Sermon
How the Gospel makes me Strong and Weak
Publisher transcript
Transcript
-
Father, we ask that you would lead us and guide us into all truth, that you would lead
-
us and guide us into all truth about who we really are, about how we really see the world,
-
about how we relate to you and your word and your gospel.
-
And at the same time, Father, more than that, we ask that you lead us into all truth about
-
what your word says and who you are.
-
Father, we ask all of these things in the name of Jesus, your Son and the one and only
-
Savior.
-
Amen.
-
Please be seated.
-
When I was doing my equivalent to training to be ordained, I had to do a lot of very, very
-
weird stuff.
-
And, you know, I think if I was probably to tell this to some of the people that I
-
talked to in coffee shops, they would just sort of listen and think it's curious because
-
I think for a lot of people who aren't Christians, they expect Christians to do really odd stuff.
-
They might not always be aware of the odd things that they do, but they would just expect that
-
we do weird stuff.
-
One of the things that we were supposed to do, I'm not making this up, was aura massaging.
-
Now, you've already gathered that I did not go to an evangelical training place, if you
-
know anything about Christian sort of streams of spirituality, but I'm not making this up.
-
We were supposed to eight to ten inches out of far apart from a person's body to move our
-
hands in certain ways to rearrange their aura so that they would be, I don't know what they
-
were supposed to be, more balanced or whatever.
-
I also was supposed to be taught that I was to go into deep states of relaxation and seek
-
out animal guides from my unconscious who would help me to sort out, help me to get in touch
-
with God.
-
I, of course, always knew that that was wrong.
-
And so being a male and being in a darkened room at three o'clock in the afternoon when
-
I was told to go into a deep state of relaxation, I did.
-
I fell asleep.
-
And I always worried that I snored or something, but nobody ever said, George, you fell asleep
-
during the exercise.
-
But the point is that it's often that, at least from the eyes of the world, that Christians
-
are told to do really weird things.
-
One of the things that, one of the reasons why Hollywood loves Roman Catholicism is because,
-
I don't know, you know, when there's a big trouble or something like that, there's a terrible
-
disaster, the monster's about to eat, eat the people.
-
Well, you know, you can see people doing all these crosses like this or saying, Hail Mary,
-
full of grace, something like that.
-
I mean, what would they do about Protestants?
-
We're so boring.
-
I don't know.
-
What would we do?
-
We'd read the Bible and have an offering or something.
-
I don't know.
-
There wouldn't be much that we would do that is very dramatic.
-
The text that Emily read is a very, very interesting text because it touches on a lot of the fears
-
that people have in our culture about what it means to be a Christian.
-
Because the Bible text seems to say that we're sort of willingly, to willingly embrace and
-
pursue weakness.
-
And, you know, in our culture, weakness is often just being odd.
-
It's just being different.
-
It's just, well, you know, it's generally speaking, unless it's sort of a culturally accepted type
-
of kookiness, kookiness makes you weird, makes you weak.
-
And so this text, you know, if people were just to hear it, and it's odd fascination with embrace
-
and weakness and pursuing weakness.
-
For many people, it sounds like those, you know, legendary Christian practices of wearing
-
really uncomfortable clothing or whipping yourself or just doing something to make you
-
weak and uncomfortable.
-
Fasting, all those things to make you weak.
-
So is that what's going on in the Bible?
-
It'd be a great help if you were to take your Bibles and open them up to 2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 13 chapter mention
-
chapter 13.
-
We're going to go 2 Corinthians chapter 13.
2 Corinthians 13 chapter mention
-
Actually, so now go first to 2 Corinthians chapter 12.
2 Corinthians 12 chapter mention
-
We'll read the sort of the key bit that's just before the text that Emily read earlier
-
on today.
-
And next week, by the way, we finish, God willing, the book of 2 Corinthians.
-
So this is our second last go at it.
-
And as I shared with you last week, most Bible scholars, it doesn't matter whether you're
-
a very conservative or a very liberal scholar.
-
Most scholars would agree that this verse I'm about to read in verse 9 is like the basic
-
message of the whole book of 2 Corinthians.
-
Corinthians.
-
And it's this verse 9 of 2 Corinthians 12.
-
But he said to me, Jesus said to me, my grace is sufficient for you for my power is made
-
perfect in weakness.
-
Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ
-
may rest upon me.
-
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions,
-
and calamities.
-
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
-
And the text that Emily read that's very similar to this, that sort of puts this idea of the
-
weakness and strength and all together, that's in verses 3 and 4 of 2 Corinthians 13.
-
And, you know, just before we read it, is this text telling us as well that, I don't know,
-
like, I mean, is that why these weird, legendary Christians would wear a shirt that's really,
-
really, really, really purposefully uncomfortable?
-
That by being made weaker, then God's going to do something for them?
-
Is this like a type of spell that Christians are being encouraged to use?
-
That, I don't know, you whip yourself and you beat yourself?
-
You get pain and therefore God's going to somehow give you power?
-
Is that what it's?
-
Well, listen again to 2 Corinthians 13 verses 3 through 4.
-
Just to catch you up, he's sort of finishing a sentence.
-
Since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me, but here's the bit, the second part of
-
the third verse, he, that's Christ, is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.
-
For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God.
-
For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you, we will live with him by the power of God.
-
He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.
-
For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God.
-
For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you, we will live with him by the power of God.
-
It does sort of seem a little bit, doesn't it, as if it's saying that in all of these texts that somehow our weakness makes us strong.
-
And you could easily see how people would then think that doing sort of kooky things would somehow give us some type of power.
-
But the real puzzling thing about all of this is this central little bit that was there in those, you know, that three beat of four that I just read.
-
Did you notice it?
-
For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God.
-
For he, that's referring to Jesus, was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God.
-
And that changes everything and everything to do with the text.
-
I mean, it's describing very, very simply that when Jesus died upon the cross, I mean, he obviously appeared to be very, very weak.
-
He was whipped.
-
He was beaten.
-
He's hanging on the cross.
-
He's between two thieves.
-
He's being abused by those in power and authority.
-
There's nothing he can do.
-
In the entire history of the Roman Empire, of the hundreds of thousands of crucifixions that they did,
-
there's only one recorded case of any person surviving, even being on a cross for a day.
-
All of recorded history, hundreds of thousands of crucifixions, only one recorded instance.
-
And even then, it was only for a day.
-
And there were doctors present and everything like that that came in and swept in and were able to nurse the man back to health.
-
So you see him.
-
He's obviously weak.
-
And obviously, Christians as well believe that after Jesus had died, on the third day, he rose from the dead.
-
But the text is trying to remind us of more than that because there's been, those of you who've been here throughout many of the services,
-
you might remember that there's these two powerful verses in 2 Corinthians that come up before this
-
that try to really bring home this idea of what Jesus was doing for us on the cross.
-
If you just turn back to the one that's the closest to it, if you turn back, it's in 2 Corinthians 8, verse 9.
-
2 Corinthians 8, verse 9.
-
And what Paul does there is Paul uses the image of money to try to help us to understand what Jesus was doing for us on the cross.
-
And look what it says in 2 Corinthians 8, 9.
-
And so what is this text telling us?
-
This text is telling us that when we see Jesus, what we're seeing is we're seeing grace.
-
We're seeing undeserved favor, undeserved love, undeserved kindness, which is also perfectly good and perfectly just.
-
It doesn't violate justice.
-
It doesn't violate goodness.
-
But it's perfect love, perfect kindness, perfect affection that comes with real power to change lives.
-
That's what you're seeing when you see Jesus.
-
But then after giving that sort of very big description and very couple of words, right?
-
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-
Then it says, goes a little bit, but how was that grace shown?
-
Well, that grace was shown because if you think about it,
-
before God, the Son of God, was created in the womb of Mary, who was a virgin,
-
that that same God, the Son of God, well, he was rich.
-
That's a simple way of describing that he was in heaven,
-
that he was in perfect union with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
-
that he was surrounded by angels, that he had all of the glory and all of the splendor
-
and all of the power and all of the majesty and all of the praise of God.
-
He was rich.
-
Yet what does the text say?
-
That though he was rich, yet for your sake.
-
And here he's speaking to you and me,
-
that if Paul was here beside us right now,
-
if Jesus was here right beside us now,
-
he would say, yes, I was thinking of you.
-
I knew of you because I'm God.
-
I knew of you and you and you and you and you.
-
And I saw how you were,
-
and the Bible again uses the word, the imagery of money,
-
that you were poorer than poor,
-
that you were mortal, that you would die,
-
that you were separate from me,
-
that you were at enmity from me,
-
that you would be separate and at enmity from me from all eternity.
-
And I saw that you were poor.
-
And so for your sake,
-
Jesus became poor.
-
Him being on the cross and him dying.
-
And here the image is just like,
-
you know, there was a time in Louise in my life
-
where we had a real miracle that happened.
-
And we were really burdened with a lot of debt.
-
And it was very, very, very hard.
-
We had bill collectors calling us and everything like that.
-
It was very, very hard.
-
And through a series of things,
-
you know, but ultimately just in prayer,
-
one day we got a check in the mail.
-
It's one of those stories, you know.
-
And I remember opening up the check,
-
and I thought at first it was,
-
you know, a lot of money.
-
And it was going to go a big step towards helping us.
-
But then,
-
because we were living in Eganville,
-
and I was walking back from the post office,
-
then after I'd gone about 200 steps,
-
I paused and I thought,
-
there was one more zero.
-
And I opened up,
-
and there was.
-
And it covered all my debts.
-
Like the overwhelming debts,
-
it covered it.
-
It was one of those real miracles in our lives.
-
And the text is saying here
-
that this is what Jesus does for us on the cross.
-
That if you think about somehow his riches
-
and him becoming poor,
-
it's all in a sense,
-
I spend, I spend,
-
I cover your debt,
-
I cover your debt,
-
I cover your debt,
-
I cover your debt,
-
I cover your debt,
-
I cover your debt.
-
And more than that,
-
so that you by his poverty might become rich.
-
Because,
-
you know,
-
he rises from the dead.
-
He sits at the right hand of the Father.
-
And when we put our faith and trust in him
-
and he takes us as his child,
-
he will fit us
-
to spend all eternity
-
in the new heaven and the new earth
-
with his people and with him.
-
And those riches are ours.
-
And that's what Paul means
-
when he said he was crucified in weakness
-
but lives by the power of God.
-
But Paul uses earlier,
-
remember,
-
I said two of the most wonderful verses
-
in the Bible
-
about what Jesus does for us
-
in the cross
-
are in 2 Corinthians.
-
The other one is just a little bit earlier.
-
2 Corinthians chapter 5,
-
verse 21.
-
Why don't you turn to it?
-
2 Corinthians 5, 21.
-
For our sake,
-
God made him
-
to be sin
-
who knew no sin
-
so that in him
-
we might become
-
the righteousness of God.
-
Now,
-
this is far more complicated
-
theological language.
-
Once again,
-
notice it was for our sake.
-
God,
-
the Son of God,
-
God the Father,
-
and in other texts,
-
we know that the Holy Spirit,
-
all of the Trinity,
-
is involved
-
in this mighty act
-
to save us.
-
But God made him
-
to be sin
-
who knew no sin
-
so that in him
-
we might become
-
the righteousness of God.
-
Some of you have heard
-
this story before,
-
but the very, very,
-
when I got ordained
-
on a Wednesday night
-
and the fellow
-
who was going to be my boss,
-
the rector,
-
he said,
-
oh,
-
you can take Thursday,
-
Friday,
-
Saturday off.
-
And I did.
-
Just show up at church
-
on a Sunday morning
-
and I did.
-
I helped at the two services.
-
And in between the two services,
-
he said,
-
I have two funerals tomorrow.
-
One of them is going to be
-
a really big funeral.
-
It's a great way
-
for you to begin your ministry
-
to come and help me
-
with the funeral services.
-
And so the first funeral
-
that I helped at,
-
and obviously,
-
I had just shown up
-
on Sunday morning,
-
so I didn't know
-
either of the deceased.
-
And I might have
-
the details
-
just slightly wrong,
-
but they're fundamentally right.
-
The woman who had died
-
taught,
-
I think it was grade five
-
in the public school
-
was right across the street.
-
She died of cancer
-
relatively suddenly.
-
So she taught
-
grade five students
-
at the public school
-
in the neighborhood.
-
She left behind
-
three children,
-
12,
-
17,
-
and 19,
-
and they now
-
had no parents
-
because the father
-
had died tragically
-
in an accident
-
about a year or two later.
-
As you can well imagine,
-
the church was packed.
-
All the grade five students
-
and their parents,
-
you know,
-
and everybody else,
-
it was one of the,
-
probably the teariest funerals
-
I have ever been at
-
in my entire life.
-
It was the first one
-
I helped at.
-
I didn't know the woman.
-
I could hardly read
-
the Bible passage.
-
That's all I was asked to do
-
because it was just,
-
the emotion was immense.
-
The sorrow was immense
-
in the room
-
and I,
-
I,
-
I,
-
I was just,
-
you know,
-
I was just overwhelmed
-
by it
-
and just like trying to,
-
it was just like on me,
-
you know,
-
probably would be for you too
-
unless you're really hard-hearted.
-
You know who you are
-
and maybe actually
-
your friends know who you are.
-
That's a separate sermon.
-
That's a separate sermon topic.
-
Anyway,
-
so I get into the,
-
the,
-
I didn't know this.
-
I'm learning how to do it,
-
right?
-
So I get into the,
-
the rector and I,
-
Peter,
-
Peter and I go out.
-
The funeral director
-
ushers us to a special car
-
and we go in and sit there
-
and the funeral director
-
looking very,
-
very solemn,
-
very,
-
very serious.
-
He,
-
he goes out
-
and is helping the family
-
and all that
-
and then he sits down
-
in the car,
-
starts to pull off.
-
He asks,
-
you know,
-
is the air conditioning all right?
-
We said,
-
yeah,
-
it's good
-
and then he said,
-
what about the Blue Jays?
-
He meant the baseball team,
-
by the way
-
and,
-
and it sort of really struck me
-
that he has to go to funerals
-
like that all the time
-
and if he let
-
the sadness
-
and the sorrow
-
and the death
-
and all of that,
-
if he let it affect him,
-
it would probably break him
-
and so for most of us,
-
in some ways,
-
that's what we want
-
but what this text
-
is saying here
-
when it says,
-
for our sake,
-
he made him to be sin
-
who knew no sin
-
so that in him
-
we might become
-
the righteousness of God
-
that what the Bible
-
is saying here
-
is that God,
-
the Father
-
and God,
-
the Son
-
looks down
-
and sees our great need.
-
He sees
-
that we are burdened
-
with things
-
that we've done wrong.
-
He sees
-
that we are burdened
-
with a fear of death.
-
He sees
-
that we are burdened
-
with shame.
-
He sees
-
that we are burdened
-
with weakness.
-
He sees
-
that we are burdened
-
with emotions
-
and memories
-
that we just cannot handle.
-
He sees
-
that we are burdened
-
with so many things
-
and he himself
-
is not burdened
-
with any of those things
-
because he is in heaven
-
but for our sake,
-
he comes down to earth
-
and he is not
-
like the funeral director
-
who just has learned
-
how to have
-
all of the emotion
-
and all of the things
-
that are going around
-
in the face
-
of tragic death
-
and he has learned
-
how to have it be
-
just like water
-
off a duck's back
-
and Jesus
-
is not like that
-
funeral director.
-
God made him
-
to be sin.
-
Not just grief
-
and shame
-
but everything
-
that weighs us down,
-
everything that keeps us
-
from God,
-
everything that accuses us,
-
everything,
-
everything
-
that what we see
-
when we see Jesus
-
dying on the cross
-
is we see
-
in a sense
-
him saying,
-
George,
-
for all of that
-
that is on you,
-
it comes on me.
-
I am not
-
the funeral director.
-
I am the savior.
-
I will take
-
all of that
-
upon myself.
-
I, in my weakness
-
of death,
-
is taking
-
all that that
-
makes you weak
-
and it is on me.
-
And so
-
when the text
-
is saying
-
for our sake,
-
not for his own
-
but for you and me,
-
God made him
-
to be sin
-
who knew no sin.
-
It's describing
-
in the terms
-
of relationship
-
and of evil
-
and of shame
-
and of fear
-
of death,
-
it all being
-
laid upon him
-
and absorbed
-
by him
-
and dealt
-
with him
-
and all
-
of it's done
-
when it says
-
that we might
-
become the
-
righteousness of God,
-
all of it's done
-
is so that we
-
can be made
-
right with God.
-
That's what the
-
word righteousness
-
here in this
-
particular context,
-
that it's made
-
right.
-
You know,
-
how many of us
-
have, you know,
-
relationships
-
and we wish
-
that we could
-
be reconciled
-
to them,
-
that we could
-
make it right
-
and we just
-
can't make it
-
right?
-
It's a constant
-
thing that comes
-
up in counseling
-
and conversation.
-
We just can't
-
be reconciled.
-
It just can't
-
happen.
-
We can't
-
make it
-
right.
-
And this,
-
what's described
-
here is that
-
by all of
-
these things
-
being laid
-
on Jesus,
-
there is a
-
way by which
-
his weakness,
-
his death,
-
when we
-
accept what
-
he's done
-
for us
-
by faith,
-
it makes
-
us right
-
with God
-
and doesn't
-
just make
-
us right
-
with God
-
for a tiny
-
moment while
-
we have a
-
type of
-
emotional release,
-
but objectively,
-
truly,
-
in the eyes
-
of God
-
and for
-
all eternity
-
that he's
-
made us
-
right with
-
him.
-
You see,
-
that's what
-
the Bible
-
means.
-
If you go
-
back to
-
2 Corinthians
-
chapter 13
-
verse 4,
-
for he
-
was,
-
listen to it
-
again now,
-
in light of
-
what I've
-
just said,
-
what Paul
-
has already
-
said,
-
listen to it
-
again,
-
beginning at
-
verse 3b,
-
he is not
-
weak in
-
dealing with
-
you,
-
but is
-
powerful
-
among you.
-
For he
-
was crucified
-
in weakness,
-
but lives
-
by the
-
power of
-
God.
-
For we
-
also are
-
weak in
-
him,
-
but in
-
dealing with
-
you,
-
we will
-
live with
-
him by
-
the power
-
of God.
-
you see,
-
as the
-
gospel
-
grounds us,
-
as this
-
thing that
-
he was
-
crucified in
-
weakness,
-
but lives
-
by the
-
power of
-
God,
-
as this
-
grips us,
-
as it
-
starts to
-
become the
-
ground on
-
which we
-
stand and
-
we can
-
see ourselves
-
and we
-
can see
-
our world,
-
it starts
-
to shape
-
us,
-
as it
-
grips us,
-
it starts
-
to pull
-
us into
-
doing certain
-
things that
-
we would
-
never have
-
done before,
-
it starts
-
to push
-
us,
-
nudge us
-
into doing
-
things that
-
we have
-
never done
-
before,
-
and as
-
it's
-
grounding us
-
and helping
-
us to see
-
the world
-
in maybe
-
a way that
-
we hadn't
-
realized that
-
you could
-
see the
-
world,
-
and that's
-
how you're
-
starting to
-
grow in
-
Christ,
-
is you
-
start to
-
realize that
-
when you
-
look at
-
others,
-
and you
-
look at
-
the church,
-
and you
-
look at
-
God,
-
and you
-
look at
-
yourself,
-
and you
-
look at
-
your family,
-
and you
-
look at
-
sexuality,
-
you look at
-
money,
-
you look at
-
time,
-
meaning,
-
you look at
-
purpose,
-
you look at
-
art,
-
you look at
-
culture,
-
you look at
-
dance,
-
and as
-
you're
-
grounded on
-
that and
-
gripped by
-
that,
-
it starts
-
to,
-
by standing
-
in such a
-
place and
-
being gripped
-
by such a
-
truth and
-
believing that
-
that really
-
actually happened,
-
and being
-
pushed and
-
pulled and
-
shaped,
-
it changes
-
you.
-
You see,
-
this is
-
Paul's
-
second letter
-
to Corinth,
-
and if you
-
go back to
-
his first
-
letter in
-
Corinth,
-
and you
-
know,
-
this is
-
really hard
-
for us to
-
look at
-
chapter one,
-
this is
-
really hard
-
for us to
-
understand
-
that there
-
was a
-
time in
-
the world
-
where there
-
was no
-
television,
-
no radio,
-
no
-
newspapers,
-
no Twitter,
-
no Facebook,
-
no Instagram,
-
and so it's
-
hard to
-
remember that
-
there was a
-
time when
-
words were
-
few,
-
and so
-
because words
-
were few,
-
they often
-
stuck longer.
-
So the
-
people in
-
Corinth would
-
have very
-
clearly
-
remembered
-
this part
-
here in
-
1 Corinthians
-
1.
-
I'll begin
-
reading verse
-
18.
-
Once I
-
start going
-
into it,
-
you'll
-
recognize it
-
as a
-
famous
-
passage if
-
you've
-
been a
-
Christian
-
for a
-
while.
-
For the
-
word of
-
the cross
-
is folly,
-
it's
-
foolish to
-
those who
-
are perishing,
-
but to
-
us who
-
are being
-
saved,
-
it is
-
the power
-
of God.
-
For it
-
is written,
-
I will
-
destroy the
-
wisdom of
-
the wise
-
and the
-
discernment
-
of the
-
discerning
-
I will
-
thwart.
-
Where is
-
the one
-
who is
-
wise?
-
Where is
-
the
-
scribe?
-
Where is
-
the
-
debater
-
of this
-
age?
-
Has
-
not God
-
made
-
foolish
-
the
-
wisdom
-
of the
-
world?
-
For
-
since
-
in the
-
wisdom
-
of the
-
world,
-
the
-
world
-
did
-
not
-
know
-
God
-
through
-
wisdom,
-
how
-
do we
-
know
-
God
-
through
-
He
-
became
-
poor
-
so that
-
we
-
might
-
become
-
rich.
-
He
-
took
-
upon
-
Himself,
-
He
-
wasn't
-
like
-
that
-
funeral
-
director,
-
He
-
took
-
upon
-
Himself
-
everything
-
that
-
we
-
might
-
be
-
made
-
right
-
with
-
God.
-
See
-
that
-
again
-
in
-
verse
-
21,
-
for
-
since
-
in
-
the
-
wisdom
-
of
-
God
-
the
-
world
-
did
-
not
-
know
-
God
-
through
-
wisdom,
-
it
-
pleased
-
God
-
through
-
the
-
folly
-
of
-
what
-
we
-
preach,
-
what
-
I
-
just
-
told
-
you,
-
what
-
Paul
-
just
-
writes
-
in
-
Corinthians
-
to
-
save
-
those
-
who
-
believe,
-
for
-
Jews
-
demand
-
signs,
-
that's
-
a type
-
of
-
miracle,
-
powerful
-
miracle
-
with a
-
sign,
-
and
-
Greeks
-
seek
-
wisdom,
-
but
-
we
-
preach
-
Christ
-
crucified,
-
a
-
stumbling
-
block
-
to
-
Jews,
-
a
-
stumbling
-
block
-
to
-
those
-
who
-
are
-
in
-
love
-
with
-
power,
-
that's
-
what
-
it's
-
really
-
saying,
-
and
-
folly
-
to
-
those
-
who
-
are
-
in
-
love
-
with
-
wisdom,
-
but
-
to
-
those
-
who
-
are
-
called,
-
because
-
you see,
-
even now,
-
right now,
-
if you're
-
in this
-
room,
-
and I
-
don't know
-
if you
-
consider
-
yourself
-
a
-
Christian
-
or not,
-
if you're
-
in this
-
room,
-
hopefully
-
right now,
-
at least
-
in some
-
sense,
-
emotionally,
-
if not
-
intellectually,
-
you understand
-
that Jesus
-
is calling
-
you right
-
now.
-
That
-
pressure
-
you might
-
feel is
-
him knocking
-
on the
-
door of
-
your heart,
-
and he's
-
calling to
-
you,
-
and he's
-
saying,
-
whatever
-
your name
-
is,
-
I'll
-
just say
-
George,
-
he's
-
saying,
-
George,
-
open the
-
door,
-
and let
-
me
-
come
-
and be
-
your
-
savior.
-
But to
-
those who
-
are called,
-
both those
-
who love
-
power and
-
those who
-
love
-
wisdom,
-
Christ,
-
the power
-
of God
-
and the
-
wisdom
-
of God,
-
here's
-
the key
-
verse,
-
for the
-
foolishness
-
of God
-
is wiser
-
than men,
-
and the
-
weakness
-
of God
-
is stronger
-
than men.
-
For the
-
foolishness
-
of God
-
is wiser
-
than men.
-
By that
-
he means
-
all human
-
power,
-
and the
-
weakness
-
of God
-
is stronger
-
than all
-
human
-
power.
-
So let's
-
go back
-
to 2 Corinthians
-
13.
-
You know,
-
those of you
-
who come
-
here often,
-
you know,
-
I don't
-
often flip
-
around a
-
bit,
-
but we're
-
coming to
-
the end
-
of the
-
book,
-
and weakness
-
has been
-
a theme
-
all the way
-
through the
-
time of
-
2 Corinthians,
-
and it's
-
time to
-
sort of
-
try to
-
gather
-
that up
-
a little
-
bit as
-
to what
-
the Bible
-
means.
-
Look at
-
here again
-
at 2 Corinthians
-
3,
-
verses 3
-
and 4,
-
the second
-
part of
-
verse 3,
-
he is
-
not weak
-
in dealing
-
with you
-
but is
-
powerful
-
among you
-
for he
-
was crucified
-
in weakness
-
but lives
-
by the power
-
of God
-
for we
-
also are
-
weak in him
-
but in
-
dealing with
-
you we
-
will live
-
with him
-
by the
-
power of
-
God.
-
And last
-
week we
-
talked a
-
little bit
-
about Paul
-
having a
-
thorn in
-
the flesh.
-
and so
-
part of
-
this
-
teaching
-
of
-
weakness
-
is
-
some
-
of
-
you
-
know
-
the
-
story
-
of
-
Gideon
-
where
-
God
-
is going
-
to deliver
-
the people
-
and he
-
gets
-
Gideon
-
to be
-
the leader
-
and I
-
can't
-
remember
-
what it
-
was
-
but he
-
has
-
tens
-
of
-
thousands
-
of
-
soldiers
-
and God
-
says
-
to
-
Gideon
-
too
-
many
-
soldiers
-
why
-
are
-
there
-
too
-
many
-
soldiers
-
because
-
you're
-
going
-
to
-
end
-
up
-
thinking
-
it
-
was
-
your
-
might
-
that
-
delivered
-
you
-
and I
-
need
-
you
-
to
-
have
-
an
-
army
-
of
-
tens
-
of
-
thousands
-
of
-
people
-
he's
-
left
-
with
-
300
-
guys
-
and
-
the
-
thorn
-
of
-
the
-
flesh
-
is
-
that
-
there's
-
going
-
to
-
be
-
times
-
in
-
our
-
Christian
-
life
-
where
-
what
-
God
-
really
-
wants
-
us
-
to
-
do
-
is
-
to
-
step
-
out
-
in
-
faith
-
and
-
then
-
afterwards
-
whether
-
we're
-
aware
-
of
-
it
-
or
-
not
-
but
-
we
-
should
-
be
-
people
-
will
-
have
-
to
-
say
-
only
-
God
-
could
-
do
-
that
-
because
-
George
-
if
-
you
-
looked
-
at
-
you
-
and
-
your
-
church
-
there's
-
no
-
way
-
you
-
guys
-
could
-
do
-
that
-
and
-
that
-
should
-
warm
-
our
-
heart
-
and
-
the
-
other
-
sense
-
of
-
weakness
-
which
-
we've
-
talked
-
about
-
a little
-
bit
-
up
-
until
-
now
-
was
-
just
-
the
-
constant
-
reminder
-
that
-
at
-
the
-
end
-
of
-
the
-
day
-
our
-
God
-
project
-
is
-
a
-
complete
-
and
-
utter
-
vain
-
and
-
futile
-
thing
-
and
-
that
-
we
-
are
-
called
-
just
-
to
-
remember
-
that
-
we're
-
jars
-
of
-
clay
-
that
-
we're
-
mortal
-
that
-
we're
-
not
-
God
-
and
-
that's
-
the
-
second
-
type
-
of
-
weakness
-
but
-
the
-
third
-
type
-
of
-
weakness
-
is
-
what
-
we
-
need
-
to
-
look
-
at
-
right
-
now
-
it's
-
the
-
type
-
of
-
weakness
-
that's
-
been
-
hinted
-
around
-
but
-
maybe
-
never
-
always
-
been
-
especially
-
clear
-
and
-
I'm
-
going
-
to
-
put
-
it
-
this
-
way
-
if
-
we
-
think
-
about
-
it
-
prayer
-
is
-
weak
-
humility
-
is
-
weak
-
reading
-
the
-
Bible
-
is
-
weak
-
thinking
-
about
-
what
-
the
-
Bible
-
says
-
about
-
money
-
will
-
only
-
make
-
us
-
weak
-
thinking
-
about
-
what
-
the
-
Bible
-
says
-
about
-
sexuality
-
will
-
only
-
make
-
us
-
weak
-
because
-
chastity
-
and
-
faithfulness
-
is
-
weak
-
and
-
having
-
to
-
obey
-
and
-
having
-
to
-
submit
-
and
-
having
-
to
-
trust
-
and
-
having
-
to
-
believe
-
and
-
having
-
to
-
surrender
-
is
-
all
-
weak
-
I
-
want
-
to
-
help
-
you
-
to
-
see
-
that
-
Andrew
-
could
-
you
-
put
-
up
-
the
-
first
-
point
-
it
-
is
-
weak
-
to
-
trust
-
and
-
obey
-
what
-
the
-
Bible
-
says
-
about
-
money
-
it
-
is
-
weak
-
to
-
trust
-
and
-
obey
-
what
-
the
-
Bible
-
says
-
about
-
money
-
remember
-
I
-
said
-
we're
-
going
-
to
-
look
-
at
-
what
-
Emily
-
said
-
look
-
just
-
I
-
don't
-
have
-
to
-
go
-
all
-
the
-
way
-
through
-
the
-
2nd
-
Corinthians
-
just
-
look
-
at
-
how
-
Emily
-
began
-
chapter
-
12
-
verse
-
14
-
2nd
-
Corinthians
-
12
-
14
-
here
-
for
-
the
-
third
-
time
-
I
-
am
-
ready
-
to
-
come
-
to
-
you
-
and
-
I
-
will
-
not
-
be
-
a
-
burden
-
for
-
I
-
seek
-
not
-
what
-
is
-
yours
-
but
-
you
-
I
-
seek
-
not
-
what
-
is
-
yours
-
but
-
you
-
for
-
children
-
are
-
not
-
obligated
-
to
-
save
-
up
-
for
-
their
-
parents
-
but
-
parents
-
for
-
their
-
children
-
by
-
the
-
way
-
it's
-
not
-
Paul
-
has
-
a
-
bit
-
of
-
a
-
purpose
-
here
-
for
-
your
-
aged
-
parents
-
he's
-
not
-
talking
-
about
-
everything
-
to do
-
about
-
parents
-
and
-
children
-
he's
-
trying
-
to
-
drive
-
home
-
a
-
particular
-
point
-
you
-
have
-
to
-
keep
-
going
-
I
-
will
-
most
-
gladly
-
spend
-
and
-
be
-
spent
-
for
-
your
-
souls
-
if
-
I
-
love
-
you
-
am
-
I
-
to
-
be
-
loved
-
less
-
but
-
granting
-
that
-
I
-
did
-
not
-
burden
-
you
-
I
-
was
-
crafty
-
you
-
say
-
and
-
got
-
the
-
better
-
of
-
you
-
by
-
deceit
-
did
-
I
-
take
-
advantage
-
of
-
you
-
through
-
any
-
of
-
those
-
of
-
whom
-
I
-
sent
-
to
-
you
-
I
-
urged
-
Titus
-
to
-
go
-
and
-
sent
-
a
-
brother
-
with
-
him
-
did
-
Titus
-
take
-
advantage
-
of
-
you
-
did
-
we
-
not
-
act
-
in
-
the
-
same
-
spirit
-
did
-
we
-
not
-
take
-
the
-
same
-
steps
-
and
-
so
-
if
-
you're
-
just
-
a
-
guest
-
here
-
and
-
you
-
haven't
-
heard
-
this
-
text
-
before
-
what
-
Paul
-
is
-
reminding
-
them
-
of
-
he's
-
talked
-
about
-
it
-
earlier
-
is
-
that
-
Paul
-
came
-
and
-
all
-
the
-
time
-
that
-
he
-
was
-
building
-
the
-
church
-
and
-
all
-
of
-
his
-
visits
-
he
-
never
-
took
-
a
-
penny
-
from
-
the
-
congregation
-
not
-
a
-
penny
-
he
-
either
-
trusted
-
God
-
to
-
provide
-
him
-
in
-
a
-
miraculous
-
way
-
from
-
outside
-
of
-
the
-
congregation
-
outside
-
of
-
Corinth
-
or
-
he
-
worked
-
with
-
his
-
hands
-
and
-
rather
-
than
-
him
-
and
-
not
-
only
-
did
-
he
-
do
-
that
-
all
-
of
-
his
-
co-workers
-
did
-
that
-
that
-
they
-
didn't
-
take
-
a
-
single
-
penny
-
they
-
became
-
financially
-
weaker
-
by
-
doing
-
that
-
because
-
the
-
people
-
there
-
would
-
have
-
loved
-
to
-
have
-
given
-
him
-
money
-
but
-
in
-
this
-
particular
-
case
-
his
-
desire
-
was
-
to
-
so
-
show
-
for
-
people
-
who
-
were
-
so
-
confused
-
about
-
money
-
and
-
so
-
used
-
money
-
to
-
analyze
-
situations
-
and
-
so
-
were
-
thinking
-
about
-
money
-
all
-
of
-
the
-
time
-
and
-
how
-
to
-
make
-
a
-
buck
-
and
-
how
-
to
-
put
-
a
-
dollar
-
with
-
every
-
type
-
of
-
thing
-
and
-
I
-
know
-
Canadians
-
can't
-
identify
-
with
-
a
-
world
-
where
-
everything
-
has
-
a
-
monetary
-
price
-
to
-
it
-
and
-
you're
-
always
-
thinking
-
about
-
money
-
and
-
bills
-
and
-
value
-
and
-
getting
-
a
-
good
-
job
-
and
-
thinking
-
other
-
people
-
are
-
getting
-
paid
-
more
-
than
-
you
-
or
-
worried
-
that
-
other
-
people
-
like
-
I
-
know
-
that
-
doesn't
-
happen
-
in
-
Canada
-
that
-
was
-
a
-
joke
-
by
-
the
-
way
-
if
-
you
-
didn't
-
gather
-
it
-
and
-
and
-
so
-
Paul
-
had
-
this
-
sense
-
that
-
when
-
he
-
was
-
to
-
go
-
here
-
all
-
he
-
was
-
called
-
to
-
do
-
was
-
to
-
spend
-
and
-
spend
-
and
-
spend
-
and
-
spend
-
and
-
spend
-
out
-
of
-
love
-
and
-
for
-
their
-
good
-
it
-
didn't
-
make
-
him
-
at
-
all
-
rich
-
you
-
know
-
you
-
know
-
for
-
us
-
we
-
give
-
a lot
-
of
-
our
-
money
-
as
-
a
-
church
-
away
-
to
-
things
-
that
-
don't
-
benefit
-
us
-
you
-
know
-
most
-
of
-
the
-
money
-
that
-
we
-
spend
-
on
-
some
-
of
-
the
-
staff
-
salaries
-
go
-
to
-
do
-
things
-
like
-
church
-
on
-
Wednesday
-
or
-
the
-
youth
-
group
-
that
-
doesn't
-
benefit
-
us
-
our
-
supportive
-
missionaries
-
doesn't
-
benefit
-
us
-
you
-
know
-
and
-
obviously
-
in
-
some
-
benefits
-
us
-
but
-
really
-
at
-
the
-
end
-
of
-
the
-
day
-
we're
-
investing
-
money
-
in
-
people
-
who
-
might
-
then
-
go
-
on
-
to
-
have
-
a
-
10
-
20
-
30
-
40
-
year
-
career
-
blessing
-
other
-
churches
-
and not
-
us
-
and
-
our
-
support
-
for
-
orphans
-
in
-
Africa
-
or
-
to
-
bring
-
in
-
refugees
-
or
-
to
-
develop
-
royal
-
seminary
-
is
-
not
-
benefiting
-
us
-
it's
-
making
-
us
-
weak
-
the
-
biblical
-
teaching
-
which is
-
so
-
very
-
hard
-
for us
-
to
-
understand
-
is
-
that
-
as
-
we're
-
gripped
-
by
-
the
-
gospel
-
we
-
come
-
to
-
the
-
point
-
in
-
time
-
to
-
realize
-
that
-
if
-
we're
-
going
-
to
-
deal
-
with
-
idolatry
-
of
-
money
-
and
-
if
-
we're
-
going
-
to
-
deal
-
with
-
our
-
preoccupation
-
with
-
money
-
and
-
if
-
we're
-
going
-
to
-
deal
-
with
-
the
-
different
-
ways
-
that
-
money
-
bends
-
us
-
out
-
of
-
shape
-
that
-
as
-
the
-
gospel
-
grabs
-
us
-
as
-
we
-
understand
-
that
-
the
-
foolishness
-
of
-
God
-
is
-
wiser
-
than
-
human
-
wisdom
-
and
-
that
-
the
-
weakness
-
of
-
God
-
is
-
stronger
-
than
-
human
-
strength
-
and
-
as
-
that
-
grips
-
us
-
as it
-
shapes
-
the way
-
we see
-
the world
-
as it
-
grips
-
the way
-
that we
-
see
-
ourselves
-
then
-
the
-
biblical
-
teaching
-
that
-
we are
-
to
-
give away
-
10%
-
of our
-
money
-
for the
-
furtherance
-
of the
-
gospel
-
that always
-
makes us
-
weaker
-
doesn't it
-
now I
-
can add
-
that in the
-
eyes of the
-
world it
-
makes us
-
weaker
-
and I
-
earlier
-
told you
-
of a
-
story
-
where God
-
miraculously
-
helped
-
Louise
-
and me
-
and I
-
could tell
-
you other
-
stories
-
but the
-
biblical
-
teaching
-
doesn't
-
say
-
give
-
money
-
so I'll
-
give you
-
10 times
-
more money
-
that's not
-
what the
-
Bible
-
says
-
it says
-
you know
-
the grace
-
of our
-
Lord
-
Jesus
-
Christ
-
that though
-
he was
-
rich
-
yet for
-
your
-
sake
-
he
-
became
-
poor
-
so that
-
you
-
through
-
his
-
poverty
-
might
-
become
-
rich
-
and as
-
that
-
grips
-
us
-
and
-
grounds
-
us
-
and
-
shapes
-
us
-
and pulls
-
us
-
and draws
-
us
-
it
-
comes
-
to
-
that
-
point
-
in
-
time
-
where
-
we
-
realize
-
you know
-
what
-
every
-
financial
-
planner
-
in the
-
nation
-
will
-
tell
-
you
-
that
-
if
-
you
-
give
-
10%
-
of
-
your
-
money
-
away
-
you
-
will
-
not
-
become
-
richer
-
choose
-
weakness
-
anyway
-
what about
-
power
-
Andrew the
-
next point
-
it is
-
weak to
-
trust
-
and
-
obey
-
what
-
the
-
Bible
-
says
-
about
-
power
-
look at
-
verses
-
19
-
21
-
have
-
you
-
been
-
thinking
-
all
-
along
-
that
-
we
-
have
-
been
-
defending
-
ourselves
-
to
-
you
-
it
-
is
-
in
-
the
-
sight
-
of
-
God
-
that
-
we
-
have
-
been
-
speaking
-
in
-
Christ
-
all
-
for
-
your
-
up
-
building
-
in
-
other
-
words
-
Paul
-
said
-
you know
-
listen
-
if you
-
think
-
I'm
-
spending
-
all
-
my
-
time
-
in
-
this
-
letter
-
just
-
trying
-
to
-
puff
-
myself
-
up
-
it's
-
not
-
I
-
want
-
you
-
to
-
be
-
stronger
-
I
-
want
-
you
-
to
-
be
-
wiser
-
I
-
want
-
you
-
to
-
be
-
more
-
holy
-
than
-
I
-
am
-
I
-
want
-
you
-
to
-
have
-
greater
-
trust
-
and
-
everything
-
I've
-
been
-
writing
-
is
-
so
-
that
-
you
-
are
-
stronger
-
if
-
at
-
the
-
end
-
of
-
the
-
day
-
when
-
I
-
die
-
you
-
are
-
all
-
vastly
-
better
-
Christians
-
than
-
I
-
am
-
that
-
will
-
not
-
make
-
me
-
depressed
-
or
-
sad
-
that
-
will
-
only
-
make
-
me
-
happy
-
you
-
know
-
you
-
can
-
pray
-
for
-
me
-
and
-
for
-
us
-
as
-
we
-
take
-
on
-
interns
-
no
-
our
-
desire
-
should
-
be
-
that
-
each
-
of
-
the
-
interns
-
that
-
comes
-
our
-
way
-
that
-
God
-
sends
-
us
-
any
-
person
-
that
-
we
-
can
-
mentor
-
that
-
they
-
will
-
be
-
vastly
-
better
-
Christians
-
and
-
vastly
-
better
-
pastors
-
and
-
vastly
-
better
-
speakers
-
that's
-
not
-
how
-
power
-
works
-
is
-
it
-
but
-
look
-
how
-
it
-
even
-
gets
-
better
-
or
-
worse
-
depending
-
on
-
your
-
point
-
of
-
view
-
for
-
I
-
fear
-
that
-
I
-
perhaps
-
when I
-
come
-
may
-
find
-
you
-
not
-
as
-
I
-
wish
-
that
-
you
-
might
-
find
-
me
-
not
-
as
-
you
-
wish
-
that
-
perhaps
-
there
-
may
-
be
-
quarreling
-
jealousy
-
anger
-
hostility
-
slander
-
gossip
-
conceit
-
and
-
disorder
-
I
-
fear
-
that
-
when
-
I
-
come
-
again
-
my
-
God
-
may
-
humble
-
me
-
before
-
you
-
and
-
I
-
may
-
have
-
to
-
mourn
-
over
-
many
-
of
-
those
-
who
-
have
-
sinned
-
earlier
-
and
-
have
-
not
-
repented
-
of the
-
impurity
-
sexual
-
immorality
-
and
-
sensuality
-
that they
-
have
-
practiced
-
so here's
-
the thing
-
there's
-
all this
-
disorder
-
going on
-
in the
-
church
-
there's
-
a type
-
of
-
evil
-
order
-
that's
-
starting
-
to
-
take
-
over
-
the
-
church
-
and
-
Paul
-
is
-
writing
-
the
-
letter
-
partially
-
because
-
the
-
type
-
of
-
evil
-
order
-
that
-
is
-
bending
-
the
-
church
-
out
-
of
-
shape
-
and
-
is
-
hurting
-
people
-
and
-
beating
-
people
-
up
-
he's
-
going
-
to
-
come
-
and
-
have
-
to
-
deal
-
with
-
it
-
and
-
how
-
do
-
you
-
deal
-
with
-
unrepentant
-
people
-
because
-
that's
-
what
-
they're
-
going
-
to
-
do
-
the
-
unrepentant
-
people
-
he's
-
worried
-
that
-
when
-
he
-
comes
-
what's
-
going
-
to
-
quarrel
-
they're
-
going
-
to
-
yell
-
at
-
him
-
they're
-
going
-
to
-
express
-
their
-
jealousy
-
they're
-
going
-
to
-
be
-
angry
-
they're
-
going
-
to
-
be
-
hostile
-
they're
-
going
-
to
-
slander
-
him
-
they're
-
going
-
to
-
gossip
-
they're
-
going
-
to
-
build
-
up
-
the
-
word
-
hostility
-
there
-
can
-
also
-
be
-
translated
-
as
-
creating
-
factions
-
against
-
people
-
and
-
conceit
-
and
-
disorder
-
and
-
I'm
-
not
-
just
-
saying
-
that
-
that's
-
the
-
world
-
but
-
often
-
the
-
way
-
you
-
deal
-
with
-
power
-
is
-
you
-
bring
-
your
-
game
-
face
-
you
-
don't
-
back
-
down
-
they
-
give
-
you
-
one
-
you
-
give
-
them
-
two
-
you
-
you
-
do
-
that
-
you
-
do
-
that
-
you're
-
going
-
to
-
go
-
how
-
to
-
be
-
strong
-
how
-
to
-
be
-
assertive
-
how
-
to
-
be
-
aggressive
-
how
-
to
-
not
-
have
-
doubts
-
how
-
to
-
be
-
confident
-
keep
-
your
-
chin
-
up
-
for
-
you
-
know
-
the
-
grace
-
of
-
our
-
Lord
-
Jesus
-
Christ
-
that
-
though
-
he
-
was
-
rich
-
yet
-
for
-
your
-
sake
-
he
-
became
-
poor
-
so
-
that
-
you
-
by
-
his
-
poverty
-
might
-
become
-
rich
-
Paul
-
talks
-
about
-
that
-
God
-
is
-
going
-
to
-
humble
-
him
-
and
-
that
-
part
-
of
-
his
-
response
-
to
-
the
-
order
-
which
-
is
-
an
-
evil
-
order
-
which
-
is
-
hurting
-
people
-
in
-
the
-
church
-
yet
-
so
-
many
-
people
-
in
-
the
-
church
-
love
-
this
-
order
-
that
-
hurts
-
them
-
is
-
that
-
his
-
primary
-
response
-
is
-
to
-
mourn
-
for
-
them
-
to
-
be
-
humbled
-
to
-
be
-
clear
-
and
-
to
-
pray
-
but
-
to
-
show
-
rather
-
than
-
that
-
he
-
has
-
a
-
harder
-
heart
-
than
-
them
-
to
-
come
-
against
-
them
-
with
-
power
-
that
-
what's
-
going
-
on
-
breaks
-
his
-
heart
-
very
-
briefly
-
next
-
one
-
Andrew
-
it
-
is
-
weak
-
to
-
trust
-
and
-
obey
-
what
-
the
-
Bible
-
says
-
about
-
sexuality
-
and
-
sex
-
this
-
is
-
a
-
real
-
problem
-
this
-
might
-
be
-
other
-
than
-
money
-
this
-
is
-
probably
-
the
-
bigger
-
problem
-
for
-
most
-
of
-
us
-
listen
-
again
-
to
-
verse
-
21
-
part
-
of
-
the
-
problem
-
he's
-
having
-
to
-
deal
-
with
-
is
-
I
-
may
-
have
-
to
-
mourn
-
over
-
many
-
of
-
those
-
who
-
have
-
sinned
-
who
-
sinned
-
earlier
-
and
-
have
-
not
-
repented
-
of
-
the
-
impurity
-
sexual
-
immorality
-
and
-
sensuality
-
that
-
they
-
have
-
practiced
-
impurity
-
here
-
means
-
basically
-
sexualizing
-
relationships
-
I know
-
it's hard
-
for us
-
to imagine
-
because
-
you know
-
advertising
-
isn't
-
sexualized
-
and
-
we
-
don't
-
want
-
to
-
sexualize
-
children
-
in
-
schools
-
but
-
it's
-
sexualizing
-
everything
-
that's
-
in a
-
sense
-
what
-
impurity
-
means
-
and
-
sensuality
-
could
-
also
-
just
-
mean
-
what
-
it
-
really
-
means
-
is
-
times
-
when
-
you
-
just
-
let
-
go
-
let
-
everything
-
go
-
doesn't
-
mean
-
you
-
let
-
go
-
all
-
of
-
the
-
time
-
but
-
it
-
means
-
that
-
you
-
just
-
say
-
you know
-
there's
-
really
-
just
-
some
-
times
-
in
-
your
-
life
-
you
-
want
-
to
-
sexually
-
just
-
let
-
go
-
you
-
know
-
a
-
guy
-
a
-
girl
-
guys
-
and
-
girls
-
just
-
just
-
sexually
-
let
-
go
-
and
-
sexual
-
immorality
-
here
-
the
-
Greek
-
word
-
is
-
pornea
-
and
-
it
-
means
-
anything
-
outside
-
any
-
sexual
-
knowing
-
or
-
sexual
-
expression
-
outside
-
faithfulness
-
in
-
heterosexual
-
marriage
-
anything
-
out of
-
faithfulness
-
any
-
type
-
of
-
sexualization
-
outside
-
of the
-
intimate
-
relationship
-
of
-
heterosexual
-
marriage
-
is
-
viewed
-
as
-
a
-
sin
-
now
-
why
-
is it
-
that I
-
say
-
that
-
in
-
the
-
eyes
-
of
-
the
-
world
-
it
-
is
-
weak
-
to
-
trust
-
and
-
obey
-
what
-
the
-
Bible
-
says
-
about
-
sexuality
-
and
-
sin
-
well
-
try
-
saying
-
what
-
I've
-
just
-
said
-
on
-
a
-
university
-
campus
-
I
-
know
-
there's
-
probably
-
people
-
here
-
who
-
struggle
-
with
-
sexual
-
identity
-
and
-
to
-
say
-
to
-
your
-
friends
-
who
-
are
-
identifying
-
themselves
-
as
-
transsexual
-
that
-
this
-
text
-
is
-
what
-
base
-
your
-
life
-
on
-
would
-
be
-
seen
-
as
-
unbelievably
-
weak
-
for
-
those
-
of
-
you
-
who
-
are
-
same
-
sex
-
attracted
-
and
-
to
-
say
-
to
-
your
-
friends
-
that
-
because
-
of
-
what
-
Jesus
-
did
-
for
-
you
-
on
-
the
-
cross
-
you're
-
going to
-
trust
-
that
-
this
-
verse
-
is
-
wisdom
-
you
-
would
-
be
-
seen
-
as
-
unbelievably
-
weak
-
and
-
in
-
profound
-
denial
-
and
-
I'll
-
just
-
use
-
the
-
example
-
of
-
young
-
women
-
how
-
many
-
of
-
you
-
young
-
women
-
face
-
pressure
-
when
-
and
-
how
-
much
-
of
-
the
-
advice
-
and
-
how
-
much
-
of
-
the
-
pressure
-
in
-
you
-
says
-
this
-
seems
-
like
-
a
-
nice
-
guy
-
and
-
not
-
a
-
jerk
-
and
-
if
-
I
-
don't
-
sleep
-
with
-
him
-
he
-
won't
-
stay
-
with
-
me
-
and
-
if
-
you
-
say
-
to
-
your
-
friends
-
that
-
because
-
of
-
the
-
gospel
-
when
-
I
-
hear
-
this
-
biblical
-
teaching
-
about
-
faithfulness
-
and
-
heterosexual
-
marriage
-
or
-
sexual
-
absence
-
and
-
singleness
-
it
-
means
-
I'm
-
going
-
to
-
trust
-
God
-
that
-
not
-
sleeping
-
with
-
this
-
guy
-
will
-
end
-
up
-
for
-
my
-
good
-
your
-
friends
-
will
-
think
-
you're
-
a
-
fool
-
how
-
many
-
of
-
us
-
get
-
pressure
-
to
-
say
-
what
-
you're
-
going
-
to
-
get
-
married
-
without
-
living
-
with
-
each
-
other
-
first
-
like
-
are
-
you
-
stupid
-
like
-
are
-
you
-
idiots
-
like
-
who
-
nowadays
-
gets
-
married
-
without
-
living
-
with
-
each
-
other
-
don't
-
you
-
think
-
that
-
virtually
-
every
-
advice
-
columnist
-
in the
-
world
-
would
-
say
-
that
-
after
-
you've
-
been
-
gripped
-
by
-
the
-
gospel
-
that
-
to
-
trust
-
this
-
text
-
would
-
be
-
seen
-
as
-
weak
-
and
-
foolish
-
do
-
you
-
see
-
why
-
we
-
have
-
problems
-
and
-
troubles
-
listen
-
again
-
to
-
verse
-
three
-
and
-
four
-
he
-
is
-
not
-
weak
-
in
-
dealing
-
with
-
you
-
but
-
is
-
powerful
-
among
-
you
-
he
-
saves
-
you
-
he's
-
fitting
-
you
-
for
-
heaven
-
he's
-
doing
-
things
-
only
-
for
-
your
-
good
-
for
-
he
-
was
-
crucified
-
in
-
weakness
-
but
-
lives
-
by
-
the
-
power
-
of
-
God
-
the
-
cross
-
he
-
died
-
on
-
the
-
cross
-
but
-
the
-
grave
-
is
-
empty
-
the
-
body
-
is
-
gone
-
he
-
defeated
-
death
-
he
-
defeated
-
sin
-
he
-
defeated
-
all
-
hostile
-
spiritual
-
powers
-
in
-
his
-
resurrection
-
he
-
shares
-
that
-
with
-
you
-
when
-
you
-
put
-
your
-
faith
-
and
-
trust
-
in
-
him
-
like
-
this
-
bible
-
text
-
isn't
-
telling
-
you
-
that
-
to
-
feel
-
really
-
guilty
-
because
-
you know
-
maybe
-
you've
-
slept
-
with
-
your
-
boyfriend
-
maybe
-
you've
-
done
-
it
-
with
-
many
-
boyfriends
-
maybe
-
you've
-
lived
-
with
-
different
-
people
-
and
-
this
-
text
-
isn't
-
just
-
saying
-
these
-
things
-
because
-
it
-
wants
-
to
-
make
-
you
-
feel
-
guilty
-
it's
-
so
-
that
-
you
-
know
-
how
-
much
-
your
-
savior
-
loves
-
you
-
and
-
how
-
he
-
will
-
not
-
turn
-
you
-
away
-
and
-
how
-
that
-
when
-
you
-
come
-
and
-
you've
-
received
-
what
-
he
-
has
-
done
-
on
-
the
-
cross
-
because
-
though
-
he
-
was
-
rich
-
yet
-
for
-
your
-
sake
-
he
-
became
-
poor
-
so
-
that
-
you
-
by
-
his
-
poverty
-
might
-
become
-
rich
-
and
-
as
-
you're
-
gripped
-
with
-
understanding
-
that
-
that
-
is
-
his
-
heart
-
and
-
that
-
is
-
his
-
power
-
and
-
that
-
is
-
what
-
he
-
has
-
done
-
for
-
you
-
and
-
that
-
he
-
really
-
exists
-
and
-
then
-
you
-
start
-
stronger
-
than
-
the
-
power
-
of
-
human
-
beings
-
this
-
biblical
-
teaching
-
in the
-
context
-
of
-
the
-
gospel
-
is
-
an
-
invitation
-
to
-
be
-
healed
-
to
-
be
-
received
-
and
-
made
-
right
-
with
-
God
-
and
-
to
-
begin
-
to
-
be
-
restored
-
to
-
sanity
-
very
-
briefly
-
the
-
last
-
ones
-
I've
-
gone
-
a
-
little
-
bit
-
long
-
Andrew
-
if you
-
could
-
put it
-
up
-
it
-
is
-
weak
-
to
-
trust
-
and
-
obey
-
what
-
the
-
Bible
-
says
-
about
-
the
-
gospel
-
just
-
bear
-
with
-
me
-
I've
-
used
-
this
-
analogy
-
before
-
I mean
-
what is
-
the
-
gospel
-
how do
-
we
-
receive
-
the
-
gospel
-
by
-
faith
-
it
-
is
-
an
-
act
-
of
-
surrender
-
if
-
you
-
view
-
your
-
life
-
as
-
like
-
a
-
medieval
-
castle
-
and
-
you
-
are
-
a
-
mighty
-
warrior
-
and
-
you
-
come
-
before
-
God
-
and
-
you
-
have
-
all
-
these
-
scars
-
and
-
wounds
-
you
-
have
-
the
-
scars
-
and
-
wounds
-
of
-
people
-
who
-
hurt
-
you
-
the
-
scars
-
and
-
wounds
-
of
-
your
-
death
-
the
-
scars
-
and
-
wounds
-
that
-
you
-
have
-
done
-
to
-
hurt
-
other
-
people
-
but
-
you
-
have
-
your
-
armor
-
and
-
you
-
have
-
your
-
castle
-
and
-
you
-
have
-
your
-
moat
-
and
-
you
-
have
-
your
-
strength
-
and
-
everybody
-
is
-
around
-
you
-
just
-
trying
-
to
-
tell
-
you
-
better
-
ways
-
to
-
fix
-
your
-
armor
-
better
-
ways
-
to
-
sharpen
-
your
-
sword
-
better
-
ways
-
to
-
fight
-
with
-
the
-
sword
-
and
-
what
-
does
-
the
-
gospel
-
tell
-
you
-
the
-
gospel
-
says
-
that
-
on the
-
other
-
side
-
of
-
your
-
moat
-
sitting
-
on
-
a
-
donkey
-
is
-
a
-
man
-
with
-
wounds
-
in
-
his
-
hands
-
and
-
wounds
-
in
-
his
-
feet
-
and
-
scar
-
in
-
his
-
side
-
who
-
died
-
for you
-
who
-
became
-
poor
-
for you
-
that
-
you
-
might
-
become
-
rich
-
and
-
how
-
do
-
you
-
become
-
rich
-
you
-
get
-
out
-
of
-
your
-
tower
-
and
-
you
-
let
-
down
-
the
-
draw
-
bridge
-
and
-
then
-
you
-
take
-
off
-
you
-
drop
-
your
-
sword
-
and
-
you
-
drop
-
your
-
shield
-
and
-
you
-
take
-
off
-
your
-
armor
-
and
-
you
-
get
-
down
-
on
-
your
-
knee
-
and
-
you
-
surrender
-
to
-
the
-
wounded
-
guy
-
and
-
the
-
donkey
-
you
-
surrender
-
to
-
the
-
wounded
-
guy
-
and
-
the
-
donkey
-
and
-
we're
-
fit
-
for
-
heaven
-
and
-
we
-
begin
-
to
-
know
-
the
-
power
-
of
-
God
-
because
-
the
-
wisdom
-
of
-
God
-
is
-
wiser
-
than
-
human
-
wisdom
-
and
-
the
-
foolish
-
the
-
foolishness
-
of
-
God
-
is
-
wiser
-
than
-
human
-
wisdom
-
and
-
the
-
weakness
-
of
-
God
-
is
-
stronger
-
than
-
human
-
power
-
Andrew
-
could you
-
put up
-
the two
-
prayers
-
here's
-
the first
-
one
-
just
-
this
-
isn't
-
any
-
type
-
of
-
I
-
don't
-
have
-
time
-
to
-
go
-
into
-
it
-
but
-
dear
-
Lord
-
please
-
help
-
me
-
to
-
recognize
-
and
-
then
-
eliminate
-
all
-
of
-
my
-
attempts
-
to
-
either
-
manipulate
-
you
-
or
-
to
-
put
-
you
-
in
-
my
-
debt
-
amen
-
you
-
can't
-
sort
-
of
-
embrace
-
weakness
-
hoping
-
that
-
if
-
you
-
can
-
trick
-
God
-
into
-
making
-
you
-
powerful
-
and
-
the
-
final
-
one
-
Andrew
-
could
-
could
-
you
-
stand
-
stand
-
I
-
mean
-
this
-
is
-
the
-
challenge
-
of
-
the
-
text
-
to
-
have
-
you
-
want
-
to
-
pray
-
this
-
from
-
your
-
heart
-
if
-
you
-
haven't
-
given
-
your
-
life
-
to
-
Jesus
-
this
-
can
-
be
-
your
-
conversion
-
prayer
-
the
-
day
-
that
-
you
-
the
-
means
-
by
-
which
-
you
-
lay
-
down
-
your
-
sword
-
and
-
you
-
lay
-
down
-
your
-
shield
-
and
-
you
-
take
-
off
-
your
-
armor
-
and
-
you
-
get
-
on
-
your
-
knee
-
and
-
you
-
let
-
the
-
wounded
-
guy
-
and
-
the
-
donkey
-
cross
-
into
-
your
-
castle
-
to
-
be
-
your
-
lord
-
and
-
your
-
savior
-
and
-
as
-
you
-
call
-
out
-
to
-
him
-
this
-
can
-
be
-
your
-
prayer
-
to
-
call
-
out
-
to
-
him
-
to
-
begin
-
the
-
Christian
-
life
-
for
-
all
-
whom
-
the
-
Lord
-
leads
-
would
-
you
-
pray
-
with
-
me
-
dear
-
Lord
-
please
-
make
-
me
-
a
-
disciple
-
of
-
Jesus
-
gripped
-
by
-
the
-
gospel
-
who
-
chooses
-
the
-
weakness
-
of
-
knowing
-
trusting
-
believing
-
and
-
obeying
-
all
-
of
-
your
-
word
-
will
-
live
-
for
-
you
-
and
-
I
-
don't
-
have
-
the
-
right
-
words
-
down
-
those
-
are
-
the
-
right
-
words
-
let's
-
just
-
pray
-
father
-
thank
-
you
-
that
-
you
-
sent
-
Jesus
-
to
-
be
-
our
-
savior
-
thank
-
you
-
that
-
though
-
he
-
was
-
rich
-
he
-
became
-
poor
-
so
-
that
-
you
-
the
-
people
-
like
-
jars
-
of
-
clay
-
rebels
-
like
-
like
-
me
-
through
-
his
-
poverty
-
might
-
become
-
rich
-
father
-
make
-
us
-
help
-
us
-
to be
-
so
-
gripped
-
by
-
the
-
gospel
-
that
-
it
-
grounds
-
us
-
and
-
shapes
-
us
-
and
-
pushes
-
us
-
and
-
pulls
-
us
-
to
-
know
-
and
-
trust
-
and
-
obey
-
and
-
believe
-
even
-
though
-
it
-
seems
-
weak
-
in the
-
eyes
-
of
-
the
-
world
-
just
-
to
-
believe
-
and
-
trust
-
knowing
-
that
-
as
-
we
-
do
-
that
-
we
-
are
-
fit
-
for
-
heaven
-
that
-
we
-
in
-
fact
-
become
-
strong
-
as
-
we
-
are
-
saved
-
by
-
you
-
all
-
these
-
things
-
we
-
ask
-
in
-
the
-
name
-
of
-
Jesus
-
your
-
son
-
and
-
our
-
savior
-
amen