1 00:00:00,470 --> 00:00:20,250 ♪ theme music ♪ 2 00:00:20,250 --> 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 --> 00:00:27,429 I'm glad you joined us today 5 00:00:27,429 --> 00:00:29,348 as we continue a series of studies 6 00:00:29,348 --> 00:00:31,025 on the Gospel of Matthew. 7 00:00:31,025 --> 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 --> 00:00:37,889 and we're especially happy 10 00:00:37,889 --> 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 --> 00:00:43,525 Stephanie, we are looking forward to a great study. 13 00:00:43,525 --> 00:00:45,868 And we're glad that each one of you 14 00:00:45,868 --> 00:00:47,513 has joined us for our study today. 15 00:00:47,513 --> 00:00:49,224 It's been a great series, hasn't it? 16 00:00:49,224 --> 00:00:50,178 I notice people ask, 17 00:00:50,178 --> 00:00:51,988 "It's not the same people every time?" 18 00:00:51,988 --> 00:00:54,434 No, but we're all studying, 19 00:00:54,434 --> 00:00:56,130 and this Gospel of Matthew, I think 20 00:00:56,130 --> 00:00:58,440 the biggest challenge is we could take 21 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,320 a whole series of studies 22 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:01,648 on just one section, 23 00:01:01,648 --> 00:01:03,899 like the Sermon on the Mount, 24 00:01:03,899 --> 00:01:06,312 but we have to look at the big picture 25 00:01:06,312 --> 00:01:08,852 and the message that Jesus is giving us 26 00:01:08,852 --> 00:01:10,296 through His sermon in Matthew. 27 00:01:10,296 --> 00:01:12,256 So, we want to pray that God would bless. 28 00:01:12,256 --> 00:01:14,076 Before I do, though, I want to welcome 29 00:01:14,076 --> 00:01:15,615 our Hope Sabbath School members 30 00:01:15,615 --> 00:01:16,450 around the world. 31 00:01:16,450 --> 00:01:17,792 Thank you for writing to us. 32 00:01:17,792 --> 00:01:21,378 You can write to us at sshope@hopetv.org, 33 00:01:21,378 --> 00:01:23,088 and we're always happy to know 34 00:01:23,088 --> 00:01:26,173 how God is blessing your lives. 35 00:01:26,173 --> 00:01:28,510 Gerard writes from the Cameroon. 36 00:01:28,510 --> 00:01:31,305 He says, "Hi, Hope Sabbath School team. 37 00:01:31,305 --> 00:01:34,486 I'm a church member in the Cameroon. 38 00:01:34,486 --> 00:01:37,824 I like to spend my time studying 39 00:01:37,824 --> 00:01:39,475 with Hope Sabbath School, 40 00:01:39,475 --> 00:01:42,411 and I now have an iPhone, and I'm ready 41 00:01:42,411 --> 00:01:44,861 to get the Hope Sabbath School app." 42 00:01:44,861 --> 00:01:46,301 (Team) Amen. 43 00:01:46,301 --> 00:01:49,105 (Derek) Well, I think we have the iPhone 44 00:01:49,105 --> 00:01:53,737 Hope Sabbath School app in 137 countries, 45 00:01:53,737 --> 00:01:55,797 and we have the Android app, 46 00:01:55,797 --> 00:01:58,170 which is only more recent; 47 00:01:58,170 --> 00:02:01,016 that's, I think, in 150 countries. 48 00:02:01,016 --> 00:02:03,039 So, we're glad, Gerard, that you're 49 00:02:03,039 --> 00:02:05,128 going to get the Hope Sabbath School app 50 00:02:05,128 --> 00:02:06,733 for your iPhone, and it's great 51 00:02:06,733 --> 00:02:08,532 because you click, and the most 52 00:02:08,532 --> 00:02:10,670 recent program opens up. 53 00:02:10,670 --> 00:02:12,950 He concludes by saying, 54 00:02:12,950 --> 00:02:16,793 "Hope Sabbath School is like a river of blessing for me," 55 00:02:16,793 --> 00:02:17,642 (Team) Amen. 56 00:02:17,642 --> 00:02:20,315 (Derek) "...and I'm learning more about the Word of God. 57 00:02:20,315 --> 00:02:23,511 My dream is to be with you one day live 58 00:02:23,511 --> 00:02:25,533 in this amazing Bible study." 59 00:02:25,533 --> 00:02:27,724 Well, you know if you come over here 60 00:02:27,724 --> 00:02:29,486 when we're filming, Gerard, 61 00:02:29,486 --> 00:02:31,308 we would love to have you on our team, 62 00:02:31,308 --> 00:02:32,740 but you're just as much a part 63 00:02:32,740 --> 00:02:35,121 of Hope Sabbath School right there in the Cameroon. 64 00:02:35,121 --> 00:02:37,642 And I want to invite you and everyone else watching, 65 00:02:37,642 --> 00:02:39,838 think about gathering a group together. 66 00:02:39,838 --> 00:02:41,587 You can download the outline, 67 00:02:41,587 --> 00:02:43,256 the same outline that Stephanie 68 00:02:43,256 --> 00:02:45,224 will be using today in our study, 69 00:02:45,224 --> 00:02:48,245 from our website, hopetv.org/hopess. 70 00:02:48,245 --> 00:02:49,691 You can download the outline, 71 00:02:49,691 --> 00:02:52,268 or you can watch the program with a group of friends; 72 00:02:52,268 --> 00:02:54,216 hold up your iPHone for them, Gerard, 73 00:02:54,216 --> 00:02:56,237 but get a group of people watching. 74 00:02:56,237 --> 00:02:58,238 We can share what we've learned together. 75 00:02:58,238 --> 00:02:59,778 Here's a note from Pavel. 76 00:02:59,778 --> 00:03:02,326 Anybody want to guess where Pavel is from? 77 00:03:02,326 --> 00:03:03,284 (Team) Russia. 78 00:03:03,284 --> 00:03:05,289 (Derek) He's from Russia, that's right. 79 00:03:05,289 --> 00:03:06,738 How did you know? 80 00:03:06,738 --> 00:03:09,249 He says, "Greetings, Hope Sabbath School, from Russia. 81 00:03:09,249 --> 00:03:11,854 We always watch the Sabbath School discussion 82 00:03:11,854 --> 00:03:13,972 and truly enjoy it. 83 00:03:13,972 --> 00:03:16,516 Our younger daughter, Veronica, 84 00:03:16,516 --> 00:03:20,081 Consistently asks me to send you a message, 85 00:03:20,081 --> 00:03:21,316 so, here it is." 86 00:03:21,316 --> 00:03:24,088 Here comes the message from Veronica: 87 00:03:24,088 --> 00:03:25,829 "I was sitting in the kitchen 88 00:03:25,829 --> 00:03:28,449 and enjoying your songs; 89 00:03:28,449 --> 00:03:29,853 I like you. 90 00:03:29,853 --> 00:03:33,318 My name is Veronica, and I'm 5 years old." 91 00:03:33,318 --> 00:03:34,559 Well, it's good to know 92 00:03:34,559 --> 00:03:36,237 we have Hope Sabbath School members 93 00:03:36,237 --> 00:03:37,547 who are 5 years old, right? 94 00:03:37,547 --> 00:03:38,492 (Team) Amen. 95 00:03:38,492 --> 00:03:39,828 (Derek) Thank you, Veronica, 96 00:03:39,828 --> 00:03:40,653 for your message, 97 00:03:40,653 --> 00:03:42,467 and we hope you will sing with our new 98 00:03:42,467 --> 00:03:44,841 Scripture song, "Praise Him in the Heights." 99 00:03:44,841 --> 00:03:47,429 You can download that from our website, too. 100 00:03:47,429 --> 00:03:49,491 "I'm watching you every week," 101 00:03:49,491 --> 00:03:52,827 continues Veronica, "with my mom and dad. 102 00:03:52,827 --> 00:03:57,509 Thank you for the songs. I love them and I love all of you." 103 00:03:57,509 --> 00:04:01,113 Well, thank you so much, Veronica! We love you, too. 104 00:04:01,113 --> 00:04:03,519 And your mommy and daddy, thank you 105 00:04:03,519 --> 00:04:06,592 for being part of our Hope Sabbath School there in Russia. 106 00:04:06,592 --> 00:04:09,188 It's amazing what a variety of people 107 00:04:09,188 --> 00:04:10,999 we have watching, isn't it? 108 00:04:10,999 --> 00:04:13,944 Grace writes to us from China, 109 00:04:13,944 --> 00:04:16,419 and she says, "I often translate 110 00:04:16,419 --> 00:04:18,899 Hope Sabbath School for my mother 111 00:04:18,899 --> 00:04:20,832 who teaches a Sabbath School 112 00:04:20,832 --> 00:04:23,258 in a small church in Beijing. 113 00:04:23,258 --> 00:04:25,082 So, this is what we are talking about, 114 00:04:25,082 --> 00:04:26,793 making Hope Sabbath School available 115 00:04:26,793 --> 00:04:28,041 in other languages. 116 00:04:28,041 --> 00:04:30,071 It's already happening by individuals. 117 00:04:30,071 --> 00:04:32,041 Remember a recent email 118 00:04:32,041 --> 00:04:33,677 from someone in Russia. 119 00:04:33,677 --> 00:04:36,083 Her husband was translating for her. 120 00:04:36,083 --> 00:04:38,520 "Please pray for my family so that we 121 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,584 can all love and reverence God." 122 00:04:41,584 --> 00:04:42,814 Wow. 123 00:04:42,814 --> 00:04:44,837 "These days there are many temptations 124 00:04:44,837 --> 00:04:46,427 for people of all ages, 125 00:04:46,427 --> 00:04:47,961 especially young people. 126 00:04:47,961 --> 00:04:51,333 Pray for us so that we can have the wisdom 127 00:04:51,333 --> 00:04:52,623 to follow God. 128 00:04:52,623 --> 00:04:53,649 God bless you." 129 00:04:53,649 --> 00:04:55,078 Well, we'll do that, Grace. 130 00:04:55,078 --> 00:04:58,104 God bless you there in the great country of China. 131 00:04:58,104 --> 00:05:00,635 May God bless your witness to those around you. 132 00:05:00,635 --> 00:05:05,152 Here's one last really encouraging email from Christian. 133 00:05:05,152 --> 00:05:08,400 Now, that name has special significance, 134 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:09,926 as you'll discover in a minute. 135 00:05:09,926 --> 00:05:12,752 Christian is from Malawi, 136 00:05:12,752 --> 00:05:16,015 and Malawi is right there in the heart of Africa, right? 137 00:05:16,015 --> 00:05:17,715 "Dear Saints," 138 00:05:17,715 --> 00:05:19,777 that's an encouraging title. 139 00:05:19,777 --> 00:05:22,644 "Dear Saints, I'm happy to God 140 00:05:22,644 --> 00:05:24,524 for using Hope Sabbath School 141 00:05:24,524 --> 00:05:26,316 to bring a change to my life. 142 00:05:26,316 --> 00:05:28,162 (Team) Amen. 143 00:05:28,162 --> 00:05:30,422 (Derek) This is wonderful. 144 00:05:30,422 --> 00:05:32,998 "It has really made an impact on my life 145 00:05:32,998 --> 00:05:35,133 since I grew up a Muslim, 146 00:05:35,133 --> 00:05:39,345 and I never found the truth as I found it now. 147 00:05:39,345 --> 00:05:43,068 Now I have decided to follow Jesus and be baptized. 148 00:05:43,068 --> 00:05:44,470 (Team) Amen! Praise God. 149 00:05:44,470 --> 00:05:46,794 (Derek) Wow. 150 00:05:46,794 --> 00:05:48,956 "As I am speaking, I am now 151 00:05:48,956 --> 00:05:52,748 a true believer in Bible truth. 152 00:05:52,748 --> 00:05:54,598 Thank you for the mission you're doing 153 00:05:54,598 --> 00:05:56,778 in cooperating with Jesus Christ 154 00:05:56,778 --> 00:06:01,020 in saving lost sinners like me." 155 00:06:01,020 --> 00:06:02,193 Is that powerful? 156 00:06:02,193 --> 00:06:04,091 (Team) Amen. Praise God. 157 00:06:04,091 --> 00:06:06,460 (Derek) "May the Good Lord bless us all, 158 00:06:06,460 --> 00:06:08,203 and now you understand." 159 00:06:08,203 --> 00:06:11,830 He has another name, but he's been given a new name. 160 00:06:11,830 --> 00:06:15,348 His name is Christian. 161 00:06:15,348 --> 00:06:16,823 Thanks for writing to us, Christian, 162 00:06:16,823 --> 00:06:18,615 from Malawi, and we just want 163 00:06:18,615 --> 00:06:20,953 to praise God for the way He's leading you, 164 00:06:20,953 --> 00:06:23,482 not only for your salvation but to be 165 00:06:23,482 --> 00:06:25,437 a blessing to those around you. 166 00:06:25,437 --> 00:06:27,705 Right now we want to sing our Scripture song. 167 00:06:27,705 --> 00:06:30,897 It's word for word from Psalm 148. 168 00:06:30,897 --> 00:06:33,565 So, it's 3,000 years old, but it's got 169 00:06:33,565 --> 00:06:35,331 a new tune; I hope you'll enjoy it. 170 00:06:35,331 --> 00:06:37,585 "Praise Him in the Heights." 171 00:06:37,585 --> 00:06:39,664 Let's sing it together. 172 00:06:39,664 --> 00:06:46,788 ♪ music ♪ 173 00:08:44,943 --> 00:08:47,007 (Derek) And for those of you who don't know, 174 00:08:47,007 --> 00:08:50,265 in Hebrew "Praise the Lord" is "Hallelujah!" 175 00:08:50,265 --> 00:08:52,614 So, what a beautiful, ancient, 176 00:08:52,614 --> 00:08:54,695 Scripture song with a message for us today. 177 00:08:54,695 --> 00:08:56,678 And, Stephanie, as you lead us 178 00:08:56,678 --> 00:08:59,005 in this important study of the sermon 179 00:08:59,005 --> 00:09:01,025 of Jesus on the Mount, I know in the end 180 00:09:01,025 --> 00:09:02,894 we are going to say, "Praise the Lord!" 181 00:09:02,894 --> 00:09:04,669 because it's really encouraging news. 182 00:09:04,669 --> 00:09:07,482 So, why don't you lead us in prayer as we begin our study. 183 00:09:07,482 --> 00:09:10,119 (Stephanie) Yes. Let's bow our heads. 184 00:09:10,119 --> 00:09:12,863 Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much 185 00:09:12,863 --> 00:09:16,661 for giving us this opportunity to study Your Word. 186 00:09:16,661 --> 00:09:19,509 We just ask that, as we study Your Word, 187 00:09:19,509 --> 00:09:21,420 You would send Your Holy Spirit 188 00:09:21,420 --> 00:09:24,168 to guide us and to direct us, that, 189 00:09:24,168 --> 00:09:26,441 at the end of the study, Lord, 190 00:09:26,441 --> 00:09:28,831 our lives would be changed, and we 191 00:09:28,831 --> 00:09:30,294 would have something to share 192 00:09:30,294 --> 00:09:31,402 with those around us. 193 00:09:31,402 --> 00:09:33,194 In Jesus' name, amen. 194 00:09:33,194 --> 00:09:33,981 (Team) Amen. 195 00:09:33,981 --> 00:09:36,027 (Stephanie) So, our study today 196 00:09:36,027 --> 00:09:38,430 is on the Sermon on the Mount 197 00:09:38,430 --> 00:09:41,020 according to Matthew, 198 00:09:41,020 --> 00:09:42,028 but we also know 199 00:09:42,028 --> 00:09:46,327 that Luke records this Sermon on the Mount 200 00:09:46,327 --> 00:09:51,350 as well, and there are some differences that we see. 201 00:09:51,350 --> 00:09:53,488 Before we go looking into looking 202 00:09:53,488 --> 00:09:55,831 at some verses, we do see some differences 203 00:09:55,831 --> 00:10:00,188 between the account of Matthew and that of Luke. 204 00:10:00,188 --> 00:10:03,337 What can we learn from the differences 205 00:10:03,337 --> 00:10:04,871 that we see? 206 00:10:04,871 --> 00:10:09,024 Notice that Matthew is how many chapters it spans over? 207 00:10:09,024 --> 00:10:11,021 (Derek) Three whole chapters. 208 00:10:11,021 --> 00:10:12,171 (Stephanie) Three whole chapters, 209 00:10:12,171 --> 00:10:13,580 and that's over 100 verses. 210 00:10:13,580 --> 00:10:15,675 And Luke spans over how many verses? 211 00:10:15,675 --> 00:10:17,356 (Derek) I think there's 30. 212 00:10:17,356 --> 00:10:18,719 (Stephanie) Just around 30. 213 00:10:18,719 --> 00:10:21,918 So, what can we learn from the differences 214 00:10:21,918 --> 00:10:24,058 that we see there, anyone? 215 00:10:24,058 --> 00:10:25,396 (Derek) You know, Stephanie, 216 00:10:25,396 --> 00:10:28,060 it's interesting that even in the 30 verses of Luke 217 00:10:28,060 --> 00:10:30,523 some things are new. 218 00:10:30,523 --> 00:10:32,757 So, that tells me that probably 219 00:10:32,757 --> 00:10:34,846 neither of them has everything. 220 00:10:34,846 --> 00:10:36,678 If Jesus taught all day on the mount, 221 00:10:36,678 --> 00:10:40,484 that the Spirit's guiding them to share some insights. 222 00:10:40,484 --> 00:10:41,597 (Stephanie) Yes. 223 00:10:41,597 --> 00:10:43,176 (Derek) It's not a video. 224 00:10:43,176 --> 00:10:44,386 (Stephanie) That's right. 225 00:10:44,386 --> 00:10:46,030 (Derek) Guided by the Holy Spirit, 226 00:10:46,030 --> 00:10:47,644 which is interesting because then 227 00:10:47,644 --> 00:10:49,217 we ask, "Why did the Holy Spirit 228 00:10:49,217 --> 00:10:51,401 inspire Matthew to include what he did?" 229 00:10:51,401 --> 00:10:52,969 but there's probably much more. 230 00:10:52,969 --> 00:10:54,586 (Stephanie) So, we've learned that 231 00:10:54,586 --> 00:10:55,942 it's thought-inspired right? 232 00:10:55,942 --> 00:10:58,889 It's not exact word-by-word inspired. 233 00:10:58,889 --> 00:10:59,609 Was there...? 234 00:10:59,609 --> 00:11:02,435 (Kyle) It's like the four Gospels are all a little different 235 00:11:02,435 --> 00:11:04,599 because each one has a different perspective. 236 00:11:04,599 --> 00:11:06,970 God uses each personality to bring a new insight, 237 00:11:06,970 --> 00:11:09,685 and He puts it all together for a more complete picture. 238 00:11:09,685 --> 00:11:11,740 (Derek) Stephanie, I just want to catch you 239 00:11:11,740 --> 00:11:13,645 because I understand what you are saying 240 00:11:13,645 --> 00:11:15,752 about thought inspired versus word. 241 00:11:15,752 --> 00:11:18,735 I think Matthew and Luke are writing down the words Jesus said. 242 00:11:18,735 --> 00:11:20,225 So, it's a little different 243 00:11:20,225 --> 00:11:22,008 from the prophet being given a vision 244 00:11:22,008 --> 00:11:23,403 like Daniel, and he writes it 245 00:11:23,403 --> 00:11:25,561 in his own words, rather than being dictated. 246 00:11:25,561 --> 00:11:27,685 I think here Jesus may have said 247 00:11:27,685 --> 00:11:29,505 different things in different ways 248 00:11:29,505 --> 00:11:32,105 during the day, and for some reason, 249 00:11:32,105 --> 00:11:34,290 which maybe we'll discover in our study, 250 00:11:34,290 --> 00:11:37,684 Matthew decides, "I'm going to record some of these." 251 00:11:37,684 --> 00:11:39,668 By the way, he was there, right? 252 00:11:39,668 --> 00:11:41,174 He was an eye witness, Matthew. 253 00:11:41,174 --> 00:11:41,880 (Team) He was. 254 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:44,640 (Derek) Luke has to talk to eye witnesses, 255 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:46,738 and so he, guided by the Spirit, too, 256 00:11:46,738 --> 00:11:48,027 gets some other insights, 257 00:11:48,027 --> 00:11:51,143 but I think the Holy Spirit's definitely 258 00:11:51,159 --> 00:11:54,189 given us a reliable account of what Jesus said. 259 00:11:54,189 --> 00:11:55,420 (Stephanie) Amen. 260 00:11:55,420 --> 00:11:58,820 Is there a difference in the audience 261 00:11:58,820 --> 00:12:01,913 that Matthew and Luke are speaking to? 262 00:12:01,913 --> 00:12:03,193 Yes, Olric. 263 00:12:03,193 --> 00:12:05,366 (Olric) Matthew's Gospel, from our research, 264 00:12:05,366 --> 00:12:09,152 is more targeted to a Jewish audience, 265 00:12:09,152 --> 00:12:11,787 so in his Gospel he tends to play up 266 00:12:11,787 --> 00:12:15,522 more Jesus' kingship, and in his rendering 267 00:12:15,522 --> 00:12:17,514 of the Sermon on the Mount it is 268 00:12:17,514 --> 00:12:21,403 a little longer than Luke's version 269 00:12:21,403 --> 00:12:22,900 because we know in those days 270 00:12:22,900 --> 00:12:25,992 a king is the person invested 271 00:12:25,992 --> 00:12:27,895 with the authority to enforce the law, 272 00:12:27,895 --> 00:12:30,726 keep the law in the land like the lawgiver. 273 00:12:30,726 --> 00:12:34,571 So he spends a little more time on that 274 00:12:34,571 --> 00:12:36,795 as opposed to Luke, who was writing more 275 00:12:36,795 --> 00:12:39,826 to Gentiles, but he wanted the Gentiles 276 00:12:39,826 --> 00:12:42,545 to see the law in a way that was 277 00:12:42,545 --> 00:12:44,177 more applicable to them. 278 00:12:44,177 --> 00:12:46,147 So he did not include many of the things 279 00:12:46,147 --> 00:12:47,475 that Matthew was about. 280 00:12:47,475 --> 00:12:49,102 (Stephanie) So, would you say that 281 00:12:49,102 --> 00:12:51,922 in Matthew some of the very detailed 282 00:12:51,922 --> 00:12:59,556 renditions that Matthew shares connects with the Jews? 283 00:12:59,556 --> 00:13:00,397 (Olric) Yes. 284 00:13:00,397 --> 00:13:02,400 (Stephanie) ...in a way that is powerful? 285 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:03,454 (Olric) Yes, indeed. 286 00:13:03,454 --> 00:13:04,509 (Stephanie) All right. 287 00:13:04,509 --> 00:13:07,146 Let's go ahead and jump into Matthew, chapter 5, 288 00:13:07,146 --> 00:13:11,220 and we'll read verses 17 through 19. 289 00:13:11,220 --> 00:13:14,049 And, Joshua, if you would be willing 290 00:13:14,049 --> 00:13:16,932 to read for us those first three verses 291 00:13:16,932 --> 00:13:21,185 in Matthew, chapter 5, verses 17 through 19. 292 00:13:21,185 --> 00:13:23,112 (Joshua) Absolutely, and I'll be reading 293 00:13:23,112 --> 00:13:26,989 from the New King James Version; the Bible says: 294 00:13:57,147 --> 00:13:59,690 (Stephanie) So, what are we talking about here? 295 00:13:59,690 --> 00:14:02,336 We're talking about the Law of God, right? 296 00:14:02,336 --> 00:14:03,069 (Joshua) Yes. 297 00:14:03,069 --> 00:14:04,819 (Stephanie) This is the introduction 298 00:14:04,819 --> 00:14:07,708 to the Law of God that Matthew is talking about. 299 00:14:07,708 --> 00:14:09,717 Let's go and look at a few more verses, 300 00:14:09,717 --> 00:14:12,568 and then we'll consider some questions 301 00:14:12,568 --> 00:14:15,467 as they relate to the verses that we read. 302 00:14:15,467 --> 00:14:19,325 In Matthew, chapter 5:21-22. 303 00:14:19,325 --> 00:14:21,134 Olric, would you read that for us, 304 00:14:21,134 --> 00:14:26,418 Matthew, chapter 5, verses 21 and 22. 305 00:14:26,418 --> 00:14:30,791 And then we'll read verses 27 and 28. 306 00:14:30,791 --> 00:14:34,539 (Olric) Reading from the New Living Translation: 307 00:15:06,099 --> 00:15:08,942 (Stephanie) Wow, that's pretty strong. 308 00:15:08,942 --> 00:15:11,509 Yes, go ahead and continue on. 309 00:15:26,620 --> 00:15:29,378 (Stephanie) So, do you see a pattern? 310 00:15:29,378 --> 00:15:32,347 What is the pattern that you see in these verses? 311 00:15:32,347 --> 00:15:33,660 Go ahead, Tricia Lee. 312 00:15:33,660 --> 00:15:36,098 (Tricia Lee) Well, first if we were wondering, "Well, what law 313 00:15:36,098 --> 00:15:38,477 is he talking about," it's clear as we kept reading 314 00:15:38,477 --> 00:15:40,175 that he's talking about the Ten Commandments 315 00:15:40,175 --> 00:15:42,052 that the people at the time believed, prided themselves 316 00:15:42,052 --> 00:15:44,353 in being able to keep, and you start to understand 317 00:15:44,353 --> 00:15:46,523 more about what Jesus meant when He said, 318 00:15:46,523 --> 00:15:48,790 "I've come to fulfill," to give a clearer understanding 319 00:15:48,790 --> 00:15:50,830 of what it truly means to keep the Law. 320 00:15:50,830 --> 00:15:53,209 And at the time, they were more concerned 321 00:15:53,209 --> 00:15:56,039 about the outward physicality of behaviors 322 00:15:56,039 --> 00:15:58,367 that proved that they were observing the laws, 323 00:15:58,367 --> 00:16:01,428 but here Jesus starts to point to what's happening in our hearts, 324 00:16:01,428 --> 00:16:02,428 in our minds, in our thoughts, 325 00:16:02,428 --> 00:16:04,036 and kind of showing that 326 00:16:04,036 --> 00:16:07,551 breaking the Law or even sin doesn't just occur in an action, 327 00:16:07,551 --> 00:16:10,042 it kind of starts in our hearts and our minds. 328 00:16:10,042 --> 00:16:12,969 So, again, in fulfilling that Law, He's really kind of peeling back 329 00:16:12,969 --> 00:16:16,333 what they thought was the reality in showing that it's much deeper 330 00:16:16,333 --> 00:16:18,269 than they thought in just the behavior. 331 00:16:18,269 --> 00:16:20,917 There's something that's happening in the heart that only He can come 332 00:16:20,917 --> 00:16:23,392 and help them fix or help them actually be. 333 00:16:23,392 --> 00:16:24,858 (Stephanie) Did you have a comment, Jason? 334 00:16:24,858 --> 00:16:25,576 Go ahead. 335 00:16:25,576 --> 00:16:27,389 (Jason) Yes, I'm looking at this here, 336 00:16:27,389 --> 00:16:29,321 and it talks about how He didn't come 337 00:16:29,321 --> 00:16:30,946 to destroy but to fulfill, 338 00:16:30,946 --> 00:16:32,377 because Jesus could be accused 339 00:16:32,377 --> 00:16:34,724 of these new teachings as destroying the law, 340 00:16:34,724 --> 00:16:35,929 but what He's saying is, 341 00:16:35,929 --> 00:16:37,109 "Look, I'm not destroying the Law; 342 00:16:37,109 --> 00:16:38,854 I'm showing you what it really means." 343 00:16:38,854 --> 00:16:41,414 So, He's not saying what was said of old is untrue; 344 00:16:41,414 --> 00:16:44,507 He's saying what was said of old, it is true, but also this. 345 00:16:44,507 --> 00:16:46,438 So, you have a very limited picture 346 00:16:46,438 --> 00:16:48,241 of what the Law is, but this is 347 00:16:48,241 --> 00:16:50,149 a greater understanding, a greater fulfillment 348 00:16:50,149 --> 00:16:52,286 of what the Law truly is. 349 00:16:52,286 --> 00:16:53,764 And that is what He is doing here in the sermon. 350 00:16:53,764 --> 00:16:55,417 (Stephanie) He's expounding on that. 351 00:16:55,417 --> 00:16:56,261 Yes, Missy. 352 00:16:56,261 --> 00:16:58,271 (Missy) From the fall of humanity, 353 00:16:58,271 --> 00:17:01,055 you know, they had perfection in Eden. 354 00:17:01,055 --> 00:17:04,034 Then came the fall. They fell so far. 355 00:17:04,034 --> 00:17:05,679 Humanity just, fell, fell, fell, 356 00:17:05,679 --> 00:17:08,308 and so, step by step, through Scripture 357 00:17:08,308 --> 00:17:11,002 you see how God is taking them 358 00:17:11,002 --> 00:17:12,724 step by step back to His ideal 359 00:17:12,724 --> 00:17:14,832 until you could see the fulfillment 360 00:17:14,832 --> 00:17:18,056 of the Law in Christ when He came to humanity. 361 00:17:18,056 --> 00:17:20,266 And it was supposed to be a revelation 362 00:17:20,266 --> 00:17:21,896 of who God really was. 363 00:17:21,896 --> 00:17:23,447 You know, opening our minds 364 00:17:23,447 --> 00:17:25,517 to what the Law really meant. 365 00:17:25,517 --> 00:17:26,769 (Stephanie) Yes. Nathan. 366 00:17:26,769 --> 00:17:29,926 (Nathan) Keep in mind that Matthew is writing to Jews... 367 00:17:29,926 --> 00:17:30,922 (Stephanie) Yes. 368 00:17:30,922 --> 00:17:34,332 (Nathan) ...and Moses was the great hero as the lawgiver. 369 00:17:34,332 --> 00:17:36,474 Moses went up on Mount Sinai 370 00:17:36,474 --> 00:17:38,238 to receive the Law from God, 371 00:17:38,238 --> 00:17:39,856 and then he gave it to the people, 372 00:17:39,856 --> 00:17:41,727 and the people did their best to keep the law, 373 00:17:41,727 --> 00:17:42,937 but Moses was the one 374 00:17:42,937 --> 00:17:46,210 who lead them out of slavery and into the Promised Land, right? 375 00:17:46,210 --> 00:17:47,456 So, the "deliverer." 376 00:17:47,456 --> 00:17:48,391 (Stephanie) Right. 377 00:17:48,391 --> 00:17:50,149 (Nathan) Now Matthew is showing 378 00:17:50,149 --> 00:17:52,408 Jesus is the One who went up on the mountain 379 00:17:52,408 --> 00:17:54,647 and now expounds upon the Law. 380 00:17:54,647 --> 00:17:57,611 He's the new Moses, showing them, "Okay, you received the Law 381 00:17:57,611 --> 00:17:59,584 on the mountain from God through Moses." 382 00:17:59,584 --> 00:18:01,566 Now up on this mountain 383 00:18:01,566 --> 00:18:03,708 Jesus is saying, "Let me show you what 384 00:18:03,708 --> 00:18:05,287 this Law really means and how 385 00:18:05,287 --> 00:18:06,778 it applies deeply inwardly, 386 00:18:06,778 --> 00:18:08,663 and then you're going to be free, 387 00:18:08,663 --> 00:18:11,795 not just from Egypt but from the slavery of sin..." 388 00:18:11,795 --> 00:18:12,680 (Team) Wow. 389 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:14,798 (Nathan) "...when we get to the depths 390 00:18:14,798 --> 00:18:16,801 of what the Law means deep in the heart." 391 00:18:16,801 --> 00:18:19,812 (Stephanie) I want to go to another passage before we leave 392 00:18:19,812 --> 00:18:23,653 the teaching of Jesus about the Law of God. 393 00:18:23,653 --> 00:18:28,212 We'll move to Matthew 5:43-48, 394 00:18:28,212 --> 00:18:31,554 and, Kyle, would you be willing to read that for us? 395 00:18:31,554 --> 00:18:34,095 Matthew 5:43-48. 396 00:18:34,095 --> 00:18:39,216 (Kyle) I'll be reading from the New King James Version. 397 00:18:39,216 --> 00:18:40,305 The Bible says: 398 00:19:35,477 --> 00:19:36,670 (Stephanie) Wow. 399 00:19:36,670 --> 00:19:38,347 There's a lot in that verse. 400 00:19:38,347 --> 00:19:41,471 What do you pull out from those verses? 401 00:19:41,471 --> 00:19:42,443 Go ahead, Joshua. 402 00:19:42,443 --> 00:19:44,311 (Joshua) I will say that it's this aspect 403 00:19:44,311 --> 00:19:46,352 of Christianity that's the most difficult. 404 00:19:46,352 --> 00:19:49,508 You know, if you compare this sort of command from Jesus 405 00:19:49,508 --> 00:19:51,883 to the Ten Commandments, 406 00:19:51,883 --> 00:19:54,143 the Ten Commandments actually look pretty easy. 407 00:19:54,143 --> 00:19:55,970 You know, if you tell me I'm supposed 408 00:19:55,970 --> 00:19:58,462 to love my enemies, do good to those 409 00:19:58,462 --> 00:20:00,384 who are persecuting me, 410 00:20:00,384 --> 00:20:02,113 it's like, "Are you serious?" 411 00:20:02,113 --> 00:20:04,228 But at the same time we have to think 412 00:20:04,228 --> 00:20:05,835 about the fact that people 413 00:20:05,835 --> 00:20:08,348 outside of Christianity judge us 414 00:20:08,348 --> 00:20:10,068 based on this sort of thing, 415 00:20:10,068 --> 00:20:12,845 not simply how many times do you 416 00:20:12,845 --> 00:20:14,729 go to church in a week or how many 417 00:20:14,729 --> 00:20:16,153 Bible verses do you know, 418 00:20:16,153 --> 00:20:18,212 but it's in our character and in the way 419 00:20:18,212 --> 00:20:19,313 that we treat others. 420 00:20:19,313 --> 00:20:21,109 (Stephanie) Wow. Go ahead, Juliana. 421 00:20:21,109 --> 00:20:22,875 (Juliana) Actually this summer I was 422 00:20:22,875 --> 00:20:25,077 traveling around in Europe and happened 423 00:20:25,077 --> 00:20:27,749 to interact with an individual on a train. 424 00:20:27,749 --> 00:20:31,288 And somehow we got to talking about this kind of stuff, 425 00:20:31,288 --> 00:20:33,547 and he told me, "You know, 426 00:20:33,547 --> 00:20:36,621 Christianity is supposed to be so much more radical than it is. 427 00:20:36,621 --> 00:20:38,292 So many people, they focus just 428 00:20:38,292 --> 00:20:39,513 on the Ten Commandments, 429 00:20:39,513 --> 00:20:42,200 but what about the Sermon on the Mount?" 430 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,943 It kind of goes along with what you are saying, like, people 431 00:20:44,951 --> 00:20:47,135 from the outside are looking at us, and, it's like, wow! 432 00:20:47,135 --> 00:20:50,125 This is what Christianity is supposed to be. 433 00:20:50,125 --> 00:20:52,702 And I think that he was completely right, 434 00:20:52,702 --> 00:20:54,878 that we should be looking a lot more 435 00:20:54,878 --> 00:20:56,582 at the Sermon on the Mount for many 436 00:20:56,582 --> 00:20:58,795 of the things of how we should 437 00:20:58,795 --> 00:21:00,211 interact with other people. 438 00:21:00,211 --> 00:21:01,998 (Stephanie) So isn't it interesting. 439 00:21:01,998 --> 00:21:05,367 I think Jesus was trying to move us 440 00:21:05,367 --> 00:21:07,147 away from just a head knowledge 441 00:21:07,147 --> 00:21:08,836 to a heart knowledge, right? 442 00:21:08,836 --> 00:21:09,550 (Team) Yes. 443 00:21:09,550 --> 00:21:11,052 (Stephanie) A heart experience. 444 00:21:11,052 --> 00:21:14,219 (Derek) You know, I think, Stephanie, something Jason said earlier 445 00:21:14,219 --> 00:21:17,009 is really important because some Christians get confused 446 00:21:17,009 --> 00:21:19,056 and say the Ten Commandments doesn't matter; 447 00:21:19,056 --> 00:21:21,153 we just need to love, but that's absurd. 448 00:21:21,153 --> 00:21:25,184 That's like saying, "Don't hate people, but you can kill them." 449 00:21:25,184 --> 00:21:29,829 "Don't lust after someone, but you can commit adultery with him or her." 450 00:21:29,829 --> 00:21:31,374 It's not that. 451 00:21:31,374 --> 00:21:33,338 The Commandments stands, 452 00:21:33,338 --> 00:21:36,968 but, as Tricia Lee was pointing out, 453 00:21:36,968 --> 00:21:39,607 God is calling us to a much higher standard. 454 00:21:39,607 --> 00:21:43,429 In fact, to be honest, it's an impossible standard 455 00:21:43,429 --> 00:21:44,607 if we're going to do it 456 00:21:44,607 --> 00:21:47,379 in our own strength because we know 457 00:21:47,379 --> 00:21:48,724 how feeble we are. 458 00:21:48,724 --> 00:21:49,437 (Team) Yes. 459 00:21:49,437 --> 00:21:51,057 (Derek) It's going to take a miracle... 460 00:21:51,057 --> 00:21:51,956 (Stephanie) Exactly. 461 00:21:51,956 --> 00:21:54,409 (Derek) ...so that, as Joshua pointed out, 462 00:21:54,409 --> 00:21:57,225 people will look, and they'll actually see 463 00:21:57,225 --> 00:22:00,076 Jesus reflected, right? 464 00:22:00,076 --> 00:22:01,676 Instead of us. 465 00:22:01,676 --> 00:22:04,503 (Stephanie) And that happens as a result 466 00:22:04,503 --> 00:22:07,268 of the head knowledge going to our hearts, right? 467 00:22:07,268 --> 00:22:10,007 And that's the next section that we 468 00:22:10,007 --> 00:22:15,625 want to move into, this outward conformity 469 00:22:15,625 --> 00:22:18,689 versus an inward conversion. 470 00:22:18,689 --> 00:22:23,945 And, I'd like us to move to Matthew, chapter 5, verse 20. 471 00:22:23,945 --> 00:22:27,510 Go back to Matthew, chapter 5, verse 20, 472 00:22:27,510 --> 00:22:30,117 and, Missy, would you read that for us? 473 00:22:30,117 --> 00:22:34,337 (Missy) I am reading from the New Living Translation: 474 00:22:46,370 --> 00:22:48,417 (Stephanie) So, I think this is coming back 475 00:22:48,417 --> 00:22:50,235 to what Juliana was saying. 476 00:22:50,235 --> 00:22:53,411 People expect something more 477 00:22:53,411 --> 00:22:57,179 than just a check off, right? 478 00:22:57,179 --> 00:22:58,999 They want something real. 479 00:22:58,999 --> 00:23:05,168 (Olric) But it's not just the realness. 480 00:23:05,168 --> 00:23:06,371 Notice here he says, 481 00:23:06,371 --> 00:23:08,276 "Unless your righteousness 482 00:23:08,276 --> 00:23:11,668 exceeds their righteousness, what was 483 00:23:11,668 --> 00:23:14,593 their righteousness that was not sufficient for God? 484 00:23:14,593 --> 00:23:16,441 Their righteousness...mind you, 485 00:23:16,441 --> 00:23:18,085 righteousness means "right doing." 486 00:23:18,085 --> 00:23:21,884 So, they had the outward expression 487 00:23:21,884 --> 00:23:25,136 of doing right, but at the same time 488 00:23:25,136 --> 00:23:27,552 the inward conversion was not there. 489 00:23:27,552 --> 00:23:30,709 What they were doing was not from a heart 490 00:23:30,709 --> 00:23:34,760 that genuinely loved God and loved people. 491 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:38,109 So you find that a lot of what was being done 492 00:23:38,109 --> 00:23:40,996 looked right to the folks on the outside, 493 00:23:40,996 --> 00:23:43,803 but God knew that the heart was not transformed. 494 00:23:43,803 --> 00:23:46,497 So, Jesus is saying,"It's not just 495 00:23:46,497 --> 00:23:49,184 to do right on the outside; I want 496 00:23:49,184 --> 00:23:52,478 your heart to be in the right condition also." 497 00:23:52,478 --> 00:23:54,795 That means that your actions 498 00:23:54,795 --> 00:23:57,400 will be inspired and motivated 499 00:23:57,400 --> 00:23:59,830 by the right desires. 500 00:23:59,830 --> 00:24:01,753 (Stephanie) So, it starts in the heart, 501 00:24:01,753 --> 00:24:05,696 it starts in the mind, and then our actions follow. 502 00:24:05,696 --> 00:24:06,927 Go ahead. 503 00:24:06,927 --> 00:24:09,083 (Kyle) I'm just going to add onto what he said 504 00:24:09,083 --> 00:24:11,157 because the Pharisees, they had a scale. 505 00:24:11,157 --> 00:24:14,499 They said, "Okay, this is a sin and this is worse and worse and worse, 506 00:24:14,499 --> 00:24:15,655 and this is a good deed, 507 00:24:15,655 --> 00:24:18,660 and this one's really good, and this one's really, really good." 508 00:24:18,660 --> 00:24:21,945 And they almost would balance and say, "If your good deeds outweighed 509 00:24:21,945 --> 00:24:24,854 your bad deeds, then you earned righteousness in God's sight." 510 00:24:24,854 --> 00:24:28,187 So, it was this whole outward way of building up themselves, basically, 511 00:24:28,187 --> 00:24:30,528 to feel like they were good and accepted by God. 512 00:24:30,528 --> 00:24:33,256 But Jesus comes, and He says, "That's not what it's about. 513 00:24:33,256 --> 00:24:35,743 Every amount of human righteousness is inadequate." 514 00:24:35,743 --> 00:24:38,873 The only thing is the true heart righteousness 515 00:24:38,873 --> 00:24:40,903 that you were talking about, Pastor Derek. 516 00:24:40,903 --> 00:24:42,573 That is only from the Holy Spirit. 517 00:24:42,573 --> 00:24:44,165 And that's a total transformation 518 00:24:44,165 --> 00:24:46,223 of character; true perfection in God's eyes. 519 00:24:46,233 --> 00:24:48,509 (Stephanie) By the way, 520 00:24:48,509 --> 00:24:49,856 we look at it, and we say, 521 00:24:49,856 --> 00:24:52,728 "Oh, it has to exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees." 522 00:24:52,728 --> 00:24:54,679 Well, we know what the righteousness 523 00:24:54,679 --> 00:24:56,124 of the Pharisees looked like, 524 00:24:56,124 --> 00:24:58,060 but for those who were listening, 525 00:24:58,060 --> 00:25:00,820 the Pharisees were on a high level. 526 00:25:00,820 --> 00:25:01,775 (Team) Right. 527 00:25:01,775 --> 00:25:03,876 (Stephanie) So, for them, they were 528 00:25:03,876 --> 00:25:06,532 thinking, "Whoa! For us to exceed that -- 529 00:25:06,532 --> 00:25:09,673 we can't even match them! 530 00:25:09,673 --> 00:25:11,753 How do we exceed that?" 531 00:25:11,753 --> 00:25:14,403 So, what is Jesus trying to teach? 532 00:25:14,403 --> 00:25:18,925 Also another question that I would have, too, is that, 533 00:25:18,925 --> 00:25:23,405 have you ever tried to earn the favor of Christ, of God? 534 00:25:23,405 --> 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 --> 00:25:30,216 Please be willing to share, I hope, 537 00:25:30,216 --> 00:25:34,742 a time when maybe you've tried to do that. 538 00:25:34,742 --> 00:25:38,006 What was that like? Go ahead, Tricia Lee. 539 00:25:38,006 --> 00:25:40,868 (Tricia Lee) Your first question about how could they exceed 540 00:25:40,868 --> 00:25:42,598 the righteousness of the Pharisees. 541 00:25:42,598 --> 00:25:43,939 The Pharisees, you're right. 542 00:25:43,939 --> 00:25:46,418 They were very good at doing what the law required, 543 00:25:46,418 --> 00:25:48,639 and the different requirements that they made, 544 00:25:48,639 --> 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 --> 00:25:54,775 And we find that that was what God 547 00:25:54,775 --> 00:25:57,984 was trying to teach them was that, at the heart of the commandments, 548 00:25:57,994 --> 00:25:59,869 loving the Lord more than anything else 549 00:25:59,869 --> 00:26:01,676 and loving your neighbor as yourself, 550 00:26:01,676 --> 00:26:03,564 and they completely missed all of that. 551 00:26:03,564 --> 00:26:07,121 So, the "checking of the boxes" meant nothing because they didn't love God. 552 00:26:07,121 --> 00:26:10,178 They crucified Him, tried to kill Him at every chance they could. 553 00:26:10,178 --> 00:26:13,323 They did not love their neighbors; they were the ones walking past 554 00:26:13,323 --> 00:26:15,392 the Samaritan on the road and these people. 555 00:26:15,392 --> 00:26:17,408 I think that it's hard because, as humans, 556 00:26:17,408 --> 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 --> 00:26:23,867 and you get a good grade, or if you do this then you get a reward. 558 00:26:23,867 --> 00:26:25,786 So, it goes against the way even society 559 00:26:25,786 --> 00:26:28,184 runs and functions, that, if you do something 560 00:26:28,184 --> 00:26:30,842 then you get something. An action has an equal reaction. 561 00:26:30,842 --> 00:26:33,936 But here God is showing us that it really doesn't depend upon you 562 00:26:33,936 --> 00:26:38,025 or me or us, it all has to depend upon Christ, 563 00:26:38,025 --> 00:26:39,772 and that's where the faith comes in. 564 00:26:39,772 --> 00:26:43,230 So, it's the faith, it'is the obedience, it's all depending upon Christ. 565 00:26:43,230 --> 00:26:45,920 It's really His righteousness that's working in us. 566 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:48,501 And I think what happens, at least for me, is that... 567 00:26:48,501 --> 00:26:52,915 and I'm sorry...it's just that once you are honest with yourself, 568 00:26:52,915 --> 00:26:55,859 and when you realize, "I keep trying, and I keep failing, 569 00:26:55,859 --> 00:26:58,472 and that's not good enough," at some point you just have 570 00:26:58,472 --> 00:27:00,962 to get tired of trying and failing, and you realize 571 00:27:00,962 --> 00:27:02,830 it can't depend upon me anymore. 572 00:27:02,830 --> 00:27:05,182 I have to reach out to somebody who I know 573 00:27:05,182 --> 00:27:07,460 was successful in this life, and it was Christ. 574 00:27:07,460 --> 00:27:09,523 (Stephanie) And who has the power to do it. 575 00:27:09,523 --> 00:27:11,024 To get us out of the mess. 576 00:27:11,024 --> 00:27:13,170 And I think we've all been there, haven't we? 577 00:27:13,170 --> 00:27:14,047 (Tricia Lee) Yeah! 578 00:27:14,047 --> 00:27:16,061 (Stephanie) We realize that we need Jesus. 579 00:27:16,061 --> 00:27:17,798 Andrea, you wanted to share? 580 00:27:17,798 --> 00:27:19,672 (Andrea) I only wanted to reflect 581 00:27:19,672 --> 00:27:23,326 a little bit on your question, which was 582 00:27:23,326 --> 00:27:27,695 how would we express if we have been 583 00:27:27,695 --> 00:27:30,972 in a similar situation where we felt 584 00:27:30,972 --> 00:27:32,322 we needed to do something 585 00:27:32,322 --> 00:27:35,162 in order to earn God's favor. 586 00:27:35,162 --> 00:27:38,306 And I recall I was a teenager 587 00:27:38,306 --> 00:27:41,616 and have sat in church many times 588 00:27:41,616 --> 00:27:43,885 listening to baptismal appeals 589 00:27:43,885 --> 00:27:51,532 and calls to give our lives to Jesus. 590 00:27:51,532 --> 00:27:53,954 And as the pastor's daughter, 591 00:27:53,954 --> 00:27:57,912 it was something I would listen to very frequently. 592 00:27:57,912 --> 00:28:02,021 However, I had the feeling or a tendency 593 00:28:02,021 --> 00:28:05,377 of thinking that I have to be 594 00:28:05,377 --> 00:28:08,577 very prepared to make that step. 595 00:28:08,577 --> 00:28:13,903 So for years I have resisted the call, 596 00:28:13,903 --> 00:28:16,160 and I have considered 597 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:18,769 I'm not ready yet, or I'm not good enough... 598 00:28:18,769 --> 00:28:20,069 (Stephanie) Wow. 599 00:28:20,069 --> 00:28:25,508 (Andrea) ...until I was 17 when I started 600 00:28:25,508 --> 00:28:28,399 to meditate more upon this decision, 601 00:28:28,399 --> 00:28:31,990 and decided I have to make this step 602 00:28:31,990 --> 00:28:34,822 even if I'm not feeling quite ready, 603 00:28:34,822 --> 00:28:37,501 and the Lord will take care of the rest. 604 00:28:37,501 --> 00:28:38,387 (Stephanie) Amen. 605 00:28:38,387 --> 00:28:40,272 (Andrea) I cannot tell you how blessed 606 00:28:40,272 --> 00:28:41,522 I felt afterwards. 607 00:28:41,522 --> 00:28:43,738 It was the best decision of my life. 608 00:28:43,738 --> 00:28:45,931 (Stephanie, Team) Amen. 609 00:28:45,931 --> 00:28:47,625 (Derek) You know what Jesus said, 610 00:28:47,625 --> 00:28:50,385 Stephanie, in the Sermon on the Mount just a little later. 611 00:28:50,385 --> 00:28:52,590 He said, "Seek first the Kingdom 612 00:28:52,590 --> 00:28:54,720 and His righteousness." 613 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:55,739 (Stephanie) Yes. 614 00:28:55,739 --> 00:28:57,498 (Derek) And really what Tricia Lee 615 00:28:57,498 --> 00:28:59,764 is saying is righteousness is a gift, 616 00:28:59,764 --> 00:29:01,663 back to that miracle of new creation 617 00:29:01,663 --> 00:29:03,827 that we talked about in a previous study. 618 00:29:03,827 --> 00:29:07,360 God is going to change us from the inside 619 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:12,487 so that we are motivated by love, 620 00:29:12,487 --> 00:29:14,507 even in the keeping of the Commandments. 621 00:29:14,507 --> 00:29:16,965 Love to God and love to those around us. 622 00:29:16,965 --> 00:29:19,800 And that's a miracle of the new creation. 623 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:23,115 (Stephanie) And I believe John, chapter 14:15 624 00:29:23,115 --> 00:29:25,109 tells us a little bit about that. 625 00:29:25,109 --> 00:29:29,229 John, chapter 14, verse 15. 626 00:29:29,229 --> 00:29:31,294 And, Nathan, would you be willing 627 00:29:31,294 --> 00:29:34,823 to read that for us? John, chapter 14, verse 15. 628 00:29:34,823 --> 00:29:37,663 (Nathan) Right. I'm reading from the New King James Version. 629 00:29:37,663 --> 00:29:41,794 John 14 and verse 15: 630 00:29:46,142 --> 00:29:48,445 (Stephanie) Wow. Very simple, right? 631 00:29:48,445 --> 00:29:49,829 (Team Member) Very plain. 632 00:29:49,829 --> 00:29:54,651 (Stephanie) So, how does your attitude 633 00:29:54,651 --> 00:29:58,142 towards God's law change when you have 634 00:29:58,142 --> 00:30:02,106 this trusting, loving relationship 635 00:30:02,106 --> 00:30:06,507 with Jesus as your Savior and your Lord? 636 00:30:06,507 --> 00:30:10,530 How does that change? Olric. 637 00:30:10,530 --> 00:30:13,006 (Olric) You want to keep it because, 638 00:30:13,006 --> 00:30:15,823 when you have this love relationship with God, 639 00:30:15,823 --> 00:30:17,701 I compare it to a marriage. 640 00:30:17,701 --> 00:30:20,466 You know, for those who are married here on the set. 641 00:30:20,466 --> 00:30:23,155 You know, you have your spouse, 642 00:30:23,155 --> 00:30:25,515 you exchange vows and so forth. 643 00:30:25,515 --> 00:30:27,371 And, you know, some folks, 644 00:30:27,371 --> 00:30:30,508 they may be married for 30 years, 40 years, 50 years, 645 00:30:30,508 --> 00:30:33,247 and sometimes you question and you ask them, 646 00:30:33,247 --> 00:30:36,250 "How did you 'guys' maintain that relationship, 647 00:30:36,250 --> 00:30:39,923 that connection, the obedience to the vows?" 648 00:30:39,923 --> 00:30:41,466 And they just say to me, 649 00:30:41,466 --> 00:30:44,222 "It's very simple: I love the other person. 650 00:30:44,222 --> 00:30:45,994 That's why I do what I do." 651 00:30:45,994 --> 00:30:48,851 So, when you are in that love relationship 652 00:30:48,851 --> 00:30:51,334 with God, you want to do the things 653 00:30:51,334 --> 00:30:55,532 that pleases Him the same way He likes 654 00:30:55,532 --> 00:30:58,153 doing things that blesses you. 655 00:30:58,153 --> 00:31:01,709 So, you are motivated by a love for God, 656 00:31:01,709 --> 00:31:04,887 that is what really propels you to obedience. 657 00:31:04,887 --> 00:31:06,178 (Stephanie) The heart's been changed. 658 00:31:06,178 --> 00:31:07,252 (Olric) The heart's been changed. 659 00:31:07,252 --> 00:31:09,677 (Stephanie) The heart's been changed. Missy and then Nathan. 660 00:31:09,677 --> 00:31:12,509 (Missy) I see Scripture as God 661 00:31:12,509 --> 00:31:16,110 in continual pursuit of humanity, 662 00:31:16,110 --> 00:31:19,360 "Look at me; look at my face; 663 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:21,120 look at what I've done for you. 664 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,280 Please, keep your attention on me. 665 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:25,240 Look at what I've said in My Word. 666 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:26,511 Get to know me." 667 00:31:26,511 --> 00:31:27,771 (Stephanie) Yes. 668 00:31:27,772 --> 00:31:31,626 (Missy) When we are able to hone in on that, 669 00:31:31,626 --> 00:31:36,096 the Law is a natural result of the relationship. 670 00:31:36,096 --> 00:31:38,503 (Stephanie) Powerful. Nathan. 671 00:31:38,503 --> 00:31:42,448 (Nathan) Well, I love this woman. 672 00:31:42,448 --> 00:31:44,638 (Derek) You better tell the people 673 00:31:44,638 --> 00:31:49,219 that that's your wife. 674 00:31:49,219 --> 00:31:51,661 (Nathan) This is my wife, and, you know, 675 00:31:51,661 --> 00:31:56,723 if I do something that hurts her, that hurts me. 676 00:31:56,723 --> 00:31:58,767 To see my wife hurting 677 00:31:58,767 --> 00:32:01,275 because of something I've done 678 00:32:01,275 --> 00:32:02,853 would break my heart. 679 00:32:02,853 --> 00:32:05,301 So when we're in love with the Lord, 680 00:32:05,301 --> 00:32:08,337 we realize that when we break His Law we're hurting Him. 681 00:32:08,337 --> 00:32:11,001 He's given us His Law because He wants us to be happy. 682 00:32:11,001 --> 00:32:12,125 (Stephanie) Yes. 683 00:32:12,125 --> 00:32:14,166 (Nathan) And when I wander away 684 00:32:14,166 --> 00:32:16,765 from that Law that He's given, 685 00:32:16,765 --> 00:32:18,726 which is a Law of freedom, a Law of liberty, 686 00:32:18,726 --> 00:32:21,196 and it's a Law that brings joy to my life, 687 00:32:21,196 --> 00:32:24,021 I know that not only am I hurting myself, 688 00:32:24,021 --> 00:32:25,741 but I'm hurting Him. 689 00:32:25,741 --> 00:32:26,563 (Stephanie) Yes. 690 00:32:26,563 --> 00:32:28,071 (Nathan) So my love for Him just propels 691 00:32:28,071 --> 00:32:30,388 me into naturally obeying the Law 692 00:32:30,388 --> 00:32:32,008 because I don't want to break His heart; 693 00:32:32,008 --> 00:32:33,311 I don't want to hurt Him, as well. 694 00:32:33,311 --> 00:32:36,184 (Stephanie) Okay, Joshua, and then 695 00:32:36,184 --> 00:32:38,264 we'll go to Tricia Lee, and then we have to move on. 696 00:32:38,264 --> 00:32:40,593 (Joshua) I believe that we not only serve 697 00:32:40,593 --> 00:32:43,267 a holy God but we serve a practical God. 698 00:32:43,267 --> 00:32:45,445 So, when I look at His Commandments, 699 00:32:45,445 --> 00:32:48,310 I see that even if I weren't a Christian 700 00:32:48,310 --> 00:32:52,318 it would be in my best interest to still keep these Commandments. 701 00:32:52,318 --> 00:32:53,418 (Stephanie) Amen. 702 00:32:53,418 --> 00:32:55,688 (Joshua) So, if you think about what it 703 00:32:55,688 --> 00:32:57,765 would be like to murder someone, and what 704 00:32:57,765 --> 00:32:59,559 you would have to live with after that, 705 00:32:59,559 --> 00:33:01,641 if you know what it feels like 706 00:33:01,641 --> 00:33:03,983 to commit adultery and see the effects 707 00:33:03,983 --> 00:33:06,563 of that trickling after, if you look 708 00:33:06,563 --> 00:33:08,680 at each and every Law, you'll see, 709 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:11,275 "Wait a minute. He's not telling me 710 00:33:11,275 --> 00:33:13,505 to keep these Laws as hoops to jump through 711 00:33:13,505 --> 00:33:15,461 in order to make it into Heaven," 712 00:33:15,461 --> 00:33:23,194 but it's for our own good and for our best interest to keep these Laws. 713 00:33:23,194 --> 00:33:24,166 (Stephanie) Yes. 714 00:33:24,166 --> 00:33:27,123 (Tricia Lee) Something that Missy 715 00:33:27,123 --> 00:33:29,424 and Joshua mentioned about getting to know God 716 00:33:29,424 --> 00:33:30,697 and what's in our best interest, 717 00:33:30,697 --> 00:33:35,091 I think that the Devil's deception is that we would think of God as someone 718 00:33:35,091 --> 00:33:37,375 who is out to get us, someone that cannot be trusted. 719 00:33:37,375 --> 00:33:40,782 And if He's a Being that is not to be trusted or, you know, 720 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 721 00:33:44,942 --> 00:33:47,588 about His Laws, what's not good for me. 722 00:33:47,588 --> 00:33:49,504 When we do exactly what Missy is saying, 723 00:33:49,574 --> 00:33:52,208 try to get to know Him, allow Him to enter our lives, and we see who He is, 724 00:33:52,208 --> 00:33:55,418 like, how Jesus came, the best example, a revelation of the Father, 725 00:33:55,418 --> 00:33:58,571 He lived a whole life, when we see the life of Christ, 726 00:33:58,571 --> 00:34:00,818 how could we not want to be more like Him? 727 00:34:00,818 --> 00:34:04,086 How could we not want to see truly who the Father is, 728 00:34:04,086 --> 00:34:06,360 and then everything He's saying starts to make sense as things 729 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:09,880 for our best interest, as things that will help us 730 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:11,781 be in a loving relationship with Him. 731 00:34:11,781 --> 00:34:14,170 So even Christ coming and expounding and fulfilling the Law 732 00:34:14,170 --> 00:34:17,323 was us seeing the Father as who He really is, not the deception, 733 00:34:17,323 --> 00:34:21,054 not the lies, the angry God with lightening and thunderbolts. 734 00:34:21,054 --> 00:34:23,029 When we see that, then the Law starts to be something beautiful 735 00:34:23,029 --> 00:34:26,252 for our best interest and something that helps us be in a good, loving, 736 00:34:26,252 --> 00:34:28,042 strong relationship with Him. 737 00:34:28,042 --> 00:34:29,324 (Stephanie) We have full confidence... 738 00:34:29,324 --> 00:34:30,636 (Tricia Lee) Yeah, yeah. 739 00:34:30,636 --> 00:34:32,627 (Stephanie) ...that He has the best interest in mind. 740 00:34:32,627 --> 00:34:35,422 We need to move on to God's ideal 741 00:34:35,422 --> 00:34:37,216 for His children, which somewhat connects 742 00:34:37,216 --> 00:34:39,201 with what we've already been speaking about. 743 00:34:39,201 --> 00:34:42,896 Matthew, chapter 5, verse 48, and, Nicole, 744 00:34:42,896 --> 00:34:44,424 if you would be willing to read that 745 00:34:44,424 --> 00:34:46,800 for us, and then we'll follow it up 746 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:52,793 with Luke 6:36, and, Nancy, if you would read that one after Matthew 5:48. 747 00:34:52,793 --> 00:34:54,355 (Nicole) Okay, Matthew 5:48. 748 00:34:54,355 --> 00:34:58,222 I'm reading it from the New International Version, and the Bible says: 749 00:35:01,352 --> 00:35:05,253 (Stephanie) And then Luke 6:36. 750 00:35:05,253 --> 00:35:10,093 We're looking at these two in conjunction with each other. 751 00:35:10,093 --> 00:35:14,612 (Nancy) Okay, and this is from the New King James Version. 752 00:35:21,812 --> 00:35:26,114 (Stephanie) All right, what is Jesus asking us to do? 753 00:35:26,114 --> 00:35:29,199 (Olric) Be like God. 754 00:35:29,199 --> 00:35:30,489 (Stephanie) To be like God. 755 00:35:30,489 --> 00:35:34,441 He's asking us, may I mention it this way: 756 00:35:34,441 --> 00:35:40,776 He's asking us to do the impossible without Him. 757 00:35:40,776 --> 00:35:44,391 It would be impossible without Him. 758 00:35:44,391 --> 00:35:45,945 You understand what I'm saying? 759 00:35:45,945 --> 00:35:49,518 But He's giving us the strength to do it, 760 00:35:49,518 --> 00:35:53,680 so, it's not impossible, but without Him, 761 00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:56,822 if we're trying to do it as only head knowledge, 762 00:35:56,822 --> 00:35:59,102 it is going to be impossible. 763 00:35:59,102 --> 00:36:00,428 (Derek) And, you know, Stephanie, 764 00:36:00,428 --> 00:36:01,960 sometimes people read that like, 765 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:04,281 "Be perfect," and think that's the way to 766 00:36:04,281 --> 00:36:06,392 make God love us, right? 767 00:36:06,392 --> 00:36:07,680 Never quite good enough. 768 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:10,022 That's not what it's saying at all. 769 00:36:10,022 --> 00:36:11,085 (Stephanie) Right. 770 00:36:11,085 --> 00:36:12,979 (Derek) That's why Luke's wording 771 00:36:12,979 --> 00:36:14,509 is different is important. 772 00:36:14,509 --> 00:36:17,589 He's saying, "I want you to reflect 773 00:36:17,589 --> 00:36:18,815 the beauty of my Father's character." 774 00:36:18,815 --> 00:36:20,183 And what does it look like? 775 00:36:20,183 --> 00:36:21,973 Jesus said, "If you want to know 776 00:36:21,973 --> 00:36:23,075 what the Father is like, look at Me." 777 00:36:23,075 --> 00:36:27,380 So, He's saying, "I want you to reflect my character to the world," 778 00:36:27,380 --> 00:36:30,773 and that is not to earn His love. 779 00:36:30,773 --> 00:36:34,607 He already loves us. It's out of that loving relationship. 780 00:36:34,607 --> 00:36:38,104 (Stephanie) Yes. Go ahead, you wanted to say something. 781 00:36:38,104 --> 00:36:39,475 (Andrea) I also wanted to add 782 00:36:39,475 --> 00:36:43,456 to what Elder Morris said, 783 00:36:43,456 --> 00:36:46,856 that this perfection that God is calling us to 784 00:36:46,856 --> 00:36:52,130 is not so much a state of sinlessness 785 00:36:52,130 --> 00:36:55,924 as the spiritual maturity to which we need 786 00:36:55,924 --> 00:37:00,417 to attain, and the Lord can help us to attain that. 787 00:37:00,417 --> 00:37:01,653 And, of course, at each state 788 00:37:01,653 --> 00:37:03,865 of the Christain's experience, 789 00:37:03,865 --> 00:37:07,187 there is a different level of maturity 790 00:37:07,187 --> 00:37:12,597 because what is perfect for a grade one student to add 2 + 2 791 00:37:12,597 --> 00:37:15,515 is not perfect for a grade five student 792 00:37:15,515 --> 00:37:17,249 or a grade eight student. 793 00:37:17,265 --> 00:37:21,057 So this perfection is where we are at; 794 00:37:21,057 --> 00:37:26,320 if we just fulfill what God requires us to do at that stage, 795 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:29,571 we have attained to God's ideal. 796 00:37:29,571 --> 00:37:30,983 (Stephanie) Amen. All right, Olric. 797 00:37:30,983 --> 00:37:33,635 (Olric) Let me encapsulate what she's saying. 798 00:37:33,635 --> 00:37:37,889 At each stage, God reveals light to us. 799 00:37:37,889 --> 00:37:40,701 He reveals more of Himself to us. 800 00:37:40,701 --> 00:37:44,072 Perfection that is being talked about here 801 00:37:44,072 --> 00:37:48,670 is the progressive state of growth, Christian maturity. 802 00:37:48,670 --> 00:37:51,139 A plant starts out as a seedling, 803 00:37:51,139 --> 00:37:54,799 but then it grows to a big tree and bears fruit. 804 00:37:54,799 --> 00:37:57,865 A baby starts off walking on fours 805 00:37:57,865 --> 00:38:01,857 and mumbling, but eventually they grow, and they walk on legs, 806 00:38:01,857 --> 00:38:05,066 and now they can talk well and do things for themselves. 807 00:38:05,066 --> 00:38:06,995 There is maturing; there is growth. 808 00:38:06,995 --> 00:38:12,641 God's ideal of perfection is that you should continually grow. 809 00:38:12,641 --> 00:38:15,026 Not that you reach a stage here, 810 00:38:15,026 --> 00:38:18,232 where, "Hah! You're perfect. Now you don't need to go any further." 811 00:38:18,232 --> 00:38:19,237 No. 812 00:38:19,237 --> 00:38:23,254 His idea of perfection is progressive Christian maturity. 813 00:38:23,254 --> 00:38:25,449 (Stephanie) So, let me... Go ahead, go ahead, Kyle. 814 00:38:25,449 --> 00:38:28,513 (Kyle) You know, somebody might be worried, 815 00:38:28,513 --> 00:38:31,809 "Well, I'm not perfect, and I have all these faults," 816 00:38:31,809 --> 00:38:35,476 and my only thing I think we could all say: "Look to Jesus." 817 00:38:35,476 --> 00:38:36,540 (Stephanie/Team) Yes. 818 00:38:36,540 --> 00:38:38,608 (Kyle) Look to Jesus, because Jesus, 819 00:38:38,608 --> 00:38:40,248 as we look to Him, "If ye love Me, 820 00:38:40,248 --> 00:38:41,529 keep My Commandments," He says. 821 00:38:41,529 --> 00:38:44,534 The only way that we can truly grow 822 00:38:44,534 --> 00:38:46,146 in likeness to Him is to fall in love 823 00:38:46,146 --> 00:38:47,668 with Him, and how do we fall in love with Him? 824 00:38:47,668 --> 00:38:49,491 By looking to Him, spending time with Him. 825 00:38:49,491 --> 00:38:50,529 (Stephanie/Team) Yes. 826 00:38:50,529 --> 00:38:51,771 (Kyle) That is so key because otherwise 827 00:38:51,771 --> 00:38:53,435 we're just going to try to earn our righteousness, 828 00:38:53,435 --> 00:38:54,933 and that will never get us anywhere. 829 00:38:54,933 --> 00:38:56,621 So we must look to Jesus. 830 00:38:56,621 --> 00:38:58,023 (Derek/Team) Amen. Yes. 831 00:38:58,023 --> 00:38:59,264 (Stephanie) Beautiful, beautiful. 832 00:38:59,264 --> 00:39:01,255 So my question, I think we already have 833 00:39:01,255 --> 00:39:03,029 an answer for it, but my question is: 834 00:39:03,029 --> 00:39:05,725 Is this a means of salvation 835 00:39:05,725 --> 00:39:08,855 or an evidence of a living, loving connection with Jesus? 836 00:39:08,855 --> 00:39:09,952 (Olric) Simple. 837 00:39:09,952 --> 00:39:13,546 it's an evidence of a living connection 838 00:39:13,546 --> 00:39:16,376 with Jesus, not a means to salvation. 839 00:39:16,376 --> 00:39:17,468 (Stephanie) All right. 840 00:39:17,468 --> 00:39:20,279 Will you share with us a verse that supports that? 841 00:39:20,279 --> 00:39:22,051 (Olric) Galatians 2, verses... 842 00:39:22,051 --> 00:39:23,534 (Stephanie) Galatians, chapter 2. 843 00:39:23,534 --> 00:39:24,955 So, Olric, you'll go ahead and read 844 00:39:24,955 --> 00:39:27,296 Galatians, chapter 2, I believe, 20 and 21. 845 00:39:27,296 --> 00:39:33,267 (Olric) Galatians, chapter 2, verses 20 and 21? 846 00:39:33,267 --> 00:39:34,397 (Stephanie) Yes. 847 00:39:34,397 --> 00:39:40,000 (Olric) Reading from the New Living Translation, 848 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:43,090 the Word of God says: 849 00:40:10,169 --> 00:40:11,171 (Stephanie) Wow. 850 00:40:11,171 --> 00:40:14,736 Another verse, another promise that we can share. 851 00:40:14,736 --> 00:40:18,145 Someone out there, as Kyle was saying, 852 00:40:18,145 --> 00:40:22,857 may be wondering, "How do I do this?" 853 00:40:22,857 --> 00:40:24,455 "How is this practical?" 854 00:40:24,455 --> 00:40:25,481 Yes. 855 00:40:25,481 --> 00:40:28,675 (Derek) Let me just say people may not know who wrote the Galatian letter, 856 00:40:28,675 --> 00:40:32,228 but Saul of Tarsus, later called Paul the Apostle, 857 00:40:32,228 --> 00:40:35,839 he had gone down that road of trying to earn righteousness. 858 00:40:35,839 --> 00:40:36,923 (Stephanie/Team): Yes. 859 00:40:36,923 --> 00:40:39,710 (Derek) He said, "I was flawless," you know? 860 00:40:39,710 --> 00:40:42,229 But he was killing people who believe in Jesus. 861 00:40:42,229 --> 00:40:43,844 (Stephanie) Yes. 862 00:40:43,844 --> 00:40:46,990 (Derek) So, he understands the miracle of his changed heart. 863 00:40:46,990 --> 00:40:48,766 And I just want to emphasize, 864 00:40:48,766 --> 00:40:51,092 I know it is one stage and then another, 865 00:40:51,092 --> 00:40:53,584 but it's a miracle at every stage. 866 00:40:53,584 --> 00:40:54,623 (Stephanie/Team): Amen. Yes. 867 00:40:54,623 --> 00:40:58,787 (Derek) For us to be who God's calling us to be, is a miracle. 868 00:40:58,787 --> 00:40:59,660 (Stephanie) It is. 869 00:40:59,660 --> 00:41:01,097 (Derek) And Paul would be the first one 870 00:41:01,097 --> 00:41:02,856 to say that it is a miracle. 871 00:41:02,856 --> 00:41:05,212 That's why he says that if anyone is in Christ, 872 00:41:05,212 --> 00:41:06,947 she or he is a new creation. 873 00:41:06,947 --> 00:41:08,026 (Stephanie) Amen. 874 00:41:08,026 --> 00:41:09,541 (Derek) Because he's seen it himself. 875 00:41:09,541 --> 00:41:10,895 (Stephanie) Amen. 876 00:41:10,895 --> 00:41:13,375 (Olric) It's key that in that verse 877 00:41:13,375 --> 00:41:16,426 is mentioned Christ now lives in me. 878 00:41:16,426 --> 00:41:19,931 He says, "It is no longer I who live, but I died. 879 00:41:19,931 --> 00:41:22,684 I surrender self and the old way, 880 00:41:22,684 --> 00:41:25,321 and I accept Christ in my heart, 881 00:41:25,321 --> 00:41:27,828 and He changes me internally. 882 00:41:27,828 --> 00:41:31,849 Now what I do is motivated by love." 883 00:41:31,849 --> 00:41:34,728 So, it is very important to see the transformation. 884 00:41:34,728 --> 00:41:36,168 (Stephanie) Would you share with us 885 00:41:36,168 --> 00:41:38,382 a time when you experienced 886 00:41:38,382 --> 00:41:43,407 or you saw someone who represented 887 00:41:43,407 --> 00:41:44,783 the character of Christ. 888 00:41:44,783 --> 00:41:46,720 What impact did that have on you? 889 00:41:46,720 --> 00:41:52,009 You saw someone had the character of Christ. 890 00:41:52,009 --> 00:41:55,623 What was the impact on you, or what was 891 00:41:55,623 --> 00:41:57,729 the impact when someone saw 892 00:41:57,729 --> 00:42:00,544 the character of Christ in you? 893 00:42:00,544 --> 00:42:02,548 What impact did that have on you? 894 00:42:02,548 --> 00:42:06,299 (Derek) Stephanie, I was 7 years old... 895 00:42:06,299 --> 00:42:07,515 (Stephanie) Go ahead. 896 00:42:07,515 --> 00:42:09,519 (Derek) Oh good, if I can just share real briefly. 897 00:42:09,519 --> 00:42:13,318 ...and my teacher in Form 2 (this is back in the UK) 898 00:42:13,318 --> 00:42:15,822 was full of the love of Jesus. 899 00:42:15,822 --> 00:42:19,031 I was only privileged to go 900 00:42:19,031 --> 00:42:20,602 to a Christian school for four years, 901 00:42:20,602 --> 00:42:24,240 but that one year with Christine Emmerson 902 00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:27,418 my teacher changed my life... 903 00:42:27,418 --> 00:42:28,508 (Stephanie) Wow. 904 00:42:28,508 --> 00:42:30,670 (Derek) ...because she was full of the love of God. 905 00:42:30,670 --> 00:42:34,393 And when you see that, and I think 906 00:42:34,393 --> 00:42:37,850 that's the ultimate witness, it's not just what we say. 907 00:42:37,850 --> 00:42:41,845 When the love of God fills a heart, 908 00:42:41,845 --> 00:42:46,530 we just say, "I just want to be like that," 909 00:42:46,530 --> 00:42:48,441 and that person says, "Well, I'm 910 00:42:48,441 --> 00:42:50,736 a follower of Jesus, so follow Him." 911 00:42:50,736 --> 00:42:51,781 (Stephanie) Amen. 912 00:42:51,781 --> 00:42:54,687 Reflecting the light of Jesus. Nancy. 913 00:42:54,687 --> 00:42:59,291 (Nancy) My dad is full of the love of Jesus. 914 00:42:59,291 --> 00:43:05,122 And, you know, what he does is he studies 915 00:43:05,122 --> 00:43:07,450 the Bible in the morning, a chapter 916 00:43:07,450 --> 00:43:10,125 in the morning, and a chapter 917 00:43:10,125 --> 00:43:12,977 in the evening, a chapter in the New, a chapter in the Old. 918 00:43:12,977 --> 00:43:14,650 I like to think about it 919 00:43:14,650 --> 00:43:19,521 as him "marinating" his life in Jesus, you know? 920 00:43:19,521 --> 00:43:23,467 It's a cooking term, when you take 921 00:43:23,467 --> 00:43:27,265 some meat or some tofu, and you put it, 922 00:43:27,265 --> 00:43:32,180 you know, in all of those sauces and things. 923 00:43:32,180 --> 00:43:33,685 Well, that's what he does with his life, 924 00:43:33,685 --> 00:43:37,613 and so everything he does is covered in Jesus. 925 00:43:37,613 --> 00:43:38,643 (Team) Amen. 926 00:43:38,643 --> 00:43:42,863 (Nancy) He's been a great example to me. 927 00:43:42,863 --> 00:43:44,090 (Derek/Stephanie) Amen. 928 00:43:44,090 --> 00:43:45,419 (Team) Praise God. 929 00:43:45,419 --> 00:43:48,757 (Stephanie) I'm guessing that he's been 930 00:43:48,757 --> 00:43:50,367 on his knees praying often, 931 00:43:50,367 --> 00:43:54,206 and I think that's the section that 932 00:43:54,206 --> 00:43:55,466 we want to move into next. 933 00:43:55,466 --> 00:43:57,245 We've talked about the head knowledge, 934 00:43:57,245 --> 00:44:00,215 and that it reaches our hearts, 935 00:44:00,215 --> 00:44:04,279 and, as a result, our hands or our actions 936 00:44:04,279 --> 00:44:07,310 produce what has already happened inside. 937 00:44:07,310 --> 00:44:09,600 Now we are going to talk about how we sustain that, 938 00:44:09,600 --> 00:44:13,348 and that is by spending time with God in prayer. 939 00:44:13,348 --> 00:44:17,440 So, Juliana, if you would read 940 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:21,807 Matthew, chapter 6, verses 5 through 13. 941 00:44:21,807 --> 00:44:27,583 Matthew chapter 6, verses 5 through 13, 942 00:44:27,583 --> 00:44:31,657 talking about Jesus teaching on prayer. 943 00:44:31,657 --> 00:44:35,387 (Juliana) I'm reading from the New King James Version: 944 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:52,651 (Stephanie/Team) Amen. 945 00:45:52,651 --> 00:45:54,968 (Stephanie) What important lessons 946 00:45:54,968 --> 00:45:57,916 can we learn about prayer from Jesus' example? 947 00:45:57,916 --> 00:46:01,330 Go ahead, Tricia Lee. 948 00:46:01,330 --> 00:46:05,528 (Tricia Lee) I like that we're counseled not to have vain repetitions, 949 00:46:05,528 --> 00:46:09,812 so, there were practices that heathens had at the time but also was part 950 00:46:09,812 --> 00:46:12,344 of the religious practices to repeat certain things. 951 00:46:12,344 --> 00:46:14,970 "The more I say it, then the more likely God will hear," 952 00:46:14,970 --> 00:46:20,682 but here this model, in its simplest way, is a conversation. 953 00:46:20,682 --> 00:46:23,883 I think, even in talking to God, we are acknowledging that He's hearing us. 954 00:46:23,883 --> 00:46:27,120 We're not just saying phrases out, and hoping they go somewhere. 955 00:46:27,120 --> 00:46:30,254 We're actually speaking to another Being who can hear and understand 956 00:46:30,254 --> 00:46:32,190 and wants to have a conversation with us. 957 00:46:32,190 --> 00:46:33,564 (Stephanie) So, we have full confidence 958 00:46:33,564 --> 00:46:35,904 in the Person that we love and trust. 959 00:46:35,904 --> 00:46:36,934 (Tricia Lee) Yes. 960 00:46:36,934 --> 00:46:37,878 (Stephanie) Amen. 961 00:46:37,878 --> 00:46:39,335 Nathan, and then we'll go to Olric. 962 00:46:39,335 --> 00:46:40,655 (Nathan) I can't miss the distinction 963 00:46:40,655 --> 00:46:43,307 Jesus is making between people who pray 964 00:46:43,307 --> 00:46:47,245 to be seen by others, and it's not just 965 00:46:47,245 --> 00:46:49,733 what they say but where they are when they are saying it. 966 00:46:49,733 --> 00:46:51,030 They're out on the street corners, 967 00:46:51,030 --> 00:46:53,904 versus people who are praying in secret. 968 00:46:53,904 --> 00:46:56,095 He says, "Go into your room and pray 969 00:46:56,095 --> 00:46:57,644 to your Father who is also in secret." 970 00:46:57,644 --> 00:46:59,493 So, in other words, what He's showing us 971 00:46:59,493 --> 00:47:01,723 here is this is an intimate time. 972 00:47:01,723 --> 00:47:05,189 I'm sorry if this sounds a little 973 00:47:05,189 --> 00:47:07,173 too far fetched, but just like 974 00:47:07,173 --> 00:47:09,861 a married couple behind closed doors 975 00:47:09,861 --> 00:47:11,668 and the intimacy that they share. 976 00:47:11,668 --> 00:47:15,858 They are having quiet time or conversation, you know. 977 00:47:15,858 --> 00:47:17,748 No one else is there, and this is 978 00:47:17,748 --> 00:47:19,655 the same way, He says, "With your Father 979 00:47:19,655 --> 00:47:22,604 in Heaven, you are behind closed doors, intimate communion." 980 00:47:22,604 --> 00:47:24,320 It's just you and Him. 981 00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:25,859 You're not showing off to the world. 982 00:47:25,859 --> 00:47:27,223 You're not doing this before others. 983 00:47:27,223 --> 00:47:28,672 You're having quiet time. 984 00:47:28,672 --> 00:47:33,095 So, Jesus wants us to be having 985 00:47:33,095 --> 00:47:34,761 intimate communion with our Father quietly. 986 00:47:34,761 --> 00:47:36,031 (Stephanie) Just to think that 987 00:47:36,031 --> 00:47:38,769 He's willing to spend quiet time with us. 988 00:47:38,769 --> 00:47:39,798 (Team) Amen. 989 00:47:39,798 --> 00:47:41,212 (Stephanie) The God of the universe. 990 00:47:41,212 --> 00:47:43,819 I mean, think about that. That's powerful. 991 00:47:43,819 --> 00:47:46,387 (Olric) It's very key that Nathan 992 00:47:46,387 --> 00:47:51,453 points that out because in verse 16 of that same chapter 993 00:47:51,453 --> 00:47:54,101 He uses the word "hypocrite." 994 00:47:54,101 --> 00:47:56,348 He says, "Don't fast as the hypocrites do." 995 00:47:56,348 --> 00:47:59,340 That word is a key word, 996 00:47:59,340 --> 00:48:01,367 because in the Greek it means an "actor," 997 00:48:01,367 --> 00:48:04,214 you know, someone who puts on a show, a performance. 998 00:48:04,214 --> 00:48:09,104 So, what is Jesus saying about these individuals who pray to be heard 999 00:48:09,104 --> 00:48:13,809 by many people or use many words to look religious and so forth? 1000 00:48:13,809 --> 00:48:15,697 He's saying, "You're just acting," 1001 00:48:15,697 --> 00:48:19,155 and my Bible says to me, "If you harbor 1002 00:48:19,155 --> 00:48:23,375 iniquity in your heart, God will not hear your prayers." 1003 00:48:23,375 --> 00:48:27,252 This was a problem with the religious leaders and those who were doing it 1004 00:48:27,252 --> 00:48:29,688 for outward show; the heart wasn't right. 1005 00:48:29,688 --> 00:48:31,063 (Stephanie) Right, He was asking 1006 00:48:31,063 --> 00:48:32,910 for an inward change. 1007 00:48:32,910 --> 00:48:33,933 Go ahead, Nicole. 1008 00:48:33,933 --> 00:48:36,215 (Nicole) Just to take it a little differently, 1009 00:48:36,215 --> 00:48:38,498 you can also teach someone how to pray, 1010 00:48:38,498 --> 00:48:41,329 so when I look at this verse and I look at this text, 1011 00:48:41,329 --> 00:48:42,929 I think about children and make sure 1012 00:48:42,929 --> 00:48:44,453 that we instill within our children 1013 00:48:44,453 --> 00:48:46,643 the desire to pray and the need to pray. 1014 00:48:46,643 --> 00:48:48,791 We have to teach them how to pray 1015 00:48:48,791 --> 00:48:50,270 and how to spend that time with God, 1016 00:48:50,270 --> 00:48:51,919 so they can then grow to a place 1017 00:48:51,919 --> 00:48:53,969 when they can spend that quiet time in their "closets" 1018 00:48:53,969 --> 00:48:55,582 knowing what they're to say. 1019 00:48:55,582 --> 00:48:57,441 So I think that we should really remember 1020 00:48:57,441 --> 00:48:59,436 that we all have to teach our children how to pray. 1021 00:48:59,436 --> 00:49:00,585 (Stephanie) I agree. 1022 00:49:01,722 --> 00:49:04,332 (Derek) You know, I'm thinking, in the light of what Nathan said, 1023 00:49:04,332 --> 00:49:05,673 in the little book "Steps to Christ," 1024 00:49:05,673 --> 00:49:07,535 it speaks about prayer as the opening 1025 00:49:07,535 --> 00:49:09,548 of the heart to God as to a friend. 1026 00:49:09,548 --> 00:49:11,019 That's very personal. 1027 00:49:11,019 --> 00:49:14,577 Even the Lord's prayer could become 1028 00:49:14,577 --> 00:49:17,217 a vain repetition, if you just repeat it ten times 1029 00:49:17,217 --> 00:49:20,305 and think that God will hear you by saying it ten times. 1030 00:49:21,262 --> 00:49:21,695 In fact, if you look at the Gospels, 1031 00:49:25,255 --> 00:49:26,853 Jesus prays a lot of different prayers. 1032 00:49:26,853 --> 00:49:27,734 (Stephanie) He does. 1033 00:49:27,734 --> 00:49:29,291 (Derek) He is opening His heart to His Father as to a friend. 1034 00:49:29,291 --> 00:49:30,732 And I think what I'm hearing 1035 00:49:30,732 --> 00:49:32,114 in this great Sermon on the Mount, 1036 00:49:32,114 --> 00:49:33,717 just like with loving obedience, 1037 00:49:33,717 --> 00:49:36,701 is when you love God you want to talk to Him. 1038 00:49:36,701 --> 00:49:37,811 (Stephanie) Yes. 1039 00:49:37,811 --> 00:49:39,155 (Derek) And you want to listen, too. 1040 00:49:39,155 --> 00:49:40,997 (Stephanie) You have an open communication. 1041 00:49:40,997 --> 00:49:44,536 Juliana, and then we need to move on. 1042 00:49:44,536 --> 00:49:46,587 (Juliana) I was just going to say really succinctly 1043 00:49:46,587 --> 00:49:48,216 that what this says to me, 1044 00:49:48,216 --> 00:49:50,729 and I guess why I choked up trying to read it, 1045 00:49:50,729 --> 00:49:53,922 was that it says we have a direct connection. 1046 00:49:53,922 --> 00:49:55,061 (Team Member) Amen. 1047 00:49:55,061 --> 00:49:57,059 (Juliana) We don't have anything else in the way. 1048 00:49:57,059 --> 00:49:58,153 (Stephanie) That's right. 1049 00:49:58,153 --> 00:49:59,471 (Juliana) That the God of the universe 1050 00:49:59,471 --> 00:50:04,007 wants to talk to me and wants me to talk to Him. 1051 00:50:04,007 --> 00:50:04,913 (Derek) Amen. 1052 00:50:04,913 --> 00:50:07,334 (Stephanie) Wow, that's powerful. 1053 00:50:07,334 --> 00:50:13,475 Let's move on; Matthew, chapter 7. 1054 00:50:13,475 --> 00:50:14,727 Thank you so much for sharing. 1055 00:50:14,727 --> 00:50:18,282 Matthew, chapter 7, and we'll go to verses 24 to 27, 1056 00:50:18,282 --> 00:50:21,444 and, Jason, would you read that for us? 1057 00:50:21,444 --> 00:50:22,767 Matthew, chapter 7, and we're moving 1058 00:50:22,767 --> 00:50:25,184 into our last section of our study 1059 00:50:25,184 --> 00:50:27,689 that is "Living What We Learn." 1060 00:50:27,689 --> 00:50:28,799 Go ahead. 1061 00:50:28,799 --> 00:50:32,087 (Jason) I'll be reading from the New King James Version, 1062 00:50:32,087 --> 00:50:41,335 Matthew, chapter 7, verse 24 through 27. 1063 00:51:16,446 --> 00:51:21,840 (Stephanie) What is Jesus' appeal in these verse? 1064 00:51:21,840 --> 00:51:24,568 What is Jesus' appeal? Missy. 1065 00:51:24,568 --> 00:51:27,440 (Missy) Trust and obey, Just listen 1066 00:51:27,440 --> 00:51:30,109 to what He has to say and do them. 1067 00:51:30,109 --> 00:51:32,391 It's just simple. 1068 00:51:32,690 --> 00:51:34,604 (Stephanie) Yes. Go ahead, Joshua. 1069 00:51:34,604 --> 00:51:36,260 (Joshua) I would just say to build 1070 00:51:36,260 --> 00:51:37,890 your foundation on Christ. 1071 00:51:37,890 --> 00:51:39,774 Essentially, if you look at family structures, 1072 00:51:39,774 --> 00:51:43,182 it never made sense to me as to why 1073 00:51:43,182 --> 00:51:46,448 atheists get married, you know? 1074 00:51:46,448 --> 00:51:48,103 Think about it just for a second. 1075 00:51:48,103 --> 00:51:49,801 Just picture that in your mind for a minute. 1076 00:51:49,801 --> 00:51:52,486 How is it, if you're not focused 1077 00:51:52,486 --> 00:51:55,868 on the love of Christ and the beauty 1078 00:51:55,868 --> 00:51:58,680 of His Word and the understanding 1079 00:51:58,680 --> 00:51:59,724 of His heart rather than your own, 1080 00:51:59,724 --> 00:52:01,629 how is it that you can unite yourself 1081 00:52:01,629 --> 00:52:04,585 in a marriage and try to build your family 1082 00:52:04,585 --> 00:52:07,232 on a structure that cannot stand, 1083 00:52:07,232 --> 00:52:10,850 that's built on worldly principles that are like sand? 1084 00:52:10,850 --> 00:52:12,577 They can change at any time. 1085 00:52:12,577 --> 00:52:14,333 They are weak. They are futile. 1086 00:52:14,333 --> 00:52:16,828 So, when I think about that in my own life, 1087 00:52:16,828 --> 00:52:20,667 I say, "Okay, I have to build my foundation on Christ." 1088 00:52:20,667 --> 00:52:21,688 (Stephanie) Amen. 1089 00:52:21,688 --> 00:52:23,068 (Joshua) Because outside of that, 1090 00:52:23,068 --> 00:52:25,455 everything else is just going to be a wreck, you know, 1091 00:52:25,455 --> 00:52:27,306 and it's really that simple. 1092 00:52:27,306 --> 00:52:29,947 I think it's a lesson to us to just say, 1093 00:52:33,521 --> 00:52:33,771 "Okay, let's go about things 1094 00:52:34,352 --> 00:52:36,174 in the smartest way possible," and this is it. 1095 00:52:36,174 --> 00:52:37,230 (Stephanie) Amen. 1096 00:52:37,230 --> 00:52:38,473 Nathan and then we'll come up to Kyle. 1097 00:52:38,473 --> 00:52:40,971 (Nathan) Jesus is comparing two kinds of people here. 1098 00:52:40,971 --> 00:52:43,195 Both of them heard His Word. He says, 1099 00:52:43,195 --> 00:52:44,961 "Whoever hears these sayings of Mine 1100 00:52:44,961 --> 00:52:47,728 and does them," and then He says later, 1101 00:52:47,728 --> 00:52:50,210 "Whoever hears these sayings and does not do them." 1102 00:52:52,283 --> 00:52:53,219 So it's not about just hearing and knowing, 1103 00:52:53,219 --> 00:52:53,937 it's actually about putting it in practice. 1104 00:52:53,937 --> 00:52:55,800 He says, "The one who puts into practice 1105 00:52:55,800 --> 00:52:57,905 these teachings of Mine, this is 1106 00:52:57,905 --> 00:52:59,761 solid rock foundation that you can 1107 00:52:59,761 --> 00:53:03,164 build on, and it's trustworthy, so build on this. 1108 00:53:03,164 --> 00:53:04,933 But if you hear it and don't do it, 1109 00:53:04,933 --> 00:53:06,983 whatever you're building on is like sand." 1110 00:53:06,983 --> 00:53:08,155 (Stephanie) Right. 1111 00:53:08,155 --> 00:53:09,812 (Nathan) It's not a solid foundation. 1112 00:53:09,830 --> 00:53:11,050 (Stephanie) You won't make it through the storm. 1113 00:53:11,050 --> 00:53:12,673 (Stephanie) Kyle. 1114 00:53:12,673 --> 00:53:14,219 (Kyle) I'll just add to what Nathan said. 1115 00:53:14,219 --> 00:53:15,995 Just to think that this whole time 1116 00:53:15,995 --> 00:53:18,183 in Matthew 5 we've been looking at, you know, 1117 00:53:18,183 --> 00:53:19,620 Jesus' standard of righteousness versus 1118 00:53:19,620 --> 00:53:21,889 what our human standard is. 1119 00:53:21,889 --> 00:53:25,417 And if we build our lives on our own righteousness, 1120 00:53:25,417 --> 00:53:28,556 on our own works, then it's like sand. 1121 00:53:28,556 --> 00:53:30,345 We have no real foundation. 1122 00:53:30,345 --> 00:53:33,094 The only Rock is the Rock of Christ's righteousness 1123 00:53:33,094 --> 00:53:34,988 that can get us through the storm. 1124 00:53:34,988 --> 00:53:37,429 So, you know, it all connects; 1125 00:53:37,429 --> 00:53:38,748 it's dependence upon Him, 1126 00:53:38,748 --> 00:53:40,003 even the prayer thing. 1127 00:53:40,003 --> 00:53:41,899 Prayer is all about dependence on God, 1128 00:53:41,899 --> 00:53:44,260 and depending on His righteousness, 1129 00:53:44,260 --> 00:53:46,007 on His character in our hearts, 1130 00:53:46,007 --> 00:53:50,178 will give us the foundation that will 1131 00:53:50,178 --> 00:53:51,543 carry us through that storm. 1132 00:53:51,543 --> 00:53:52,636 (Stephanie) Amen. 1133 00:53:52,636 --> 00:53:55,076 Tricia Lee, did you have a comment you wanted to share? 1134 00:53:55,076 --> 00:53:58,092 (Tricia Lee) I was just reflecting on what Juliana mentioned about the invitation 1135 00:53:58,092 --> 00:54:00,307 to connect with the Lord, "our Father." 1136 00:54:00,307 --> 00:54:05,140 Even in reading this, I just feel as though personally I would be a fool 1137 00:54:05,140 --> 00:54:09,282 not to accept that invitation, that the great God of the universe came, 1138 00:54:09,282 --> 00:54:13,186 sent His Son, went to all this length to show me who He really is, 1139 00:54:16,048 --> 00:54:16,558 to show me what His Law means, to show me how to love other people, 1140 00:54:17,057 --> 00:54:19,208 who wants to love me and wants to accept my love to Him, 1141 00:54:19,208 --> 00:54:22,428 and He's just giving me the simple way to Him 1142 00:54:22,428 --> 00:54:27,313 that I have to be kind of silly in seeing all of this and then saying, 1143 00:54:27,313 --> 00:54:29,159 "No, I'd rather build it my own way." 1144 00:54:29,159 --> 00:54:33,542 It just really feels like it's just a heart-felt invitation, and that, wow, 1145 00:54:33,542 --> 00:54:36,715 how do I respond to that. I was just thinking about that. 1146 00:54:36,715 --> 00:54:39,143 (Stephanie) So I want to move on. 1147 00:54:39,143 --> 00:54:40,711 We have one more verse to read, 1148 00:54:40,711 --> 00:54:45,947 and that's John, chapter 13:17. 1149 00:54:45,947 --> 00:54:51,127 I'll ask Tricia Lee if you would read that for us. 1150 00:54:51,127 --> 00:54:54,306 The question is, why does Jesus want 1151 00:54:54,306 --> 00:54:56,833 us to live in harmony with His Word? 1152 00:54:56,833 --> 00:54:59,162 (Tricia Lee) John, chapter 13, verse 17. 1153 00:54:59,162 --> 00:55:05,025 I'm reading from the New King James Version, and it reads: 1154 00:55:10,133 --> 00:55:11,793 (Stephanie) Tricia Lee, I think that is 1155 00:55:11,793 --> 00:55:13,527 what you were talking about. 1156 00:55:13,527 --> 00:55:14,621 (Tricia Lee) It's a blessing. 1157 00:55:14,621 --> 00:55:16,964 (Stephanie) God wants us to be happy. 1158 00:55:16,964 --> 00:55:18,109 (Team) Amen. Yes. 1159 00:55:18,109 --> 00:55:20,042 (Stephanie) It has to go from the head 1160 00:55:20,042 --> 00:55:23,310 to the heart, to the hands, and to the "how." 1161 00:55:23,310 --> 00:55:24,516 How do I do that? 1162 00:55:24,516 --> 00:55:25,765 By spending time with Jesus 1163 00:55:25,765 --> 00:55:29,416 and falling in love with my Savior and Lord. 1164 00:55:29,416 --> 00:55:31,248 Then what happens? 1165 00:55:31,248 --> 00:55:33,116 When you're sharing with others, 1166 00:55:33,116 --> 00:55:34,620 doesn't it make you happy? 1167 00:55:34,620 --> 00:55:38,012 You're in the will of God. 1168 00:55:38,012 --> 00:55:40,350 There's no better peace than that. 1169 00:55:40,350 --> 00:55:41,676 Go ahead, Olric. 1170 00:55:41,676 --> 00:55:44,900 (Olric) Let me just wrap this study here together. 1171 00:55:44,900 --> 00:55:47,190 We see clearly Jesus is saying, 1172 00:55:47,190 --> 00:55:51,105 "The law is important, you must keep it, 1173 00:55:51,105 --> 00:55:53,832 but I don't want you to keep it 1174 00:55:53,832 --> 00:55:57,044 from an unconverted heart because 1175 00:55:57,044 --> 00:56:00,711 to do that is to do it with a heart 1176 00:56:00,711 --> 00:56:03,000 that is not connected to the love of God, 1177 00:56:03,000 --> 00:56:07,323 that is devoid of the right motives and right thoughts." 1178 00:56:07,323 --> 00:56:11,430 So, keep the Law but make sure the heart is converted. 1179 00:56:11,430 --> 00:56:12,885 Why? 1180 00:56:12,885 --> 00:56:15,080 Because when you do that you build your faith. 1181 00:56:15,080 --> 00:56:18,583 (Stephanie) Our faith is built upon the Rock, yes. 1182 00:56:18,583 --> 00:56:21,121 And our eyes are fixed on Jesus,... 1183 00:56:21,121 --> 00:56:22,022 (Team) Amen. 1184 00:56:22,022 --> 00:56:23,757 (Stephanie) ...the Author and Finisher of our faith, 1185 00:56:23,757 --> 00:56:26,566 and we share that with joy in our hearts. 1186 00:56:26,566 --> 00:56:29,500 What a God. What a God we serve. 1187 00:56:29,500 --> 00:56:31,593 Thank you so much for this lesson 1188 00:56:31,593 --> 00:56:33,953 and for sharing today. 1189 00:56:33,953 --> 00:56:35,357 (Derek) Thanks, Stephanie. 1190 00:56:35,357 --> 00:56:37,478 You know, the Sermon on the Mount ends 1191 00:56:37,478 --> 00:56:38,813 by saying they were astonished 1192 00:56:38,813 --> 00:56:40,887 at His teaching because He taught as One 1193 00:56:40,887 --> 00:56:44,519 having authority, and really our authority 1194 00:56:44,519 --> 00:56:46,603 comes from that living connection with God, doesn't it? 1195 00:56:46,603 --> 00:56:47,635 (Team) Amen. 1196 00:56:47,635 --> 00:56:48,888 (Derek) And I want to challenge you, 1197 00:56:48,888 --> 00:56:50,277 as you think about this message, 1198 00:56:50,277 --> 00:56:51,532 I have to be honest. 1199 00:56:51,532 --> 00:56:55,457 If I look at God's ideal, it's an impossible standard 1200 00:56:55,457 --> 00:56:58,133 unless a miracle happens in my heart, 1201 00:56:58,133 --> 00:57:01,243 that God's grace not only saves me 1202 00:57:01,243 --> 00:57:05,450 but transforms me into that follower 1203 00:57:05,450 --> 00:57:06,896 of Jesus that He wants me to be, 1204 00:57:06,896 --> 00:57:09,204 to reflect the beauty of His character to others. 1205 00:57:09,204 --> 00:57:11,285 That's God's plan for you and for me. 1206 00:57:11,285 --> 00:57:15,681 Why don't we pray that that miracle can happen each day, 1207 00:57:15,681 --> 00:57:19,980 not only for our blessing but the blessing of those around us. 1208 00:57:19,980 --> 00:57:20,973 Let's pray. 1209 00:57:20,973 --> 00:57:23,276 Our Father in Heaven, we're astonished 1210 00:57:23,276 --> 00:57:27,170 at the teaching of Jesus, to know how much You love us 1211 00:57:27,170 --> 00:57:30,612 and how much You want to work in us and through us. 1212 00:57:30,612 --> 00:57:34,207 Oh, Lord, forgive us where we have tried 1213 00:57:34,207 --> 00:57:36,282 to build our own righteousness, 1214 00:57:36,282 --> 00:57:40,896 to build on sand instead of on Jesus the Solid Rock. 1215 00:57:40,896 --> 00:57:43,548 Please, accept our lives now 1216 00:57:43,548 --> 00:57:45,122 and work in us and through us 1217 00:57:45,122 --> 00:57:47,972 as we follow you with love in our hearts, 1218 00:57:47,972 --> 00:57:51,319 is our prayer, in Jesus' name, amen. 1219 00:57:51,319 --> 00:57:54,134 Thanks for joining us for Hope Sabbath School. 1220 00:57:54,134 --> 00:57:57,334 We are learning a lot from the Gospel of Matthew. 1221 00:57:57,334 --> 00:58:00,558 Take what you learn and share it with those around you. 1222 00:58:00,558 --> 00:58:29,997 ♪ theme music ♪