1 00:00:01,371 --> 00:00:09,797 Please open your Bibles to the Song of Solomon. 2 00:00:09,797 --> 00:00:18,220 Right before the prophet Isaiah. 3 00:00:18,220 --> 00:00:20,730 Chapter 5. 4 00:00:20,730 --> 00:00:26,011 Lord, please help 5 00:00:26,011 --> 00:00:33,058 as we handle the Word of God. 6 00:00:33,058 --> 00:00:42,332 Do we not read that it's like a hammer? 7 00:00:42,332 --> 00:00:44,091 The Word of God. 8 00:00:44,091 --> 00:00:50,149 Do we not read that it is living? 9 00:00:50,149 --> 00:00:54,013 There's activity in this Word. 10 00:00:54,013 --> 00:01:01,844 There's power to be unleashed. 11 00:01:01,844 --> 00:01:04,080 It's living. 12 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,073 It's abiding. 13 00:01:06,073 --> 00:01:08,224 It's active. 14 00:01:08,224 --> 00:01:11,805 It's cleansing. It's sanctifying. 15 00:01:11,805 --> 00:01:15,918 But oh, Lord, if You make it to not be 16 00:01:15,918 --> 00:01:19,622 a dead letter - 17 00:01:19,622 --> 00:01:22,288 we know that the words on the pages of our Bibles 18 00:01:22,288 --> 00:01:25,646 are just ink 19 00:01:25,646 --> 00:01:28,441 unless You allow the thoughts 20 00:01:28,441 --> 00:01:30,547 captured in these sentences 21 00:01:30,547 --> 00:01:33,684 and these paragraphs 22 00:01:33,684 --> 00:01:36,042 to enter through our eyeballs, 23 00:01:36,042 --> 00:01:38,375 through our ears 24 00:01:38,375 --> 00:01:40,978 into our minds and to process them 25 00:01:40,978 --> 00:01:45,973 to where our faith clings and lays hold, adheres. 26 00:01:45,973 --> 00:01:51,248 Lord, give us ears to hear at this time. 27 00:01:51,248 --> 00:01:55,318 I pray in Christ's name. 28 00:01:55,318 --> 00:01:59,707 Song of Solomon. 29 00:01:59,707 --> 00:02:09,604 Look there at chapter 5 and verse 9. 30 00:02:09,604 --> 00:02:14,306 You'll notice if you have the ESV - 31 00:02:14,306 --> 00:02:17,084 and I know that depending on the Bible that you have 32 00:02:17,084 --> 00:02:20,303 is going to depend on whether this is 33 00:02:20,303 --> 00:02:23,423 actually identified to you or not, 34 00:02:23,423 --> 00:02:27,137 but in the ESV, you'll notice 35 00:02:27,137 --> 00:02:31,247 that verse 9 has that caption above it: 36 00:02:31,247 --> 00:02:33,803 "Others." 37 00:02:33,803 --> 00:02:41,387 The primary individuals 38 00:02:41,387 --> 00:02:45,393 that we find in the Song of Solomon 39 00:02:45,393 --> 00:02:54,458 are Solomon and his love. 40 00:02:54,458 --> 00:02:56,542 The Shulammite. 41 00:02:56,542 --> 00:03:01,039 But right here, "others" interject. 42 00:03:01,039 --> 00:03:05,009 In 5:8, you'll notice from v. 2 to 8 - 43 00:03:05,009 --> 00:03:08,800 again, the ESV, it says "she." 44 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,574 The bride. 45 00:03:11,574 --> 00:03:14,883 And in v. 8, "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem..." 46 00:03:14,883 --> 00:03:16,636 So we see who's being addressed. 47 00:03:16,636 --> 00:03:19,152 And that's who answers in v. 9. 48 00:03:19,152 --> 00:03:20,153 It's the others. 49 00:03:20,153 --> 00:03:22,127 It's the daughters of Jerusalem. 50 00:03:22,127 --> 00:03:23,718 "If you find my Beloved, 51 00:03:23,718 --> 00:03:25,429 tell Him I am sick with love." 52 00:03:25,429 --> 00:03:28,136 And then they come back here: 53 00:03:28,136 --> 00:03:30,954 "What is your Beloved 54 00:03:30,954 --> 00:03:34,597 more than another beloved, 55 00:03:34,597 --> 00:03:36,893 O most beautiful among women? 56 00:03:36,893 --> 00:03:38,625 What is your Beloved 57 00:03:38,625 --> 00:03:43,577 more than another beloved?" 58 00:03:43,577 --> 00:03:50,308 Now, lest we forget where we're at, 59 00:03:50,308 --> 00:03:53,293 I would remind you that we have come 60 00:03:53,293 --> 00:03:55,874 to the Song of Solomon 61 00:03:55,874 --> 00:03:58,957 in the midst of a series in Ephesians. 62 00:03:58,957 --> 00:04:01,788 Ephesians 3 - now you don't need to turn there, 63 00:04:01,788 --> 00:04:05,726 but listen to this. 64 00:04:05,726 --> 00:04:10,909 The words that we were dealing with are these: 65 00:04:10,909 --> 00:04:14,313 Paul praying for the Ephesians. 66 00:04:14,313 --> 00:04:19,393 That according to the riches of God's glory 67 00:04:19,393 --> 00:04:21,829 He might grant the Ephesians 68 00:04:21,829 --> 00:04:24,612 to be strengthened with power 69 00:04:24,612 --> 00:04:30,023 through the Holy Spirit in their inner man 70 00:04:30,023 --> 00:04:36,292 that they being rooted and grounded in love; 71 00:04:36,292 --> 00:04:41,608 they might have this ability to comprehend 72 00:04:41,608 --> 00:04:44,118 the dimensions - what is the breadth, 73 00:04:44,118 --> 00:04:48,728 and length, and height, and depth; 74 00:04:48,728 --> 00:04:52,100 to know this love of Christ 75 00:04:52,100 --> 00:04:55,285 that passes knowledge. 76 00:04:55,285 --> 00:04:58,608 And what I find interesting is this: 77 00:04:58,608 --> 00:05:03,991 I have dug up Hudson Taylor's little book 78 00:05:03,991 --> 00:05:06,888 on the Song of Solomon. 79 00:05:06,888 --> 00:05:09,702 I've pulled off my shelf Richard Sibbes, 80 00:05:09,702 --> 00:05:11,788 the Puritan, "The Love of Christ," 81 00:05:11,788 --> 00:05:15,437 that deals with mainly chapter 5. 82 00:05:15,437 --> 00:05:17,639 I have dug up John Gill, 83 00:05:17,639 --> 00:05:20,131 the old Particular Baptist - 84 00:05:20,131 --> 00:05:22,462 the work that he did on the Song of Solomon. 85 00:05:22,462 --> 00:05:24,317 Actually, when I was out in Portland, 86 00:05:24,317 --> 00:05:26,884 a brother there brought me a book 87 00:05:26,884 --> 00:05:29,354 by James Kennedy DD - 88 00:05:29,354 --> 00:05:31,031 this is not D. James Kennedy, 89 00:05:31,031 --> 00:05:33,393 this is somebody that lived back 90 00:05:33,393 --> 00:05:37,443 in the 19th century. 91 00:05:37,443 --> 00:05:39,368 I have looked at various things 92 00:05:39,368 --> 00:05:41,553 concerning the Song of Solomon 93 00:05:41,553 --> 00:05:46,548 and you know what's interesting to me? 94 00:05:46,548 --> 00:05:49,584 Every book, every sermon, 95 00:05:49,584 --> 00:05:53,208 every commentary that I have referred to - 96 00:05:53,208 --> 00:05:57,457 many of them, most of them, or all of them 97 00:05:57,457 --> 00:05:59,682 that deal with the Song of Solomon, 98 00:05:59,682 --> 00:06:06,382 they reference these verses in Ephesians 3. 99 00:06:06,382 --> 00:06:08,146 Why would they do that? 100 00:06:08,146 --> 00:06:10,407 See, that's what led me there. 101 00:06:10,407 --> 00:06:12,722 And it wasn't so much that I was reading 102 00:06:12,722 --> 00:06:15,100 all these things that make that connection. 103 00:06:15,100 --> 00:06:18,097 It was that I felt resonating in me 104 00:06:18,097 --> 00:06:21,032 that if we want to capture something 105 00:06:21,032 --> 00:06:23,192 of the dimensions of the love of Christ, 106 00:06:23,192 --> 00:06:25,428 I honestly couldn't think of a better place 107 00:06:25,428 --> 00:06:27,955 to go in Scripture than the Song of Solomon. 108 00:06:27,955 --> 00:06:29,895 And what I'm finding is these preachers 109 00:06:29,895 --> 00:06:31,308 that have gone before me - 110 00:06:31,308 --> 00:06:33,209 they made the same connection 111 00:06:33,209 --> 00:06:35,159 over and over and over again. 112 00:06:35,159 --> 00:06:38,848 They made that connection. 113 00:06:38,848 --> 00:06:42,563 So let's think about our two main characters. 114 00:06:42,563 --> 00:06:46,298 Solomon. That's the first one. 115 00:06:46,298 --> 00:06:50,733 You can see that if you go to chapter 3:11. 116 00:06:50,733 --> 00:06:52,357 "Go out, O daughters of Zion, 117 00:06:52,357 --> 00:06:53,852 and look upon King Solomon." 118 00:06:53,852 --> 00:06:55,124 As I've told you before, 119 00:06:55,124 --> 00:06:57,755 "Solomon" shows up - that word - 120 00:06:57,755 --> 00:07:02,480 shows up 7 times in the book 121 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,506 of the Song of Solomon 122 00:07:04,506 --> 00:07:05,885 which is significant. 123 00:07:05,885 --> 00:07:09,960 The number 7 is a significant one. 124 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:11,882 The other main character 125 00:07:11,882 --> 00:07:15,245 is the Shulammite, 126 00:07:15,245 --> 00:07:17,546 and you see that in Song of Solomon 6:13. 127 00:07:17,546 --> 00:07:18,893 You can look there. 128 00:07:18,893 --> 00:07:23,629 "Return, return, O Shulammite. 129 00:07:23,629 --> 00:07:26,119 Return, return, that we may look upon you. 130 00:07:26,119 --> 00:07:29,180 Why should you look upon the Shulammite?" 131 00:07:29,180 --> 00:07:31,004 Now, let's think about that a second. 132 00:07:31,004 --> 00:07:35,997 Solomon is the idea of peace. 133 00:07:35,997 --> 00:07:42,833 This Solomon is the peace-giver. 134 00:07:42,833 --> 00:07:45,663 What is Shulammite? 135 00:07:45,663 --> 00:07:47,648 Now you might say Shulammite - 136 00:07:47,648 --> 00:07:51,627 isn't that somebody from Shulam? 137 00:07:51,627 --> 00:07:55,570 That's what that sounds like. 138 00:07:55,570 --> 00:07:57,689 It describes a female inhabitant 139 00:07:57,689 --> 00:08:00,947 of a place called Shulam. 140 00:08:00,947 --> 00:08:02,418 You know what's interesting? 141 00:08:02,418 --> 00:08:08,818 Shulam is basically "Salem." 142 00:08:08,818 --> 00:08:11,532 Do you know what Salem means? 143 00:08:11,532 --> 00:08:14,875 It's basically "Shalom," 144 00:08:14,875 --> 00:08:20,456 which is basically "Solomon." 145 00:08:20,456 --> 00:08:26,206 What Shulammite is is simply the feminine 146 00:08:26,206 --> 00:08:29,339 of Solomon. 147 00:08:29,339 --> 00:08:31,160 That's the issue. 148 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,059 Melchizedek was called 149 00:08:33,059 --> 00:08:36,103 "the king of Salem." 150 00:08:36,103 --> 00:08:41,239 And most assume that that is Jerusalem. 151 00:08:41,239 --> 00:08:45,148 What we have is a picture of somebody 152 00:08:45,148 --> 00:08:50,892 who is a citizen of Salem or of Jerusalem. 153 00:08:50,892 --> 00:08:54,395 And again, perfectly describes us. 154 00:08:54,395 --> 00:08:57,593 We are fellow citizens with the saints. 155 00:08:57,593 --> 00:08:59,684 We are the true Jerusalem. 156 00:08:59,684 --> 00:09:01,825 Jerusalem comes down 157 00:09:01,825 --> 00:09:05,233 in the book of Revelation. 158 00:09:05,233 --> 00:09:07,387 This new Jerusalem. 159 00:09:07,387 --> 00:09:15,304 A bride prepared for Christ. 160 00:09:15,304 --> 00:09:19,080 The word "Solomon" - peace giver. 161 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:20,953 He's the prince of peace. 162 00:09:20,953 --> 00:09:26,665 She is the daughter of peace. 163 00:09:26,665 --> 00:09:28,464 The idea is it's the feminine - 164 00:09:28,464 --> 00:09:31,123 she's peace-laden. 165 00:09:31,129 --> 00:09:37,092 She's peace-crowned. 166 00:09:37,092 --> 00:09:41,646 I just talked to Craig's boss on Friday. 167 00:09:41,646 --> 00:09:46,347 One thing he kept saying to me 168 00:09:46,347 --> 00:09:52,899 is I envy Craig's peace. 169 00:09:52,899 --> 00:09:56,979 We are a peace-laden; a peace-crowned - 170 00:09:56,979 --> 00:09:58,950 if there's anything that's true 171 00:09:58,950 --> 00:10:00,712 about the children of God, 172 00:10:00,712 --> 00:10:02,511 it is that Christ comes 173 00:10:02,511 --> 00:10:06,209 and He whispers peace. 174 00:10:06,209 --> 00:10:08,940 Peace. 175 00:10:08,941 --> 00:10:13,887 We are a people no longer at war with God. 176 00:10:13,887 --> 00:10:15,474 And even on your worst day, 177 00:10:15,474 --> 00:10:17,691 you're not at war with God anymore. 178 00:10:17,691 --> 00:10:22,971 There is peace between He and you. 179 00:10:22,971 --> 00:10:27,975 Now, I want you to think about this. 180 00:10:27,975 --> 00:10:30,471 If all you see here in the Song of Solomon 181 00:10:30,471 --> 00:10:33,964 is the literal King Solomon; 182 00:10:33,964 --> 00:10:38,782 if you don't see Christ in this 183 00:10:38,782 --> 00:10:42,258 and you see the Shulammite is simply 184 00:10:42,258 --> 00:10:47,281 one of his thousand wives or concubines, 185 00:10:47,281 --> 00:10:51,073 you've got a problem. 186 00:10:51,073 --> 00:10:55,957 Here's one of the problems that I see that you have. 187 00:10:55,957 --> 00:11:03,770 Notice Song of Solomon 5:16. 188 00:11:03,770 --> 00:11:09,573 He is altogether - altogether desirable. 189 00:11:09,573 --> 00:11:11,079 Look back a little ways 190 00:11:11,079 --> 00:11:16,332 at Song of Solomon 5:9. 191 00:11:16,332 --> 00:11:18,490 This is where we started. 192 00:11:18,490 --> 00:11:23,702 "What is your Beloved more than another beloved?" 193 00:11:23,702 --> 00:11:26,363 Well, you know what? That's easy 194 00:11:26,363 --> 00:11:30,910 if we're talking about King Solomon. 195 00:11:30,910 --> 00:11:36,043 Diego brought up David. 196 00:11:36,043 --> 00:11:38,254 Think about the question. 197 00:11:38,254 --> 00:11:40,413 "What is your Beloved 198 00:11:40,413 --> 00:11:42,188 more than another beloved?" 199 00:11:42,188 --> 00:11:45,142 Well, if all we're talking about here is Solomon, 200 00:11:45,142 --> 00:11:48,601 I would say Solomon 201 00:11:48,601 --> 00:11:50,674 is no more than his father David. 202 00:11:50,674 --> 00:11:52,049 In fact, I would say David 203 00:11:52,049 --> 00:11:54,961 was a much greater man than Solomon. 204 00:11:54,961 --> 00:11:56,427 Would you not agree? 205 00:11:56,427 --> 00:12:01,501 I mean listen, since I've been a Christian 206 00:12:01,501 --> 00:12:03,590 more debate has come up 207 00:12:03,590 --> 00:12:06,966 over the salvation of three men in the Scripture 208 00:12:06,966 --> 00:12:10,741 more than any others. 209 00:12:10,741 --> 00:12:13,166 Adam, 210 00:12:13,166 --> 00:12:14,968 King Saul, 211 00:12:14,968 --> 00:12:16,946 and King Solomon - 212 00:12:16,946 --> 00:12:20,363 as to whether they were genuinely saved or not. 213 00:12:20,363 --> 00:12:22,956 Now maybe you've got your theories on those, 214 00:12:22,956 --> 00:12:24,990 but all I'm saying is King Solomon 215 00:12:24,990 --> 00:12:27,109 falls in the ranks of men 216 00:12:27,109 --> 00:12:29,347 that often the question gets raised: 217 00:12:29,347 --> 00:12:32,093 was he even saved? 218 00:12:32,093 --> 00:12:37,724 If we want to go around saying 219 00:12:37,724 --> 00:12:40,507 that King Solomon was altogether desirable 220 00:12:40,507 --> 00:12:46,722 and who is comparable to that beloved, 221 00:12:46,722 --> 00:12:49,239 then we run into some issues. 222 00:12:49,239 --> 00:12:52,396 Have you ever noticed this? 223 00:12:52,396 --> 00:12:55,605 That those who do not see Christ 224 00:12:55,605 --> 00:12:58,614 and the church in this Song - 225 00:12:58,614 --> 00:13:00,339 this Song of all songs - 226 00:13:00,339 --> 00:13:03,609 have you ever noticed they never preach on this book? 227 00:13:03,609 --> 00:13:05,043 They don't go there. 228 00:13:05,043 --> 00:13:07,068 Even though it's holy Scripture, 229 00:13:07,068 --> 00:13:08,461 they don't preach from it. 230 00:13:08,461 --> 00:13:10,970 Isn't all Scripture profitable 231 00:13:10,970 --> 00:13:12,729 for the man of God? 232 00:13:12,729 --> 00:13:15,775 Well, you would think that they would go there and preach then, 233 00:13:15,775 --> 00:13:17,542 but they don't preach on it. Why? 234 00:13:17,542 --> 00:13:19,986 Because who wants to spend sermon time 235 00:13:19,986 --> 00:13:21,859 on trying to proclaim Solomon 236 00:13:21,859 --> 00:13:23,326 as being altogether desirable 237 00:13:23,326 --> 00:13:25,445 and more than all other beloved's? 238 00:13:25,445 --> 00:13:28,428 Nobody wants to do that! 239 00:13:28,428 --> 00:13:31,494 Because you feel kind of foolish doing it. 240 00:13:31,494 --> 00:13:35,886 Over the years, 241 00:13:35,886 --> 00:13:37,885 questions come up about whether 242 00:13:37,885 --> 00:13:42,310 Solomon even came to the end of his life. 243 00:13:42,310 --> 00:13:43,838 You know, even his wives - 244 00:13:43,838 --> 00:13:45,802 he mutliplied wives and they led him away 245 00:13:45,802 --> 00:13:48,862 into all manner of idolatry. 246 00:13:48,862 --> 00:13:51,658 Now look, I believe he was Jedidiah. 247 00:13:51,658 --> 00:13:53,187 He was loved of the Lord. 248 00:13:53,187 --> 00:13:55,841 I believe that what you have 249 00:13:55,841 --> 00:14:02,447 is a man who drifted away 250 00:14:02,447 --> 00:14:04,437 and God brought him back. 251 00:14:04,437 --> 00:14:07,974 I very much believe he was saved, 252 00:14:07,974 --> 00:14:11,798 but like I say, who wants to preach 253 00:14:11,798 --> 00:14:16,232 on a book that presents us with the question: 254 00:14:16,232 --> 00:14:18,585 Why is our Beloved more than all other beloveds 255 00:14:18,585 --> 00:14:21,344 if the beloved being referred to is Solomon? 256 00:14:21,344 --> 00:14:23,532 But the reality is if it's Christ, 257 00:14:23,532 --> 00:14:25,850 then this book explodes 258 00:14:25,850 --> 00:14:27,756 with all manner of light and love 259 00:14:27,756 --> 00:14:30,409 and power and beauty and glory. 260 00:14:30,409 --> 00:14:32,492 And it does! 261 00:14:32,492 --> 00:14:34,069 Think about it. 262 00:14:34,069 --> 00:14:36,839 Think about if I was up here trying to convince you 263 00:14:36,839 --> 00:14:40,158 that Solomon is altogether lovely. 264 00:14:40,158 --> 00:14:43,013 I mean, it's not going to inspire much in us 265 00:14:43,013 --> 00:14:45,370 because you're going to be thinking all the time: 266 00:14:45,370 --> 00:14:48,666 yeah, but this guy, I mean, he was an idolater. 267 00:14:48,666 --> 00:14:55,065 He did what God told him not to do. 268 00:14:55,065 --> 00:14:59,604 The question of the hour is this: 269 00:14:59,604 --> 00:15:03,041 We're talking about Christ here. 270 00:15:03,041 --> 00:15:07,744 Christ is the true Solomon. 271 00:15:07,744 --> 00:15:09,856 And if we're talking about Christ, 272 00:15:09,856 --> 00:15:12,228 then the question comes up: 273 00:15:12,228 --> 00:15:16,423 What is your Beloved more than another beloved? 274 00:15:16,423 --> 00:15:21,629 That is a worthy matter of contemplation. 275 00:15:21,629 --> 00:15:24,730 Just thinking... 276 00:15:24,730 --> 00:15:28,747 what a profitable thing to consume your mind with. 277 00:15:28,747 --> 00:15:33,195 What is Christ more than all other beloved's? 278 00:15:33,195 --> 00:15:36,472 What is He more than all others? 279 00:15:36,472 --> 00:15:38,692 And we can answer. 280 00:15:38,692 --> 00:15:42,413 What is our Beloved more than all other beloved's? 281 00:15:42,413 --> 00:15:44,629 And I would just say this: 282 00:15:44,629 --> 00:15:49,499 Has anyone ever loved us like He has loved us? 283 00:15:49,499 --> 00:15:50,917 That's the question. 284 00:15:50,917 --> 00:15:52,973 And where I would have you take your eyes 285 00:15:52,973 --> 00:15:55,874 is just look at Song of Solomon 4. 286 00:15:55,874 --> 00:15:58,469 This is really what I want to spend some time with. 287 00:15:58,469 --> 00:16:01,332 What is our Beloved more than all other beloveds? 288 00:16:01,332 --> 00:16:03,214 And the thing is, I'm going to take you 289 00:16:03,214 --> 00:16:07,882 to some verses that actually describe us. 290 00:16:07,882 --> 00:16:09,948 And that might seem odd. 291 00:16:09,948 --> 00:16:13,439 I mean, what's our Beloved more than others? 292 00:16:13,439 --> 00:16:16,908 Well, why would we look at the bride? 293 00:16:16,908 --> 00:16:19,426 But I just want you to think with me. 294 00:16:19,426 --> 00:16:23,591 When you look at the bride here, 295 00:16:23,591 --> 00:16:27,235 what we're seeing is the love of Christ 296 00:16:27,235 --> 00:16:33,299 expressed to us just in what He's making us into. 297 00:16:33,299 --> 00:16:35,874 Feel this. I love the imagery. 298 00:16:35,874 --> 00:16:38,669 I parked right here for this whole message. 299 00:16:38,669 --> 00:16:42,919 The idea of a garden. 300 00:16:42,919 --> 00:16:46,412 Many of you know I have a garden. 301 00:16:46,412 --> 00:16:51,538 You know, Kevin Williams. 302 00:16:51,538 --> 00:16:54,881 We stayed in a room on the back side of his house 303 00:16:54,881 --> 00:16:56,613 and there's a big window there 304 00:16:56,613 --> 00:16:58,499 and you look out and his backyard 305 00:16:58,499 --> 00:17:02,312 goes straight out and then there's a fence across there. 306 00:17:02,312 --> 00:17:05,253 And then across is a house 307 00:17:05,253 --> 00:17:07,628 that his house backs up to 308 00:17:07,628 --> 00:17:09,612 that's over on the other street. 309 00:17:09,612 --> 00:17:11,423 They have a backyard. 310 00:17:11,423 --> 00:17:17,626 Their backyard is full of trees and plants. 311 00:17:17,626 --> 00:17:20,167 In fact, it's become so overgrown 312 00:17:20,167 --> 00:17:22,226 the people there don't go out there. 313 00:17:22,226 --> 00:17:24,326 And they actually told Kevin 314 00:17:24,326 --> 00:17:29,658 that he could buy it if he wanted to. 315 00:17:29,658 --> 00:17:33,099 It's like this paradise garden. 316 00:17:33,099 --> 00:17:35,663 And I thought how can we help Kevin get this? 317 00:17:35,663 --> 00:17:38,919 I mean, what a place 318 00:17:38,919 --> 00:17:41,688 if he just put a door right there 319 00:17:41,688 --> 00:17:44,633 and the whole thing is walled around 320 00:17:44,633 --> 00:17:46,867 and a place where you go into 321 00:17:46,867 --> 00:17:49,480 and you just disappear in there 322 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,367 because it's all full of trees and plants 323 00:17:52,367 --> 00:17:55,758 and bushes... it's just a paradise, 324 00:17:55,758 --> 00:17:57,388 at least in my estimation. 325 00:17:57,388 --> 00:17:59,378 So when I think of gardens - 326 00:17:59,378 --> 00:18:01,937 especially gardens like that; 327 00:18:01,937 --> 00:18:04,067 especially gardens like in Manchester, 328 00:18:04,067 --> 00:18:05,300 not where you go out 329 00:18:05,300 --> 00:18:08,968 and the sun sizzles you. 330 00:18:08,968 --> 00:18:10,710 But this idea of a garden. 331 00:18:10,710 --> 00:18:13,050 Look at Solomon's Song here, 332 00:18:13,050 --> 00:18:16,145 chapter 4:12. 333 00:18:16,145 --> 00:18:21,047 This is Christ speaking to His people. 334 00:18:21,047 --> 00:18:27,666 "A garden locked is My sister, My bride, 335 00:18:27,666 --> 00:18:30,572 a spring locked, 336 00:18:30,572 --> 00:18:33,323 a fountain sealed. 337 00:18:33,323 --> 00:18:36,671 Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates 338 00:18:36,671 --> 00:18:40,110 with all choicest fruits, henna with nard, 339 00:18:40,110 --> 00:18:42,626 nard and saffron, 340 00:18:42,626 --> 00:18:45,333 calamus and cinnamon, 341 00:18:45,333 --> 00:18:48,407 and all trees of frankincense, myrrh, and aloes 342 00:18:48,407 --> 00:18:51,012 with all choice spices. 343 00:18:51,012 --> 00:18:52,845 A garden fountain, 344 00:18:52,845 --> 00:18:56,019 a well of living water, 345 00:18:56,019 --> 00:19:01,590 and flowing streams from Lebanon." 346 00:19:01,590 --> 00:19:03,313 And I would just ask you again, 347 00:19:03,313 --> 00:19:09,398 what is our Beloved more than another beloved? 348 00:19:09,398 --> 00:19:13,595 Do you realize how much He is loving you? 349 00:19:13,595 --> 00:19:16,362 Do you realize what He's doing to you? 350 00:19:16,362 --> 00:19:20,891 Do you realize this is not a fictitious description here? 351 00:19:20,891 --> 00:19:22,709 This is actual. 352 00:19:22,709 --> 00:19:25,149 This is from Christ's perspective. 353 00:19:25,149 --> 00:19:26,676 This is what He sees. 354 00:19:26,676 --> 00:19:30,426 This is how He views us. 355 00:19:30,426 --> 00:19:33,264 We need that to sink in: A garden. 356 00:19:33,264 --> 00:19:35,548 What is a garden? 357 00:19:35,548 --> 00:19:37,839 I put a garden in my backyard. 358 00:19:37,839 --> 00:19:39,548 What did I do? 359 00:19:39,548 --> 00:19:41,794 I went into that backyard 360 00:19:41,794 --> 00:19:45,123 and I partitioned a part of my yard off. 361 00:19:45,123 --> 00:19:47,050 It's a piece of my yard 362 00:19:47,050 --> 00:19:49,623 that I separated. 363 00:19:49,623 --> 00:19:51,264 That's the idea. 364 00:19:51,264 --> 00:19:54,310 It's a piece of ground that's distinguished. 365 00:19:54,310 --> 00:19:58,274 It's set aside. It's separated. 366 00:19:58,274 --> 00:19:59,852 And so we are. 367 00:19:59,852 --> 00:20:02,094 We are a people that have been 368 00:20:02,094 --> 00:20:05,378 specifically hand-chosen by God 369 00:20:05,378 --> 00:20:07,121 and set apart. 370 00:20:07,121 --> 00:20:10,221 Electing, distinguishing grace 371 00:20:10,221 --> 00:20:13,491 has set us aside. 372 00:20:13,491 --> 00:20:16,579 You think about a garden. 373 00:20:16,579 --> 00:20:18,382 This garden - 374 00:20:18,382 --> 00:20:20,812 there are such things come out of this garden 375 00:20:20,812 --> 00:20:26,695 as are impossible to come out of any of our gardens. 376 00:20:26,695 --> 00:20:29,674 But just think: myrrh, aloes, 377 00:20:29,674 --> 00:20:33,757 choice spices, trees of frankincense, 378 00:20:33,757 --> 00:20:36,754 calamus, cinnamon, nard, saffron. 379 00:20:36,754 --> 00:20:38,421 He goes on and on about this. 380 00:20:38,421 --> 00:20:41,668 Such flowers and herbs and plants. 381 00:20:41,668 --> 00:20:44,449 And have you ever noticed this? 382 00:20:44,449 --> 00:20:48,440 They don't grow naturally by themselves. 383 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,397 Any of you had a garden spring up in your backyard? 384 00:20:51,397 --> 00:20:54,164 It just happened to happen? 385 00:20:54,164 --> 00:20:58,143 You know, you forgot to mow a part of the yard 386 00:20:58,143 --> 00:21:00,298 and it just turned into a garden? 387 00:21:00,298 --> 00:21:02,837 Anybody have that happen? 388 00:21:02,837 --> 00:21:05,188 Have you ever noticed that doesn't happen? 389 00:21:05,188 --> 00:21:08,665 Have you ever noticed flowers don't grow up naturally by themselves? 390 00:21:08,665 --> 00:21:14,640 Listen, look at Song of Solomon 5:1. 391 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:19,798 You know what captures me in this verse 392 00:21:19,798 --> 00:21:23,500 is the number of times He says, "My." 393 00:21:23,500 --> 00:21:25,062 Look at this. 394 00:21:25,062 --> 00:21:30,004 "I came to My garden." 395 00:21:30,004 --> 00:21:32,309 Who's the garden? 396 00:21:32,309 --> 00:21:34,756 It's this woman. 397 00:21:34,756 --> 00:21:36,914 It's the bride. 398 00:21:36,914 --> 00:21:38,902 It's His sister. 399 00:21:38,902 --> 00:21:43,671 I gathered My myrrh, My spice, 400 00:21:43,671 --> 00:21:46,379 My honeycomb, My honey. 401 00:21:46,379 --> 00:21:48,919 I drank My wine and My milk. 402 00:21:48,919 --> 00:21:50,835 That's what I'm saying - it's impossible 403 00:21:50,835 --> 00:21:54,066 for you to get out of your garden what He gets out of His garden. 404 00:21:54,066 --> 00:21:56,405 I never got wine out of my garden. 405 00:21:56,405 --> 00:21:59,290 I never got milk out of my garden. 406 00:21:59,290 --> 00:22:02,148 I never got honey out of my garden. 407 00:22:02,148 --> 00:22:04,237 Now, I guess some bees could be in there 408 00:22:04,237 --> 00:22:05,794 and I could throw a cow in there 409 00:22:05,794 --> 00:22:08,203 and I could raise grapes. 410 00:22:08,203 --> 00:22:10,214 But He gets such things out of His. 411 00:22:10,214 --> 00:22:12,674 Mine! You notice how He says Mine. 412 00:22:12,674 --> 00:22:14,793 It's His garden. My garden. 413 00:22:14,793 --> 00:22:17,903 How does Christ find such things in a garden? 414 00:22:17,903 --> 00:22:19,641 Myrrh, honey, wine, milk. 415 00:22:19,641 --> 00:22:21,830 What a garden it must be 416 00:22:21,830 --> 00:22:23,384 to have those kind of things! 417 00:22:23,384 --> 00:22:25,614 But I guarantee you this, 418 00:22:25,614 --> 00:22:28,076 our hearts, our selves, 419 00:22:28,076 --> 00:22:30,739 what we are naturally - 420 00:22:30,739 --> 00:22:34,485 you know what springs up in us naturally. 421 00:22:34,485 --> 00:22:37,042 Even as Christians, give yourself to the flesh. 422 00:22:37,042 --> 00:22:39,015 What did Paul have to tell the Galatians 423 00:22:39,015 --> 00:22:40,894 when they gave themselves to try to be 424 00:22:40,894 --> 00:22:42,688 perfected by the flesh? 425 00:22:42,688 --> 00:22:45,483 He had to tell them, "don't bite, don't devour." Why? 426 00:22:45,483 --> 00:22:49,953 Because the flesh breeds corruption in sin. 427 00:22:49,953 --> 00:22:52,507 Naturally, that's what comes forth from our hearts. 428 00:22:52,507 --> 00:22:54,466 Only weeds grow by themselves. 429 00:22:54,466 --> 00:22:57,244 If I just let my garden go - 430 00:22:57,244 --> 00:22:58,723 I was gone for two weeks. 431 00:22:58,723 --> 00:23:00,363 I go out there and look at it. 432 00:23:00,363 --> 00:23:05,487 It shriveled and there's weeds. 433 00:23:05,487 --> 00:23:07,202 That's what happens. 434 00:23:07,202 --> 00:23:11,199 To keep a garden, it requires help. 435 00:23:11,199 --> 00:23:13,993 If Christ finds all such things in His garden, 436 00:23:13,993 --> 00:23:15,421 you know what we have to do? 437 00:23:15,421 --> 00:23:18,389 This is where His love comes in. 438 00:23:18,389 --> 00:23:20,925 We have to stand back and say: 439 00:23:20,925 --> 00:23:23,508 what have You done, Lord? 440 00:23:23,508 --> 00:23:26,298 What have You done that those weeds aren't there anymore, 441 00:23:26,298 --> 00:23:28,133 but there's milk, there's wine, 442 00:23:28,133 --> 00:23:30,069 there's honey, there's honeycomb, 443 00:23:30,069 --> 00:23:34,714 there's all manner of frankincense? 444 00:23:34,714 --> 00:23:37,318 Listen, you know what Scripture says? 445 00:23:37,318 --> 00:23:43,304 Christ loved the church 446 00:23:43,304 --> 00:23:46,898 and He gave Himself for her 447 00:23:46,898 --> 00:23:52,250 that she might be sanctified. 448 00:23:52,250 --> 00:23:55,505 Isn't that what Scripture says? 449 00:23:55,505 --> 00:24:01,597 That by the washing of the water of the Word 450 00:24:01,597 --> 00:24:04,631 He might cleanse her. 451 00:24:04,631 --> 00:24:07,652 And the thing is it's for the sake 452 00:24:07,652 --> 00:24:16,591 of making the church a splendor to Himself. 453 00:24:16,591 --> 00:24:21,083 Without spot. Without blemish. 454 00:24:21,083 --> 00:24:23,425 Without wrinkle. 455 00:24:23,425 --> 00:24:25,799 Holy. 456 00:24:25,799 --> 00:24:27,470 Isn't that what Scripture says? 457 00:24:27,470 --> 00:24:28,956 Splendor. 458 00:24:28,956 --> 00:24:31,093 That's what we have here. 459 00:24:31,093 --> 00:24:34,184 We have Christ tending His garden. 460 00:24:34,184 --> 00:24:37,986 It takes a massive amount of labor and care, 461 00:24:37,986 --> 00:24:40,318 weeding, watering, fertilizing, 462 00:24:40,318 --> 00:24:43,976 pest control, pruning, thinning. 463 00:24:43,976 --> 00:24:46,900 All this and much more Christ does to His church. 464 00:24:46,900 --> 00:24:49,375 He watches over us night and day. 465 00:24:49,375 --> 00:24:52,075 Again, what I'm wanting you to recognize 466 00:24:52,075 --> 00:25:02,436 is for starters, you have to realize this about yourself. 467 00:25:02,436 --> 00:25:06,998 I am such a garden to Christ. 468 00:25:06,998 --> 00:25:08,689 And He's not just making this up. 469 00:25:08,689 --> 00:25:14,563 He actually finds such spices and fruit 470 00:25:14,563 --> 00:25:18,053 and milk and wine in His garden 471 00:25:18,053 --> 00:25:20,298 which is me. 472 00:25:20,298 --> 00:25:23,741 And He's the one responsible for this. 473 00:25:23,741 --> 00:25:29,475 Brothers and sisters, we don't tend to view ourselves this way. 474 00:25:29,475 --> 00:25:30,840 You know what happens? 475 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,896 We tend to get engaged in life. 476 00:25:33,896 --> 00:25:35,233 Life. 477 00:25:35,233 --> 00:25:37,977 Life happens. Trials happen. 478 00:25:37,977 --> 00:25:39,909 We get distracted. 479 00:25:39,909 --> 00:25:41,160 There's difficulties. 480 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,528 We get weary. We get worn. 481 00:25:43,528 --> 00:25:45,784 There's challenges of life. 482 00:25:45,784 --> 00:25:47,613 There's monotony of life. 483 00:25:47,613 --> 00:25:51,358 We forget just what it is that His love is doing for us; 484 00:25:51,358 --> 00:25:53,921 what He's making us into. 485 00:25:53,921 --> 00:25:57,433 This beauty He finds in her 486 00:25:57,433 --> 00:25:59,198 is beauty that He brings forth 487 00:25:59,198 --> 00:26:02,722 by washing of the water of the Word, 488 00:26:02,722 --> 00:26:04,842 but by trials. 489 00:26:04,842 --> 00:26:06,944 Have you ever read in Scripture 490 00:26:06,944 --> 00:26:11,878 the sons of Levi - we are the preisthood. 491 00:26:11,878 --> 00:26:13,915 He purifies them. 492 00:26:13,915 --> 00:26:16,702 They're put in the fire. 493 00:26:16,702 --> 00:26:18,838 The fruit. 494 00:26:18,838 --> 00:26:20,629 Think about the fruit. 495 00:26:20,629 --> 00:26:22,184 Flowers. 496 00:26:22,184 --> 00:26:23,580 The beauty. 497 00:26:23,580 --> 00:26:24,798 What is this? 498 00:26:24,798 --> 00:26:27,571 We read in the New Testament about fruit. 499 00:26:27,571 --> 00:26:30,968 The fruit of the Spirit. 500 00:26:30,968 --> 00:26:32,845 Love. 501 00:26:32,845 --> 00:26:35,564 We talked about peace. 502 00:26:35,564 --> 00:26:37,713 There's joy. 503 00:26:37,713 --> 00:26:39,238 And there's gentleness 504 00:26:39,238 --> 00:26:43,670 and there's goodness. 505 00:26:43,670 --> 00:26:47,050 Do you recognize what's happening? 506 00:26:47,050 --> 00:26:50,284 He's doing this that He might present the church 507 00:26:50,284 --> 00:26:53,545 to Himself in splendor. 508 00:26:53,545 --> 00:26:55,906 Like a garden. 509 00:26:55,906 --> 00:26:58,551 But you know what? We doubt it. 510 00:26:58,551 --> 00:27:00,253 We tend to doubt it. Why? 511 00:27:00,253 --> 00:27:03,157 We can tend to feel dirty. 512 00:27:03,157 --> 00:27:06,547 Or we feel unworthy. 513 00:27:06,547 --> 00:27:08,105 Yet, there's Christ at work. 514 00:27:08,105 --> 00:27:09,132 Think about this. 515 00:27:09,132 --> 00:27:11,002 A trial comes into your life. 516 00:27:11,002 --> 00:27:14,068 And you recognize you don't have the strength. 517 00:27:14,068 --> 00:27:17,636 This is one of the such good things about trials. 518 00:27:17,636 --> 00:27:19,359 They show us we're weak. 519 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:20,480 We don't have strength. 520 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:22,174 So what happens? 521 00:27:22,174 --> 00:27:24,069 We become more dependent on Him, 522 00:27:24,069 --> 00:27:25,950 more trusting of Him. 523 00:27:25,950 --> 00:27:27,370 Our pride is broken. 524 00:27:27,370 --> 00:27:30,711 Do you know what that is? 525 00:27:30,711 --> 00:27:32,104 Your pride gets broken. 526 00:27:32,104 --> 00:27:33,819 It's replaced by humility. 527 00:27:33,819 --> 00:27:41,387 That's like a bush of roses over there. 528 00:27:41,387 --> 00:27:43,157 You ever go walk by a bush of roses 529 00:27:43,157 --> 00:27:44,452 when they're all in bloom? 530 00:27:44,452 --> 00:27:46,966 I mean, the aroma... 531 00:27:46,966 --> 00:27:49,657 That's what He's likening this to. 532 00:27:49,657 --> 00:27:52,103 Your self-sufficiency gets broken 533 00:27:52,103 --> 00:27:53,385 and you're dependent. 534 00:27:53,385 --> 00:27:56,289 As Diego was talking about, you pray. 535 00:27:56,289 --> 00:27:57,598 You pray. 536 00:27:57,598 --> 00:28:00,234 Not hypocritically; not to be seen by men. 537 00:28:00,234 --> 00:28:02,123 You pray because you want God 538 00:28:02,123 --> 00:28:03,459 and you need God. 539 00:28:03,459 --> 00:28:08,219 And that's like this shrub - 540 00:28:08,219 --> 00:28:12,354 I'm growing goji berries and they are red. 541 00:28:12,354 --> 00:28:14,657 I pick them and throw them in the smoothie. 542 00:28:14,657 --> 00:28:16,618 It's like that. 543 00:28:16,618 --> 00:28:19,174 It's like you look in this garden 544 00:28:19,174 --> 00:28:22,974 and the trees - my trees in my yard, 545 00:28:22,974 --> 00:28:25,825 sometimes the boughs bend over so far 546 00:28:25,825 --> 00:28:28,355 they're so heavy-laden with peaches 547 00:28:28,355 --> 00:28:29,349 that they break. 548 00:28:29,349 --> 00:28:30,932 I just clipped one off yesterday. 549 00:28:30,932 --> 00:28:33,108 It was broken because of the weight. 550 00:28:33,108 --> 00:28:34,856 He comes into His garden. 551 00:28:34,856 --> 00:28:37,049 These trials, these things that we fear, 552 00:28:37,049 --> 00:28:38,448 these things that we dread, 553 00:28:38,448 --> 00:28:40,960 these things that we don't like in our life. 554 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:42,013 What's happening? 555 00:28:42,013 --> 00:28:43,774 The outer man wasting away, 556 00:28:43,774 --> 00:28:45,641 but He's doing such things 557 00:28:45,641 --> 00:28:47,822 through the washing of the water of the Word. 558 00:28:47,822 --> 00:28:51,203 This is why getting in the Word every single day - 559 00:28:51,203 --> 00:28:52,987 not just five minutes - 560 00:28:52,987 --> 00:28:55,048 How fast can I get though it? Check mark! 561 00:28:55,048 --> 00:28:57,445 No, it's meditating on it 562 00:28:57,445 --> 00:28:58,796 and it's washing. 563 00:28:58,796 --> 00:29:00,380 Sanctify them with Thy Word. 564 00:29:00,380 --> 00:29:01,817 Thy Word is truth. 565 00:29:01,817 --> 00:29:04,339 And it's washing. It's cleansing. 566 00:29:04,339 --> 00:29:10,222 And it's like the vine heavy with grapes. 567 00:29:10,222 --> 00:29:13,448 It's like herbs are being talked about. 568 00:29:13,448 --> 00:29:15,771 I've got a rosemary plant in my garden. 569 00:29:15,771 --> 00:29:18,830 I just threw a seed in - it was just a little seedling. 570 00:29:18,830 --> 00:29:20,225 It was just this little thing 571 00:29:20,225 --> 00:29:22,434 and now it's grown into this monstrous thing. 572 00:29:22,434 --> 00:29:24,061 I'm going to have to hack it back. 573 00:29:24,061 --> 00:29:27,299 But it's these herbs and these spices 574 00:29:27,299 --> 00:29:29,968 and these fruits and the frankincense 575 00:29:29,968 --> 00:29:31,732 and the trees. 576 00:29:31,732 --> 00:29:37,473 It's like every one of our lives is like that. 577 00:29:37,473 --> 00:29:39,546 It's like He's working such things 578 00:29:39,546 --> 00:29:42,993 that sometimes it's hard. 579 00:29:42,993 --> 00:29:46,376 Has He not promised to cleanse us of every one of our idols? 580 00:29:46,376 --> 00:29:48,055 And He pulls those out. 581 00:29:48,055 --> 00:29:50,113 And to cleanse us from the idol 582 00:29:50,113 --> 00:29:52,957 means that our affections to other things 583 00:29:52,957 --> 00:29:55,997 are shifted towards Him more and more. 584 00:29:55,997 --> 00:29:57,834 And that is just this fruit. 585 00:29:57,834 --> 00:30:00,688 And our love for one another is increased. 586 00:30:00,688 --> 00:30:03,191 And it's just like apples heavy, 587 00:30:03,191 --> 00:30:04,355 hanging on the tree. 588 00:30:04,355 --> 00:30:06,337 That's what He likens all of this to. 589 00:30:06,337 --> 00:30:08,870 The new man - 590 00:30:08,870 --> 00:30:12,392 true righteousness and holiness. 591 00:30:12,392 --> 00:30:17,879 And all of this is like vegetables and fruit. 592 00:30:17,879 --> 00:30:20,397 And I don't know, there must be a cow. 593 00:30:20,397 --> 00:30:22,319 How is He getting milk? 594 00:30:22,319 --> 00:30:26,100 I guess you could get almond milk maybe. 595 00:30:26,100 --> 00:30:29,206 Isn't that a strange thing to bring out of the garden? 596 00:30:29,206 --> 00:30:31,084 And yet, it's there. 597 00:30:31,084 --> 00:30:33,326 It's like the riches. 598 00:30:33,326 --> 00:30:34,637 This is us! 599 00:30:34,637 --> 00:30:36,392 And this is what He's doing to us. 600 00:30:36,392 --> 00:30:37,636 We don't feel it. 601 00:30:37,636 --> 00:30:39,691 We feel like: ah, I go out in this world 602 00:30:39,691 --> 00:30:44,397 and I feel like I'm trying to walk upright 603 00:30:44,397 --> 00:30:48,134 and I'm trying to be what I should be. 604 00:30:48,134 --> 00:30:50,262 But such things, such things 605 00:30:50,262 --> 00:30:53,799 Christ is doing in us. 606 00:30:53,799 --> 00:30:57,466 And He finds us garden-esque. 607 00:30:57,466 --> 00:31:00,092 I mean, that's what this is all about. 608 00:31:00,092 --> 00:31:01,743 Garden. 609 00:31:01,743 --> 00:31:09,299 Do you look at yourself like that, believer? 610 00:31:09,299 --> 00:31:12,892 You find meekness. 611 00:31:12,892 --> 00:31:14,695 You find love. 612 00:31:14,695 --> 00:31:16,620 You find in Scripture it says 613 00:31:16,620 --> 00:31:19,189 I shouldn't just give myself 614 00:31:19,189 --> 00:31:20,453 to my own things; 615 00:31:20,453 --> 00:31:23,533 I ought to give myself to the things of others. 616 00:31:23,533 --> 00:31:26,914 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ. 617 00:31:26,914 --> 00:31:30,477 You find in Scripture all thanksgiving. 618 00:31:30,477 --> 00:31:32,320 Have you ever read how often 619 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:37,115 the evil - those in Romans 1 - 620 00:31:37,115 --> 00:31:39,377 they didn't give God thanks. 621 00:31:39,377 --> 00:31:41,091 Thankfulness. 622 00:31:41,091 --> 00:31:43,674 What fruit of the lips! 623 00:31:43,674 --> 00:31:46,364 Do you recognize when you're thankful, 624 00:31:46,364 --> 00:31:47,943 when you're loving others, 625 00:31:47,943 --> 00:31:49,033 living for others, 626 00:31:49,033 --> 00:31:50,954 depending on the Lord, 627 00:31:50,954 --> 00:31:53,422 going to the Lord often in prayer, 628 00:31:53,422 --> 00:31:56,145 just eating His Word, 629 00:31:56,145 --> 00:31:57,510 finding Christ, 630 00:31:57,510 --> 00:31:59,566 studying His person, 631 00:31:59,566 --> 00:32:01,546 seeking to imitate Him, 632 00:32:01,546 --> 00:32:03,501 that meekness is in your life, 633 00:32:03,501 --> 00:32:05,152 that humility is in your life, 634 00:32:05,152 --> 00:32:06,807 that gentleness is in your life, 635 00:32:06,807 --> 00:32:09,238 even a sternness or a boldness - 636 00:32:09,238 --> 00:32:12,172 even cleansing the temple kind of boldness; 637 00:32:12,172 --> 00:32:14,458 when you stand for the name of the Lord, 638 00:32:14,458 --> 00:32:15,986 you stand for Christ. 639 00:32:15,986 --> 00:32:17,450 You proclaim the Gospel 640 00:32:17,450 --> 00:32:20,664 in the midst of this darkness. 641 00:32:20,664 --> 00:32:24,527 That is like a garden that is just like 642 00:32:24,527 --> 00:32:29,371 that behind Kevin's house. 643 00:32:29,371 --> 00:32:32,808 It's just beautiful. 644 00:32:32,808 --> 00:32:35,685 And brethren, this really happens to us. 645 00:32:35,685 --> 00:32:37,774 We don't often feel like it's happening. 646 00:32:37,774 --> 00:32:39,897 Often, the more like Christ we become, 647 00:32:39,897 --> 00:32:42,617 the more remaining defilements 648 00:32:42,617 --> 00:32:45,517 and failures and flaws and rough edges - 649 00:32:45,517 --> 00:32:48,956 the reality is the more they haunt us. 650 00:32:48,956 --> 00:32:50,622 The more we feel them a lot of times 651 00:32:50,622 --> 00:32:52,657 and the more it stinks in our nostrils. 652 00:32:52,657 --> 00:32:54,836 The more there's a sting and we sigh 653 00:32:54,836 --> 00:32:56,213 and we groan. 654 00:32:56,213 --> 00:32:58,118 The more unworthy and dirty 655 00:32:58,118 --> 00:33:00,101 and unbeautiful we feel. 656 00:33:00,101 --> 00:33:03,474 But really, the truth is 657 00:33:03,474 --> 00:33:06,294 we are being beautified. 658 00:33:06,294 --> 00:33:08,058 This is what Christ is doing. 659 00:33:08,058 --> 00:33:09,159 Splendor. 660 00:33:09,159 --> 00:33:10,936 Don't you love that word? 661 00:33:10,936 --> 00:33:12,970 You may not feel that, because like I say 662 00:33:12,970 --> 00:33:14,375 the old man is wasting away. 663 00:33:14,375 --> 00:33:16,352 You go look in the mirror and it's like, 664 00:33:16,352 --> 00:33:18,590 splendor? My wife was just telling me yesterday 665 00:33:18,590 --> 00:33:26,512 how to comb my hair so that the baldness can't be seen. 666 00:33:26,512 --> 00:33:29,012 You know, I was talking to Charles Leiter one day 667 00:33:29,012 --> 00:33:31,717 and we were both saying we both imagine ourselves 668 00:33:31,717 --> 00:33:33,484 to still be 25 years old. 669 00:33:33,484 --> 00:33:36,190 And he said my dad was the same way. 670 00:33:36,190 --> 00:33:38,251 And Papa, I hear Papa talk. 671 00:33:38,251 --> 00:33:40,113 He thinks he's 25. 672 00:33:40,113 --> 00:33:41,661 But you go look in the mirror 673 00:33:41,661 --> 00:33:44,777 and it's almost like sometimes - does this ever happen to anybody? 674 00:33:44,777 --> 00:33:47,261 You're like who are you? 675 00:33:47,261 --> 00:33:50,508 I don't even recognize you anymore. 676 00:33:50,508 --> 00:33:52,359 But that's what's happening on the outside, 677 00:33:52,359 --> 00:33:53,664 but on the inside, 678 00:33:53,664 --> 00:33:57,572 we are being loved to perfection. 679 00:33:57,572 --> 00:33:59,894 Christ is loving us beautiful. 680 00:33:59,894 --> 00:34:01,322 He's loving us perfect. 681 00:34:01,322 --> 00:34:04,577 He's loving the blemishes out of us. 682 00:34:04,577 --> 00:34:12,397 What is our Beloved more than other beloveds? 683 00:34:12,397 --> 00:34:14,218 Gardens. 684 00:34:14,218 --> 00:34:17,621 Gardens are places that people delight to walk in. 685 00:34:17,621 --> 00:34:18,972 I do. 686 00:34:18,972 --> 00:34:24,675 And notice, Song of Solomon 6:2. 687 00:34:24,675 --> 00:34:26,935 This is the church. 688 00:34:26,935 --> 00:34:30,850 She says, "My Beloved (Christ) 689 00:34:30,850 --> 00:34:34,244 has gone down to His garden, 690 00:34:34,244 --> 00:34:39,176 to the beds of spices to graze." 691 00:34:39,176 --> 00:34:40,221 Don't you like that? 692 00:34:40,221 --> 00:34:45,320 You go into a garden to graze. 693 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:47,623 "To gather lilies..." 694 00:34:47,623 --> 00:34:51,800 Now the thing is, usually a garden 695 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:56,911 is comparatively a small space. 696 00:34:56,911 --> 00:35:00,078 And that's the way it is with the church. 697 00:35:00,078 --> 00:35:02,576 In comparison to the vast wilderness 698 00:35:02,576 --> 00:35:04,584 and wasteland out there. 699 00:35:04,584 --> 00:35:06,561 We're but a small flock. 700 00:35:06,561 --> 00:35:08,076 We're a small place. 701 00:35:08,076 --> 00:35:12,543 Do you realize what Christ is doing for you? 702 00:35:12,543 --> 00:35:14,956 He has chosen you out of this world 703 00:35:14,956 --> 00:35:18,093 to be such a garden. 704 00:35:18,093 --> 00:35:20,423 Where is He at? 705 00:35:20,423 --> 00:35:23,991 He goes down to His garden to graze. 706 00:35:23,991 --> 00:35:27,682 To gather lilies. 707 00:35:27,682 --> 00:35:31,572 What is it in your life that is lily? 708 00:35:31,572 --> 00:35:34,384 What is it in your life that is for Him to graze? 709 00:35:34,384 --> 00:35:37,475 That's what He's doing in our lives. 710 00:35:37,475 --> 00:35:41,433 Notice this. 711 00:35:41,433 --> 00:35:46,201 Look at 4:12. 712 00:35:46,201 --> 00:35:54,162 "A garden locked is My sister, My bride." 713 00:35:54,162 --> 00:35:57,685 His love has not only made us a garden - 714 00:35:57,685 --> 00:36:03,165 His love has not only made us into a garden, 715 00:36:03,165 --> 00:36:04,993 but you want to notice those words: 716 00:36:04,993 --> 00:36:07,787 Locked. Locked. 717 00:36:07,787 --> 00:36:11,266 You know my children when they were young, 718 00:36:11,266 --> 00:36:16,175 they would listen to an audio series, 719 00:36:16,175 --> 00:36:21,018 an audio story called "The Secret Garden." 720 00:36:21,018 --> 00:36:24,126 Probably some of your children have listened to that. 721 00:36:24,126 --> 00:36:27,121 It was a garden that was walled in. 722 00:36:27,121 --> 00:36:28,207 And it had a door 723 00:36:28,207 --> 00:36:32,932 and I think the door was hidden behind some ivy that had grown. 724 00:36:32,932 --> 00:36:35,280 And a key was found. 725 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:37,227 Do you recognize what this is saying? 726 00:36:37,227 --> 00:36:41,428 When you have a garden that's locked, 727 00:36:41,428 --> 00:36:42,965 that means it's got a wall. 728 00:36:42,965 --> 00:36:44,948 It doesn't mean there's just a door there 729 00:36:44,948 --> 00:36:47,273 with a keyhole in it 730 00:36:47,273 --> 00:36:49,272 and the rest is wide open all around. 731 00:36:49,272 --> 00:36:52,233 It's the idea that this thing is walled in. 732 00:36:52,233 --> 00:36:53,562 It's walled. 733 00:36:53,562 --> 00:36:56,317 It's protected. 734 00:36:56,317 --> 00:37:02,122 And it's got a door with a keyhole. 735 00:37:02,122 --> 00:37:04,404 And that door is locked. 736 00:37:04,404 --> 00:37:06,730 That door is shut. 737 00:37:06,730 --> 00:37:09,729 What's that? 738 00:37:09,729 --> 00:37:11,172 What is that? 739 00:37:11,172 --> 00:37:13,969 Locked. 740 00:37:13,969 --> 00:37:18,233 You know what that means? 741 00:37:18,233 --> 00:37:20,241 What a thing for Him to say: 742 00:37:20,241 --> 00:37:25,286 you are a garden locked. 743 00:37:25,286 --> 00:37:29,060 That means you're for Him only. 744 00:37:29,060 --> 00:37:31,690 No one else gets in. 745 00:37:31,690 --> 00:37:34,867 No one else has a key. 746 00:37:34,867 --> 00:37:36,995 We're for Him. 747 00:37:36,995 --> 00:37:39,327 We're reserved for Him. 748 00:37:39,327 --> 00:37:41,281 Locked. 749 00:37:41,281 --> 00:37:42,723 No one else gets in. 750 00:37:42,723 --> 00:37:44,479 It's His garden. 751 00:37:44,479 --> 00:37:47,010 He has the key. 752 00:37:47,010 --> 00:37:49,452 And I'll tell you what this ought to do - 753 00:37:49,452 --> 00:37:51,103 this is what He's speaking to you: 754 00:37:51,103 --> 00:37:53,677 You are a garden locked. 755 00:37:53,677 --> 00:37:58,274 Don't give yourself to anyone else. 756 00:37:58,274 --> 00:38:04,139 Don't share yourself with the world or idols. 757 00:38:04,139 --> 00:38:07,265 Give yourselves entirely to Him. 758 00:38:07,265 --> 00:38:09,605 Entirely to Him. 759 00:38:09,605 --> 00:38:11,057 To be a garden locked 760 00:38:11,057 --> 00:38:13,166 means you're walled in. 761 00:38:13,166 --> 00:38:16,221 What's that? It means we're protected. 762 00:38:16,221 --> 00:38:18,299 We're protected by God's power. 763 00:38:18,299 --> 00:38:20,619 Have you ever read there in Zechariah? 764 00:38:20,619 --> 00:38:23,980 "I will be a wall of fire to her." 765 00:38:23,980 --> 00:38:27,272 God protects. You know what jumped out at me? 766 00:38:27,272 --> 00:38:31,567 I was just recently reading John 17. 767 00:38:31,567 --> 00:38:37,836 Christ said this - the high priestly prayer in John 17. 768 00:38:37,836 --> 00:38:39,946 Jesus praying to His Father 769 00:38:39,946 --> 00:38:42,473 about the 11 disciples. 770 00:38:42,473 --> 00:38:44,131 He says this, 771 00:38:44,131 --> 00:38:48,169 "I have guarded them." 772 00:38:48,169 --> 00:38:50,266 Those words jumped out at me. 773 00:38:50,266 --> 00:38:51,938 I have guarded them. 774 00:38:51,938 --> 00:38:55,306 You know what? The church may seem weak. 775 00:38:55,306 --> 00:38:59,420 In the eyes of the world, we're despised. 776 00:38:59,420 --> 00:39:03,016 We may seem like we're open to all manner of attack - 777 00:39:03,016 --> 00:39:06,678 doctrine, enemies, 778 00:39:06,678 --> 00:39:08,813 false brethren, 779 00:39:08,813 --> 00:39:10,699 anti-Christs who were among us 780 00:39:10,699 --> 00:39:11,981 and they went out from us. 781 00:39:11,981 --> 00:39:14,138 There's all sorts of things - false teachers, 782 00:39:14,138 --> 00:39:19,762 false prophets, false apostles, false christ's, 783 00:39:19,762 --> 00:39:21,321 the devil himself. 784 00:39:21,321 --> 00:39:23,545 But Christian, never forget this. 785 00:39:23,545 --> 00:39:26,552 We have an invisible hedge around us. 786 00:39:26,552 --> 00:39:27,946 You may not see it, 787 00:39:27,946 --> 00:39:30,359 but we are walled. 788 00:39:30,359 --> 00:39:31,811 We are protected. 789 00:39:31,811 --> 00:39:35,090 A wall of fire. I have guarded them. 790 00:39:35,090 --> 00:39:36,970 You better believe there are such walls 791 00:39:36,970 --> 00:39:38,507 around us right now. 792 00:39:38,507 --> 00:39:39,949 We read in Hebrews 1 793 00:39:39,949 --> 00:39:41,743 the angels are ministering spirits. 794 00:39:41,743 --> 00:39:43,844 But you know, there are times in Scripture 795 00:39:43,844 --> 00:39:45,261 when God Himself shows up 796 00:39:45,261 --> 00:39:49,073 and you're not shown any mediating activity by angels. 797 00:39:49,073 --> 00:39:50,883 God shows up. 798 00:39:50,883 --> 00:39:52,272 He comes. 799 00:39:52,272 --> 00:39:56,392 He's there. He protects. 800 00:39:56,392 --> 00:40:01,195 (coughing) 801 00:40:01,195 --> 00:40:06,099 It was said of Canaan back in Deuteronomy - 802 00:40:06,099 --> 00:40:09,561 and I take Canaan as a type of the church, 803 00:40:09,561 --> 00:40:10,972 a shadow of the church. 804 00:40:10,972 --> 00:40:12,747 But it was said of Canaan, 805 00:40:12,747 --> 00:40:15,666 you know, God was bringing His people into this land. 806 00:40:15,666 --> 00:40:16,807 He said, 807 00:40:16,807 --> 00:40:19,335 "It's a land that the Lord your God cares for. 808 00:40:19,335 --> 00:40:21,905 The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it 809 00:40:21,905 --> 00:40:23,464 from the beginning of the year 810 00:40:23,464 --> 00:40:24,670 to the end of the year." 811 00:40:24,670 --> 00:40:25,987 That's what the church is. 812 00:40:25,987 --> 00:40:28,542 His eyes are on us. 813 00:40:28,542 --> 00:40:31,531 All the time. 814 00:40:31,531 --> 00:40:34,908 And I brought up that story, "The Secret Garden," 815 00:40:34,908 --> 00:40:37,337 because I think of the secrecy of it. 816 00:40:37,337 --> 00:40:39,342 You know, as I think of that area 817 00:40:39,342 --> 00:40:43,337 out behind Kevin Williams' house, 818 00:40:43,337 --> 00:40:46,484 you go in there and you just disappear. 819 00:40:46,484 --> 00:40:47,833 It's secret. 820 00:40:47,833 --> 00:40:50,774 It's a private place. 821 00:40:50,774 --> 00:40:56,751 The wall around it keeps all the eyes out. 822 00:40:56,751 --> 00:40:58,468 This is being described of us. 823 00:40:58,468 --> 00:41:03,386 We're a garden that's walled in. 824 00:41:03,386 --> 00:41:05,390 We're a garden that's secret. 825 00:41:05,390 --> 00:41:06,836 A garden that's locked. 826 00:41:06,836 --> 00:41:08,550 That's what locked means. 827 00:41:08,550 --> 00:41:13,213 It's secret. 828 00:41:13,213 --> 00:41:16,124 We're like this garden that's walled in, 829 00:41:16,124 --> 00:41:19,336 closely locked, protected, 830 00:41:19,336 --> 00:41:22,215 and inside all manner of flowers 831 00:41:22,215 --> 00:41:23,794 with their fragrance, 832 00:41:23,794 --> 00:41:27,868 and trees heavy-laden with fruit. 833 00:41:27,868 --> 00:41:29,756 Secret. 834 00:41:29,756 --> 00:41:33,741 We're not known to the world. 835 00:41:33,741 --> 00:41:36,215 Just thinking about that, 836 00:41:36,215 --> 00:41:38,276 the text in 1 John occurred to me. 837 00:41:38,276 --> 00:41:40,112 I preached on that several years back 838 00:41:40,112 --> 00:41:46,113 and that text that says to us 839 00:41:46,113 --> 00:41:48,232 the reason why the world does not know us 840 00:41:48,232 --> 00:41:49,960 is that it did not know Him. 841 00:41:49,960 --> 00:41:52,650 But what I'm pulling on right there is this: 842 00:41:52,650 --> 00:41:55,562 The world doesn't know us. 843 00:41:55,562 --> 00:41:58,801 That's what John recognized. 844 00:41:58,801 --> 00:42:01,075 We're hid. 845 00:42:01,075 --> 00:42:03,197 The world doesn't know what's going on. 846 00:42:03,197 --> 00:42:04,903 Not until this coming day 847 00:42:04,903 --> 00:42:06,444 of the resurrection of the just. 848 00:42:06,444 --> 00:42:08,918 Do you read about that in Romans 8? 849 00:42:08,918 --> 00:42:14,369 It says the sons of God will be revealed. 850 00:42:14,369 --> 00:42:16,928 The world doesn't know. They don't know! 851 00:42:16,928 --> 00:42:20,209 These people out here - they don't know. 852 00:42:20,209 --> 00:42:22,011 Wow, there's people 853 00:42:22,011 --> 00:42:25,965 who the living God has taken out 854 00:42:25,965 --> 00:42:27,510 from among their ranks 855 00:42:27,510 --> 00:42:30,583 and made into these vastly fruitful gardens. 856 00:42:30,583 --> 00:42:31,639 They don't know that. 857 00:42:31,639 --> 00:42:33,428 They don't know that we're the elect. 858 00:42:33,428 --> 00:42:35,384 They don't know that we're the chosen ones. 859 00:42:35,384 --> 00:42:37,683 They don't know that God is doing such things in us 860 00:42:37,683 --> 00:42:39,142 and beautifying us this way. 861 00:42:39,142 --> 00:42:42,311 They don't know what true Christianity is all about. 862 00:42:42,311 --> 00:42:43,676 They don't recognize it. 863 00:42:43,676 --> 00:42:45,871 It's not known. We're not known. 864 00:42:45,871 --> 00:42:50,232 And they don't know us because they don't know Him. 865 00:42:50,232 --> 00:42:55,175 The Christ we know about, they don't know about. 866 00:42:55,175 --> 00:42:57,219 They know the name Christ, 867 00:42:57,219 --> 00:42:59,459 but in their minds, He's altogether different 868 00:42:59,459 --> 00:43:01,250 than what He's portrayed in Scripture 869 00:43:01,250 --> 00:43:03,772 and the way we know Him. 870 00:43:03,772 --> 00:43:04,905 Hidden. 871 00:43:04,905 --> 00:43:09,614 The secrecy and hiddenness of it all. 872 00:43:09,614 --> 00:43:13,685 Now look at this. 873 00:43:13,685 --> 00:43:23,314 Song of Solomon 4:16. 874 00:43:23,314 --> 00:43:28,182 "Let my Beloved come to His garden 875 00:43:28,182 --> 00:43:30,671 and eat its choicest fruit." 876 00:43:30,671 --> 00:43:34,361 Listen. Listen. 877 00:43:34,361 --> 00:43:37,602 This is the church. 878 00:43:37,602 --> 00:43:42,520 "Let my Beloved come to His garden." 879 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:47,236 She is saying let Him come to me. 880 00:43:47,236 --> 00:43:49,002 You know, from the very beginning 881 00:43:49,002 --> 00:43:52,816 of this little diversion, 882 00:43:52,816 --> 00:43:55,239 the thing I've desired as much as anything 883 00:43:55,239 --> 00:43:58,574 is that according to the riches of God's glory - 884 00:43:58,574 --> 00:44:00,380 like I talked about in the past - 885 00:44:00,380 --> 00:44:03,902 that God would put a hunger and ache 886 00:44:03,902 --> 00:44:05,222 in our hearts for this. 887 00:44:05,222 --> 00:44:09,511 Recognize what's happening! 888 00:44:09,511 --> 00:44:12,497 See, hear, feel it. 889 00:44:12,497 --> 00:44:15,022 The desire of her heart is: 890 00:44:15,022 --> 00:44:19,276 Christ, come to Your garden. Come! 891 00:44:19,276 --> 00:44:21,594 Let my Beloved come to His garden. 892 00:44:21,594 --> 00:44:23,774 Let Him eat. 893 00:44:23,774 --> 00:44:25,000 That's the ache. 894 00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:27,751 That's what I've wanted to stir up in your hearts. 895 00:44:27,751 --> 00:44:29,591 That is the kind of garden. 896 00:44:29,591 --> 00:44:32,883 And what you have is what He is doing in her, 897 00:44:32,883 --> 00:44:34,242 what He's making her, 898 00:44:34,242 --> 00:44:35,788 the kind of garden that we are. 899 00:44:35,788 --> 00:44:38,153 We're a garden locked. 900 00:44:38,153 --> 00:44:40,692 But we're a garden from which Christ can come 901 00:44:40,692 --> 00:44:42,772 and He can gather myrrh 902 00:44:42,772 --> 00:44:44,837 and there's aloes and there's milk 903 00:44:44,837 --> 00:44:46,971 and there's wine and there's frankincense 904 00:44:46,971 --> 00:44:48,982 and all manner of these spices 905 00:44:48,982 --> 00:44:54,154 and these fruits. 906 00:44:54,154 --> 00:44:55,361 Think about this. 907 00:44:55,361 --> 00:44:57,953 The imagery doesn't end here. 908 00:44:57,953 --> 00:45:02,060 Notice 4:12. 909 00:45:02,060 --> 00:45:05,432 "A garden locked is My sister, My bride..." 910 00:45:05,432 --> 00:45:07,676 but then He goes even further. 911 00:45:07,676 --> 00:45:14,956 "A spring locked, a fountain sealed." 912 00:45:14,956 --> 00:45:21,366 My grandmother up in Decatur, Michigan 913 00:45:21,366 --> 00:45:22,923 when I was growing up as a kid, 914 00:45:22,923 --> 00:45:25,801 we went way back - she had 80 acres. 915 00:45:25,801 --> 00:45:28,633 If we went way back, 916 00:45:28,633 --> 00:45:30,702 there was a place in the woods 917 00:45:30,702 --> 00:45:34,181 where the spring bubbled up out of the ground. 918 00:45:34,181 --> 00:45:36,227 And there was a cup hanging on the tree. 919 00:45:36,227 --> 00:45:39,130 I guess rumor had it my great-grandfather 920 00:45:39,130 --> 00:45:42,038 put that thing there. 921 00:45:42,038 --> 00:45:46,901 And he would use it to drink from that spring. 922 00:45:46,901 --> 00:45:49,189 The water tasted wonderful. 923 00:45:49,189 --> 00:45:50,943 When you think of a spring - 924 00:45:50,943 --> 00:45:52,948 spring water. 925 00:45:52,948 --> 00:45:57,971 Typically, if somebody bottles water, 926 00:45:57,971 --> 00:45:59,506 somewhere on there - 927 00:45:59,506 --> 00:46:00,998 if you go to the grocery store 928 00:46:00,998 --> 00:46:02,907 and look at the water on their shelves, 929 00:46:02,907 --> 00:46:05,301 somewhere on the packaging it says 930 00:46:05,301 --> 00:46:06,993 "spring water." 931 00:46:06,993 --> 00:46:10,527 Why? Because that conjures in the mind something. 932 00:46:10,527 --> 00:46:12,587 Purity. 933 00:46:12,587 --> 00:46:13,860 Refreshing. 934 00:46:13,860 --> 00:46:15,673 But then He doesn't stop at spring. 935 00:46:15,673 --> 00:46:16,952 Then you go to a fountain. 936 00:46:16,952 --> 00:46:18,777 What do you think of with a fountain? 937 00:46:18,777 --> 00:46:23,524 Not so much purity, but what? 938 00:46:23,524 --> 00:46:25,807 Maybe just the amount of water. 939 00:46:25,807 --> 00:46:27,915 A lot of water. 940 00:46:27,915 --> 00:46:32,199 The idea that this thing is gushing. 941 00:46:32,199 --> 00:46:36,808 Christ's garden is well-watered. 942 00:46:36,808 --> 00:46:40,308 That's one of the things that we could definitely say about that. 943 00:46:40,308 --> 00:46:42,006 There's no danger that the herbs 944 00:46:42,006 --> 00:46:43,618 and flowers and plants and fruit 945 00:46:43,618 --> 00:46:45,054 are going to wither or perish. 946 00:46:45,054 --> 00:46:47,694 What does the first psalm say? 947 00:46:47,694 --> 00:46:51,777 It says that we're like trees 948 00:46:51,777 --> 00:46:53,537 planted by the streams of water 949 00:46:53,537 --> 00:46:56,610 that yield the fruit in its season. 950 00:46:56,610 --> 00:46:57,588 What imagery! 951 00:46:57,588 --> 00:46:59,186 And the thing about it is, again, 952 00:46:59,186 --> 00:47:02,306 the natural man knows nothing 953 00:47:02,306 --> 00:47:04,210 of these things. 954 00:47:04,210 --> 00:47:05,575 He's a stranger 955 00:47:05,575 --> 00:47:11,168 to what's really happening in the world. 956 00:47:11,168 --> 00:47:16,488 The athiest. 957 00:47:16,488 --> 00:47:19,435 I think about the athiest. 958 00:47:19,435 --> 00:47:21,751 There's all these people that want to 959 00:47:21,751 --> 00:47:24,937 continue to sell us on evolution. 960 00:47:24,937 --> 00:47:26,980 Athiest. 961 00:47:26,980 --> 00:47:28,561 A-thiest. 962 00:47:28,561 --> 00:47:31,416 They're against the doctrine of God. 963 00:47:31,416 --> 00:47:33,263 Agnostics. 964 00:47:33,263 --> 00:47:39,713 Against the idea that it's possible to know God. 965 00:47:39,713 --> 00:47:44,939 But the reality is - 966 00:47:44,939 --> 00:47:47,766 the reality is that we know something 967 00:47:47,766 --> 00:47:50,178 about Christ walking in His garden. 968 00:47:50,178 --> 00:47:51,347 And this is the cry, 969 00:47:51,347 --> 00:47:54,196 this is the cry of the church here. 970 00:47:54,196 --> 00:47:56,579 Let Him come walk. 971 00:47:56,579 --> 00:47:59,370 Let my Beloved come to His garden. 972 00:47:59,370 --> 00:48:01,969 And the truth is we know He's there 973 00:48:01,969 --> 00:48:03,278 and we know what it is 974 00:48:03,278 --> 00:48:05,223 to have Him walk in the garden. 975 00:48:05,223 --> 00:48:06,648 And we are that garden. 976 00:48:06,648 --> 00:48:10,035 And the truth is it's real and we know it. 977 00:48:10,035 --> 00:48:11,468 This is true Christianity. 978 00:48:11,468 --> 00:48:13,285 This is no dead religion. 979 00:48:13,285 --> 00:48:14,740 It's real. 980 00:48:14,740 --> 00:48:16,873 We're walled. We're locked. 981 00:48:16,873 --> 00:48:19,072 We're safe. We're secure. 982 00:48:19,072 --> 00:48:21,191 The grace of God has shut us in. 983 00:48:21,191 --> 00:48:22,462 We're protected. 984 00:48:22,462 --> 00:48:24,225 Christ can say it of us: 985 00:48:24,225 --> 00:48:25,923 I have guarded them. 986 00:48:25,923 --> 00:48:27,246 No one can ever get in. 987 00:48:27,246 --> 00:48:31,831 We're hid with Christ in God in this. 988 00:48:31,831 --> 00:48:34,196 And you know what? The imagery here 989 00:48:34,196 --> 00:48:39,498 gets dangerous actually. 990 00:48:39,498 --> 00:48:42,187 Let me just tell you this. 991 00:48:42,187 --> 00:48:45,327 That the same author, 992 00:48:45,327 --> 00:48:47,536 when he wrote the Proverbs, 993 00:48:47,536 --> 00:48:49,851 he said this: 994 00:48:49,851 --> 00:48:57,701 he's wanting to instill in young men 995 00:48:57,701 --> 00:48:59,095 purity, 996 00:48:59,095 --> 00:49:01,413 being devoted to a single wife, 997 00:49:01,413 --> 00:49:05,469 not giving yourself to the forbidden woman. 998 00:49:05,469 --> 00:49:10,684 He says "drink water from your own cistern." 999 00:49:10,684 --> 00:49:13,966 He doesn't really mean water. 1000 00:49:13,966 --> 00:49:20,935 He means confine your intimacy to your wife. 1001 00:49:20,935 --> 00:49:28,059 "Should your springs be scattered abroad? 1002 00:49:28,059 --> 00:49:30,130 Streams of water in the streets? 1003 00:49:30,130 --> 00:49:33,776 Let them be for yourself alone 1004 00:49:33,776 --> 00:49:37,311 and not for strangers with you. 1005 00:49:37,311 --> 00:49:42,445 Let your fountain be blessed 1006 00:49:42,445 --> 00:49:46,113 and rejoice in the wife of your youth." 1007 00:49:46,113 --> 00:49:50,616 And he goes on. 1008 00:49:50,616 --> 00:49:52,163 But you see, the idea here 1009 00:49:52,163 --> 00:49:56,284 of springs and fountains. 1010 00:49:56,284 --> 00:49:57,907 You know what? 1011 00:49:57,907 --> 00:50:03,212 We are locked when it comes 1012 00:50:03,212 --> 00:50:07,571 to being a spring and a fountain in this sense. 1013 00:50:07,571 --> 00:50:09,962 We're virgins. 1014 00:50:09,962 --> 00:50:12,056 That's what Paul says to the Corinthians. 1015 00:50:12,056 --> 00:50:18,162 We are virgins reserved for Him. 1016 00:50:18,162 --> 00:50:20,210 We're a spring locked, 1017 00:50:20,210 --> 00:50:23,155 a fountain sealed. 1018 00:50:23,155 --> 00:50:27,679 Brethren, our purity and our chasteness 1019 00:50:27,679 --> 00:50:29,778 is for Him. 1020 00:50:29,778 --> 00:50:31,010 Our devotion to Him. 1021 00:50:31,010 --> 00:50:33,738 Our spotlessness is for Him. 1022 00:50:33,738 --> 00:50:36,580 When He talks about making us 1023 00:50:36,580 --> 00:50:40,782 into this splendorous thing, 1024 00:50:40,782 --> 00:50:42,720 it's as His bride. 1025 00:50:42,720 --> 00:50:46,841 He's beautifying us not for others, 1026 00:50:46,841 --> 00:50:52,060 but to present us to Himself in splendor, 1027 00:50:52,060 --> 00:50:54,505 in beauty. 1028 00:50:54,505 --> 00:50:57,164 She's Christ's garden. 1029 00:50:57,164 --> 00:50:59,200 And none but His. 1030 00:50:59,200 --> 00:51:00,853 She is Christ's spring, 1031 00:51:00,853 --> 00:51:02,803 Christ's fountain. 1032 00:51:02,803 --> 00:51:06,852 None have a right to her but Him. 1033 00:51:06,852 --> 00:51:11,665 She is sister and bride to Him alone. 1034 00:51:11,665 --> 00:51:13,307 What I'm getting at is this, 1035 00:51:13,307 --> 00:51:17,454 we dare not share ourselves 1036 00:51:17,454 --> 00:51:20,546 with other lovers. 1037 00:51:20,546 --> 00:51:24,945 You, Christian, are a locked garden. 1038 00:51:24,945 --> 00:51:32,055 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 1039 00:51:32,055 --> 00:51:34,689 One lover. 1040 00:51:34,689 --> 00:51:36,797 You are locked. 1041 00:51:36,797 --> 00:51:38,888 You are His. 1042 00:51:38,888 --> 00:51:41,179 You are private. You are secret. 1043 00:51:41,179 --> 00:51:44,968 You are for Him. 1044 00:51:44,968 --> 00:51:47,280 Brothers and sisters, 1045 00:51:47,280 --> 00:51:51,095 this is the heart of Christianity. 1046 00:51:51,095 --> 00:51:55,790 It is having Christ come to His garden. 1047 00:51:55,790 --> 00:51:57,214 This is the reality. 1048 00:51:57,214 --> 00:52:02,863 This is what true Christianity is all about. 1049 00:52:02,863 --> 00:52:04,398 It's to have Him. 1050 00:52:04,398 --> 00:52:09,098 It's to know God and His Christ. 1051 00:52:09,098 --> 00:52:12,112 It's this: 1052 00:52:12,112 --> 00:52:15,850 you are reserved for Him. 1053 00:52:15,850 --> 00:52:19,262 Listen, if your Christianity is mechanical; 1054 00:52:19,262 --> 00:52:21,616 if it's simply duty, 1055 00:52:21,616 --> 00:52:23,825 if it's simply the checklist, 1056 00:52:23,825 --> 00:52:27,535 if it's simply that which you don't like to do 1057 00:52:27,535 --> 00:52:29,081 but you know you've got to do it 1058 00:52:29,081 --> 00:52:36,213 because you're trying to miss hell, 1059 00:52:36,213 --> 00:52:38,342 then it's not this. 1060 00:52:38,342 --> 00:52:40,496 If it's not this, it's not the real thing. 1061 00:52:40,496 --> 00:52:43,471 It's not the true Christianity. 1062 00:52:43,471 --> 00:52:45,857 And look what He does. 1063 00:52:45,857 --> 00:52:50,528 Look what He does in 4:16. 1064 00:52:50,528 --> 00:52:55,727 I want you to hear the voice of Christ. 1065 00:52:55,727 --> 00:52:57,605 Comprehend the love of Christ. 1066 00:52:57,605 --> 00:53:02,209 Because as His garden, this is what He's saying: 1067 00:53:02,209 --> 00:53:06,612 "Awake..." Christ speaking. 1068 00:53:06,612 --> 00:53:08,331 "Awake, O north wind, 1069 00:53:08,331 --> 00:53:11,729 come, O south wind, blow upon..." 1070 00:53:11,729 --> 00:53:14,525 again, "My garden." 1071 00:53:14,525 --> 00:53:16,945 This is Mine. 1072 00:53:16,945 --> 00:53:19,627 He's calling to the winds 1073 00:53:19,627 --> 00:53:23,658 to come and blow upon His garden. 1074 00:53:23,658 --> 00:53:25,855 So as to do what to it? 1075 00:53:25,855 --> 00:53:29,436 Make it even more fruitful. 1076 00:53:29,436 --> 00:53:33,057 "Let its spices flow." 1077 00:53:33,057 --> 00:53:36,074 Christ calls forth the wind. 1078 00:53:36,074 --> 00:53:37,464 I love this imagery. 1079 00:53:37,464 --> 00:53:41,633 Almost always when I think of the Spirit, 1080 00:53:41,633 --> 00:53:43,234 when I think of revival, 1081 00:53:43,234 --> 00:53:45,993 don't we talk about the winds of revival? 1082 00:53:45,993 --> 00:53:48,719 When I think about revival, 1083 00:53:48,719 --> 00:53:50,679 I think about wind. 1084 00:53:50,679 --> 00:53:55,616 I often imagine like a 17th, 18th, 19th century ship 1085 00:53:55,616 --> 00:53:57,175 with those big masts. 1086 00:53:57,175 --> 00:54:00,613 We just saw the U.S.S. Constitution 1087 00:54:00,613 --> 00:54:02,399 when we were in Boston. 1088 00:54:02,399 --> 00:54:04,421 This great big war ship, 1089 00:54:04,421 --> 00:54:07,335 but it's got all these main masts on it 1090 00:54:07,335 --> 00:54:10,259 and multitude of sails. 1091 00:54:10,259 --> 00:54:12,246 That's what I think of: a ship. 1092 00:54:12,246 --> 00:54:14,058 We're like a ship with all these sails 1093 00:54:14,058 --> 00:54:16,422 and the wind blows 1094 00:54:16,422 --> 00:54:20,313 and it sends us mightily through the water, rushing. 1095 00:54:20,313 --> 00:54:21,455 That's how I view it. 1096 00:54:21,455 --> 00:54:23,905 The Scriptures capture this idea 1097 00:54:23,905 --> 00:54:26,935 of the Spirit of God being like the wind. 1098 00:54:26,935 --> 00:54:30,617 Can you think of where? 1099 00:54:30,617 --> 00:54:34,344 Where do you get that idea of wind in Scripture? 1100 00:54:34,344 --> 00:54:36,272 John 3 would be one. 1101 00:54:36,272 --> 00:54:38,574 "Like the wind that blows where it wishes, 1102 00:54:38,574 --> 00:54:40,487 you hear its sound, but you do not know 1103 00:54:40,487 --> 00:54:42,404 where it comes from or where it goes." 1104 00:54:42,404 --> 00:54:44,110 But can you think of another time 1105 00:54:44,110 --> 00:54:48,311 where the Spirit is associated with wind? 1106 00:54:48,311 --> 00:54:52,104 Yeah, the day of Pentecost. 1107 00:54:52,104 --> 00:54:54,628 A sound like a mighty, rushing wind. 1108 00:54:54,628 --> 00:54:56,061 These winds. 1109 00:54:56,061 --> 00:54:58,220 Christ speaks to the winds. 1110 00:54:58,220 --> 00:55:01,776 And they're at His service. 1111 00:55:01,776 --> 00:55:05,348 Come and do My garden good. 1112 00:55:05,348 --> 00:55:08,478 I see this as the Spirit of God. 1113 00:55:08,478 --> 00:55:10,642 Now you say, yeah, but those winds 1114 00:55:10,642 --> 00:55:12,046 are contrary to each other. 1115 00:55:12,046 --> 00:55:14,048 One's a north wind. One's a south wind. 1116 00:55:14,048 --> 00:55:17,238 I say that's just the Spirit's operations 1117 00:55:17,238 --> 00:55:21,766 coming at us from different directions. 1118 00:55:21,766 --> 00:55:24,181 Now, depending on where you live, 1119 00:55:24,181 --> 00:55:25,984 like up in Michigan if you thought 1120 00:55:25,984 --> 00:55:30,985 about a north wind, you think brrr... 1121 00:55:30,985 --> 00:55:36,740 Here in Texas, the idea of a north wind, 1122 00:55:36,740 --> 00:55:38,196 or a cool front - 1123 00:55:38,196 --> 00:55:40,011 you know when they first start coming 1124 00:55:40,011 --> 00:55:41,397 in late September, 1125 00:55:41,397 --> 00:55:43,825 that's a happy thing. 1126 00:55:43,825 --> 00:55:45,558 It depends on where you live. 1127 00:55:45,558 --> 00:55:47,479 Obviously, what part of the hemisphere, 1128 00:55:47,479 --> 00:55:49,276 (incomplete thought). 1129 00:55:49,276 --> 00:55:50,908 But we get the idea. 1130 00:55:50,908 --> 00:55:52,489 Some winds - they bring rain. 1131 00:55:52,489 --> 00:55:54,312 Some winds are destructive. 1132 00:55:54,312 --> 00:55:56,025 Some bring bitter cold. 1133 00:55:56,025 --> 00:56:00,354 Some bring pleasant spring-like conditions. 1134 00:56:00,354 --> 00:56:05,676 Some winds are very favorable. 1135 00:56:05,676 --> 00:56:09,071 And some winds are bitter. 1136 00:56:09,071 --> 00:56:10,954 This is the idea. 1137 00:56:10,954 --> 00:56:17,408 I mean, sometimes God blows upon us with comforts. 1138 00:56:17,408 --> 00:56:19,665 They're joyful times. 1139 00:56:19,665 --> 00:56:21,813 I mean, we should rejoice in the Lord always, 1140 00:56:21,813 --> 00:56:24,427 but the truth is there are some circumstances in life 1141 00:56:24,427 --> 00:56:29,032 that are just happy times. 1142 00:56:29,032 --> 00:56:32,893 And there are situations that are bitter trials. 1143 00:56:32,893 --> 00:56:34,302 And the idea is this, 1144 00:56:34,302 --> 00:56:38,179 these winds - however you take them, 1145 00:56:38,179 --> 00:56:39,983 it's Christ using different means 1146 00:56:39,983 --> 00:56:42,557 to perfect His garden, 1147 00:56:42,557 --> 00:56:44,865 even though they may seem contrary, 1148 00:56:44,865 --> 00:56:46,577 blows upon us with the warm winds, 1149 00:56:46,577 --> 00:56:49,141 blows upon us with refreshing winds. 1150 00:56:49,141 --> 00:56:51,338 Sometimes, blows upon us with winds 1151 00:56:51,338 --> 00:56:52,786 that seem to be damaging, 1152 00:56:52,786 --> 00:56:55,247 but you know, they never really damage us. 1153 00:56:55,247 --> 00:56:57,442 They damage our pride. 1154 00:56:57,442 --> 00:57:01,337 They damage our false securities. 1155 00:57:01,337 --> 00:57:03,716 They damage our false hopes. 1156 00:57:03,716 --> 00:57:06,645 But they're never really damaging to us. 1157 00:57:06,645 --> 00:57:09,205 Because all things work together for our good 1158 00:57:09,205 --> 00:57:14,045 if we're truly loving God. 1159 00:57:14,045 --> 00:57:16,486 And He brings these winds. 1160 00:57:16,486 --> 00:57:22,960 It's key to emphasize these difficulties. 1161 00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:25,154 You have difficulties. 1162 00:57:25,154 --> 00:57:27,756 Some of you, I know, family difficulties, 1163 00:57:27,756 --> 00:57:31,540 difficulties with lost children, 1164 00:57:31,540 --> 00:57:33,169 financial difficulties, 1165 00:57:33,169 --> 00:57:36,866 health issue difficulties. 1166 00:57:36,866 --> 00:57:39,467 You get these things. 1167 00:57:39,467 --> 00:57:42,879 They're struggles. They're trials. 1168 00:57:42,879 --> 00:57:43,885 Marriage situations. 1169 00:57:43,885 --> 00:57:45,206 You know what that is? 1170 00:57:45,206 --> 00:57:46,794 That may be like the north wind. 1171 00:57:46,794 --> 00:57:48,939 It blows. It hurts. It's uncomfortable. 1172 00:57:48,939 --> 00:57:49,981 We don't like it. 1173 00:57:49,981 --> 00:57:53,369 But if we have eyes to see, 1174 00:57:53,369 --> 00:57:54,905 it's like through these things, 1175 00:57:54,905 --> 00:57:57,579 He's just spreading the seeds. 1176 00:57:57,579 --> 00:57:59,650 You can imagine, He spreads the seeds 1177 00:57:59,650 --> 00:58:03,467 and up grows these beautiful trees in the garden. 1178 00:58:03,467 --> 00:58:04,923 And He spreads the seeds, 1179 00:58:04,923 --> 00:58:09,855 and up grows just heavy- laden with fruit, bushes; 1180 00:58:09,855 --> 00:58:12,245 and He spreads these seeds 1181 00:58:12,245 --> 00:58:13,735 and plants and herbs 1182 00:58:13,735 --> 00:58:16,172 and all manner of flowers 1183 00:58:16,172 --> 00:58:17,794 and the bees must be in there 1184 00:58:17,794 --> 00:58:20,347 because there's honey and honeycombs. 1185 00:58:20,347 --> 00:58:21,961 This is what He's doing. 1186 00:58:21,961 --> 00:58:28,777 We look at it and we get so encased 1187 00:58:28,777 --> 00:58:32,324 in our surroundings and what we see. 1188 00:58:32,324 --> 00:58:34,101 But we live by faith, not by sight. 1189 00:58:34,101 --> 00:58:37,119 But sometimes we're such creatures of sight. 1190 00:58:37,119 --> 00:58:40,871 Life is difficult. 1191 00:58:40,875 --> 00:58:43,459 What I'm wanting you to do is just step back 1192 00:58:43,459 --> 00:58:45,239 in this message today 1193 00:58:45,239 --> 00:58:47,138 and just comprehend. 1194 00:58:47,138 --> 00:58:49,797 If you're a child of God, 1195 00:58:49,797 --> 00:58:53,759 Jesus Christ Himself is doing such things in you 1196 00:58:53,759 --> 00:58:57,908 to make you this absolutely beautiful, 1197 00:58:57,908 --> 00:59:00,193 fruitful garden. 1198 00:59:00,193 --> 00:59:02,521 And where do you find Christ? 1199 00:59:02,521 --> 00:59:04,973 Grazing in the garden. 1200 00:59:04,973 --> 00:59:08,659 He likes to be there and gather the lilies. 1201 00:59:08,659 --> 00:59:12,167 And then you hear the heart of the bride. 1202 00:59:12,167 --> 00:59:13,549 Have you ever noticed? 1203 00:59:13,549 --> 00:59:17,022 The Spirit and the bride say what? 1204 00:59:17,022 --> 00:59:18,064 Come. 1205 00:59:18,064 --> 00:59:21,901 And the Spirit in the bride 1206 00:59:21,901 --> 00:59:24,430 is never satisfied. 1207 00:59:24,430 --> 00:59:26,318 Come to Your garden! 1208 00:59:26,318 --> 00:59:28,893 I mean, that's the cry. 1209 00:59:28,893 --> 00:59:31,351 Don't you love that 1210 00:59:31,351 --> 00:59:33,860 when that's true of you? 1211 00:59:33,860 --> 00:59:37,154 That is such a healthy condition to be in 1212 00:59:37,154 --> 00:59:38,337 as a Christian. 1213 00:59:38,337 --> 00:59:42,629 When we are just so unsatisifed; 1214 00:59:42,629 --> 00:59:44,965 when we ache, 1215 00:59:44,965 --> 00:59:46,431 because when He comes, 1216 00:59:46,431 --> 00:59:47,988 there's such a release; 1217 00:59:47,988 --> 00:59:49,829 there's such satisfaction; 1218 00:59:49,829 --> 00:59:52,708 there's such joy. 1219 00:59:52,708 --> 00:59:54,739 Aching for something. 1220 00:59:54,739 --> 00:59:56,805 When the heart longs after; 1221 00:59:56,805 --> 01:00:00,072 when the soul is thirsty: 1222 01:00:00,072 --> 01:00:02,453 Come, Lord, come to Your garden! 1223 01:00:02,453 --> 01:00:03,976 Come! Come graze! 1224 01:00:03,976 --> 01:00:07,650 Come gather the flowers. 1225 01:00:07,650 --> 01:00:12,603 And isn't it such the desire of the Christian 1226 01:00:12,603 --> 01:00:15,422 that you desire that when He comes, 1227 01:00:15,422 --> 01:00:18,619 He finds you to be a place that He greatly delights 1228 01:00:18,619 --> 01:00:21,379 to walk in that place; 1229 01:00:21,379 --> 01:00:23,413 to commune in that place. 1230 01:00:23,413 --> 01:00:25,638 That He finds it a place where He really is 1231 01:00:25,638 --> 01:00:29,065 gathering in the spices and the wine. 1232 01:00:29,065 --> 01:00:32,387 Remember, this wine, this honey, this milk - 1233 01:00:32,387 --> 01:00:34,405 it's coming from us! 1234 01:00:34,405 --> 01:00:38,372 You've got to personalize this. This is you! 1235 01:00:38,372 --> 01:00:41,144 And that ache for this. 1236 01:00:41,144 --> 01:00:43,571 So let us take fresh encouragement 1237 01:00:43,571 --> 01:00:46,288 from all of this. 1238 01:00:46,288 --> 01:00:49,402 Brethren, how daily we're prone to offend Him. 1239 01:00:49,402 --> 01:00:52,368 Let's take special encouragement 1240 01:00:52,368 --> 01:00:55,184 that what we do be pleasing to Him. 1241 01:00:55,184 --> 01:00:59,347 We could say church of God arise. 1242 01:00:59,347 --> 01:01:01,172 Desire that Christ would cause 1243 01:01:01,172 --> 01:01:02,927 the north wind and the south wind - 1244 01:01:02,927 --> 01:01:04,396 pray that way! 1245 01:01:04,396 --> 01:01:09,690 Lord, cause the north wind to awake. 1246 01:01:09,690 --> 01:01:12,543 Why? I want spice. 1247 01:01:12,543 --> 01:01:18,018 Spice - but not for anyone. You're a locked garden. 1248 01:01:18,018 --> 01:01:20,809 It's for Him. 1249 01:01:20,809 --> 01:01:23,497 But isn't that when we're most satisfied? 1250 01:01:23,497 --> 01:01:27,817 Isn't that when we take greatest joy? 1251 01:01:27,817 --> 01:01:30,822 I read those words. 1252 01:01:30,822 --> 01:01:34,759 Jesus said, "I guarded them." 1253 01:01:34,759 --> 01:01:39,311 Then He said, "they've kept Your Word." 1254 01:01:39,311 --> 01:01:41,335 I just want to cry when I read that. 1255 01:01:41,335 --> 01:01:43,886 I want to jump and shout when I read that. 1256 01:01:43,886 --> 01:01:46,160 "They kept Your Word." 1257 01:01:46,160 --> 01:01:49,420 Those guys, their faith teetered and tottered at times, 1258 01:01:49,420 --> 01:01:52,572 and yet "they've kept Your Word." 1259 01:01:52,572 --> 01:01:57,234 To have Christ find you lovely, 1260 01:01:57,234 --> 01:02:00,524 desirable, beautiful, 1261 01:02:00,524 --> 01:02:04,164 a place where He wants to come 1262 01:02:04,164 --> 01:02:08,358 and graze - 1263 01:02:08,358 --> 01:02:10,760 what is that? 1264 01:02:10,760 --> 01:02:15,868 What love that He should do such things to us! 1265 01:02:15,868 --> 01:02:21,576 And the thing is when our desire is: 1266 01:02:21,576 --> 01:02:24,564 let my Beloved come to His garden, 1267 01:02:24,564 --> 01:02:29,633 and He comes, 1268 01:02:29,633 --> 01:02:31,823 that's it. 1269 01:02:31,823 --> 01:02:35,248 What's all the world to us when that happens? 1270 01:02:35,248 --> 01:02:36,556 This is it. 1271 01:02:36,556 --> 01:02:40,268 This is true Christianity. 1272 01:02:40,268 --> 01:02:41,539 And we should desire it. 1273 01:02:41,539 --> 01:02:42,979 That should be our prayer. 1274 01:02:42,979 --> 01:02:46,104 Lord, come. 1275 01:02:46,104 --> 01:02:49,904 Come to Your garden. Come. 1276 01:02:49,904 --> 01:02:52,174 Yes, and cause these winds to blow 1277 01:02:52,174 --> 01:02:54,476 from whichever direction they need to blow, 1278 01:02:54,476 --> 01:03:02,915 but make us a richly spice-bearing church. 1279 01:03:02,915 --> 01:03:06,217 We're going to have the Lord's Supper now. 1280 01:03:06,217 --> 01:03:09,480 Because we're thinking on this. 1281 01:03:09,480 --> 01:03:12,495 Jesus has purchased this 1282 01:03:12,495 --> 01:03:22,476 at great, great, great expense to Himself. 1283 01:03:22,476 --> 01:03:26,867 He Himself has bore our sins 1284 01:03:26,867 --> 01:03:30,795 in His own body on the tree, 1285 01:03:30,795 --> 01:03:33,251 that we might live to righteousness. 1286 01:03:33,251 --> 01:03:37,198 This true righteousness and holiness 1287 01:03:37,198 --> 01:03:41,523 has come at great, great expense. 1288 01:03:41,523 --> 01:03:46,325 We are not a cheap garden. 1289 01:03:46,325 --> 01:03:48,129 We may feel ourselves unworthy, 1290 01:03:48,129 --> 01:03:51,791 but we're not a cheap garden. 1291 01:03:51,791 --> 01:03:55,415 The piece of ground that we're on 1292 01:03:55,415 --> 01:04:01,072 is expensive ground. 1293 01:04:01,072 --> 01:04:05,965 And we want to remember right now 1294 01:04:05,965 --> 01:04:12,712 that which our Lord has done. 1295 01:04:12,712 --> 01:04:16,197 Sister Jenny, could we get a song maybe? 1296 01:04:16,197 --> 01:04:20,164 Could we sing "Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted," 1297 01:04:20,164 --> 01:04:24,448 while they're handing out these elements?