1 00:00:19,559 --> 00:00:20,600 ♪ theme music ♪ 2 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,160 (Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School, 3 00:00:22,166 --> 00:00:25,432 an in-depth, interactive study of the Word of God. 4 00:00:25,432 --> 00:00:26,859 I'm glad you joined us today 5 00:00:28,079 --> 00:00:30,878 as we continue a series of studies 6 00:00:30,878 --> 00:00:31,745 on the Gospel of Matthew. 7 00:00:31,745 --> 00:00:34,698 Our topic today: The Sermon of Jesus on the Mount. 8 00:00:34,698 --> 00:00:36,554 It's going to be a great blessing, 9 00:00:36,554 --> 00:00:37,959 and we're especially happy 10 00:00:37,959 --> 00:00:39,596 that one of our team, Stephanie, 11 00:00:39,596 --> 00:00:41,102 is going to be teaching today. 12 00:00:41,102 --> 00:00:42,455 Stephanie, we are looking forward 13 00:00:42,455 --> 00:00:43,548 to a great study. 14 00:00:43,548 --> 00:00:44,410 (Stephanie) Amen. 15 00:00:44,410 --> 00:00:45,928 (Derek) And we're glad that each one of you 16 00:00:45,928 --> 00:00:47,343 has joined us for our study today. 17 00:00:47,343 --> 00:00:48,454 It's been a great series, hasn't it? 18 00:00:48,454 --> 00:00:50,688 I notice people ask, "It's not 19 00:00:50,688 --> 00:00:51,928 the same people every time?" 20 00:00:51,928 --> 00:00:54,754 No, but we're all studying, and this 21 00:00:54,754 --> 00:00:56,130 Gospel of Matthew, I think 22 00:00:56,130 --> 00:00:58,440 the biggest challenge is we could take 23 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,320 a whole series of studies 24 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:01,648 on just one section, 25 00:01:01,648 --> 00:01:03,899 like the Sermon on the Mount, 26 00:01:03,899 --> 00:01:06,312 but we have to look at the big picture 27 00:01:06,312 --> 00:01:09,112 and the message that Jesus is giving us 28 00:01:09,112 --> 00:01:10,296 through His sermon in Matthew. 29 00:01:10,296 --> 00:01:12,056 So, we want to pray that God would bless. 30 00:01:12,056 --> 00:01:13,566 Before I do, though, I want to welcome 31 00:01:13,566 --> 00:01:15,615 our Hope Sabbath School members 32 00:01:15,615 --> 00:01:16,610 around the world. 33 00:01:16,610 --> 00:01:17,702 Thank you for writing to us. 34 00:01:17,702 --> 00:01:21,378 You can write to us at sshope@hopetv.org, 35 00:01:21,378 --> 00:01:23,088 and we're always happy to know 36 00:01:23,088 --> 00:01:25,214 how God is blessing your lives. 37 00:01:27,783 --> 00:01:28,033 Gerard writes from the Cameroon. 38 00:01:31,693 --> 00:01:33,105 He says, "Hi, Hope Sabbath School team. 39 00:01:33,105 --> 00:01:34,512 I'm a church member in the Cameroon. 40 00:01:34,512 --> 00:01:37,444 I like to spend my time studying 41 00:01:37,444 --> 00:01:39,475 with Hope Sabbath School, 42 00:01:39,475 --> 00:01:42,411 and I now have an iPhone, and I'm ready 43 00:01:42,411 --> 00:01:44,861 to get the Hope Sabbath School app." 44 00:01:44,861 --> 00:01:46,301 (Team) Amen. 45 00:01:46,301 --> 00:01:49,105 (Derek) Well, I think we have the iPhone 46 00:01:49,105 --> 00:01:53,307 Hope Sabbath School app in 137 countries, 47 00:01:53,307 --> 00:01:55,797 and we have the Android app, 48 00:01:55,797 --> 00:01:58,170 which is only more recent; 49 00:01:58,170 --> 00:02:00,136 that's, I think, in 150 countries. 50 00:02:00,136 --> 00:02:03,019 So, we're glad, Gerard, that you're 51 00:02:04,829 --> 00:02:06,398 going to get the Hope Sabbath School app 52 00:02:06,398 --> 00:02:07,303 for your iPhone, and it's great 53 00:02:07,303 --> 00:02:08,612 because you click, and the most 54 00:02:08,612 --> 00:02:10,670 recent program opens up. 55 00:02:10,670 --> 00:02:12,950 He concludes by saying, 56 00:02:12,950 --> 00:02:16,993 "Hope Sabbath School is like a river of blessing for me," 57 00:02:16,993 --> 00:02:18,252 (Team) Amen. 58 00:02:18,252 --> 00:02:19,645 (Derek) "...and I'm learning more 59 00:02:19,645 --> 00:02:20,681 about the Word of God. 60 00:02:20,681 --> 00:02:23,511 My dream is to be with you one day live 61 00:02:23,511 --> 00:02:25,533 in this amazing Bible study." 62 00:02:25,533 --> 00:02:27,724 Well, you know if you come over here 63 00:02:27,724 --> 00:02:29,796 when we're filming, Gerard, 64 00:02:29,796 --> 00:02:30,698 we would love to have you 65 00:02:30,698 --> 00:02:32,370 on our team, but you're just as much 66 00:02:32,370 --> 00:02:34,451 a part of Hope Sabbath School right there in the Cameroon. 67 00:02:34,451 --> 00:02:37,459 And I want to invite you and everyone else watching, 68 00:02:39,942 --> 00:02:41,243 think about gathering a group together. 69 00:02:42,218 --> 00:02:43,597 You can download the outline, 70 00:02:43,597 --> 00:02:44,686 the same outline that Stephanie 71 00:02:44,686 --> 00:02:45,894 will be using today in our study, 72 00:02:45,894 --> 00:02:48,395 from our website, hopetv.org/hopess. 73 00:02:48,395 --> 00:02:49,781 You can download the outline, 74 00:02:49,781 --> 00:02:51,728 or you can watch the program with a group of friends; 75 00:02:51,728 --> 00:02:54,436 hold up your iPHone for them, Gerard, 76 00:02:54,436 --> 00:02:55,467 but get a group of people watching. 77 00:02:55,467 --> 00:02:58,058 We can share what we've learned together. 78 00:02:58,058 --> 00:03:01,356 Here's a note from Pavel. 79 00:03:06,359 --> 00:03:07,306 Anybody want to guess where Pavel is from? 80 00:03:07,496 --> 00:03:08,454 (Team) Russia. 81 00:03:08,454 --> 00:03:09,659 (Derek) He's from Russia, that's right. 82 00:03:09,659 --> 00:03:10,428 How did you know? 83 00:03:10,428 --> 00:03:10,939 He says, "Greetings, Hope Sabbath School, from Russia. 84 00:03:10,939 --> 00:03:13,494 We always watch the Sabbath School discussion 85 00:03:13,494 --> 00:03:14,362 and truly enjoy it. 86 00:03:14,362 --> 00:03:16,416 Our younger daughter, Veronica, 87 00:03:16,416 --> 00:03:19,451 Consistently asks me to send you a message, 88 00:03:19,451 --> 00:03:21,116 so, here it is." 89 00:03:21,116 --> 00:03:23,588 Here comes the message from Veronica: 90 00:03:23,588 --> 00:03:25,829 "I was sitting in the kitchen 91 00:03:25,829 --> 00:03:29,723 and enjoying your songs; I like you. 92 00:03:29,723 --> 00:03:32,648 My name is Veronica, and I'm 5 years old." 93 00:03:32,648 --> 00:03:34,969 Well, it's good to know 94 00:03:34,969 --> 00:03:36,237 we have Hope Sabbath School members 95 00:03:36,237 --> 00:03:37,547 who are 5 years old, right? 96 00:03:37,547 --> 00:03:38,492 (Team) Amen. 97 00:03:38,492 --> 00:03:39,888 (Derek) Thank you, Veronica, 98 00:03:39,888 --> 00:03:40,723 for your message, 99 00:03:40,723 --> 00:03:42,367 and we hope you will sing our new 100 00:03:42,367 --> 00:03:44,841 Scripture song, "Praise Him in the Heights." 101 00:03:44,841 --> 00:03:47,429 You can download that from our website, too. 102 00:03:47,429 --> 00:03:49,491 "I'm watching you every week," 103 00:03:49,491 --> 00:03:52,827 continues Veronica, "with my mom and dad. 104 00:03:52,827 --> 00:03:56,589 Thank you for the songs. I love them and I love all of you." 105 00:03:56,589 --> 00:04:01,113 Well, thank you so much, Veronica! We love you, too. 106 00:04:01,113 --> 00:04:03,519 And your mommy and daddy, thank you 107 00:04:03,519 --> 00:04:06,592 for being part of our Hope Sabbath School there in Russia. 108 00:04:06,592 --> 00:04:09,498 It's amazing what a variety of people 109 00:04:09,498 --> 00:04:10,639 we have watching, isn't it? 110 00:04:10,639 --> 00:04:12,844 Grace writes to us from China, 111 00:04:12,844 --> 00:04:16,419 and she says, "I often translate 112 00:04:16,419 --> 00:04:18,359 Hope Sabbath School for my mother 113 00:04:18,359 --> 00:04:20,832 who teaches a Sabbath School 114 00:04:20,832 --> 00:04:22,958 in a small church in Beijing. 115 00:04:22,958 --> 00:04:24,942 So, this is what we are talking about, 116 00:04:24,942 --> 00:04:26,793 making Hope Sabbath School available 117 00:04:26,793 --> 00:04:28,041 in other languages. 118 00:04:28,041 --> 00:04:30,071 It's already happening by individuals. 119 00:04:30,071 --> 00:04:32,557 Remember a recent email from someone in Russia. 120 00:04:32,557 --> 00:04:35,463 Her husband was translating for her. 121 00:04:35,463 --> 00:04:36,517 "Please pray for my family so that we 122 00:04:39,180 --> 00:04:41,284 can all love and reverence God." 123 00:04:41,284 --> 00:04:42,814 Wow. 124 00:04:42,814 --> 00:04:45,047 "These days there are many temptations 125 00:04:45,047 --> 00:04:47,961 for people of all ages, especially young people. 126 00:04:47,961 --> 00:04:52,623 Pray for us so that we can have the wisdom to follow God. 127 00:04:52,623 --> 00:04:53,649 God bless you." 128 00:04:53,649 --> 00:04:55,078 Well, we'll do that, Grace. 129 00:04:55,078 --> 00:04:58,104 God bless you there in the great country of China. 130 00:04:58,104 --> 00:05:00,635 May God bless your witness to those around you. 131 00:05:00,635 --> 00:05:05,152 Here's one last really encouraging email from Christian. 132 00:05:05,152 --> 00:05:08,550 Now, that name has special significance, 133 00:05:08,550 --> 00:05:09,926 as you'll discover in a minute. 134 00:05:09,926 --> 00:05:13,392 Christian is from Malawi, and Malawi 135 00:05:13,392 --> 00:05:16,015 is right there in the heart of Africa, right? 136 00:05:16,015 --> 00:05:19,247 "Dear Saints," that's an encouraging title. 137 00:05:19,247 --> 00:05:22,644 "Dear Saints, I'm happy to God 138 00:05:22,644 --> 00:05:26,296 for using Hope Sabbath School to bring a change to my life. 139 00:05:26,296 --> 00:05:27,292 (Team) Amen. 140 00:05:27,292 --> 00:05:29,472 (Derek) This is wonderful. 141 00:05:29,472 --> 00:05:32,808 "It has really made an impact on my life 142 00:05:32,808 --> 00:05:36,243 since I grew up a Muslim, and I never 143 00:05:36,243 --> 00:05:38,165 found the truth as I found it now. 144 00:05:38,165 --> 00:05:43,068 Now I have decided to follow Jesus and be baptized. 145 00:05:43,068 --> 00:05:44,470 (Team) Amen! Praise God. 146 00:05:44,470 --> 00:05:46,524 (Derek) Wow. 147 00:05:46,524 --> 00:05:48,956 "As I am speaking, I am now 148 00:05:48,956 --> 00:05:51,538 a true believer in Bible truth. 149 00:05:51,538 --> 00:05:54,388 Thank you for the mission you're doing 150 00:05:54,388 --> 00:05:56,778 in cooperating with Jesus Christ 151 00:05:56,778 --> 00:05:59,760 in saving lost sinners like me." 152 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,303 Is that powerful? 153 00:06:02,303 --> 00:06:04,091 (Team) Amen. Praise God. 154 00:06:04,091 --> 00:06:06,460 (Derek) "May the Good Lord bless us all, 155 00:06:06,460 --> 00:06:08,203 and now you understand." 156 00:06:08,203 --> 00:06:11,830 He has another name, but he's been given a new name. 157 00:06:11,830 --> 00:06:14,028 His name is Christian. 158 00:06:14,028 --> 00:06:16,823 Thanks for writing to us, Christian, 159 00:06:16,823 --> 00:06:18,615 from Malawi, and we just want 160 00:06:18,615 --> 00:06:20,953 to praise God for the way He's leading you, 161 00:06:20,953 --> 00:06:23,482 not only for your salvation but to be 162 00:06:23,482 --> 00:06:25,437 a blessing to those around you. 163 00:06:25,437 --> 00:06:27,705 Right now we want to sing our Scripture song. 164 00:06:27,705 --> 00:06:30,897 It's word for word from Psalm 148. 165 00:06:30,897 --> 00:06:33,565 So, it's 3,000 years old, but it's got 166 00:06:33,565 --> 00:06:35,331 a new tune; I hope you'll enjoy it. 167 00:06:35,331 --> 00:06:37,585 "Praise Him in the Heights." 168 00:06:37,585 --> 00:06:39,664 Let's sing it together. 169 00:06:39,664 --> 00:06:46,788 ♪ music ♪ 170 00:08:46,103 --> 00:08:46,937 (Derek) And for those of you who don't know, 171 00:08:46,937 --> 00:08:50,265 in Hebrew "Praise the Lord" is "Hallelujah!" 172 00:08:50,265 --> 00:08:52,614 So, what a beautiful, ancient, 173 00:08:52,614 --> 00:08:55,544 Scripture song with a message with a message for us today. 174 00:08:56,675 --> 00:08:57,578 And, Stephanie, as you lead us 175 00:08:57,578 --> 00:08:59,155 in this important study, "The Sermon 176 00:08:59,155 --> 00:09:01,025 of Jesus on the Mount," I know in the end 177 00:09:01,025 --> 00:09:02,844 we are going to say, "Praise the Lord!" 178 00:09:02,864 --> 00:09:04,443 because it's really encouraging news. 179 00:09:04,789 --> 00:09:06,909 So, why don't you lead us in prayer as we begin our study. 180 00:09:07,132 --> 00:09:09,643 ((Stephanie) Let's bow our heads. 181 00:09:09,909 --> 00:09:12,233 Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much 182 00:09:14,972 --> 00:09:16,661 for giving us this opportunity to study Your Word. 183 00:09:16,661 --> 00:09:19,509 We just ask that, as we study Your Word, 184 00:09:19,509 --> 00:09:20,980 You would send Your Holy Spirit 185 00:09:20,980 --> 00:09:24,168 to guide us and to direct us, 186 00:09:24,168 --> 00:09:26,201 that at the end of the study, Lord, 187 00:09:26,201 --> 00:09:28,831 our lives would be changed, and we 188 00:09:28,831 --> 00:09:30,094 would have something to share 189 00:09:30,094 --> 00:09:31,402 with those around us. 190 00:09:31,402 --> 00:09:33,294 In Jesus' name, amen. 191 00:09:33,294 --> 00:09:34,361 (Team) Amen. 192 00:09:34,361 --> 00:09:35,777 (Stephanie) So, our study today 193 00:09:35,777 --> 00:09:38,430 is on the Sermon on the Mount 194 00:09:38,430 --> 00:09:42,028 according to Matthew, but we also know 195 00:09:42,028 --> 00:09:46,107 that Luke records this Sermon on the Mount 196 00:09:46,107 --> 00:09:51,350 as well, and there are some differences that we see. 197 00:09:51,350 --> 00:09:53,488 Before we go looking into looking 198 00:09:53,488 --> 00:09:55,831 at some verses, we do some differences 199 00:09:55,831 --> 00:10:00,188 between the account of Matthew and that of Luke. 200 00:10:00,188 --> 00:10:03,337 What can we learn from the differences 201 00:10:03,337 --> 00:10:04,871 that we see? 202 00:10:04,871 --> 00:10:09,024 Notice that Matthew is how many chapters it spans over? 203 00:10:09,024 --> 00:10:11,021 (Derek) Three whole chapters. 204 00:10:11,021 --> 00:10:12,171 (Stephanie) Three whole chapters, 205 00:10:12,171 --> 00:10:13,580 and that's over 100 verses. 206 00:10:13,580 --> 00:10:15,725 And Luke spans over how many verses? 207 00:10:15,725 --> 00:10:17,586 (Derek) I think there's 30. 208 00:10:17,586 --> 00:10:18,719 (Stephanie) Just around 30. 209 00:10:18,719 --> 00:10:21,918 So, what can we learn from the differences 210 00:10:21,918 --> 00:10:24,308 that we see there, anyone? 211 00:10:24,308 --> 00:10:25,806 (Derek) You know, Stephanie, 212 00:10:25,806 --> 00:10:27,310 it's interesting that even in the 30 verses 213 00:10:27,310 --> 00:10:29,223 of Luke some things are new. 214 00:10:29,223 --> 00:10:32,757 So, that tells me that probably 215 00:10:32,757 --> 00:10:34,846 neither of them has everything. 216 00:10:34,846 --> 00:10:36,678 If Jesus taught all day on the mount, 217 00:10:36,678 --> 00:10:40,824 that the Spirit's guiding them to share some insights. 218 00:10:40,824 --> 00:10:41,997 (Stephanie) Yes. 219 00:10:41,997 --> 00:10:43,356 (Derek) It's not a video. 220 00:10:43,356 --> 00:10:44,366 (Stephanie) That's right. 221 00:10:44,366 --> 00:10:45,870 (Derek) Guided by the Holy Spirit, 222 00:10:45,870 --> 00:10:47,584 which is interesting because then 223 00:10:47,584 --> 00:10:48,807 we ask, "Why did the Holy Spirit 224 00:10:48,807 --> 00:10:51,401 inspire Matthew to include what he did?" 225 00:10:51,401 --> 00:10:53,159 but there's probably much more. 226 00:10:53,159 --> 00:10:54,586 (Stephanie) So, we've learned that 227 00:10:54,586 --> 00:10:56,282 it's thought-inspired right? 228 00:10:56,282 --> 00:10:59,299 It's not exact word-by-word inspired. 229 00:10:59,299 --> 00:11:01,059 Was there someone else? Go ahead. 230 00:11:01,059 --> 00:11:02,545 (Kyle) It's like the four Gospels 231 00:11:02,545 --> 00:11:04,354 are all a little different because each one 232 00:11:04,354 --> 00:11:05,579 has a different perspective. 233 00:11:05,579 --> 00:11:07,750 God uses each personality to bring a new insight, 234 00:11:07,750 --> 00:11:10,175 and He puts it all together for a more complete picture. 235 00:11:10,175 --> 00:11:11,870 (Derek) And, Stephanie, I just want 236 00:11:11,870 --> 00:11:13,395 to catch you because I understand 237 00:11:13,395 --> 00:11:16,022 what you are saying about inspired versus word-for-word. 238 00:11:16,022 --> 00:11:18,227 I think Matthew and Luke are writing down the words Jesus said. 239 00:11:18,227 --> 00:11:19,025 (Stephanie) Yes. 240 00:11:19,025 --> 00:11:20,395 (Derek) So, it's a little different 241 00:11:20,395 --> 00:11:22,008 from the prophet being given a vision 242 00:11:22,008 --> 00:11:23,123 like Daniel, and he writes it 243 00:11:23,123 --> 00:11:25,121 in his own words, rather than being dictated. 244 00:11:25,121 --> 00:11:27,685 I think here Jesus may have said 245 00:11:27,685 --> 00:11:29,925 different things in different ways 246 00:11:29,925 --> 00:11:32,105 during the day, and for some reason, 247 00:11:32,105 --> 00:11:34,290 which maybe we'll discover in our study, 248 00:11:34,290 --> 00:11:37,684 Matthew decides, "I'm going to record some of these." 249 00:11:37,684 --> 00:11:39,668 By the way, he was there, right? 250 00:11:39,668 --> 00:11:41,174 He was an eye witness, Matthew. 251 00:11:41,174 --> 00:11:42,230 (Team) He was. 252 00:11:42,230 --> 00:11:43,890 (Derek) Luke has to talk to eye witnesses, 253 00:11:43,890 --> 00:11:46,738 and so he, guided by the Spirit, too, 254 00:11:46,738 --> 00:11:48,027 gets some other insights, 255 00:11:48,027 --> 00:11:51,143 but I think the Holy Spirit's definitely 256 00:11:54,059 --> 00:11:54,309 given us a reliable account of what Jesus said. 257 00:11:54,309 --> 00:11:54,620 (Stephanie) Amen. 258 00:11:55,131 --> 00:11:57,600 Is there a difference in the audience 259 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:03,343 that Matthew and Luke are speaking to? Yes, Olric. 260 00:12:03,343 --> 00:12:05,366 (Olric) Matthew's Gospel, from our research, 261 00:12:05,366 --> 00:12:09,152 is more targeted to a Jewish audience, 262 00:12:09,152 --> 00:12:12,227 so in his Gospel he tends to play up 263 00:12:12,227 --> 00:12:15,522 more Jesus' kingship, and in his rendering 264 00:12:15,522 --> 00:12:17,514 of the Sermon on the Mount it is 265 00:12:17,514 --> 00:12:21,403 a little longer than Luke's version 266 00:12:21,403 --> 00:12:22,900 because we know in those days 267 00:12:22,900 --> 00:12:25,992 a king is the person invested 268 00:12:25,992 --> 00:12:27,995 with the authority to enforce the law, 269 00:12:27,995 --> 00:12:30,586 keep the law in the land like the lawgiver. 270 00:12:30,586 --> 00:12:34,571 So he spends a little more time on that 271 00:12:34,571 --> 00:12:36,795 as opposed to Luke, who was writing more 272 00:12:36,795 --> 00:12:39,826 to Gentiles, but he wanted the Gentiles 273 00:12:39,826 --> 00:12:42,825 to see the law in a way that was 274 00:12:42,825 --> 00:12:44,177 more applicable to them. 275 00:12:44,177 --> 00:12:47,705 So he did not include many of the things that Matthew was about. 276 00:12:47,705 --> 00:12:48,832 (Stephanie) So, would you say that 277 00:12:48,832 --> 00:12:51,332 in Matthew some of the very detailed 278 00:12:51,332 --> 00:12:59,556 renditions that Matthew shares connects with the Jews? 279 00:12:59,556 --> 00:13:00,397 (Olric) Yes. 280 00:13:00,397 --> 00:13:02,400 (Stephanie) ...in a way that is powerful? 281 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:03,454 (Olric) Yes, indeed. 282 00:13:03,454 --> 00:13:04,589 (Stephanie) All right. 283 00:13:04,589 --> 00:13:07,146 Let's go ahead and jump into Matthew, chapter 5, 284 00:13:07,146 --> 00:13:10,990 and we'll read verses 17 through 19. 285 00:13:10,990 --> 00:13:14,049 And, Joshua, if you would be willing 286 00:13:14,049 --> 00:13:16,932 to read for us those first three verses 287 00:13:16,932 --> 00:13:21,355 in Matthew, chapter 5, verses 17 through 19? 288 00:13:21,355 --> 00:13:23,112 (Joshua) Absolutely, and I'll be reading 289 00:13:23,112 --> 00:13:57,147 from the New King James Version; the Bible says: 290 00:13:57,147 --> 00:13:59,690 (Stephanie) So, what are we talking about here? 291 00:13:59,690 --> 00:14:02,336 We're talking about the Law of God, right? 292 00:14:02,336 --> 00:14:03,329 (Joshua) Yeah. 293 00:14:03,329 --> 00:14:04,559 (Stephanie) This is the introduction 294 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:07,708 to the Law of God that Matthew is talking about. 295 00:14:07,708 --> 00:14:09,717 Let's go and look at a few more verses, 296 00:14:09,717 --> 00:14:12,568 and then we'll consider some questions 297 00:14:12,568 --> 00:14:15,467 as they relate to the verses that we read. 298 00:14:15,467 --> 00:14:19,325 In Matthew, chapter 5:21-22. 299 00:14:19,325 --> 00:14:21,134 Olric, would you read that for us, 300 00:14:21,134 --> 00:14:26,418 Matthew, chapter 5, verses 21 and 22. 301 00:14:26,418 --> 00:14:30,081 And then we'll read verses 27 and 28. 302 00:14:30,081 --> 00:15:05,629 (Olric) Reading from the New Living Translation: 303 00:15:05,629 --> 00:15:08,992 (Stephanie) Wow, that's pretty strong. 304 00:15:08,992 --> 00:15:09,704 (Olric) Verses 27 and 28? 305 00:15:25,544 --> 00:15:25,970 (Stephanie) Yes, go ahead and continue on. 306 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:27,818 (Stephanie) So, do you see a pattern? 307 00:15:28,266 --> 00:15:32,877 What is the pattern that you see in these verses? 308 00:15:32,877 --> 00:15:33,920 Go ahead, Tricia Lee. 309 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,098 (Tricia Lee) Well, first if we were wondering, "Well, what law 310 00:15:36,098 --> 00:15:38,477 is he talking about," it's clear as we kept reading 311 00:15:38,477 --> 00:15:40,175 that he's talking about the Ten Commandments 312 00:15:40,175 --> 00:15:42,052 that the people at the time believed, 313 00:15:42,052 --> 00:15:44,353 prided themselves in being able to keep, and you start to understand 314 00:15:44,353 --> 00:15:46,523 more about what Jesus meant when He said, 315 00:15:46,523 --> 00:15:48,833 "I've come to fulfill," to give a clearer understanding 316 00:15:48,950 --> 00:15:49,400 of what it truly means to keep the Law. 317 00:15:50,020 --> 00:15:53,209 And at the time, they were more concerned 318 00:15:53,209 --> 00:15:56,039 about the outward physicality of behaviors 319 00:15:56,039 --> 00:15:58,367 that proved that they were observing the laws, 320 00:15:58,367 --> 00:16:01,428 but here Jesus starts to point to what's happening in our hearts, 321 00:16:01,428 --> 00:16:04,036 in our minds, in our thoughts, and kind of showing that 322 00:16:04,036 --> 00:16:07,551 breaking the Law or even sin doesn't just occur in an action, 323 00:16:07,551 --> 00:16:10,042 it kind of starts in our hearts and our minds. 324 00:16:10,042 --> 00:16:13,729 So, again, in fulfilling that Law, He's really kind of peeling back 325 00:16:13,729 --> 00:16:16,493 what they thought was the reality in showing that it's much deeper 326 00:16:16,493 --> 00:16:18,289 than they thought in just the behavior. 327 00:16:18,289 --> 00:16:20,297 There's something that's happening in the heart that only He can come 328 00:16:20,297 --> 00:16:22,402 and help them fix or help them actually be. 329 00:16:22,402 --> 00:16:23,336 (Stephanie, Team) Yes. 330 00:16:23,336 --> 00:16:24,858 (Stephanie) Did you have a comment, Jason? 331 00:16:24,858 --> 00:16:25,576 Go ahead. 332 00:16:25,576 --> 00:16:27,949 (Jason) Yes, I'm looking at this here, 333 00:16:27,949 --> 00:16:29,091 and it talks about how He didn't come 334 00:16:29,091 --> 00:16:30,246 to destroy but to fulfill, 335 00:16:30,246 --> 00:16:31,487 because Jesus could be accused 336 00:16:31,487 --> 00:16:34,724 of these new teachings as destroying the law, 337 00:16:34,724 --> 00:16:35,929 but what He's saying is, 338 00:16:35,929 --> 00:16:37,109 "Look, I'm not destroying the Law; 339 00:16:37,109 --> 00:16:38,854 I'm showing you what it really means." 340 00:16:38,854 --> 00:16:41,414 So, He's not saying what was said of old is untrue; 341 00:16:41,414 --> 00:16:44,507 He's saying what was said of old, it is true, but also this. 342 00:16:44,507 --> 00:16:46,438 So, you have a very limited picture 343 00:16:46,438 --> 00:16:48,241 of what the Law is, but this is 344 00:16:48,241 --> 00:16:50,149 a greater understanding, a greater fulfillment 345 00:16:50,149 --> 00:16:52,286 of what the Law truly is. 346 00:16:52,286 --> 00:16:53,764 And that is what He is doing here in the sermon. 347 00:16:53,764 --> 00:16:55,417 (Stephanie) He's expounding on that. 348 00:16:55,417 --> 00:16:56,261 Yes, Missy. 349 00:16:56,261 --> 00:16:58,271 (Missy) From the fall of humanity, 350 00:16:58,271 --> 00:17:01,055 you know, they had perfection in Eden. 351 00:17:01,055 --> 00:17:04,034 Then came the fall. They fell so far. 352 00:17:04,034 --> 00:17:05,679 Humanity just, fell, fell, fell, 353 00:17:05,679 --> 00:17:08,308 and so, step by step, through Scripture 354 00:17:08,308 --> 00:17:11,002 you see how God is taking them 355 00:17:11,002 --> 00:17:12,724 step by step back to His ideal 356 00:17:12,724 --> 00:17:14,832 until you could see the fulfillment 357 00:17:14,832 --> 00:17:18,056 of the Law in Christ when He came to humanity. 358 00:17:18,056 --> 00:17:20,126 And it was supposed to be a revelation 359 00:17:20,126 --> 00:17:23,447 of who God really was. You know, opening our minds 360 00:17:23,447 --> 00:17:25,517 to what the Law really meant. 361 00:17:25,517 --> 00:17:26,769 (Stephanie) Yes. Nathan. 362 00:17:26,769 --> 00:17:29,926 (Nathan) Keep in mind that Matthew is writing to Jews... 363 00:17:29,926 --> 00:17:30,922 (Stephanie) Yes. 364 00:17:30,922 --> 00:17:34,332 (Nathan) ...and Moses was the great hero as the lawgiver. 365 00:17:34,332 --> 00:17:36,954 Moses went up on the Mount Sinai 366 00:17:36,954 --> 00:17:38,418 to receive the Law from God, 367 00:17:38,418 --> 00:17:39,926 and then he gave it to the people, 368 00:17:39,926 --> 00:17:41,127 and the people did their best 369 00:17:41,127 --> 00:17:42,937 to keep the law, but Moses was the one 370 00:17:42,937 --> 00:17:46,210 who lead them out of slavery and into the Promised Land, right? 371 00:17:46,210 --> 00:17:47,526 So, the "deliverer." 372 00:17:47,526 --> 00:17:48,391 (Stephanie) Right. 373 00:17:48,391 --> 00:17:49,248 (Nathan) Now Matthew is showing 374 00:17:51,759 --> 00:17:52,828 Jesus is the One who went up on the mountain 375 00:17:52,828 --> 00:17:54,647 and now expounds upon the Law. 376 00:17:54,647 --> 00:17:56,131 He's the new Moses, showing them, 377 00:17:56,131 --> 00:17:57,423 "Okay, you received the Law 378 00:17:57,423 --> 00:17:59,144 on the mountain from God through Moses, 379 00:17:59,144 --> 00:18:02,176 now up on this mountain Jesus 380 00:18:02,176 --> 00:18:03,818 is saying, 'Let me show you what 381 00:18:03,818 --> 00:18:05,007 this Law really means and how 382 00:18:05,007 --> 00:18:06,488 it applies deeply inwardly, 383 00:18:06,488 --> 00:18:08,663 and then you're going to be free, 384 00:18:08,663 --> 00:18:12,125 not just from Egypt but from the slavery of sin...' 385 00:18:12,125 --> 00:18:13,360 (Stephanie, Team) Amen. Wow. 386 00:18:13,360 --> 00:18:14,748 (Nathan) '...when we get to the depths 387 00:18:14,748 --> 00:18:16,201 of what the Law means deep in the heart.'" 388 00:18:16,201 --> 00:18:18,152 (Stephanie) And I want to go to another passage 389 00:18:18,152 --> 00:18:23,163 before we leave the teaching of Jesus about the Law of God. 390 00:18:23,163 --> 00:18:27,862 We'll move to Matthew 5:43-48, 391 00:18:27,862 --> 00:18:31,554 and, Kyle, would you be willing to read that for us? 392 00:18:31,554 --> 00:18:34,095 Matthew 5:43-48. 393 00:18:34,095 --> 00:18:39,216 (Kyle) I'll be reading from the New King James Version. 394 00:18:39,216 --> 00:19:33,257 The Bible says: 395 00:19:33,257 --> 00:19:35,240 (Stephanie) Wow. 396 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,347 There's a lot in that verse. 397 00:19:38,347 --> 00:19:41,641 What do you pull out from those verses? 398 00:19:41,641 --> 00:19:42,673 Go ahead, Joshua. 399 00:19:42,673 --> 00:19:44,311 (Joshua) I will say that it's this aspect 400 00:19:44,311 --> 00:19:46,202 of Christianity that's the most difficult. 401 00:19:46,202 --> 00:19:49,508 You know, if you compare this sort of command from Jesus 402 00:19:49,508 --> 00:19:51,883 in comparison to the Ten Commandments, 403 00:19:51,883 --> 00:19:53,673 the Ten Commandments actually look pretty easy. 404 00:19:53,673 --> 00:19:55,970 You know, if you tell me I'm supposed 405 00:19:55,970 --> 00:19:58,602 to love my enemies, do good to those 406 00:19:58,602 --> 00:20:01,134 who are persecuting me, it's like, 407 00:20:01,134 --> 00:20:02,463 "Are you serious?" 408 00:20:02,463 --> 00:20:04,318 But at the same time we have to think 409 00:20:04,318 --> 00:20:05,835 about the fact that people 410 00:20:05,835 --> 00:20:10,068 outside of Christianity judge us based on this sort of thing, 411 00:20:10,068 --> 00:20:12,845 not simply how many times do you 412 00:20:12,845 --> 00:20:14,729 go to church in a week or how many 413 00:20:14,729 --> 00:20:16,153 Bible verses do you know, 414 00:20:16,153 --> 00:20:18,212 but it's in our character and in the way 415 00:20:18,212 --> 00:20:19,383 that we treat others. 416 00:20:19,383 --> 00:20:21,189 (Stephanie) Wow, yes. Go ahead, Juliana. 417 00:20:21,189 --> 00:20:22,875 (Juliana) Actually this summer I was 418 00:20:22,875 --> 00:20:25,197 traveling around in Europe and happened 419 00:20:25,197 --> 00:20:27,749 to interact with an individual on a train. 420 00:20:27,749 --> 00:20:31,418 And, somehow we got to talking about this kind of stuff, 421 00:20:31,418 --> 00:20:34,297 and he told me, "You know, Christianity 422 00:20:34,297 --> 00:20:36,621 is supposed to be so much more radical than it is. 423 00:20:36,621 --> 00:20:38,292 So many people, they focus just 424 00:20:38,292 --> 00:20:39,513 on the Ten Commandments, 425 00:20:39,513 --> 00:20:42,200 but what about the Sermon on the Mount?" 426 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,113 And it kind of goes along with what 427 00:20:44,113 --> 00:20:45,291 you are saying, like, people 428 00:20:45,291 --> 00:20:47,135 from the outside are looking at us, and, it's like, wow! 429 00:20:47,135 --> 00:20:49,845 This is what Christianity is supposed to be. 430 00:20:49,845 --> 00:20:52,702 And I think that he was completely right, 431 00:20:52,702 --> 00:20:54,878 that we should be looking a lot more 432 00:20:54,878 --> 00:20:56,582 at the Sermon on the Mount for many 433 00:20:56,582 --> 00:20:59,375 of the things of how we should 434 00:20:59,375 --> 00:21:00,581 interact with other people. 435 00:21:00,581 --> 00:21:01,718 (Stephanie) So isn't it interesting; 436 00:21:01,718 --> 00:21:05,727 I think Jesus was trying to move us away 437 00:21:05,727 --> 00:21:09,516 from just a head knowledge to a heart knowledge, right? 438 00:21:09,516 --> 00:21:10,650 (Team) Yes. Amen. 439 00:21:10,650 --> 00:21:11,742 (Stephanie) A heart experience. 440 00:21:11,742 --> 00:21:13,239 (Derek) You know, I think, Stephanie, 441 00:21:13,239 --> 00:21:14,697 something Jason said earlier is 442 00:21:14,697 --> 00:21:15,739 really important because some Christians 443 00:21:15,739 --> 00:21:18,016 get confused and say the Ten Commandments 444 00:21:18,016 --> 00:21:21,153 doesn't matter; we just need to love, but that's absurd. 445 00:21:21,153 --> 00:21:24,624 That's like saying, "Don't hate people, but you can kill them." 446 00:21:24,624 --> 00:21:29,449 "Don't lust after someone, but you can commit adultery with him or her." 447 00:21:29,449 --> 00:21:31,374 It's not that. 448 00:21:31,374 --> 00:21:33,338 The Commandments stand. 449 00:21:33,338 --> 00:21:37,528 But, as Tricia Lee was pointing out, 450 00:21:37,528 --> 00:21:39,607 God is calling us to a much higher standard. 451 00:21:39,607 --> 00:21:43,429 In fact, to be honest, it's an impossible standard 452 00:21:43,429 --> 00:21:44,607 if we're going to do it 453 00:21:44,607 --> 00:21:47,549 in our own strength because we know 454 00:21:47,549 --> 00:21:48,724 how feeble we are. 455 00:21:48,724 --> 00:21:49,797 (Stephanie, Team) Yes. 456 00:21:49,797 --> 00:21:51,057 (Derek) It's going to take a miracle... 457 00:21:51,057 --> 00:21:51,956 (Stephanie) Exactly. 458 00:21:51,956 --> 00:21:54,409 (Derek) ...so that, as Joshua pointed out, 459 00:21:54,409 --> 00:21:57,225 people will look, and they'll actually see 460 00:21:57,225 --> 00:22:01,676 Jesus reflected, right? Instead of us. 461 00:22:01,676 --> 00:22:04,503 (Stephanie) And that happens as a result 462 00:22:04,503 --> 00:22:07,268 of the head knowledge going to our hearts, right? 463 00:22:07,268 --> 00:22:10,007 And that's the next section that we 464 00:22:10,007 --> 00:22:15,625 want to move into, this outward conformity 465 00:22:15,625 --> 00:22:18,689 versus an inward conversion. 466 00:22:18,689 --> 00:22:23,945 And, I'd like us to move to Matthew, chapter 5, verse 20. 467 00:22:23,945 --> 00:22:27,510 Go back to Matthew, chapter 5, verse 20, 468 00:22:27,510 --> 00:22:30,117 and, Missy, would you read that for us? 469 00:22:30,117 --> 00:22:46,000 (Missy) I am reading from the New Living Translation: 470 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,527 (Stephanie) So, I think this is coming back 471 00:22:48,527 --> 00:22:50,015 to what Juliana was saying. 472 00:22:50,015 --> 00:22:53,821 People expect something more than 473 00:22:53,821 --> 00:22:58,999 just a check off, right? they want something real. 474 00:22:58,999 --> 00:23:05,168 (Olric) But it's not just the realness. 475 00:23:05,168 --> 00:23:06,371 Notice here he says, 476 00:23:06,371 --> 00:23:08,276 "Unless your righteousness 477 00:23:08,276 --> 00:23:11,668 exceeds their righteousness, what was 478 00:23:11,668 --> 00:23:14,593 their righteousness that was not sufficient for God? 479 00:23:14,593 --> 00:23:16,441 Their righteousness...mind you, 480 00:23:16,441 --> 00:23:18,085 righteousness means "right doing." 481 00:23:18,085 --> 00:23:21,884 So, they had the outward expression 482 00:23:21,884 --> 00:23:25,136 of doing right, but at the same time 483 00:23:25,136 --> 00:23:27,552 the inward conversion was not there. 484 00:23:27,552 --> 00:23:30,709 What they were doing was not from a heart 485 00:23:30,709 --> 00:23:34,760 that genuinely loved God and loved people. 486 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:38,109 So you find that a lot of what was being done 487 00:23:38,109 --> 00:23:40,996 looked right to the folks on the outside, 488 00:23:40,996 --> 00:23:43,803 but God knew that the heart was not transformed. 489 00:23:43,803 --> 00:23:46,497 So, Jesus is saying,"It's not just 490 00:23:46,497 --> 00:23:49,184 to do right on the outside; I want 491 00:23:49,184 --> 00:23:53,208 your heart to be in the right condition also." 492 00:23:53,208 --> 00:23:54,995 That means that your actions 493 00:23:54,995 --> 00:24:00,000 will be inspired and motivated by the right desires. 494 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:01,623 (Stephanie) So, it starts in the heart, 495 00:24:01,623 --> 00:24:05,696 it starts in the mind, and then our actions follow. 496 00:24:05,696 --> 00:24:07,607 Go ahead. 497 00:24:07,607 --> 00:24:09,413 (Kyle) I'm just going to add onto what he said 498 00:24:09,413 --> 00:24:11,157 because the Pharisees, they had a scale of how... 499 00:24:11,157 --> 00:24:13,609 They said, "Okay, this is a sin and this 500 00:24:13,609 --> 00:24:15,755 is worse and worse and worse, and this is a good deed, 501 00:24:15,755 --> 00:24:17,870 and this one's really good, and this one's really, really good." 502 00:24:17,870 --> 00:24:19,665 And they almost would balance and say, 503 00:24:19,665 --> 00:24:20,929 "If your good deeds outweigh 504 00:24:20,929 --> 00:24:22,234 your bad deeds, then you earned 505 00:24:22,234 --> 00:24:23,738 righteousness in God's sight." 506 00:24:23,738 --> 00:24:25,577 So, it was this whole outward way 507 00:24:25,577 --> 00:24:27,698 of building up themselves, basically, 508 00:24:27,698 --> 00:24:29,578 to feel like they were good and accepted by God. 509 00:24:29,578 --> 00:24:31,501 But Jesus comes, and He says, 510 00:24:31,501 --> 00:24:32,786 "That's not what it's about. 511 00:24:32,786 --> 00:24:35,743 Every amount of human righteousness is inadequate." 512 00:24:35,743 --> 00:24:39,283 The only thing is the true heart righteousness 513 00:24:39,283 --> 00:24:40,853 that you were talking about, Pastor Derek. 514 00:24:40,853 --> 00:24:42,573 That is only from the Holy Spirit. 515 00:24:42,573 --> 00:24:44,135 And that's a total transformation 516 00:24:44,135 --> 00:24:46,243 of character; true perfection in God's eyes. 517 00:24:46,243 --> 00:24:47,479 (Stephanie) By the way, those who 518 00:24:47,479 --> 00:24:49,476 were listening, because we look at it, 519 00:24:49,476 --> 00:24:50,998 and we say, "Oh, it has to exceed 520 00:24:50,998 --> 00:24:52,693 the righteousness of the Pharisees." 521 00:24:52,693 --> 00:24:54,359 Well, we know what the righteousness 522 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:55,494 of the Pharisees looked like, 523 00:24:55,494 --> 00:24:57,680 but for those who were listening, 524 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:00,820 the Pharisees were on a high level. 525 00:25:00,820 --> 00:25:01,775 (Team) Right. 526 00:25:01,775 --> 00:25:03,876 (Stephanie) So, for them, they were 527 00:25:03,876 --> 00:25:06,532 thinking, "Whoa! For us to exceed that -- 528 00:25:06,532 --> 00:25:08,213 we can't even match them! 529 00:25:08,213 --> 00:25:11,213 How do we exceed that?" 530 00:25:15,352 --> 00:25:15,602 So, what is Jesus trying to teach? 531 00:25:17,861 --> 00:25:18,945 And, also another question that I 532 00:25:18,945 --> 00:25:20,482 would have, too, is that, 533 00:25:20,482 --> 00:25:22,915 have you ever tried to earn the favor of Christ, of God? 534 00:25:22,915 --> 00:25:25,561 I mean, let's be real. 535 00:25:25,561 --> 00:25:28,462 Have you ever been in that situation? 536 00:25:28,462 --> 00:25:29,976 Please be willing to share, I hope, 537 00:25:29,976 --> 00:25:34,742 a time when you've tried to do that. 538 00:25:34,742 --> 00:25:38,346 What was that like? Go ahead, Tricia Lee. 539 00:25:38,346 --> 00:25:40,268 (Tricia Lee) Your first question 540 00:25:40,268 --> 00:25:42,128 about how could they exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees. 541 00:25:42,128 --> 00:25:43,359 The Pharisees, you're right. 542 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:45,058 They were very good at doing what the law required, 543 00:25:45,058 --> 00:25:47,579 and the different requirements that they made, 544 00:25:47,579 --> 00:25:51,837 but they did not love God, and they did not love other people 545 00:25:51,837 --> 00:25:53,104 other than themselves. 546 00:25:53,104 --> 00:25:54,875 And we find that that was what God 547 00:25:54,875 --> 00:25:57,944 was trying to teach them was that, at the heart of the commandments, 548 00:25:57,944 --> 00:26:00,069 loving the Lord more than anything else 549 00:26:00,069 --> 00:26:01,586 and loving your neighbor as yourself, 550 00:26:01,586 --> 00:26:02,944 and they completely missed all of that. 551 00:26:02,944 --> 00:26:06,061 So, the "checking of the boxes" meant nothing because they didn't love God. 552 00:26:06,061 --> 00:26:08,898 They crucified Him, tried to kill Him at every chance they could. 553 00:26:08,898 --> 00:26:11,263 They did not love their neighbors; they were the ones walking past 554 00:26:11,263 --> 00:26:13,302 the Samaritan on the road and these people. 555 00:26:13,302 --> 00:26:17,568 I think that it's hard because, as humans 556 00:26:17,568 --> 00:26:20,724 and even as you grew up as a child, you learned that if you study hard 557 00:26:20,724 --> 00:26:22,707 and you get a good grade, or if you do this then you get a reward. 558 00:26:22,707 --> 00:26:25,426 So, it goes against the way even society 559 00:26:25,426 --> 00:26:27,824 runs and functions, that, if you do something then 560 00:26:27,824 --> 00:26:30,192 you get something. An action has an equal reaction. 561 00:26:30,192 --> 00:26:33,606 But here God is showing us that it really doesn't depend upon you 562 00:26:33,606 --> 00:26:38,025 or me or us, it all has to depend upon Christ, and that's where 563 00:26:38,025 --> 00:26:39,132 the faith comes in. 564 00:26:39,132 --> 00:26:42,650 So, it's the faith, it'is the obedience, it's all depending upon Christ. 565 00:26:42,650 --> 00:26:45,880 It's really His righteousness that's working in us. 566 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,361 And I think what happens, at least for me, is that... 567 00:26:48,361 --> 00:26:52,915 and I'm sorry...it's just that once you are honest with yourself, 568 00:26:52,915 --> 00:26:55,139 and when you realize, "I keep trying, and I keep failing, 569 00:26:55,139 --> 00:26:58,472 and that's not good enough," at some point you just have 570 00:26:58,472 --> 00:27:00,442 to get tired of trying and failing, and you realize 571 00:27:00,442 --> 00:27:02,830 it can't depend upon me anymore. 572 00:27:02,830 --> 00:27:04,462 I have to reach out to somebody who I know 573 00:27:05,134 --> 00:27:08,000 was successful in this life, and it was Christ. 574 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:09,233 (Stephanie) And who has the power to do it. 575 00:27:09,233 --> 00:27:10,223 (Tricia Lee) Exactly. 576 00:27:10,223 --> 00:27:11,524 (Stephanie) To get us out of the mess. 577 00:27:11,524 --> 00:27:12,990 And I think we've all been there, haven't we? 578 00:27:12,990 --> 00:27:14,237 (Tricia Lee) Yeah! 579 00:27:14,237 --> 00:27:15,731 (Stephanie) We realize that we need Jesus. 580 00:27:17,381 --> 00:27:18,658 Andrea, you wanted to share? 581 00:27:18,658 --> 00:27:20,282 (Andrea) I only wanted to reflect 582 00:27:20,282 --> 00:27:23,326 a little bit on your question, which was 583 00:27:24,242 --> 00:27:28,011 how would we express if we have been 584 00:27:31,047 --> 00:27:31,724 in a similar situation where we felt 585 00:27:34,609 --> 00:27:35,642 we needed to do something in order to earn God's favor. 586 00:27:35,642 --> 00:27:40,176 And I recall I was a teenager and have 587 00:27:40,176 --> 00:27:42,598 sat in church many times listening 588 00:27:44,934 --> 00:27:50,092 to baptismal appeals and calls to give our lives to Jesus. 589 00:27:50,092 --> 00:27:53,954 And, as the pastor's daughter, 590 00:27:53,954 --> 00:27:57,912 it was something I would listen to very frequently. 591 00:27:57,912 --> 00:28:02,021 However, I had the feeling or a tendency 592 00:28:02,021 --> 00:28:08,017 of thinking that I have to be very prepared to make that step. 593 00:28:08,017 --> 00:28:13,903 So, for years I have resisted the call, 594 00:28:13,903 --> 00:28:16,760 and I have considered that 595 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:19,119 I'm not ready yet, or I'm not good enough... 596 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:20,069 (Stephanie) Wow. 597 00:28:20,069 --> 00:28:25,508 (Andrea) ...until I was 17 when I started 598 00:28:25,508 --> 00:28:28,869 to meditate more upon this decision, 599 00:28:28,869 --> 00:28:31,990 and decided I have to make this step 600 00:28:31,990 --> 00:28:34,822 even if I'm not feeling quite ready, 601 00:28:34,822 --> 00:28:37,501 and the Lord will take care of the rest. 602 00:28:37,501 --> 00:28:38,387 (Stephanie) Amen. 603 00:28:38,387 --> 00:28:40,092 (Andrea) I cannot tell you how blessed 604 00:28:40,092 --> 00:28:43,878 I felt afterwards. It was the best decision of my life. 605 00:28:43,878 --> 00:28:45,221 (Stephanie, Team) Amen. 606 00:28:45,221 --> 00:28:47,865 (Derek) You know what Jesus said, 607 00:28:47,865 --> 00:28:50,385 Stephanie, in the Sermon on the Mount just a little later. 608 00:28:50,385 --> 00:28:52,590 He said, "Seek first the Kingdom 609 00:28:52,590 --> 00:28:54,720 and His righteousness." 610 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:55,739 (Stephanie) Yes. 611 00:28:55,739 --> 00:28:57,498 (Derek) And really what Tricia Lee 612 00:28:57,498 --> 00:28:59,764 is saying is righteousness is a gift, 613 00:28:59,764 --> 00:29:01,663 back to that miracle of new creation 614 00:29:01,663 --> 00:29:03,517 that we talked about in a previous study. 615 00:29:03,517 --> 00:29:07,110 God is going to change us from the inside 616 00:29:07,110 --> 00:29:12,487 so that we are motivated by love, 617 00:29:12,487 --> 00:29:14,337 even in the keeping of the Commandments. 618 00:29:14,337 --> 00:29:16,965 Love to God and love to those around us. 619 00:29:16,965 --> 00:29:19,150 And that's a miracle of the new creation. 620 00:29:19,150 --> 00:29:23,115 (Stephanie) And I believe John, chapter 14:15 621 00:29:23,115 --> 00:29:25,153 tells us a little bit about that. 622 00:29:28,949 --> 00:29:29,271 John, chapter 14, verse 15. 623 00:29:31,425 --> 00:29:33,388 And, Nathan, would you be willing 624 00:29:33,388 --> 00:29:35,687 to read that for us? John, chapter 14, verse 15. 625 00:29:35,687 --> 00:29:37,887 (Nathan) Right. I'm reading from the New King James Version. 626 00:29:37,887 --> 00:29:46,142 John 14 and verse 15: 627 00:29:46,142 --> 00:29:48,445 (Stephanie) Wow. Very simple, right? 628 00:29:48,445 --> 00:29:49,829 (Team Member) Very plain. 629 00:29:49,829 --> 00:29:54,651 (Stephanie) So, how does your attitude 630 00:29:54,651 --> 00:29:58,142 towards God's law change when you have 631 00:29:58,142 --> 00:30:02,106 this trusting, loving relationship 632 00:30:02,106 --> 00:30:06,507 with Jesus as your Savior and your Lord? 633 00:30:06,507 --> 00:30:08,850 How does that change? Olric? 634 00:30:08,850 --> 00:30:13,006 (Olric) You want to keep it because, 635 00:30:13,006 --> 00:30:15,353 when you have this love relationship 636 00:30:15,353 --> 00:30:17,701 with God, I compare it to a marriage. 637 00:30:17,701 --> 00:30:20,466 You know, for those who are married here on the set. 638 00:30:20,466 --> 00:30:25,515 You know, you have your spouse, you exchange vows and so forth. 639 00:30:25,515 --> 00:30:27,821 And, you know, some folks, 640 00:30:27,821 --> 00:30:29,407 they may be married for 30 years, 40 years, 50 years, 641 00:30:32,388 --> 00:30:32,777 and sometimes we question and we ask them, 642 00:30:33,153 --> 00:30:36,250 "How did you "guys" maintain that relationship, 643 00:30:36,250 --> 00:30:39,413 that connection, the obedience to the vows?" 644 00:30:39,413 --> 00:30:41,066 And they just say to me, 645 00:30:41,066 --> 00:30:43,632 "It's very simple: I love the other person. 646 00:30:43,632 --> 00:30:45,994 That's why I do what I do." 647 00:30:45,994 --> 00:30:48,851 So, when you are in that love relationship 648 00:30:48,851 --> 00:30:51,334 with God, you want to do the things 649 00:30:51,334 --> 00:30:55,532 that pleases Him the same way He likes 650 00:30:55,532 --> 00:30:58,153 doing things that blesses you. 651 00:30:58,153 --> 00:31:01,709 So, you are motivated by a love for God, 652 00:31:01,709 --> 00:31:04,887 that is what really propels you to obedience. 653 00:31:04,887 --> 00:31:06,178 (Stephanie) The heart's been changed. 654 00:31:06,178 --> 00:31:07,252 (Olric) The heart's been changed. 655 00:31:07,252 --> 00:31:09,677 (Stephanie) The heart's been changed. Missy and then Nathan. 656 00:31:09,677 --> 00:31:12,509 (Missy) I see Scripture as God 657 00:31:12,509 --> 00:31:16,110 in continual pursuit of humanity, 658 00:31:16,110 --> 00:31:19,360 "Look at me; look at my face; 659 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:23,530 look at what I've done for you. Please, keep your attention on me. 660 00:31:23,530 --> 00:31:24,530 Look at what I've said in My Word. 661 00:31:24,530 --> 00:31:26,116 Get to know me." 662 00:31:26,981 --> 00:31:27,231 (Stephanie) Yes. 663 00:31:30,522 --> 00:31:31,626 (Missy) When we are able to hone in on that, 664 00:31:31,626 --> 00:31:36,096 the Law is a natural result of the relationship. 665 00:31:36,096 --> 00:31:38,503 (Stephanie) Powerful. Nathan. 666 00:31:38,503 --> 00:31:40,758 (Nathan) Well, I love this woman. 667 00:31:40,758 --> 00:31:44,638 (Derek) You better tell the people 668 00:31:44,638 --> 00:31:45,919 that that's your wife. 669 00:31:45,919 --> 00:31:51,661 (Nathan) This is my wife, and, you know, 670 00:31:51,661 --> 00:31:56,723 if I do something that hurts her, that hurts me. 671 00:31:56,723 --> 00:31:58,767 To see my wife hurting 672 00:32:01,070 --> 00:32:02,095 because of something I've done 673 00:32:02,095 --> 00:32:03,243 would break my heart. 674 00:32:03,243 --> 00:32:05,301 So, when we're in love with the Lord, 675 00:32:05,301 --> 00:32:08,337 we realize that when we break His Law we're hurting Him. 676 00:32:08,337 --> 00:32:11,001 He's given us His Law because He wants us to be happy. 677 00:32:11,001 --> 00:32:12,125 (Stephanie) Yes. 678 00:32:12,125 --> 00:32:14,166 (Nathan) And when I wander away 679 00:32:14,166 --> 00:32:16,765 from that Law that He's given, which is 680 00:32:16,765 --> 00:32:18,726 a Law of freedom, a Law of liberty, 681 00:32:18,726 --> 00:32:21,196 and it's a Law that brings joy to my life, 682 00:32:21,196 --> 00:32:24,021 I know that not only am I hurting myself, 683 00:32:24,021 --> 00:32:25,741 but I'm hurting Him. 684 00:32:25,741 --> 00:32:26,563 (Stephanie) Yes. 685 00:32:26,563 --> 00:32:28,071 (Nathan) So, my love for Him just propels 686 00:32:28,071 --> 00:32:30,388 me into naturally obeying the Law 687 00:32:30,388 --> 00:32:32,008 because I don't want to break His heart; 688 00:32:32,008 --> 00:32:33,311 I don't want to hurt Him, as well. 689 00:32:33,311 --> 00:32:36,184 (Stephanie) Okay, Joshua, and then 690 00:32:36,184 --> 00:32:38,264 we'll go to Tricia Lee, and then we have to move on. 691 00:32:38,264 --> 00:32:40,593 (Joshua) I believe that we not only serve 692 00:32:40,593 --> 00:32:43,267 a holy God but we serve a practical God. 693 00:32:43,267 --> 00:32:45,445 So, when I look at His Commandments, 694 00:32:45,445 --> 00:32:48,310 I see that even if I weren't a Christian 695 00:32:48,310 --> 00:32:52,318 it would be in my best interest to still keep these Commandments. 696 00:32:52,318 --> 00:32:53,418 (Stephanie) Amen. 697 00:32:53,418 --> 00:32:55,688 (Joshua) So, if you think about what it 698 00:32:55,688 --> 00:32:57,765 would be like to murder someone, and what 699 00:32:57,765 --> 00:32:59,559 you would have to live with after that, 700 00:32:59,559 --> 00:33:01,641 and if you know what it feels like 701 00:33:01,641 --> 00:33:03,983 to commit adultery and see the effects 702 00:33:03,983 --> 00:33:06,563 of that trickling after, if you look 703 00:33:06,563 --> 00:33:08,680 at each and every Law, you'll see, 704 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:11,275 "Wait a minute. He's not telling me 705 00:33:11,275 --> 00:33:13,505 to keep these Laws as hoops to jump through 706 00:33:13,505 --> 00:33:15,461 in order to make it into Heaven," 707 00:33:15,461 --> 00:33:23,194 but it's for our own good and for our best interest to keep these Laws. 708 00:33:23,194 --> 00:33:24,345 (Stephanie) Yes. 709 00:33:25,636 --> 00:33:27,123 (Tricia Lee) Something that Missy 710 00:33:27,123 --> 00:33:29,424 and Joshua mentioned about getting to know God 711 00:33:29,424 --> 00:33:30,697 and what's in our best interest, 712 00:33:30,697 --> 00:33:35,091 I think that the Devil's deception is that we would think of God as someone 713 00:33:35,091 --> 00:33:37,375 who is out to get us, someone that cannot be trusted. 714 00:33:37,375 --> 00:33:40,782 And if He's a Being that is not to be trusted or, you know, 715 00:33:41,027 --> 00:33:44,942 wants to hurt us, then I don't care about what He's saying, I don't care 716 00:33:44,942 --> 00:33:47,588 about His Laws, (that breaking them) is not good for me. 717 00:33:47,588 --> 00:33:49,524 When we do exactly what Missy is saying, 718 00:33:49,524 --> 00:33:52,208 try to get to know Him, allow Him to enter our lives, and we see who He is, 719 00:33:52,208 --> 00:33:55,418 like, how Jesus came, the best example, a revelation of the Father, 720 00:33:55,418 --> 00:33:58,571 He lived a whole life, when we see the life of Christ, 721 00:33:58,571 --> 00:34:00,818 how could we not want to be more like Him? 722 00:34:00,818 --> 00:34:04,133 How could we not want to see truly who the Father is, 723 00:34:07,776 --> 00:34:08,888 and then everything He's saying starts to make sense as things 724 00:34:10,220 --> 00:34:11,100 for our best interest, as things that will help us 725 00:34:11,100 --> 00:34:12,071 be in a loving relationship with Him. 726 00:34:12,071 --> 00:34:13,860 So, even Christ coming and expounding and fulfilling the Law 727 00:34:13,860 --> 00:34:17,323 was us seeing the Father as who He really is, not the deception, 728 00:34:17,323 --> 00:34:21,054 not the lies, the angry God with lightening and thunderbolts. 729 00:34:21,054 --> 00:34:23,029 When we see that, then the Law starts to be something beautiful 730 00:34:23,029 --> 00:34:26,252 for our best interest and something that helps us be in a good, loving, 731 00:34:26,252 --> 00:34:28,042 strong relationship with Him. 732 00:34:28,042 --> 00:34:29,324 (Stephanie) We have full confidence... 733 00:34:29,324 --> 00:34:30,636 (Tricia Lee) Yeah, yeah. 734 00:34:30,636 --> 00:34:32,627 (Stephanie) ...that He has the best interest in mind. 735 00:34:32,627 --> 00:34:35,422 We need to move on to God's ideal 736 00:34:35,422 --> 00:34:37,216 for His children, which somewhat connects 737 00:34:37,216 --> 00:34:39,201 with what we've already been speaking about. 738 00:34:39,201 --> 00:34:42,896 Matthew, chapter 5, verse 48, and, Nicole, 739 00:34:42,896 --> 00:34:44,424 if you would be willing to read that 740 00:34:44,424 --> 00:34:46,800 for us, and then we'll follow it up 741 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:52,793 with Luke 6:36, and, Nancy, if you would read that one after Matthew 5:48. 742 00:34:52,793 --> 00:34:54,355 (Nicole) Okay, Matthew 5:48. 743 00:34:54,355 --> 00:35:01,352 I'm reading it from the New International Version, and the Bible says: 744 00:35:01,352 --> 00:35:04,613 (Stephanie) And then Luke 6:36. 745 00:35:04,613 --> 00:35:08,383 We're looking at these two in conjunction with each other. 746 00:35:08,383 --> 00:35:14,192 (Nancy) Okay, and this is from the New King James Version. 747 00:35:22,462 --> 00:35:25,234 (Stephanie) All right, what is Jesus asking us to do? 748 00:35:25,234 --> 00:35:29,199 (Olric) Be like God. 749 00:35:29,199 --> 00:35:30,489 (Stephanie) To be like God. 750 00:35:30,489 --> 00:35:34,441 He's asking us, may I mention it this way: 751 00:35:34,441 --> 00:35:40,776 He's asking us to do the impossible without Him. 752 00:35:40,776 --> 00:35:44,391 It would be impossible without Him. 753 00:35:44,391 --> 00:35:45,945 You understand what I'm saying? 754 00:35:45,945 --> 00:35:49,518 But He's giving us the strength to do it, 755 00:35:49,518 --> 00:35:53,680 so, it's not impossible, but without Him, 756 00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:59,102 if we're trying to do it as only head knowledge, it is going to be impossible. 757 00:35:59,102 --> 00:36:00,428 (Derek) And, you know, Stephanie, 758 00:36:00,428 --> 00:36:01,960 sometimes people read that like, 759 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:04,281 "Be perfect," and think that's the way to 760 00:36:04,281 --> 00:36:06,392 make God love us, right? 761 00:36:06,392 --> 00:36:07,680 Never quite good enough. 762 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:10,022 That's not what it's saying at all. 763 00:36:10,022 --> 00:36:11,085 (Stephanie) Right. 764 00:36:11,085 --> 00:36:12,979 (Derek) That's why Luke's wording 765 00:36:12,979 --> 00:36:14,509 is different is important. 766 00:36:14,509 --> 00:36:17,589 He's saying, "I want you to reflect 767 00:36:17,589 --> 00:36:18,815 the beauty of my Father's character." 768 00:36:18,815 --> 00:36:20,183 And what does it look like? 769 00:36:20,183 --> 00:36:21,973 Jesus said, "If you want to know 770 00:36:21,973 --> 00:36:23,075 what the Father is like, look at Me." 771 00:36:23,075 --> 00:36:27,380 So, He's saying, "I want you to reflect my character to the world," 772 00:36:27,380 --> 00:36:30,773 and that is not to earn His love. 773 00:36:30,773 --> 00:36:34,607 He already loves us. It's out of that loving relationship. 774 00:36:34,607 --> 00:36:38,104 (Stephanie) Yes. Go ahead, you wanted to say something. 775 00:36:38,104 --> 00:36:39,475 (Andrea) I also wanted to add 776 00:36:39,475 --> 00:36:46,856 to what Elder Morris said, that this perfection that God is calling us to 777 00:36:46,856 --> 00:36:52,130 is not so much a state of sinlessness 778 00:36:52,130 --> 00:36:55,924 as the spiritual maturity to which we need 779 00:36:55,924 --> 00:37:00,417 to attain, and the Lord can help us to attain that. 780 00:37:00,417 --> 00:37:01,653 And, of course, at each state 781 00:37:01,653 --> 00:37:03,865 of the Christain's experience, 782 00:37:03,865 --> 00:37:07,187 there is a different level of maturity 783 00:37:07,187 --> 00:37:12,597 because what is perfect for a grade one student to add 2 + 2 784 00:37:12,597 --> 00:37:15,515 is not perfect for a grade five student 785 00:37:15,515 --> 00:37:17,249 or a grade eight student. 786 00:37:17,265 --> 00:37:21,057 So this perfection is where we are at; 787 00:37:21,057 --> 00:37:26,320 if we just fulfill what God requires us to do at that stage, 788 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:29,571 we have attained to God's ideal. 789 00:37:29,571 --> 00:37:30,983 (Stephanie) Amen. All right, Olric. 790 00:37:30,983 --> 00:37:33,635 (Olric) Let me encapsulate what she's saying. 791 00:37:33,635 --> 00:37:37,889 At each stage, God reveals light to us. 792 00:37:37,889 --> 00:37:40,701 He reveals more of Himself to us. 793 00:37:40,701 --> 00:37:44,072 Perfection that is being talked about here 794 00:37:44,072 --> 00:37:48,670 is the progressive state of growth, Christian maturity. 795 00:37:48,670 --> 00:37:51,139 A plant starts out as a seedling, 796 00:37:51,139 --> 00:37:54,799 but then it grows to a big tree and bears fruit. 797 00:37:54,799 --> 00:37:57,865 A baby starts off walking on fours 798 00:37:57,865 --> 00:38:01,857 and mumbling, but eventually they grow, and they walk on legs, 799 00:38:01,857 --> 00:38:05,066 and now they can talk well and do things for themselves. 800 00:38:05,066 --> 00:38:06,995 There is maturing; there is growth. 801 00:38:06,995 --> 00:38:12,641 God's ideal of perfection is that you should continually grow. 802 00:38:12,641 --> 00:38:15,026 Not that you reach a stage here, 803 00:38:15,026 --> 00:38:18,232 where, "Hah! You're perfect. Now you don't need to go any further." 804 00:38:18,232 --> 00:38:19,237 No. 805 00:38:19,237 --> 00:38:23,254 His idea of perfection is progressive Christian maturity. 806 00:38:23,254 --> 00:38:25,449 (Stephanie) So, let me... Go ahead, go ahead, Kyle. 807 00:38:25,449 --> 00:38:28,513 (Kyle) You know, somebody might be worried, 808 00:38:28,513 --> 00:38:31,809 "Well, I'm not perfect, and I have all these faults," 809 00:38:31,809 --> 00:38:35,476 and my only thing I think we could all say: "Look to Jesus." 810 00:38:35,476 --> 00:38:36,540 (Stephanie/Team) Yes. 811 00:38:36,540 --> 00:38:38,640 (Kyle) Look to Jesus, because Jesus, 812 00:38:39,008 --> 00:38:39,978 as we look to Him, "If ye love Me, 813 00:38:40,234 --> 00:38:41,529 keep My Commandments," He says. 814 00:38:41,529 --> 00:38:44,534 The only way that we can truly grow 815 00:38:44,534 --> 00:38:46,146 in likeness to Him is to fall in love 816 00:38:46,146 --> 00:38:47,668 with Him, and how do we fall in love with Him? 817 00:38:47,668 --> 00:38:49,491 By looking to Him, spending time with Him. 818 00:38:49,491 --> 00:38:50,529 (Stephanie/Team) Yes. 819 00:38:50,529 --> 00:38:51,771 (Kyle) That is so key because otherwise 820 00:38:51,771 --> 00:38:53,435 we're just going to try to earn our righteousness, 821 00:38:53,435 --> 00:38:54,933 and that will never get us anywhere. 822 00:38:54,933 --> 00:38:56,621 So, we must look to Jesus. 823 00:38:56,621 --> 00:38:58,023 (Derek/Team) Amen. Yes. 824 00:38:58,023 --> 00:38:59,264 (Stephanie) Beautiful, beautiful. 825 00:38:59,264 --> 00:39:01,255 So, my question, I think we already have 826 00:39:01,255 --> 00:39:03,029 an answer for it, but my question is: 827 00:39:03,029 --> 00:39:05,725 Is this a means of salvation 828 00:39:05,725 --> 00:39:08,855 or an evidence of a living, loving connection with Jesus? 829 00:39:08,855 --> 00:39:09,952 (Olric) Simple. 830 00:39:09,952 --> 00:39:13,546 it's an evidence of a living connection 831 00:39:13,546 --> 00:39:16,376 with Jesus, not a means to salvation. 832 00:39:16,376 --> 00:39:17,468 (Stephanie) All right. 833 00:39:17,468 --> 00:39:20,279 Will you share with us a verse that supports that? 834 00:39:20,279 --> 00:39:22,051 (Olric) Galatians 2, verses... 835 00:39:22,051 --> 00:39:23,534 (Stephanie) Galatians, chapter 2. 836 00:39:23,534 --> 00:39:24,955 So, Olric, you'll go ahead and read 837 00:39:24,955 --> 00:39:27,296 Galatians, chapter 2, I believe, 20 and 21. 838 00:39:27,296 --> 00:39:33,267 (Olric) Galatians, chapter 2, verses 20 and 21? 839 00:39:33,267 --> 00:39:34,397 (Stephanie) Yes. 840 00:39:34,397 --> 00:39:40,000 (Olric) Reading from the New Living Translation, 841 00:39:40,000 --> 00:40:10,169 the Word of God says: 842 00:40:10,169 --> 00:40:11,171 (Stephanie) Wow. 843 00:40:11,171 --> 00:40:14,736 Another verse, another promise that we can share. 844 00:40:14,736 --> 00:40:18,145 Someone out there, as Kyle was saying, 845 00:40:18,145 --> 00:40:22,857 may be wondering, "How do I do this?" 846 00:40:22,857 --> 00:40:24,455 "How is this practical?" 847 00:40:24,455 --> 00:40:25,481 Yes. 848 00:40:25,481 --> 00:40:28,675 (Derek) Let me just say people may not know who wrote the Galatian letter, 849 00:40:28,675 --> 00:40:32,228 but Saul of Tarsus, later called Paul the Apostle, 850 00:40:32,228 --> 00:40:35,839 he had gone down that road of trying to earn righteousness. 851 00:40:35,839 --> 00:40:36,923 (Stephanie/Team): Yes. 852 00:40:36,923 --> 00:40:39,710 (Derek) He said, "I was flawless," you know? 853 00:40:39,710 --> 00:40:42,229 But he was killing people who believe in Jesus. 854 00:40:42,229 --> 00:40:43,844 (Stephanie) Yes. 855 00:40:43,844 --> 00:40:46,990 (Derek) So, he understands the miracle of his changed heart. 856 00:40:46,990 --> 00:40:48,766 And I just want to emphasize, 857 00:40:48,766 --> 00:40:51,092 I know it is one stage and then another, 858 00:40:51,092 --> 00:40:53,584 but it's a miracle at every stage. 859 00:40:53,584 --> 00:40:54,623 (Stephanie/Team): Amen. Yes. 860 00:40:54,623 --> 00:40:58,787 (Derek) For us to be who God's calling us to be, is a miracle. 861 00:40:58,787 --> 00:40:59,660 (Stephanie) It is. 862 00:40:59,660 --> 00:41:01,097 (Derek) And Paul would be the first one 863 00:41:01,097 --> 00:41:02,856 to say that it is a miracle. 864 00:41:02,856 --> 00:41:05,212 That's why he says that if anyone is in Christ, 865 00:41:05,212 --> 00:41:06,947 she or he is a new creation. 866 00:41:06,947 --> 00:41:08,026 (Stephanie) Amen. 867 00:41:08,026 --> 00:41:09,541 (Derek) Because he's seen it himself. 868 00:41:09,541 --> 00:41:10,895 (Stephanie) Amen. 869 00:41:10,895 --> 00:41:13,375 (Olric) It's key that in that verse 870 00:41:13,375 --> 00:41:16,426 is mentioned Christ now lives in me. 871 00:41:16,426 --> 00:41:19,931 He says, "It is no longer I who live, but I died. 872 00:41:19,931 --> 00:41:22,684 I surrender self and the old way, 873 00:41:22,684 --> 00:41:25,321 and I accept Christ in my heart, 874 00:41:25,321 --> 00:41:27,828 and He changes me internally. 875 00:41:27,828 --> 00:41:31,849 Now what I do is motivated by love." 876 00:41:31,849 --> 00:41:34,728 So, it is very important to see the transformation. 877 00:41:34,728 --> 00:41:36,168 (Stephanie) Would you share with us 878 00:41:36,168 --> 00:41:38,382 a time when you experienced 879 00:41:38,382 --> 00:41:43,407 or you saw someone who represented 880 00:41:43,407 --> 00:41:44,783 the character of Christ. 881 00:41:44,783 --> 00:41:46,720 What impact did that have on you? 882 00:41:46,720 --> 00:41:52,009 You saw someone had the character of Christ. 883 00:41:52,009 --> 00:41:55,623 What was the impact on you, or what was 884 00:41:55,623 --> 00:41:57,729 the impact when someone saw 885 00:41:57,729 --> 00:42:00,544 the character of Christ in you? 886 00:42:00,544 --> 00:42:02,548 What impact did that have on you? 887 00:42:02,548 --> 00:42:06,299 (Derek) Stephanie, I was 7 years old... 888 00:42:06,299 --> 00:42:07,515 (Stephanie) Go ahead. 889 00:42:07,515 --> 00:42:09,519 (Derek) Oh good, if I can just share real briefly. 890 00:42:09,519 --> 00:42:13,318 ...and my teacher in Form 2 (this is back in the UK) 891 00:42:13,318 --> 00:42:15,822 was full of the love of Jesus. 892 00:42:15,822 --> 00:42:19,031 I was only privileged to go 893 00:42:19,031 --> 00:42:20,602 to a Christian school for four years, 894 00:42:20,602 --> 00:42:24,240 but that one year with Christine Emmerson 895 00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:27,418 my teacher changed my life... 896 00:42:27,418 --> 00:42:28,508 (Stephanie) Wow. 897 00:42:28,508 --> 00:42:30,670 (Derek) ...because she was full of the love of God. 898 00:42:30,670 --> 00:42:34,393 And when you see that, and I think 899 00:42:34,393 --> 00:42:37,850 that's the ultimate witness, it's not just what we say. 900 00:42:37,850 --> 00:42:41,845 When the love of God fills a heart, 901 00:42:41,845 --> 00:42:46,530 we just say, "I just want to be like that," 902 00:42:46,530 --> 00:42:48,441 and that person says, "Well, I'm 903 00:42:48,441 --> 00:42:50,736 a follower of Jesus, so follow Him." 904 00:42:50,736 --> 00:42:51,781 (Stephanie) Amen. 905 00:42:51,781 --> 00:42:54,687 Reflecting the light of Jesus. Nancy. 906 00:42:54,687 --> 00:42:59,291 (Nancy) My dad is full of the love of Jesus. 907 00:42:59,291 --> 00:43:05,122 And, you know, what he does is he studies 908 00:43:05,122 --> 00:43:07,450 the Bible in the morning, a chapter 909 00:43:07,450 --> 00:43:10,125 in the morning, and a chapter 910 00:43:10,125 --> 00:43:12,977 in the evening, a chapter in the New, a chapter in the Old. 911 00:43:12,977 --> 00:43:14,650 I like to think about it 912 00:43:14,650 --> 00:43:19,521 as him "marinating" his life in Jesus, you know? 913 00:43:19,521 --> 00:43:23,467 It's a cooking term, when you take 914 00:43:23,467 --> 00:43:27,265 some meat or some tofu, and you put it, 915 00:43:27,265 --> 00:43:32,180 you know, in all of those sauces and things. 916 00:43:32,180 --> 00:43:33,685 Well, that's what he does with his life, 917 00:43:33,685 --> 00:43:37,613 and so everything he does is covered in Jesus. 918 00:43:37,613 --> 00:43:38,643 (Team) Amen. 919 00:43:38,643 --> 00:43:42,863 (Nancy) He's been a great example to me. 920 00:43:42,863 --> 00:43:44,090 (Derek/Stephanie) Amen. 921 00:43:44,090 --> 00:43:45,419 (Team) Praise God. 922 00:43:45,419 --> 00:43:48,757 (Stephanie) I'm guessing that he's been 923 00:43:48,757 --> 00:43:50,367 on his knees praying often, 924 00:43:50,367 --> 00:43:54,206 and I think that's the section that 925 00:43:54,206 --> 00:43:55,466 we want to move into next. 926 00:43:55,466 --> 00:43:57,245 We've talked about the head knowledge, 927 00:43:57,245 --> 00:44:00,215 and that it reaches our hearts, 928 00:44:00,215 --> 00:44:04,279 and, as a result, our hands or our actions 929 00:44:04,279 --> 00:44:07,310 produce what has already happened inside. 930 00:44:07,310 --> 00:44:09,600 Now we are going to talk about how we sustain that, 931 00:44:09,600 --> 00:44:13,348 and that is by spending time with God in prayer. 932 00:44:13,348 --> 00:44:17,440 So, Juliana, if you would read 933 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:21,807 Matthew, chapter 6, verses 5 through 13. 934 00:44:21,807 --> 00:44:27,583 Matthew chapter 6, verses 5 through 13, 935 00:44:27,583 --> 00:44:31,657 talking about Jesus teaching on prayer. 936 00:44:31,657 --> 00:45:51,320 (Juliana) I'm reading from the New King James Version: 937 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:52,651 (Stephanie/Team) Amen. 938 00:45:52,651 --> 00:45:54,968 (Stephanie) What important lessons 939 00:45:54,968 --> 00:45:57,916 can we learn about prayer from Jesus' example? 940 00:45:57,916 --> 00:46:01,330 Go ahead, Tricia Lee. 941 00:46:01,330 --> 00:46:05,528 (Tricia Lee) I like that we're counseled not to have vain repetitions, 942 00:46:05,528 --> 00:46:09,812 so, there were practices that heathens had at the time but also was part 943 00:46:09,812 --> 00:46:12,344 of the religious practices to repeat certain things. 944 00:46:12,344 --> 00:46:15,000 "The more I say it, then the more likely God will hear," 945 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:20,687 but here this model, in its simplest way, is a conversation. 946 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I think, even in talking to God, we are acknowledging that He's hearing us. 947 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 We're not just saying phrases out, and hoping they go somewhere. 948 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 We're actually speaking to another Being who can hear and understand 949 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and wants to have a conversation with us. 950 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) So, we have full confidence 951 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 in the Person that we love and trust. 952 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Tricia Lee) Yes. 953 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Amen. 954 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Nathan, and then we'll go to Olric. 955 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Nathan) I can't miss the distinction 956 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Jesus is making between people who pray 957 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to be seen by others, and it's not just 958 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 what they say but where they are when they are saying it. 959 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 They're out on the street corners, 960 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 versus people who are praying in secret. 961 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 He says, "Go into your room and pray 962 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to your Father who is also in secret." 963 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So, in other words, what He's showing us 964 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 here is this is an intimate time. 965 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I'm sorry if this sounds a little 966 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 too far fetched, but just like 967 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 a married couple behind closed doors 968 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and the intimacy that they share. 969 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 They are having quiet time or conversation, you know. 970 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 No one else is there, and this is 971 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 the same way, He says, "With your Father 972 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 in Heaven, you are behind closed doors, intimate communion." 973 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 It's just you and Him. 974 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 You're not showing off to the world. 975 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 You're not doing this before others. 976 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 You're having quiet time. 977 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So, Jesus wants us to be having 978 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 intimate communion with our Father quietly. 979 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Just to think that 980 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 He's willing to spend quiet time with us. 981 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Team) Amen. 982 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) The God of the universe. 983 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I mean, think about that. That's powerful. 984 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Olric) It's very key that Nathan 985 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 points that out because in verse 16 of that same chapter 986 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 He uses the word "hypocrite." 987 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 He says, "Don't fast as the hypocrites do." 988 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 That word is a key word, 989 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 because in the Greek it means an "actor," 990 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 you know, someone who puts on a show, a performance. 991 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So, what is Jesus saying about these individuals who pray to be heard 992 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 by many people or use many words to look religious and so forth? 993 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 He's saying, "You're just acting," 994 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and my Bible says to me, "If you harbor 995 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 iniquity in your heart, God will not hear your prayers." 996 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 This was a problem with the religious leaders and those who were doing it 997 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 for outward show; the heart wasn't right. 998 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Right, He was asking 999 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 for an inward change. 1000 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Go ahead, Nicole. 1001 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Nicole) Just to take it a little differently, 1002 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 you can also teach someone how to pray, 1003 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 so when I look at this verse and I look at this text, 1004 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I think about children and make sure 1005 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that we instill within our children 1006 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 the desire to pray and the need to pray. 1007 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 We have to teach them how to pray 1008 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and how to spend that time with God, 1009 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 so they can then grow to a place 1010 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 when they can spend that quiet time in their "closets" 1011 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 knowing what they're to say. 1012 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So I think that we should really remember 1013 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that we all have to teach our children how to pray. 1014 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) I agree. 1015 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Team) That's true. 1016 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Derek) You know, I'm thinking, in the light of what Nathan said, 1017 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 in the little book "Steps to Christ," 1018 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 it speaks about prayer as the opening 1019 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 of the heart to God as to a friend. 1020 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 That's very personal. 1021 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Even the Lord's prayer could become 1022 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 a vain repetition, if you just repeat it ten times 1023 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and think that God will hear you by saying it 10 times. 1024 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 In fact, if you look at the Gospels, 1025 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Jesus prays a lot of different prayers. 1026 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) He does. 1027 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Derek) He is opening His heart to His Father as to a friend. 1028 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 And I think what I'm hearing 1029 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 in this great Sermon on the Mount, 1030 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 just like with loving obedience, 1031 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 is when you love God you want to talk to Him. 1032 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Yes. 1033 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Derek) And you want to listen, too. 1034 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) You have an open communication. 1035 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Juliana, and then we need to move on. 1036 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Juliana) I was just going to say really succinctly 1037 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that what this says to me, 1038 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and I guess why I choked up trying to read it, 1039 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 was that it says we have a direct connection. 1040 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Team Member) Amen. 1041 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Juliana) We don't have anything else in the way. 1042 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) That's right. 1043 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Juliana) That the God of the universe 1044 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 wants to talk to me and wants me to talk to Him. 1045 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Derek) Amen. 1046 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Wow, that's powerful. 1047 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Let's move on; Matthew, chapter 7. 1048 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Thank you so much for sharing. 1049 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Matthew, chapter 7, and we'll go to verse 24 to 27, 1050 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and, Jason, would you read that for us? 1051 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Matthew, chapter 7, and we're moving 1052 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 into our last section of our study 1053 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that is "Living What We Learn." 1054 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Go ahead. 1055 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Jason) I'll be reading from the New King James Version, 1056 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Matthew, chapter 7, verse 24 through 27. 1057 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) What is Jesus' appeal in these verse? 1058 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 What is Jesus' appeal? Missy. 1059 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Missy) Trust and obey, Just to listen 1060 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to what He has to say and do them. 1061 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 It's just simple. 1062 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Yes. Go ahead, Joshua. 1063 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Joshua) I would just say to build 1064 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 your foundation on Christ. 1065 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Essentially, if you look at family structures, 1066 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 it never made sense to me as to why 1067 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 atheists get married, you know? 1068 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Think about it just for a second. 1069 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Just picture that in your mind for a minute. 1070 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 How is it, if you're not focused 1071 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 on the love of Christ and the beauty 1072 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 of His Word and the understanding 1073 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 of His heart rather than your own, 1074 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 how is it that you can unite yourself 1075 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 in a marriage and try to build your family 1076 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 on a structure that cannot stand, 1077 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that's built on worldly principles that are like sand? 1078 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 They can change at any time. 1079 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 They are weak. They are futile. 1080 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So, when I think about that in my own life, 1081 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I say, "Okay, I have to build my foundation on Christ." 1082 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Amen. 1083 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Joshua) Because outside of that, 1084 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 everything else is just going to be a wreck, you know, 1085 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and it's really that simple. 1086 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I think it's a lesson to us to just say, 1087 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 "Okay, let's going about things 1088 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 in the smartest way possible," and this is it. 1089 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Amen. 1090 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Nathan and then we'll come up to Kyle. 1091 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Nathan) Jesus is comparing two kinds of people here. 1092 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Both of them heard His Word. He says, 1093 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 "Whoever hears these sayings of Mine 1094 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and does them," and then He says later, 1095 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 "Whoever hears these sayings and does not do them." 1096 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So it's not about just hearing and knowing, 1097 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 it's actually about putting it in practice. 1098 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 He says, "The one who puts into practice 1099 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 these teachings of Mine, this is 1100 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 solid rock foundation that you can 1101 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 build on, and it's trustworthy, so build on this. 1102 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 But if you hear it and don't do it, 1103 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 whatever you're building on is like sand." 1104 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Right. 1105 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 It's not a solid foundation. 1106 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) You won't make it through the storm. 1107 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Kyle. 1108 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Kyle) I'll just add to what Nathan said. 1109 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Just to think that this whole time 1110 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 in Matthew 5 we've been looking at, you know, 1111 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Jesus' standard of righteousness versus 1112 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 what our human standard is. 1113 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 And if we build our lives on our own righteousness, 1114 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 on our own works, then it's like sand. 1115 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 We have no real foundation. 1116 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 The only Rock is the Rock of Christ's righteousness 1117 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that can get us through the storm. 1118 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So, you know, it all connects; 1119 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 it's dependence upon Him, 1120 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 even the prayer thing. 1121 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Prayer is all about dependence on God, 1122 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and depending on His righteousness, 1123 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 on His character in our hearts, 1124 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 will give us the foundation that will 1125 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 carry us through that storm. 1126 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Amen. 1127 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Tricia Lee, did you have a comment you wanted to share? 1128 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Tricia Lee) I was just reflecting on what Juliana mentioned about the invitation 1129 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to connect with the Lord, "our Father." 1130 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Even in reading this, I just feel as though personally I would be a fool 1131 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 not to accept that invitation, that the great God of the universe came, 1132 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 sent His Son, went to all this length to show me who He really was, 1133 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to show me what His Law means, to show me how to love other people, 1134 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 who wants to love me and wants to accept my love to Him, 1135 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and He's just giving me the simple way to Him 1136 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that I have to be kind of silly in seeing all of this and then saying, 1137 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 "No, I'd rather build it my own way." 1138 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 It just really feels like it's just a heart-felt invitation, and that, wow, 1139 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 how do I respond to that. I was just thinking about that. 1140 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) So I want to move on. 1141 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 We have one more verse to read, 1142 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and that's John, chapter 13:17. 1143 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I'll ask Tricia Lee if you would read that for us. 1144 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 The question is, why does Jesus want 1145 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 us to live in harmony with His Word? 1146 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Tricia Lee) John, chapter 13, verse 17. 1147 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I'm reading from the New King James Version, and it reads: 1148 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Tricia Lee, I think that is 1149 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 what you were talking about. 1150 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Tricia Lee) It's a blessing. 1151 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) God wants us to be happy. 1152 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Team) Amen. Yes. 1153 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) It has to go from the head 1154 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to the heart, to the hands, and to the "how." 1155 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 How do I do that? 1156 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 By spending time with Jesus 1157 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and falling in love with my Savior and Lord. 1158 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Then what happens? 1159 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 When you're sharing with others, 1160 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 doesn't it make you happy? 1161 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 You're in the will of God. 1162 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 There's no better peace than that. 1163 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Go ahead, Olric. 1164 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Olric) Let me just wrap this study here together. 1165 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 We see clearly Jesus is saying, 1166 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 "The law is important, you must keep it, 1167 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 but I don't want you to keep it 1168 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 from an unconverted heart because 1169 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to do that is to do it with a heart 1170 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that is not connected to the love of God, 1171 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that is devoid of the right motives and right thoughts." 1172 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So, keep the Law but make sure the heart is converted. 1173 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Why? 1174 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Because when you do that you build your faith. 1175 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) Our faith is built upon the Rock, yes. 1176 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 And our eyes are fixed on Jesus,... 1177 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Team) Amen. 1178 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Stephanie) ...the Author and Finisher of our faith, 1179 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and we share that with joy in our hearts. 1180 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 What a God. What a God we serve. 1181 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Thank you so much for this lesson 1182 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and for sharing today. 1183 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Derek) Thanks, Stephanie. 1184 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 You know, the Sermon on the Mount ends 1185 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 by saying they were astonished 1186 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 at His teaching because He taught as One 1187 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 having authority, and really our authority 1188 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 comes from that living connection with God, doesn't it? 1189 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Team) Amen. 1190 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 (Derek) And I want to challenge you, 1191 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 as you think about this message, 1192 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 I have to be honest. 1193 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 If I look at God's ideal, it's an impossible standard 1194 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 unless a miracle happens in my heart, 1195 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that God's grace not only saves me 1196 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 but transforms me into that follower 1197 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 of Jesus that He wants me to be, 1198 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to reflect the beauty of His character to others. 1199 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 That's God's plan for you and for me. 1200 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Why don't we pray that that miracle can happen each day, 1201 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 not only for our blessing but the blessing of those around us. 1202 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Let's pray. 1203 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Our Father in Heaven, we're astonished 1204 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 at the teaching of Jesus, to know how much You love us 1205 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and how much You want to work in us and through us. 1206 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Oh, Lord, forgive us where we have tried 1207 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to build our own righteousness, 1208 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to build on sand instead of on Jesus the Solid Rock. 1209 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Please, accept our lives now 1210 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and work in us and through us 1211 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 as we follow you with love in our hearts, 1212 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 is our prayer, in Jesus' name, amen. 1213 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Thanks for joining us for Hope Sabbath School. 1214 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 We are learning a lot from the Gospel of Matthew. 1215 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Take what you learn and share it with those around you. 1216 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 ♪ theme music ♪