Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:16 | hello |
| 0:19 | today |
| 0:20 | let’s talk about what it means to fear |
| 0:23 | love and trust God |
| 0:28 | as a boy I remember seeing my father |
| 0:30 | watching National Geographic on |
| 0:33 | television |
| 0:34 | one day he told me about an episode a |
| 0:37 | pack of hyenas had encircled a mother |
| 0:39 | lion she had her Cubs close around her |
| 0:42 | and though a lioness can capably defeat |
| 0:45 | four or five hyenas this was a larger |
| 0:48 | group |
| 0:49 | they were after one or more of her Cubs |
| 0:52 | why for food yes and more |
| 0:56 | hyenas and lions compete for the same |
| 0:58 | food sources if a cub can be killed |
| 1:01 | today it would mean less competition for |
| 1:03 | food tomorrow |
| 1:05 | so some of the hyenas came from One |
| 1:07 | Direction tempting Mama to chase them |
| 1:09 | away |
| 1:10 | others crept in from the other side |
| 1:13 | trying to steal a precious cub |
| 1:16 | the male lion was surprisingly |
| 1:18 | unresponsive |
| 1:21 | again and again the hyenas came |
| 1:24 | mother snarled making short attacks to |
| 1:28 | chase some away but she quickly returned |
| 1:30 | to her Cubs so that they were not |
| 1:32 | endangered |
| 1:34 | after a time mother began to tire |
| 1:38 | one lioness against seven or eight or |
| 1:41 | ten hyenas |
| 1:43 | is exhausting work |
| 1:45 | well finally the mail got up |
| 1:49 | slowly began to move |
| 1:51 | suddenly he was fast as Lightning and |
| 1:54 | lethal as a blade literally one rake of |
| 1:57 | his paw slaughtered a hyena |
| 2:00 | one closure of his jaws and another was |
| 2:02 | quickly dispatched the others ran in |
| 2:05 | Terror |
| 2:06 | the large male turned and walked back to |
| 2:09 | his Shady Rest |
| 2:12 | years later in college I remember |
| 2:14 | reading The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S |
| 2:17 | Lewis the primary character is a large |
| 2:19 | lion he represents Jesus Christ his name |
| 2:23 | is Aslan |
| 2:25 | two children are about to meet Aslan |
| 2:28 | and they are cautioned by Mr and Mrs |
| 2:31 | beaver |
| 2:32 | oh said Susan |
| 2:35 | I thought he was a man is he quite safe |
| 2:39 | I shall feel rather nervous about |
| 2:41 | meeting a lion |
| 2:44 | well that ye will Dairy said Mrs beaver |
| 2:47 | and make no mistake if there’s anyone |
| 2:50 | who can appear before sland without |
| 2:52 | their knees knocking they’re either |
| 2:55 | braver than most or else just plain |
| 2:57 | silly |
| 2:59 | well then isn’t he safe said Lucy slave |
| 3:04 | said Mr beaver |
| 3:06 | don’t you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you |
| 3:09 | who said anything about safe of course |
| 3:11 | he isn’t safe |
| 3:13 | but he’s good |
| 3:15 | he’s a king I tell you |
| 3:19 | before long we learned that Edmund has |
| 3:22 | transgressed the law of Narnia and the |
| 3:25 | White Witch requires the ultimate price |
| 3:27 | he must die |
| 3:30 | but Aslan does the unthinkable |
| 3:33 | he offers himself in place of the |
| 3:35 | foolish child |
| 3:37 | Aslan is taken captive |
| 3:39 | his main is cut off he is taunted |
| 3:42 | tortured tied down to the Altar and |
| 3:45 | murdered |
| 3:48 | in Matthew chapter 10 |
| 3:51 | verse 28 Jesus declares |
| 3:55 | do not fear Those Who Kill the body but |
| 3:58 | are unable to kill the soul |
| 4:00 | but rather fear Him who is able to |
| 4:02 | destroy both soul and Body in hell |
| 4:06 | who is it who will come again in glory |
| 4:09 | to judge both the living and the dead it |
| 4:11 | is Jesus Christ The Lion of Judah |
| 4:14 | we may spend a lifetime worrying about |
| 4:16 | what other humans might say or do to us |
| 4:18 | Jesus says that we should not fear them |
| 4:22 | instead we should fear the one who has |
| 4:24 | the final and eternal judgment in his |
| 4:27 | hands |
| 4:29 | ours is a god of righteousness and |
| 4:31 | justice |
| 4:33 | ironically those who do not believe in |
| 4:35 | him do not fear Him but they are the |
| 4:38 | ones most in peril because of their lack |
| 4:41 | of faith |
| 4:42 | we Believers we know that God is real |
| 4:46 | that he is a righteous judge |
| 4:49 | for that reason we unrighteous Sinners |
| 4:51 | have need to fear |
| 4:53 | he has the power and the right to |
| 4:55 | condemn us to hell |
| 4:57 | Jesus says to fear Him who is able to |
| 5:00 | destroy both soul and Body in hell |
| 5:03 | God’s justice |
| 5:05 | is so strong that he cannot and will not |
| 5:09 | ignore the truth of our sinfulness |
| 5:12 | however there is something that is |
| 5:15 | stronger than his Justice that is his |
| 5:18 | Mercy |
| 5:19 | God loves us so much that he gives his |
| 5:21 | own son to make us righteous and clean |
| 5:24 | by grace through faith |
| 5:27 | we Sinners are made acceptable to him we |
| 5:30 | can come into His holy presence because |
| 5:32 | of the lion Jesus |
| 5:35 | who has taken our punishment and death |
| 5:37 | upon himself |
| 5:39 | this savior of ours is no monochromatic |
| 5:42 | hero |
| 5:43 | he is a more multi-dimensional hero than |
| 5:46 | we can understand |
| 5:48 | his Justice and righteousness |
| 5:51 | cannot be diminished but they are |
| 5:54 | exceeded by his mercy and love received |
| 5:58 | by grace through faith |
| 5:59 | he has proven his love for you because |
| 6:01 | while you were yet a sinner ungodly and |
| 6:05 | even an enemy of God Christ died for you |
| 6:09 | he has proven that he is consistent in |
| 6:12 | his mercy and faithful in his love |
| 6:15 | because of his judgment |
| 6:17 | you are right to fear Him |
| 6:19 | because of his Mercy |
| 6:22 | you are right to love him |
| 6:24 | because of his sacrificial love |
| 6:27 | you are right to trust him |
| 6:31 | Jesus goes on in Matthew chapter 10 to |
| 6:34 | express not only the powerful Judgment |
| 6:36 | of God but the unexpected care and love |
| 6:40 | of God Jesus says in Matthew chapter 10 |
| 6:44 | verses 29 to 31 |
| 6:46 | or not Two Sparrows sold for Ascent and |
| 6:50 | yet not one of them will fall to the |
| 6:51 | ground apart from your father |
| 6:53 | but the very hairs of your head are all |
| 6:56 | numbered therefore do not fear you are |
| 6:59 | more of more value than many sparrows |
| 7:04 | Jesus chooses something that is of |
| 7:06 | little value in the first century the |
| 7:09 | offering of Two Sparrows |
| 7:11 | sparrows were raised by some people for |
| 7:15 | food but there was very little meat onto |
| 7:17 | sparrows they also were used as an |
| 7:20 | offering at the temple by the very poor |
| 7:23 | if they could afford nothing else they |
| 7:25 | could afford to offer Two Sparrows |
| 7:28 | though these birds were seen as minimal |
| 7:31 | in value Jesus tells his disciples that |
| 7:35 | God has his eye on each and every one of |
| 7:37 | them not one Falls |
| 7:41 | or flies |
| 7:42 | without the father’s knowledge |
| 7:45 | then I think almost playfully Jesus says |
| 7:48 | you are of more value than many sparrows |
| 7:52 | in other words if God is kind and caring |
| 7:55 | to a sparrow how much more is God kind |
| 7:58 | and caring to you |
| 8:00 | if God knows every flight or fall of a |
| 8:04 | sparrow how much more does God give you |
| 8:06 | his constant attention |
| 8:10 | Jesus also declares that the hairs on |
| 8:12 | your head are numbered |
| 8:13 | for God that is much easier |
| 8:17 | regarding some people than for others |
| 8:21 | the average head has 150 000 hairs |
| 8:25 | others of us have much fewer number of |
| 8:30 | hairs on our head but what’s all this |
| 8:32 | talk of hair about |
| 8:34 | our Lord is saying that God gives |
| 8:37 | incredible and detailed attention to |
| 8:40 | everything in your life even the number |
| 8:43 | of hairs on your head every need every |
| 8:46 | moment of every day upon the Earth |
| 8:49 | God in his infinite wisdom and love is |
| 8:52 | caring for you and this watching over |
| 8:55 | you |
| 8:58 | finally |
| 8:59 | in Matthew chapter 10 |
| 9:02 | verses 32 and 33 |
| 9:05 | Jesus says |
| 9:08 | everyone therefore who shall confess me |
| 9:11 | before men I will also confess before my |
| 9:14 | father who is in heaven |
| 9:16 | but whoever shall deny me before men |
| 9:19 | I will also deny him before my father |
| 9:22 | who is in heaven |
| 9:25 | it is possible I think to hear that and |
| 9:29 | get kind of scared |
| 9:31 | what if I don’t confess God in some way |
| 9:34 | that I’m supposed to will I lose my |
| 9:37 | salvation |
| 9:39 | was there ever a time when I was |
| 9:41 | supposed to confess him but I did not |
| 9:43 | oh |
| 9:45 | weren’t there a thousand times when I |
| 9:47 | put myself first before him my own wants |
| 9:50 | and desires my own fears and Temptations |
| 9:52 | in that way |
| 9:54 | how many times have my actions not |
| 9:57 | confessed his lordship in my life have I |
| 10:00 | actually denied my faith already |
| 10:03 | have I already lost my salvation |
| 10:06 | is that what this scripture is saying |
| 10:10 | then I think of Peter in the courtyard |
| 10:12 | outside of the Sanhedrin Peter actually |
| 10:15 | denied even knowing Jesus on three |
| 10:18 | separate occasions he |
| 10:21 | broke this word of Jesus who ever shall |
| 10:25 | deny me before men I shall also deny |
| 10:27 | before my father who is in heaven didn’t |
| 10:29 | Peter disqualify himself |
| 10:32 | from being a disciple didn’t he lose his |
| 10:35 | salvation |
| 10:38 | evidently not |
| 10:40 | after his crucifixion and Resurrection |
| 10:42 | Jesus was quite clear that he wanted to |
| 10:45 | see Peter |
| 10:47 | he spoke with Peter specifically and |
| 10:49 | personally |
| 10:50 | Jesus reinstated Peter as his disciple |
| 10:53 | telling Peter to feed his sheep |
| 10:57 | clearly Jesus |
| 11:01 | was able to see beneath Peter’s words |
| 11:04 | and actions Jesus could read his |
| 11:07 | thoughts and even know his heart |
| 11:11 | evidently the issue for Jesus was not |
| 11:14 | was Peter a perfect disciple but was |
| 11:17 | instead did Peter believe that Jesus was |
| 11:21 | the perfect savior |
| 11:24 | in other words denial |
| 11:26 | is really a matter of the heart |
| 11:29 | just like faith is really a matter of |
| 11:31 | the heart |
| 11:32 | so the question was not was Peter |
| 11:35 | Unfaithful with his actions but did |
| 11:38 | Peter reject the lordship of Jesus with |
| 11:42 | his heart |
| 11:43 | the answer to that question is no |
| 11:47 | today |
| 11:49 | we’re talking about what it is to fear |
| 11:51 | love and trust God |
| 11:53 | not one of us will ever do that |
| 11:55 | perfectly we each will fail to fully |
| 11:57 | fear God fully love God and fully trust |
| 12:00 | God as we should |
| 12:01 | only Jesus knows and does these things |
| 12:04 | perfectly |
| 12:06 | but thank God our Salvation is not |
| 12:08 | predicated upon whether we have been |
| 12:11 | able to perform our Christian walk or |
| 12:13 | even confess our Christian faith |
| 12:15 | perfectly no the question before the |
| 12:19 | Throne of Heaven is not did you |
| 12:21 | perfectly fear love and Trust Jesus |
| 12:24 | Christ as a perfect Christian |
| 12:27 | no |
| 12:28 | in spite of your sin and weakness of |
| 12:30 | Faith the question is |
| 12:32 | did you fear love and Trust Jesus Christ |
| 12:35 | as your perfect savior |
| 12:39 | when you look at your own faith you will |
| 12:41 | always see weakness and sin |
| 12:44 | but when you keep your eyes on Jesus |
| 12:47 | you will always find the strength of his |
| 12:50 | love and faithfulness for you |
| 12:53 | is perfect |
| 12:56 | amen |
| 13:03 | [Music] |
| 13:14 | [Applause] |
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