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm not ready yet, or [br]I'm not good enough... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Wow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Andrea) ...until I was 17 when I started 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to meditate more upon this decision, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and decided I have to make this step 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 even if I'm not feeling quite ready, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the Lord will take care of the rest. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Andrea) I cannot tell you how blessed 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I felt afterwards.[br]It was the best decision of my life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie, Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) You know what Jesus said, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Stephanie, in the Sermon [br]on the Mount just a little later. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He said, "Seek first the Kingdom 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and His righteousness." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) And really what Tricia Lee 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is saying is righteousness is a gift, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 back to that miracle of new creation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we talked about in a previous study. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 God is going to change us from the inside 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so that we are motivated by love, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 even in the keeping of the Commandments. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Love to God and love to those around us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And that's a miracle of the new creation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) And I believe John, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 chapter 14:15 tells us [br]a little bit about that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 John, chapter 14, verse 15. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, Nathan, would you be willing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to read that for us?[br]John, chapter 14, verse 15. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) Right. I'm reading[br]from the New King James Version. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 John 14 and verse 15: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Wow.[br]Very simple, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team Member) Very plain. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, how does your attitude 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 towards God's law change when you have 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this trusting, loving relationship 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with Jesus as your Savior and your Lord? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How does that change?[br]Olric? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) You want to keep it because, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when you have this love relationship 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with God, I compare it to a marriage. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You know, for those who are [br]married here on the set. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You know, you have your spouse, [br]you exchange vows and so forth. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, you know, some folks, they 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 may be married for 7 years, 4 years, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 50 years, and sometimes we question 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we ask them, "How did you "guys" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 maintain that relationship, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that connection, the [br]obedience to the vows?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And they just say to me, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "It's very simple:[br]I love the other person. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's why I do what I do." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, when you are in that love relationship 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with God, you want to do the things 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that pleases Him the same way He likes 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 doing things that blesses you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, you are motivated by a love for God, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that is what really propels [br]you to obedience. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) The heart's been changed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) The heart's been changed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) The heart's been changed.[br]Missy and then Nathan. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Missy) I see Scripture as God 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in continual pursuit of humanity, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Look at me; look at my face; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 look at what I've done for you.[br]Please, keep your attention on me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Look at what I've said in My Word.[br]Get to know me." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Missy) When we are able [br]to hone in on that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the Law is a natural [br]result of the relationship. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Powerful.[br]Nathan. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) Well, I love this woman. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) You better tell the people 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that that's your wife. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) This is my wife, and, you know, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if I do something that [br]hurts her, that hurts me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To see my wife hurting 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because of something I've done 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 would break my heart. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, when we're in love with the Lord, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we realize that when we break [br]His Law we're hurting Him. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He's given us His Law because [br]He wants us to be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) And when I wander away 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from that Law that He's given, which is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a Law of freedom, a Law of liberty, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and it's a Law that brings joy to my life, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I know that not only am I hurting myself, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but I'm hurting Him. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) So, my love for Him just propels 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 me into naturally obeying the Law 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because I don't want to break His heart; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I don't want to hurt Him, as well. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Okay, Joshua, and then 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we'll go to Tricia Lee, and then [br]we have to move on. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Joshua) I believe that we not only serve 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a holy God but we serve a practical God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, when I look at His Commandments, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I see that even if I weren't a Christian 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it would be in my best interest [br]to still keep these Commandments. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Joshua) So, if you think about what it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 would be like to murder someone, and what 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you would have to live with after that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and if you know what it feels like 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to commit adultery and see the effects 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of that trickling after, if you look 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 at each and every Law, you'll see, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Wait a minute. [br]He's not telling me 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to keep these Laws as [br]hoops to jump through 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in order to make it into Heaven," 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but it's for our own good and for our [br]best interest to keep these Laws. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) Something that Missy 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and Joshua mentioned [br]about getting to know God 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and what's in our best interest, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think that the Devil's deception is that[br]we would think of God as someone 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who is out to get us, someone[br]that cannot be trusted. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And if He's a being that is not [br]to be trusted or, you know, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 wants to hurt us, then I don't care[br]about what He's saying, I don't care 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 about His Laws, (that breaking them) [br]is not good for me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we do exactly what Missy is saying, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 try to get to know Him, allow Him [br]to enter our lives, and we see who He is, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like, how Jesus came, the best example[br]and revelation of the Father, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He lived a whole life, when [br]we see the life of Christ, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how could we not want to be more like Him? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How could we not want to see [br]truly who the Father is, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then everything He's saying starts [br]to make sense as things for our benefit, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as things that will help us be [br]in a loving relationship with Him. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, even Christ coming and expounding[br]and fulfilling the Law 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was us seeing the Father as who [br]He really is, not the deception, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 not the lies, the angry God [br]with lightening and thunderbolts. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we see that, then the Law[br]starts to be something beautiful 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for our best interest and something that[br]helps us be in a good, loving, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 strong relationship with Him. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) We have full confidence... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) Yeah, yeah. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) ...that He has [br]the best interest in mind. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We need to move on to God's ideal 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for His children, which somewhat connects 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with what we've already [br]been speaking about. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Matthew, chapter 5, verse 48, and, Nicole, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if you would be willing to read that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for us, and then we'll follow it up 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with Luke 6:36, and, Nancy, if you [br]would read that one after Matthew 5:48. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nicole) Okay, Matthew 5:48. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm reading it from the New International[br]Version, and the Bible says: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) And then Luke 6:36. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We're looking at these two [br]in conjunction with each other. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nancy) Okay, and this is from the[br]New King James Version. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) All right, what is [br]Jesus asking us to do? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Be like God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) To be like God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He's asking us, may I mention it this way: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He's asking us to do the [br]impossible without Him. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It would be impossible without Him. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You understand what I'm saying? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But He's giving us the strength to do it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so, it's not impossible, but without Him, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if we're trying to do it as only head[br]knowledge, it is going to be impossible. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) And, you know, Stephanie, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 sometimes people read that like, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Be perfect," and think that's the way to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 make God love us, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Never quite good enough. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's not what it's saying at all. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) That's why Luke's wording 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is different is important. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He's saying, "I want you to reflect 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the beauty of my Father's character." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And what does it look like? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Jesus said, "If you want to know 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 what the Father is like, look at Me." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, He's saying, "I want you to [br]reflect my character to the world," 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that is not to earn His love. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He already loves us.[br]It's out of that loving relationship. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes.[br]Go ahead, you wanted to say something. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Andrea) I also wanted to add 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to what Elder Morris said, that this[br]perfection that God is calling us to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is not so much a state of sinlessness 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as the spiritual maturity to which we need 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to attain, and the Lord can [br]help us to attain that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, of course, at each state 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the Christain's experience, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 there is a different level of maturity 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because what is perfect for [br]a grade one student to add 2 + 2 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is not perfect for a grade five student 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and to a grade eight student. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So this perfection is where we are at; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if we just fulfill what God requires [br]us to do at that stage, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we have attained to God's ideal. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen.[br]All right, Olric. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Let me encapsulate [br]what she's saying. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 At each stage, God reveals light to us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He reveals more of Himself to us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Perfection that is being talked about here 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is the progressive state [br]of growth, Christian maturity. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A plant starts out as a seedling, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but then it grows to a big tree [br]and bears fruit. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A baby starts off walking on fours 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and mumbling, but eventually [br]they grow, and they walk on legs, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and now they can talk well [br]and do things for themselves. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There is maturing; there is growth. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 God's ideal of perfection is that[br]you should continually grow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Not that you reach a stage here, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 where, "Hah! You're perfect.[br]Now you don't need to go any further." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 No. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 His idea of perfection is [br]progressive Christian maturity. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, let me...[br]Go ahead, go ahead, Kyle. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Kyle) You know, somebody [br]might be worried, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Well, I'm not perfect, and I [br]have all these faults," 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and my only thing I think we [br]could all say: "Look to Jesus." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie/Team) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Kyle) Look to Jesus, because Jesus, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ?as we look to Him, "If ye love Me, [br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 keep My Commandments," He says. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The only way that we can truly grow 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in likeness to Him is to fall in love 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with Him, and how do we [br]fall in love with Him? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 By looking to Him, spending time with Him. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie/Team) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Kyle) That is so key because otherwise 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we're just going to try [br]to earn our righteousness, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that will never get us anywhere. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, we must look to Jesus. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek/Team) Amen. Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Beautiful, beautiful. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, my question, I think we already have 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 an answer for it, but my question is: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Is this a means of salvation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or an evidence of a living, [br]loving connection with Jesus? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Simple.[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's an evidence of a living connection 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with Jesus, not a means to salvation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) All right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Will you share with us a [br]verse that supports that? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Galatians 2, verses... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Galatians, chapter 2. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, Olric, you'll go ahead and read 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Galatians, chapter 2, [br]I believe, 20 and 21. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Galatians, chapter 2, [br]verses 20 and 21? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Reading from the [br]New Living Translation, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the Word of God says: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Wow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Another verse, another [br]promise that we can share. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Someone out there, as Kyle was saying, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 may be wondering, "How do I do this?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "How is this practical?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Let me just say people may not [br]know who wrote the Galatian letter, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but Saul of Tarsus, later [br]called Paul the Apostle, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 he had gone down that road [br]of trying to earn righteousness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie/Team): Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) He said, "I was [br]flawless," you know? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But he was killing people [br]who believe in Jesus. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) So, he understands [br]the miracle of his changed heart. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I just want to emphasize, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I know it is one stage and then another, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but it's a miracle at every stage. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie/Team): Amen. Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) For us to be who God's [br]calling us to be, is a miracle. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) It is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) And Paul would be the first one 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to say that it is a miracle. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's why he says that [br]if anyone is in Christ, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 she or he is a new creation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Because he's seen it himself. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) It's key that in that verse 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is mentioned Christ now lives in me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He says, "It is no longer [br]I who live, but I died. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I surrender self and the old way, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I accept Christ in my heart, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and He changes me internally. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now what I do is motivated by love." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, it is very important [br]to see the transformation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Would you share with us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a time when you experienced 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or you saw someone who represented 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the character of Christ. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What impact did that have on you? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You saw someone had [br]the character of Christ. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What was the impact on you, or what was 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the impact when someone saw 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the character of Christ in you? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What impact did that have on you? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Stephanie, I was 7 years old... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Go ahead. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Oh good, if I can [br]just share real briefly. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ...and my teacher in Form 2[br](this is back in the UK) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was full of the love of Jesus. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was only privileged to go 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to a Christian school for four years, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but that one year with Christine Emmerson 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my teacher changed my life... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Wow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) ...because she was [br]full of the love of God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And when you see that, and I think 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that's the ultimate witness,[br]it's not just what we say. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When the love of God fills a heart, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we just say, "I just [br]want to be like that," 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that person says, "Well, I'm 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a follower of Jesus, so follow Him." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Reflecting the light of Jesus.[br]Nancy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nancy) My dad is full [br]of the love of Jesus. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, you know, what he does is he studies 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the Bible in the morning, a chapter 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the morning, and a chapter 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the evening, a chapter in [br]the New, a chapter in the Old. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I like to think about it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as him "marinating" his life [br]in Jesus, you know? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's a cooking term, when you take 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 some meat or some tofu, and you put it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you know, in all of those [br]sauces and things. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Well, that's what he does with his life, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and so everything he does [br]is covered in Jesus. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nancy) He's been a great example to me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek/Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Praise God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) I'm guessing that he's been 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on his knees praying often, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I think that's the section that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we want to move into next. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We've talked about the head knowledge, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that it reaches our hearts, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and, as a result, our hands or our actions 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 produce what has already happened inside. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now we are going to talk [br]about how we sustain that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that is by spending [br]time with God in prayer. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, Juliana, if you would read 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Matthew, chapter 6, verses 5 through 13. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Matthew chapter 6, verses 5 through 13, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 talking about Jesus teaching on prayer. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Juliana) I'm reading from [br]the New King James Version: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie/Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) What important lessons 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 can we learn about prayer[br]from Jesus' example? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Go ahead, Tricia Lee. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) We're counseled [br]not to have vain repetitions, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so, there were practices that heathens [br]had at the time but also was part 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the religious practices [br]to repeat certain things. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "The more I say it, then [br]the more likely God will hear," 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but here this model, in its [br]simplest way, is a conversation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think, even in talking to God, we are [br]acknowledging that He's hearing us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We're not just saying phrases out,[br]and hoping they go somewhere. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We're actually speaking to another [br]Being who can hear and understand 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and wants to have a conversation with us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So, we have full confidence 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the Person that we love and trust. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Nathan, and then we'll go to Olric. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) I can't miss the distinction 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Jesus is making between people who pray 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to be seen by others, and it's not just 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 what they say but where they [br]are when they are saying it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They're out on the street corners, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 versus people who are praying in secret. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He says, "Go into your room and pray 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to your Father who is also in secret." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, in other words, what He's showing us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 here is this is an intimate time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm sorry if this sounds a little 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 too far fetched, but just like 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a married couple behind closed doors 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the intimacy that they share. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They are having quiet time[br]or conversation, you know. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 No one else is there, and this is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the same way, He says, "With your Father 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in Heaven, you are behind [br]closed doors, intimate communion."[br] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's just you and Him. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You're not showing off to the world. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You're not doing this before others. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You're having quiet time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, Jesus wants us to be having 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 intimate communion [br]with our Father quietly. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Just to think that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He's willing to spend quiet time with us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) The God of the universe. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I mean, think about that.[br]That's powerful. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) It's very key that Nathan 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 points that out because in [br]verse 16 of that same chapter 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He uses the word "hypocrite." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He says, "Don't fast as the hypocrites do." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That word is a key word, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because in the Greek it means an "actor," 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you know, someone who puts [br]on a show, a performance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, what is Jesus saying about these [br]individuals who pray to be heard 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 by many people or use many words [br]to look religious and so forth? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He's saying, "You're just acting," 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and my Bible says to me, "If you harbor 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 iniquity in your heart, God [br]will not hear your prayers." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This was a problem with the religious [br]leaders and those who were doing it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for outward show; the heart wasn't right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Right, He was asking 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for an inward change. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Go ahead, Nicole. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nicole) Just to take it [br]a little differently, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you can also teach someone how to pray, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so when I look at this verse [br]and I look at this text, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think about children and make sure 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we instill within our children 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the desire to pray and the need to pray. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We have to teach them how to pray 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and how to spend that time with God, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so they can then grow to a place 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when they can spend that [br]quiet time in their "closets" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 knowing what they're to say. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So I think that we should really remember 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we all have to teach [br]our children how to pray. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) I agree. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) That's true. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) You know, I'm thinking,[br]in the light of what Nathan said, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the little book "Steps to Christ," 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it speaks about prayer as the opening 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the heart to God as to a friend. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's very personal. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Even the Lord's prayer could become 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a vain repetition, if you [br]just repeat it ten times 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and think that God will hear [br]you by saying it 10 times. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In fact, if you look at the Gospels, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Jesus prays a lot of different prayers. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) He does. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) He is opening His heart [br]to His Father as to a friend. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I think what I'm hearing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in this great Sermon on the Mount, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 just like with loving obedience, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is when you love God you [br]want to talk to Him. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) And you want to listen, too. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) You have [br]an open communication. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Juliana, and then we need to move on. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Juliana) I was just going [br]to say really succinctly 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that what this says to me, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I guess why I choked up [br]trying to read it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was that it says we have [br]a direct connection. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team Member) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Juliana) We don't have [br]anything else in the way. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) That's right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Juliana) That the God of the universe 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 wants to talk to me and [br]wants me to talk to Him. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Wow, that's powerful. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Let's move on; Matthew, chapter 7. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you so much for sharing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Matthew, chapter 7, and [br]we'll go to verse 24 to 27, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and, Jason, would you read that for us? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Matthew, chapter 7, and we're moving 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 into our last section of our study 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that is "Living What We Learn." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Go ahead. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jason) I'll be reading from [br]the New King James Version, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Matthew, chapter 7, verse 24 through 27. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) What is Jesus' [br]appeal in these verse? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What is Jesus' appeal?[br]Missy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Missy) Trust and obey, Just to listen 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to what He has to say and do them. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's just simple. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Yes.[br]Go ahead, Joshua. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Joshua) I would just say to build 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 your foundation on Christ. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Essentially, if you look [br]at family structures, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it never made sense to me as to why 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 atheists get married, you know? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Think about it just for a second. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Just picture that in your [br]mind for a minute. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How is it, if you're not focused 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on the love of Christ and the beauty 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of His Word and the understanding 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of His heart rather than your own, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how is it that you can unite yourself 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in a marriage and try to build your family 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on a structure that cannot stand, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that's built on worldly [br]principles that are like sand? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They can change at any time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They are weak.[br]They are futile. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, when I think about [br]that in my own life, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I say, "Okay, I have to build [br]my foundation on Christ." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Joshua) Because outside of that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 everything else is just going [br]to be a wreck, you know, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and it's really that simple. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think it's a lesson to us to just say, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Okay, let's going about things 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the smartest way [br]possible," and this is it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Nathan and then we'll come up to Kyle. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Nathan) Jesus is comparing [br]two kinds of people here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Both of them heard His Word. He says, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Whoever hears these sayings of Mine 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and does them," and then He says later, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Whoever hears these sayings[br]and does not do them." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So it's not about just [br]hearing and knowing, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's actually about [br]putting it in practice. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He says, "The one who puts into practice 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 these teachings of Mine, this is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 solid rock foundation that you can 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 build on, and it's trustworthy,[br]so build on this. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But if you hear it and don't do it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 whatever you're building on is like sand." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Right. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's not a solid foundation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) You won't [br]make it through the storm. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Kyle. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Kyle) I'll just add to what Nathan said. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Just to think that this whole time 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in Matthew 5 we've been [br]looking at, you know, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Jesus' standard of righteousness versus 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 what our human standard is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And if we build our lives [br]on our own righteousness, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on our own works, then it's like sand. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We have no real foundation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The only Rock is the Rock [br]of Christ's righteousness 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that can get us through the storm. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, you know, it all connects; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's dependence upon Him, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 even the prayer thing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Prayer is all about dependence on God, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and depending on His righteousness, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on His character in our hearts, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 will give us the foundation that will 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 carry us through that storm. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Tricia Lee, did you have a[br]comment you wanted to share? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) I was just reflecting on what[br]Juliana mentioned about the invitation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to connect with the Lord, "our Father." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Even in reading this, I just feel as [br]though personally I would be a fool 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 not to accept that invitation, that [br]the great God of the universe came, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 sent His Son, went to all this length[br]to show me who He really was, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to show me what His Law means,[br]to show me how to love other people, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who wants to love me and [br]wants to accept my love to Him, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and He's just giving me [br]the simple way to Him 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that I have to be kind of silly in [br]seeing all of this and then saying, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "No, I'd rather build it my own way." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It just really feels like it's just a [br]heart-felt invitation, and that, wow, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how do I respond to that.[br]I was just thinking about that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) So I want to move on. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We have one more verse to read, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that's John, chapter 13:17. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'll ask Tricia Lee if you [br]would read that for us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The question is, why does Jesus want 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 us to live in harmony with His Word? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) John, chapter 13, verse 17. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm reading from the New King [br]James Version, and it reads: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Tricia Lee, I think that is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 what you were talking about. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Tricia Lee) It's a blessing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) God wants us to be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) It has to go from the head 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to the heart, to the [br]hands, and to the "how." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How do I do that? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 By spending time with Jesus 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and falling in love with [br]my Savior and Lord. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Then what happens? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When you're sharing with others, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 doesn't it make you happy? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You're in the will of God. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There's no better peace than that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Go ahead, Olric. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Olric) Let me just wrap [br]this study here together. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We see clearly Jesus is saying, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "The law is important, you must keep it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but I don't want you to keep it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from an unconverted heart because 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to do that is to do it with a heart 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that is not connected to the love of God, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that is devoid of the right[br]motives and right thoughts." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, keep the Law but make [br]sure the heart is converted. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Why? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Because when you do [br]that you build your faith. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) Our faith is [br]built upon the Rock, yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And our eyes are fixed on Jesus,... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Stephanie) ...the Author [br]and Finisher of our faith, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we share that with joy in our hearts. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What a God.[br]What a God we serve. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you so much for this lesson 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and for sharing today. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) Thanks, Stephanie. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You know, the Sermon on the Mount ends 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 by saying they were astonished 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 at His teaching because He taught as One 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 having authority, and really our authority 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 comes from that living [br]connection with God, doesn't it? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Team) Amen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Derek) And I want to challenge you, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as you think about this message,