1 00:00:13,580 --> 00:00:15,798 The scripture textsthis morning comes 2 00:00:15,798 --> 00:00:17,276 from FirstCorinthians 11, 3 00:00:17,276 --> 00:00:19,124 verses 2 to 16, and 4 00:00:19,124 --> 00:00:20,972 you'll find it on the 5 00:00:20,972 --> 00:00:23,320 back page of your. Bulletin. 6 00:00:28,150 --> 00:00:30,865 I praise you forremembering me in 7 00:00:30,865 --> 00:00:33,192 everything and forholding to the 8 00:00:33,192 --> 00:00:34,744 teachings just as I 9 00:00:34,744 --> 00:00:36,683 pass them on to you. 10 00:00:36,683 --> 00:00:38,622 Now I want you to 11 00:00:38,622 --> 00:00:40,174 realize that the head 12 00:00:40,174 --> 00:00:41,725 of every man is 13 00:00:41,725 --> 00:00:43,276 Christ and the head 14 00:00:43,276 --> 00:00:45,511 of the woman. Is man 15 00:00:45,511 --> 00:00:47,413 and the head of 16 00:00:47,413 --> 00:00:48,840 Christ is God? 17 00:00:50,060 --> 00:00:51,895 Every man who prays 18 00:00:51,895 --> 00:00:54,647 or prophecies withhis head covered 19 00:00:54,647 --> 00:00:56,023 dishonors his head, 20 00:00:56,023 --> 00:00:57,858 and every woman who 21 00:00:57,858 --> 00:01:00,611 prays and prophecieswith her head 22 00:01:00,611 --> 00:01:01,528 uncovered dishonors 23 00:01:01,528 --> 00:01:04,280 her head. It is at it 24 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:06,574 is just as though her 25 00:01:06,574 --> 00:01:09,454 head were shaved. If 26 00:01:09,454 --> 00:01:12,444 a woman does notcover her head, she 27 00:01:12,444 --> 00:01:13,940 should have her hair 28 00:01:13,940 --> 00:01:16,183 cut off. And if it is 29 00:01:16,183 --> 00:01:19,173 a disgrace for awoman to have her 30 00:01:19,173 --> 00:01:22,164 hair cut or shavedoff, she should cover 31 00:01:22,164 --> 00:01:24,033 her head. And a man 32 00:01:24,033 --> 00:01:25,528 ought not to cover 33 00:01:25,528 --> 00:01:27,397 his head, since he is 34 00:01:27,397 --> 00:01:28,892 the image and glory 35 00:01:28,892 --> 00:01:30,806 of God. That the 36 00:01:30,806 --> 00:01:32,820 woman is the glory of 37 00:01:32,820 --> 00:01:34,834 man. For man did not 38 00:01:34,834 --> 00:01:37,654 come from woman, butwoman from man. 39 00:01:37,654 --> 00:01:40,071 Neither was mancreated for woman, 40 00:01:40,071 --> 00:01:41,683 but woman for man. 41 00:01:41,683 --> 00:01:44,503 For this reason, andbecause of the 42 00:01:44,503 --> 00:01:45,711 angels, the woman 43 00:01:45,711 --> 00:01:47,726 ought to have a sign 44 00:01:47,726 --> 00:01:49,337 of authority on her 45 00:01:49,337 --> 00:01:52,059 head. In the 46 00:01:52,059 --> 00:01:53,679 Lord, however, woman 47 00:01:53,679 --> 00:01:55,838 is not independent of 48 00:01:55,838 --> 00:01:57,996 man, nor is man 49 00:01:57,996 --> 00:01:59,616 independent of woman. 50 00:01:59,616 --> 00:02:01,775 For as woman came 51 00:02:01,775 --> 00:02:04,473 from man, so also man 52 00:02:04,473 --> 00:02:07,172 is born of woman. But 53 00:02:07,172 --> 00:02:08,791 everything comes from 54 00:02:08,791 --> 00:02:10,410 God. Judge for 55 00:02:10,410 --> 00:02:11,975 yourselves. Is it 56 00:02:11,975 --> 00:02:13,862 proper for a woman to 57 00:02:13,862 --> 00:02:15,749 pray to God with her 58 00:02:15,749 --> 00:02:18,392 hair uncovered? Doesnot the very nature 59 00:02:18,392 --> 00:02:19,901 of things teach you 60 00:02:19,901 --> 00:02:21,789 that if a man has 61 00:02:21,789 --> 00:02:23,676 long hair it is a 62 00:02:23,676 --> 00:02:25,186 disgrace to him, but 63 00:02:25,186 --> 00:02:27,073 that if a woman has 64 00:02:27,073 --> 00:02:28,960 long hair it is her 65 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:30,470 glory, for long hair 66 00:02:30,470 --> 00:02:32,963 is given to her?As a 67 00:02:32,963 --> 00:02:35,700 covering, if anyonewants to be 68 00:02:35,700 --> 00:02:38,438 contentious aboutthis, we have no 69 00:02:38,438 --> 00:02:39,807 other practice, nor 70 00:02:39,807 --> 00:02:41,632 do the churches of 71 00:02:41,632 --> 00:02:44,370 God the word of theLord. 72 00:03:14,610 --> 00:03:15,600 Welcome. 73 00:03:17,750 --> 00:03:19,393 We have slowed down a 74 00:03:19,393 --> 00:03:21,693 little bit as we aregoing through 75 00:03:21,693 --> 00:03:23,994 Corinthians, thisletter of Paul to the 76 00:03:23,994 --> 00:03:25,966 Corinthians sloweddown on this passage 77 00:03:25,966 --> 00:03:28,923 side to take twoweeks to look at it 78 00:03:28,923 --> 00:03:31,552 because of the issuesthat it raised. And 79 00:03:31,552 --> 00:03:34,510 and if you're herelast week, you saw we 80 00:03:34,510 --> 00:03:36,810 talked about thispassage and and the. 81 00:03:36,890 --> 00:03:39,379 The main point ofwhat Paul was trying 82 00:03:39,379 --> 00:03:41,867 to get across, we sawwas really our 83 00:03:41,867 --> 00:03:43,734 relationship to ourculture. And we 84 00:03:43,734 --> 00:03:46,533 wanted to really getto the answer to the 85 00:03:46,533 --> 00:03:48,711 question, why we atthe village church 86 00:03:48,711 --> 00:03:50,577 don't wear headcoverings, Why women 87 00:03:50,577 --> 00:03:52,755 in the church don'twear head coverings? 88 00:03:52,755 --> 00:03:54,932 Because we saw thatPaul was really 89 00:03:54,932 --> 00:03:57,110 intent upon having usengage our culture. 90 00:03:57,510 --> 00:03:59,913 And really, this wasabout our attitude 91 00:03:59,913 --> 00:04:02,658 toward our culture,how we are to engage 92 00:04:02,658 --> 00:04:04,374 it, how we are to 93 00:04:04,374 --> 00:04:06,091 find truth in it and 94 00:04:06,091 --> 00:04:08,493 even bring it intoour worship service. 95 00:04:08,493 --> 00:04:11,239 So we've dealt withthat last time. And 96 00:04:11,239 --> 00:04:13,985 in the process ofdoing that, we found 97 00:04:13,985 --> 00:04:16,044 that this passage isreally about 98 00:04:16,044 --> 00:04:17,760 affirming theimportance of women. 99 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:20,662 In the Church and theimportance, 100 00:04:20,662 --> 00:04:23,403 therefore, ofmaintaining adistinction in 101 00:04:23,403 --> 00:04:26,270 gender. Last week. 102 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,433 Keeping that linevisible. So we're 103 00:04:29,433 --> 00:04:31,805 going to, since weexplained that last 104 00:04:31,805 --> 00:04:34,516 week and delved intothat last week, this 105 00:04:34,516 --> 00:04:35,871 week we're going to 106 00:04:35,871 --> 00:04:38,243 take a look at thesecond really 107 00:04:38,243 --> 00:04:40,276 secondary issue here,which is the 108 00:04:40,276 --> 00:04:42,309 importance of this,this thing called 109 00:04:42,309 --> 00:04:44,681 gender, the realityof this thing called 110 00:04:44,681 --> 00:04:46,714 gender and genderdistinction. Now you 111 00:04:46,714 --> 00:04:48,766 could say well. What's so important 112 00:04:48,766 --> 00:04:51,051 about that?Why is 113 00:04:51,051 --> 00:04:53,488 that so important toto even talk about if 114 00:04:53,488 --> 00:04:56,195 it's a woman and aman are both in God's 115 00:04:56,195 --> 00:04:58,089 image? And Paul'svery careful in this 116 00:04:58,089 --> 00:05:00,796 passage to say that,to say to not to say 117 00:05:00,796 --> 00:05:03,233 that a woman is inthe image of man 118 00:05:03,233 --> 00:05:05,398 because she's not. She's in the image of 119 00:05:05,398 --> 00:05:07,834 God. If both men andwomen are in the 120 00:05:07,834 --> 00:05:09,729 image of God,creating the image of 121 00:05:09,729 --> 00:05:11,435 God. In that sense, 122 00:05:11,435 --> 00:05:13,477 equal why is it so 123 00:05:13,477 --> 00:05:16,335 important a truth toproclaim by my 124 00:05:16,335 --> 00:05:18,377 clothes, by the way I 125 00:05:18,377 --> 00:05:19,602 order my worship 126 00:05:19,602 --> 00:05:22,370 service?That there's 127 00:05:22,370 --> 00:05:25,362 a distinction. And 128 00:05:25,362 --> 00:05:27,545 that's a goodquestion and it's a 129 00:05:27,545 --> 00:05:29,416 question that'scertainly come up in 130 00:05:29,416 --> 00:05:32,062 our times. And 131 00:05:32,062 --> 00:05:33,871 I would tell you that 132 00:05:33,871 --> 00:05:35,318 I would skip over 133 00:05:35,318 --> 00:05:37,128 this and I would not 134 00:05:37,128 --> 00:05:40,022 preach it except forthe fact that I've 135 00:05:40,022 --> 00:05:42,193 found in a certainrelationships, gender 136 00:05:42,193 --> 00:05:45,088 really does matterand it's a matter of 137 00:05:45,088 --> 00:05:45,450 identity. 138 00:05:47,850 --> 00:05:50,174 Have many relate. There are many things 139 00:05:50,174 --> 00:05:52,829 that we do where agender doesn't come 140 00:05:52,829 --> 00:05:55,484 into play. But after15 years of marriage, 141 00:05:55,484 --> 00:05:58,140 I can say certainlythere's a there's a 142 00:05:58,140 --> 00:06:00,131 place there wheregender matters. And 143 00:06:00,131 --> 00:06:02,787 after going throughwith you here at the 144 00:06:02,787 --> 00:06:04,778 village church nowwe've gone through 145 00:06:04,778 --> 00:06:07,252 three different booksof the Bible. Notice 146 00:06:07,252 --> 00:06:09,438 that this this genderdiscussion comes up 147 00:06:09,438 --> 00:06:10,688 and every one of 148 00:06:10,688 --> 00:06:12,980 them. And So what 149 00:06:12,980 --> 00:06:15,353 this passage istrying to tell us is 150 00:06:15,353 --> 00:06:17,133 that in the Churchcontext, this 151 00:06:17,133 --> 00:06:17,727 distinction matters 152 00:06:17,727 --> 00:06:20,671 as well. And so 153 00:06:20,671 --> 00:06:22,426 I didn't just skipthis passage because 154 00:06:22,426 --> 00:06:24,431 the more I look intowhat the scriptures 155 00:06:24,431 --> 00:06:26,437 are teaching, themore I and the more 156 00:06:26,437 --> 00:06:27,941 experience I havewith people. And 157 00:06:27,941 --> 00:06:29,695 where I see this isreally about 158 00:06:29,695 --> 00:06:31,199 identity. It's animportant issue of 159 00:06:31,199 --> 00:06:34,091 identity. So I 160 00:06:34,091 --> 00:06:36,193 like women. I really 161 00:06:36,193 --> 00:06:37,770 do like women. 162 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:40,650 And what bothers me? 163 00:06:42,140 --> 00:06:43,873 Is when people that 164 00:06:43,873 --> 00:06:46,530 are like. Have a 165 00:06:46,530 --> 00:06:47,745 loss in their 166 00:06:47,745 --> 00:06:50,740 identity. Were there 167 00:06:50,740 --> 00:06:53,667 or not? When I seewomen who are not 168 00:06:53,667 --> 00:06:55,293 able to becomfortable being 169 00:06:55,293 --> 00:06:57,570 women, and the samewith men, that 170 00:06:57,570 --> 00:06:58,220 bothers me. 171 00:07:00,500 --> 00:07:02,030 And I've come to see. 172 00:07:03,110 --> 00:07:06,084 That there's a truthhere, and that the 173 00:07:06,084 --> 00:07:08,314 erasing or theattempt to erase 174 00:07:08,314 --> 00:07:10,173 distinctions andgender is nothing 175 00:07:10,173 --> 00:07:11,660 less than a stealing 176 00:07:11,660 --> 00:07:13,518 away of part of our 177 00:07:13,518 --> 00:07:16,285 identity. And that I 178 00:07:16,285 --> 00:07:18,747 care about. I don'tcare about scoring 179 00:07:18,747 --> 00:07:21,208 political points. Ido care about that 180 00:07:21,208 --> 00:07:21,560 loss. 181 00:07:24,780 --> 00:07:27,326 So I want to retry as 182 00:07:27,326 --> 00:07:29,871 difficult as this. Try to reclaim 183 00:07:29,871 --> 00:07:31,993 something of ouridentity here, 184 00:07:31,993 --> 00:07:33,266 something of our 185 00:07:33,266 --> 00:07:35,732 womanness. To edit 186 00:07:35,732 --> 00:07:37,956 for you to be able to 187 00:07:37,956 --> 00:07:40,923 enjoy who you are andnot be so 188 00:07:40,923 --> 00:07:42,777 uncomfortable andunsure and ambiguous 189 00:07:42,777 --> 00:07:45,424 about who you are. In 190 00:07:45,424 --> 00:07:47,972 this passage, in thechurch context, it's 191 00:07:47,972 --> 00:07:50,948 my goal. Umm, I don't 192 00:07:50,948 --> 00:07:53,155 understand a lotabout it, but I want 193 00:07:53,155 --> 00:07:54,535 to share what I what 194 00:07:54,535 --> 00:07:57,018 I what I feel like Ican understand from 195 00:07:57,018 --> 00:07:59,963 this passage. And 196 00:07:59,963 --> 00:08:02,155 so we'll be sharingthree things which 197 00:08:02,155 --> 00:08:04,973 are on an outline inyour bolts in there 198 00:08:04,973 --> 00:08:07,791 by the scripture. Andthat is how there's a 199 00:08:07,791 --> 00:08:09,357 symmetry todefinition of gender. 200 00:08:09,357 --> 00:08:10,922 You have tounderstand the 201 00:08:10,922 --> 00:08:12,488 symmetry before youunderstand the 202 00:08:12,488 --> 00:08:14,366 asymmetry. There's asymmetry to the 203 00:08:14,366 --> 00:08:16,558 gender, There's anorigin to gender as 204 00:08:16,558 --> 00:08:18,437 we look into it as to 205 00:08:18,437 --> 00:08:20,176 why. This is so and 206 00:08:20,176 --> 00:08:22,549 then there's a gloryto gender asymmetry, 207 00:08:22,549 --> 00:08:24,922 that gender isdefined inrelationship and 208 00:08:24,922 --> 00:08:27,634 origin because theyboth come out of God, 209 00:08:27,634 --> 00:08:28,989 our genders and then 210 00:08:28,989 --> 00:08:30,684 a glory of that, what 211 00:08:30,684 --> 00:08:32,040 that means for what 212 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:33,735 we know about God. So 213 00:08:33,735 --> 00:08:35,091 let me start here. 214 00:08:35,091 --> 00:08:36,786 I'm trying to get us 215 00:08:36,786 --> 00:08:39,217 into this first thingthis this. Understand 216 00:08:39,217 --> 00:08:41,507 of how gender isdefined according to 217 00:08:41,507 --> 00:08:43,142 the scriptures. There's a, there's 218 00:08:43,142 --> 00:08:45,432 kind of a Yangwhenever you read 219 00:08:45,432 --> 00:08:47,067 some passage thatinvolves instruction 220 00:08:47,067 --> 00:08:48,703 toward men andinstruction toward 221 00:08:48,703 --> 00:08:51,320 women, you know, notin terms of, you 222 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,609 know, equating goodand evil or something 223 00:08:53,609 --> 00:08:55,899 like that, but justthat visual symbol, 224 00:08:55,899 --> 00:08:58,843 you see a, you seethat same kind of 225 00:08:58,843 --> 00:09:01,195 symmetry. Wheneverthe Bible brings up 226 00:09:01,195 --> 00:09:03,541 instruction towardsmen, toward women, we 227 00:09:03,541 --> 00:09:05,105 saw it, for example, 228 00:09:05,105 --> 00:09:06,669 back in Chapter 7, 229 00:09:06,669 --> 00:09:09,405 and we were lookingat First Corinthians 230 00:09:09,405 --> 00:09:11,751 7 on marriage, andevery instruction 231 00:09:11,751 --> 00:09:14,488 that was delivered toone gender was 232 00:09:14,488 --> 00:09:16,443 intern, anaccompanyinginstruction was 233 00:09:16,443 --> 00:09:18,789 delivered to theother, and that's 234 00:09:18,789 --> 00:09:21,137 that. That says verse2, every man should 235 00:09:21,137 --> 00:09:23,294 have his own wife andeach woman should 236 00:09:23,294 --> 00:09:24,911 have her own husband. Husband should 237 00:09:24,911 --> 00:09:27,338 fulfill his male dutyto his wife and the 238 00:09:27,338 --> 00:09:29,225 wife. Likewise thewife should not rule, 239 00:09:29,225 --> 00:09:31,382 does not rule overher body, but the 240 00:09:31,382 --> 00:09:33,269 husband does and thehusband doesn't rule 241 00:09:33,269 --> 00:09:35,156 over his body forlifetimes life and 242 00:09:35,156 --> 00:09:37,043 that's not separatedfrom her husband and 243 00:09:37,043 --> 00:09:38,660 husband must notseparate from her 244 00:09:38,660 --> 00:09:40,870 wife. And I'm sorryto say, you know, 245 00:09:40,870 --> 00:09:41,790 Paul, you could save 246 00:09:41,790 --> 00:09:44,440 some space here. You 247 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:46,061 could actually thischapter doesn't only 248 00:09:46,061 --> 00:09:48,762 needs to be half aslong as it is. You 249 00:09:48,762 --> 00:09:51,464 know if a brother hasa wife who's not a 250 00:09:51,464 --> 00:09:53,355 believer and she'swilling to live it 251 00:09:53,355 --> 00:09:55,516 that he must notdivorce and if a 252 00:09:55,516 --> 00:09:57,677 woman has a husbandis not believing he's 253 00:09:57,677 --> 00:09:58,758 only lived with her. 254 00:09:58,758 --> 00:09:59,838 She was not divorced. 255 00:09:59,838 --> 00:10:02,540 You know if you're onnow you're a man and 256 00:10:02,540 --> 00:10:05,021 you sent. Married andyou get married, 257 00:10:05,021 --> 00:10:06,871 you're not sinning. Or if you're a 258 00:10:06,871 --> 00:10:08,457 virgin, you're notmarried, you get 259 00:10:08,457 --> 00:10:10,307 married, you're notsinning. Goes both of 260 00:10:10,307 --> 00:10:12,686 both back and forthand you say Paul just 261 00:10:12,686 --> 00:10:14,800 say one or the other,but he can't. 262 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,514 He cannot, becauseany instruction to 263 00:10:19,514 --> 00:10:22,242 men. Turns out to 264 00:10:22,242 --> 00:10:23,991 be an instruction and 265 00:10:23,991 --> 00:10:25,740 instruction to men as 266 00:10:25,740 --> 00:10:27,926 men. Turns out to be 267 00:10:27,926 --> 00:10:29,237 an instruction about 268 00:10:29,237 --> 00:10:30,986 women. It's in terms 269 00:10:30,986 --> 00:10:32,735 of women, and any 270 00:10:32,735 --> 00:10:34,047 instruction to women 271 00:10:34,047 --> 00:10:36,233 as women is in terms 272 00:10:36,233 --> 00:10:37,982 of men. In other 273 00:10:37,982 --> 00:10:40,606 words, my friends,gender according to 274 00:10:40,606 --> 00:10:42,878 the scripture. Isdefined in 275 00:10:42,878 --> 00:10:44,206 relationship and we 276 00:10:44,206 --> 00:10:45,977 find our gender in 277 00:10:45,977 --> 00:10:48,138 relationship. We get 278 00:10:48,138 --> 00:10:49,560 defined inrelationship. 279 00:10:52,650 --> 00:10:54,799 You know, look atverse 11 with me. 280 00:10:54,799 --> 00:10:56,948 What does that say? Ithink an English 281 00:10:56,948 --> 00:10:58,828 version puts it interms of dependence. 282 00:10:58,828 --> 00:11:00,440 Woman is notindependent of man. 283 00:11:02,070 --> 00:11:04,140 You know what it 284 00:11:04,140 --> 00:11:05,693 literally says woman 285 00:11:05,693 --> 00:11:07,763 is not apart from 286 00:11:07,763 --> 00:11:10,583 man. The 287 00:11:10,583 --> 00:11:13,399 woman is not apartfrom man, and man is 288 00:11:13,399 --> 00:11:14,650 not apart from woman. 289 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,392 OK, which meansfriends. Just what 290 00:11:19,392 --> 00:11:22,063 I'm saying. It'sdefined inrelationship 291 00:11:22,063 --> 00:11:23,399 definition. Means to 292 00:11:23,399 --> 00:11:25,180 the other to have. 293 00:11:26,690 --> 00:11:29,335 These are I'm not aman and you're not a 294 00:11:29,335 --> 00:11:31,452 woman. Because whenwe go to the movies, 295 00:11:31,452 --> 00:11:33,568 we split up and yousee Sleepless in 296 00:11:33,568 --> 00:11:35,420 Seattle and I see TheTerminator Returns. 297 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:39,170 That is not whatmakes me a man. 298 00:11:42,220 --> 00:11:44,449 Gender is a matter of 299 00:11:44,449 --> 00:11:47,305 missing ribs. It's 300 00:11:47,305 --> 00:11:49,131 a matter of ribs that 301 00:11:49,131 --> 00:11:51,322 are missing. Man isdefined in 302 00:11:51,322 --> 00:11:52,782 relationship tosomething he's 303 00:11:52,782 --> 00:11:54,973 missing, and woman,woman defined in 304 00:11:54,973 --> 00:11:57,529 relation to the manin our relationship. 305 00:11:57,529 --> 00:11:59,354 So which means that I 306 00:11:59,354 --> 00:12:01,180 am most truly a man. 307 00:12:02,270 --> 00:12:04,535 When I as a man, 308 00:12:04,535 --> 00:12:06,801 understand mydependence upon women 309 00:12:06,801 --> 00:12:08,160 in the church. 310 00:12:10,560 --> 00:12:11,888 And women do 311 00:12:11,888 --> 00:12:14,804 likewise. And 312 00:12:14,804 --> 00:12:16,790 So what you seeoverall in this 313 00:12:16,790 --> 00:12:18,776 passage, what Paul'strying to do is 314 00:12:18,776 --> 00:12:21,329 shift. He's trying tomake a shift in their 315 00:12:21,329 --> 00:12:23,599 thinking from one ofmaking this issue 1 316 00:12:23,599 --> 00:12:25,889 of individualfreedom. Torelational 317 00:12:25,889 --> 00:12:28,074 responsibility, isn'the saying? This is 318 00:12:28,074 --> 00:12:30,260 not a matter ofindividual training, 319 00:12:30,260 --> 00:12:32,446 this is a matter ofrelational 320 00:12:32,446 --> 00:12:34,805 responsibility?And so 321 00:12:34,805 --> 00:12:37,615 when we get to theend of the passage 322 00:12:37,615 --> 00:12:40,425 and, you know, thisis the third time in 323 00:12:40,425 --> 00:12:42,611 this letter that theapostle Paul is 324 00:12:42,611 --> 00:12:44,484 trying to correct theCorinthians by 325 00:12:44,484 --> 00:12:46,358 appealing to what'sdone in other 326 00:12:46,358 --> 00:12:48,412 churches. That's the 327 00:12:48,412 --> 00:12:50,941 third time he'ssaying, you know, but 328 00:12:50,941 --> 00:12:53,108 look at what we do in 329 00:12:53,108 --> 00:12:55,275 the other churches. Like you're not 330 00:12:55,275 --> 00:12:57,442 independent. Corinthtrying to correct the 331 00:12:57,442 --> 00:12:58,886 Corinthianindependence seems to 332 00:12:58,886 --> 00:12:59,970 be an issue. 333 00:13:02,460 --> 00:13:04,017 You know what else 334 00:13:04,017 --> 00:13:05,574 this means? If this 335 00:13:05,574 --> 00:13:07,131 is so, this means 336 00:13:07,131 --> 00:13:08,688 that the usual terms 337 00:13:08,688 --> 00:13:10,634 in which we try to 338 00:13:10,634 --> 00:13:13,359 talk about genderdon't work. It means 339 00:13:13,359 --> 00:13:15,305 that as soon as you 340 00:13:15,305 --> 00:13:17,641 enter into anattitude of of 341 00:13:17,641 --> 00:13:20,123 competition. You lose 342 00:13:20,123 --> 00:13:22,890 the truth aboutgender, it's gone. 343 00:13:24,190 --> 00:13:26,138 As soon as our hearts 344 00:13:26,138 --> 00:13:28,866 dip into and thinkabout who's better, 345 00:13:28,866 --> 00:13:31,204 who's role is better,what's more 346 00:13:31,204 --> 00:13:32,373 important, we enter 347 00:13:32,373 --> 00:13:34,321 into the realm of the 348 00:13:34,321 --> 00:13:35,490 fall where gender 349 00:13:35,490 --> 00:13:37,529 deteriorates. You 350 00:13:37,529 --> 00:13:39,123 know, and you know, 351 00:13:39,123 --> 00:13:41,913 this way of thinkingabout gender is 352 00:13:41,913 --> 00:13:43,507 nothing new. It's as 353 00:13:43,507 --> 00:13:45,899 old as the Fall,stated very 354 00:13:45,899 --> 00:13:48,290 succinctly andGenesis 3 and then 355 00:13:48,290 --> 00:13:50,681 afterwards in manyartists themes, you 356 00:13:50,681 --> 00:13:53,538 know?And Lysistrata. 357 00:13:53,538 --> 00:13:56,013 The Taming of the 358 00:13:56,013 --> 00:13:57,250 Shrew. Pygmalion. 359 00:13:58,370 --> 00:14:00,526 Princess Ida,Gilbert, assault, all 360 00:14:00,526 --> 00:14:03,114 these, you know,different, taking up 361 00:14:03,114 --> 00:14:04,839 this theme,understanding gender 362 00:14:04,839 --> 00:14:06,564 in terms of syntax 363 00:14:06,564 --> 00:14:08,720 agonism and thiscompetition. You've 364 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:10,014 lost it already. 365 00:14:10,014 --> 00:14:11,739 You've lost what it 366 00:14:11,739 --> 00:14:14,576 is. I feel like 367 00:14:14,576 --> 00:14:16,636 this, even as this is 368 00:14:16,636 --> 00:14:18,696 very old, somethingvery significant 369 00:14:18,696 --> 00:14:21,580 happened in inAmerica in the 1970s. 370 00:14:21,580 --> 00:14:24,464 It was real milestonefor announcing kind 371 00:14:24,464 --> 00:14:26,524 of or reallydemonstrating the 372 00:14:26,524 --> 00:14:28,172 loss of gender among 373 00:14:28,172 --> 00:14:30,232 us. And that was the 374 00:14:30,232 --> 00:14:32,704 tennis match betweenBobby Riggs and 375 00:14:32,704 --> 00:14:33,940 Billie Jean King. 376 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,180 Now, I don't see alot of recognition on 377 00:14:38,180 --> 00:14:41,080 some of your fists. You may not be quite 378 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:43,013 old enough toremember this, this 379 00:14:43,013 --> 00:14:45,268 big media event ofthe 1970s. Actually, 380 00:14:45,268 --> 00:14:48,168 I was saying to thisto to some friends 381 00:14:48,168 --> 00:14:50,101 recently, I wastalking about this 382 00:14:50,101 --> 00:14:53,001 and someone said tome, ohh, yeah, I saw 383 00:14:53,001 --> 00:14:53,968 a documentary about 384 00:14:53,968 --> 00:14:56,638 that. I said 385 00:14:56,638 --> 00:14:58,940 documentary like onThe History Channel. 386 00:15:00,830 --> 00:15:03,770 How old am I?I 387 00:15:03,770 --> 00:15:05,811 remember watchingthis growing up and 388 00:15:05,811 --> 00:15:08,533 if you remember whathappened, it was it 389 00:15:08,533 --> 00:15:11,254 was Bobby Riggs, whoreally was not much 390 00:15:11,254 --> 00:15:13,975 of A tennis player,went out to play 391 00:15:13,975 --> 00:15:16,697 Billie Jean King, awoman in tennis. It 392 00:15:16,697 --> 00:15:19,418 was called the Battleof the Sexes big 393 00:15:19,418 --> 00:15:21,119 media event. Iremember watching 394 00:15:21,119 --> 00:15:23,500 shaking my head. Ithink I understand 395 00:15:23,500 --> 00:15:25,698 why. Now I was 396 00:15:25,698 --> 00:15:28,473 shaking my headbecause even though 397 00:15:28,473 --> 00:15:31,248 Bobby Riggs wasprobably doing this 398 00:15:31,248 --> 00:15:33,560 as a joke or really 399 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,335 doing it to as as a 400 00:15:36,335 --> 00:15:39,205 way to. To give 401 00:15:39,205 --> 00:15:41,585 support to women'stennis. So I think he 402 00:15:41,585 --> 00:15:43,964 probably was as a wayof putting women's 403 00:15:43,964 --> 00:15:45,452 tennis in theforeground, actually 404 00:15:45,452 --> 00:15:47,534 support and build itup, which actually 405 00:15:47,534 --> 00:15:49,319 happened. I thinkthere was something 406 00:15:49,319 --> 00:15:51,996 that was lost thatway he would go on 407 00:15:51,996 --> 00:15:54,078 the TV and and makethese degrading 408 00:15:54,078 --> 00:15:56,458 comments about womenand so forth to kind 409 00:15:56,458 --> 00:15:59,408 of play this up thisthis contest. And 410 00:15:59,408 --> 00:16:02,271 this frame it as acompetition was a key 411 00:16:02,271 --> 00:16:04,497 event, I think, inkind of demonstrating 412 00:16:04,497 --> 00:16:06,406 America's psychewhere it was, where 413 00:16:06,406 --> 00:16:09,268 it was going andplaying this up as a 414 00:16:09,268 --> 00:16:11,495 battle of the sexes. Even though there 415 00:16:11,495 --> 00:16:13,722 were gains in women'ssports, there was 416 00:16:13,722 --> 00:16:15,630 lost. There wassomething lost there. 417 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:18,775 And you know, genderis serious Business 418 00:16:18,775 --> 00:16:21,443 didn't end up helpingBillie Jean in her 419 00:16:21,443 --> 00:16:24,428 own life. And so, 420 00:16:24,428 --> 00:16:26,672 because genderdiscussions are often 421 00:16:26,672 --> 00:16:28,467 pitted ascompetition, it's 422 00:16:28,467 --> 00:16:30,711 framed as a as an 423 00:16:30,711 --> 00:16:33,628 antagonism. Firmdoesn't as an 424 00:16:33,628 --> 00:16:35,488 overthrow ofoppression, which is 425 00:16:35,488 --> 00:16:37,349 sometimes involved,but because it's 426 00:16:37,349 --> 00:16:39,953 always framed as anantagonism, the glory 427 00:16:39,953 --> 00:16:42,185 of what you are as a 428 00:16:42,185 --> 00:16:44,045 woman or what you are 429 00:16:44,045 --> 00:16:45,906 as a man is obscured. 430 00:16:45,906 --> 00:16:48,882 And you see it inmany marriages where 431 00:16:48,882 --> 00:16:50,370 where trust is lost. 432 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:54,566 That's a that's aplace where gender 433 00:16:54,566 --> 00:16:55,736 comes into play, that 434 00:16:55,736 --> 00:16:57,782 kind of relationship. And then when the 435 00:16:57,782 --> 00:16:59,829 trust is lost, thecouple cannot enter 436 00:16:59,829 --> 00:17:01,583 into their genders,can't even, can't 437 00:17:01,583 --> 00:17:04,360 enjoy their genders. Because there isn't a 438 00:17:04,360 --> 00:17:05,360 level of trust to 439 00:17:05,360 --> 00:17:07,739 sustain it. Anymore. 440 00:17:07,739 --> 00:17:09,293 So the first point 441 00:17:09,293 --> 00:17:10,847 here is, is that 442 00:17:10,847 --> 00:17:13,179 gender is defined interms of 443 00:17:13,179 --> 00:17:15,510 relationship. Youhave to talk about 444 00:17:15,510 --> 00:17:17,841 the other tounderstand what you 445 00:17:17,841 --> 00:17:20,338 are. Woman wins by 446 00:17:20,338 --> 00:17:22,774 man, manliness bywoman. Now second 447 00:17:22,774 --> 00:17:25,210 point, Why would thisbe so? 448 00:17:27,540 --> 00:17:29,204 Why would we? Whywould this happen? 449 00:17:29,204 --> 00:17:30,155 Why would this be 450 00:17:30,155 --> 00:17:32,509 this way?And because 451 00:17:32,509 --> 00:17:34,816 of their origin ofyour gender, it's 452 00:17:34,816 --> 00:17:37,783 very important for usboth to know us. OK, 453 00:17:37,783 --> 00:17:39,430 Verse 12 gives us the 454 00:17:39,430 --> 00:17:41,860 answer. Both genders. 455 00:17:43,330 --> 00:17:45,987 Come out of God. OK 456 00:17:45,987 --> 00:17:48,842 so I went verse 12says men, women, 457 00:17:48,842 --> 00:17:51,697 women come from men. Both. All things come 458 00:17:51,697 --> 00:17:54,552 out of guys sayingboth genders come out 459 00:17:54,552 --> 00:17:55,980 of God, God's self. 460 00:17:56,890 --> 00:17:59,460 In other words,France, it is proper 461 00:17:59,460 --> 00:18:02,031 to say that Godcontains female as 462 00:18:02,031 --> 00:18:04,601 well as male. Godcontains male, God 463 00:18:04,601 --> 00:18:06,805 contains females. Proper to say that 464 00:18:06,805 --> 00:18:09,742 that's the way thetext is telling us 465 00:18:09,742 --> 00:18:11,211 there's there'sabsolute ontological 466 00:18:11,211 --> 00:18:12,680 equality in a sexist. 467 00:18:13,470 --> 00:18:16,393 Just as Christ asequal in substance 468 00:18:16,393 --> 00:18:18,952 to. God, the first 469 00:18:18,952 --> 00:18:21,890 member of the Trinityof the same nature. 470 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,584 So woman is equal inbeing to the man, 471 00:18:25,584 --> 00:18:27,812 Same nature, samestuff, equal in God's 472 00:18:27,812 --> 00:18:30,617 image. Now 473 00:18:30,617 --> 00:18:32,165 this tells us also 474 00:18:32,165 --> 00:18:33,713 that it's only in 475 00:18:33,713 --> 00:18:36,365 God. Where true 476 00:18:36,365 --> 00:18:37,894 androgyny isachieved, that's 477 00:18:37,894 --> 00:18:40,569 where it occurs. That's when male and 478 00:18:40,569 --> 00:18:42,481 female occurtogether, trying to 479 00:18:42,481 --> 00:18:44,774 blend your gender. It's it's really 480 00:18:44,774 --> 00:18:46,686 trying to be like God 481 00:18:46,686 --> 00:18:48,597 in a way that you 482 00:18:48,597 --> 00:18:50,891 can't because itreally only happens 483 00:18:50,891 --> 00:18:53,566 true and judgeandrogyny in in God. 484 00:18:53,566 --> 00:18:55,478 No one else can do 485 00:18:55,478 --> 00:18:57,273 it. Not even Tilda 486 00:18:57,273 --> 00:19:00,088 Swinton. And this 487 00:19:00,088 --> 00:19:00,970 means two things. 488 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:05,810 When there stopsbeing man and woman. 489 00:19:06,950 --> 00:19:09,027 They're stops beingthe relationships 490 00:19:09,027 --> 00:19:11,104 that expresssomething about God 491 00:19:11,104 --> 00:19:12,350 in the world. 492 00:19:15,610 --> 00:19:16,940 That's why it'simportant. 493 00:19:19,610 --> 00:19:21,749 When it stops beingman and woman, there 494 00:19:21,749 --> 00:19:22,818 stops beingrelationships that 495 00:19:22,818 --> 00:19:24,423 express somethingabout God in the 496 00:19:24,423 --> 00:19:27,422 world. And secondly,to understand gender, 497 00:19:27,422 --> 00:19:30,241 we need to look atthe relationship deep 498 00:19:30,241 --> 00:19:33,061 into the Trinity ofGod, in the triune 499 00:19:33,061 --> 00:19:35,175 nature of God tounderstand gender. 500 00:19:35,175 --> 00:19:37,994 This is why it's soimportant to maintain 501 00:19:37,994 --> 00:19:40,461 a distinction in ourfellowship because of 502 00:19:40,461 --> 00:19:42,928 what this passage isteaching. Like what 503 00:19:42,928 --> 00:19:44,690 it says in verse 3. 504 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:46,580 The head of woman, 505 00:19:46,580 --> 00:19:49,456 this man. Just as 506 00:19:49,456 --> 00:19:51,520 the head, or in some 507 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:53,584 some way the head of 508 00:19:53,584 --> 00:19:54,823 the divine Christ, 509 00:19:54,823 --> 00:19:57,300 the second is God the1st. 510 00:20:00,270 --> 00:20:03,257 So listen to thisGender is expressing 511 00:20:03,257 --> 00:20:05,390 something crucialabout the Godhead. 512 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:08,407 About a lovingfellowship between 513 00:20:08,407 --> 00:20:11,105 the Sender and theChrist, between the 514 00:20:11,105 --> 00:20:13,033 1st and the second of 515 00:20:13,033 --> 00:20:14,575 the triune nature of 516 00:20:14,575 --> 00:20:17,344 God. So 517 00:20:17,344 --> 00:20:19,400 being a woman then? 518 00:20:20,490 --> 00:20:23,074 With men or being aman with women, 519 00:20:23,074 --> 00:20:25,334 especially in theworship of in the 520 00:20:25,334 --> 00:20:28,253 church context. Findsthe relationship of 521 00:20:28,253 --> 00:20:29,230 Christ to God. 522 00:20:31,140 --> 00:20:33,770 And This is why it'salso difficult to 523 00:20:33,770 --> 00:20:36,071 talk about genderroles and to grab 524 00:20:36,071 --> 00:20:37,715 hold of themsometimes. Besides 525 00:20:37,715 --> 00:20:39,687 the fact that they'realways culturally 526 00:20:39,687 --> 00:20:41,002 mediated, they'realways expressed 527 00:20:41,002 --> 00:20:43,303 through culture, likewe saw last week. 528 00:20:43,303 --> 00:20:45,275 Besides that, it'sdifficult to define 529 00:20:45,275 --> 00:20:47,576 them for the samereason it's difficult 530 00:20:47,576 --> 00:20:48,891 to speak of the 531 00:20:48,891 --> 00:20:51,716 Trinity. Becausethere's a oneness, 532 00:20:51,716 --> 00:20:53,931 there's an equalitythere between the 1st 533 00:20:53,931 --> 00:20:56,376 and the 2nd. There's 534 00:20:56,376 --> 00:20:57,600 also a realdifference. 535 00:20:59,450 --> 00:21:01,990 Differences in howthey respond. 536 00:21:03,890 --> 00:21:06,867 She has a place ofher own in the 537 00:21:06,867 --> 00:21:08,521 church. It'sdifferent from his 538 00:21:08,521 --> 00:21:10,506 place, it seems. That's what this 539 00:21:10,506 --> 00:21:13,152 passage is saying. Solet's look at that 540 00:21:13,152 --> 00:21:15,798 and help it inform usto understand the 541 00:21:15,798 --> 00:21:17,783 glory of gender. Let's try to 542 00:21:17,783 --> 00:21:20,098 understand what wecan from this passage 543 00:21:20,098 --> 00:21:22,867 about it. And I 544 00:21:22,867 --> 00:21:25,272 would say that itreally all comes 545 00:21:25,272 --> 00:21:26,646 under this heading of 546 00:21:26,646 --> 00:21:28,942 head. Head seems to 547 00:21:28,942 --> 00:21:31,052 be an important wordin this passage. He's 548 00:21:31,052 --> 00:21:31,580 9 times. 549 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:37,910 And this is somehowexpressing the truth 550 00:21:37,910 --> 00:21:40,378 about gender. What 551 00:21:40,378 --> 00:21:43,242 that word means isdifficult to say. You 552 00:21:43,242 --> 00:21:45,747 know, big debate,big, big debate about 553 00:21:45,747 --> 00:21:47,179 whether it means head 554 00:21:47,179 --> 00:21:50,043 in a sense of sourceof something, the 555 00:21:50,043 --> 00:21:51,833 head of a river, or 556 00:21:51,833 --> 00:21:53,622 head in terms of kind 557 00:21:53,622 --> 00:21:56,486 of like the authorityof something like a 558 00:21:56,486 --> 00:21:57,560 Sergeant or canal. 559 00:21:59,380 --> 00:22:00,876 Debate is big friends 560 00:22:00,876 --> 00:22:03,868 and you can go andyou can find 561 00:22:03,868 --> 00:22:05,739 justification forboth in Greek 562 00:22:05,739 --> 00:22:07,609 literature. You findjustification for 563 00:22:07,609 --> 00:22:09,853 both in the OldTestament, find 564 00:22:09,853 --> 00:22:12,097 justification forboth in the New 565 00:22:12,097 --> 00:22:14,716 Testament, and what'sreally hard is you 566 00:22:14,716 --> 00:22:16,212 can findjustification for 567 00:22:16,212 --> 00:22:18,830 both in this passageis very passage. 568 00:22:19,020 --> 00:22:21,390 Being, it makes mebegin to think that 569 00:22:21,390 --> 00:22:22,871 they probably weren'tcompletely separate 570 00:22:22,871 --> 00:22:24,773 in Paul's mind. What 571 00:22:24,773 --> 00:22:27,500 he means by it whenhe says the head of. 572 00:22:29,340 --> 00:22:30,920 So I would like to 573 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,449 try to draw out threethings from this 574 00:22:33,449 --> 00:22:35,977 passage. Try to saywhat that means. What 575 00:22:35,977 --> 00:22:37,558 is it that that head 576 00:22:37,558 --> 00:22:39,138 means to be the head 577 00:22:39,138 --> 00:22:41,705 of someone?Three 578 00:22:41,705 --> 00:22:42,140 things. 579 00:22:44,500 --> 00:22:47,450 And makes a meagercomments about this. 580 00:22:50,250 --> 00:22:52,433 Put them togethersomehow. Source 581 00:22:52,433 --> 00:22:52,870 authority. 582 00:22:56,380 --> 00:22:58,393 And what what we see 583 00:22:58,393 --> 00:23:01,212 is the first of Godproviding a 584 00:23:01,212 --> 00:23:03,628 protection for theactivity of the 585 00:23:03,628 --> 00:23:06,446 second while Jesus iscarrying out his 586 00:23:06,446 --> 00:23:08,862 mission. OK, therewasn't authorities or 587 00:23:08,862 --> 00:23:11,278 source there. Theauthority was there 588 00:23:11,278 --> 00:23:13,291 to provideprotection, part of 589 00:23:13,291 --> 00:23:15,707 forum for theactivity of the 590 00:23:15,707 --> 00:23:18,565 second. And I 591 00:23:18,565 --> 00:23:21,147 would interpret thatto mean that men are 592 00:23:21,147 --> 00:23:23,990 called. And ifthey're given 593 00:23:23,990 --> 00:23:26,599 authority in achurch, it is for 594 00:23:26,599 --> 00:23:29,207 that reason toprovide a safe place 595 00:23:29,207 --> 00:23:30,697 for the activity of 596 00:23:30,697 --> 00:23:33,550 women. Remember, it'salways in 597 00:23:33,550 --> 00:23:33,940 relationship. 598 00:23:36,420 --> 00:23:38,621 And that safety, youknow, charges explain 599 00:23:38,621 --> 00:23:41,137 what that is, whatthat feels like and 600 00:23:41,137 --> 00:23:43,338 that we're talkingabout. And, and with 601 00:23:43,338 --> 00:23:45,854 with some, some guysand one fellow gave 602 00:23:45,854 --> 00:23:48,056 me this example,which I'm going to 603 00:23:48,056 --> 00:23:51,033 use. You know how 604 00:23:51,033 --> 00:23:53,974 when sometimes you'rein the city, you know 605 00:23:53,974 --> 00:23:55,444 you're trying to make 606 00:23:55,444 --> 00:23:57,282 your way in the city 607 00:23:57,282 --> 00:23:58,752 as a single woman, 608 00:23:58,752 --> 00:24:00,590 and what do you do? 609 00:24:00,590 --> 00:24:02,428 You get a friend, a 610 00:24:02,428 --> 00:24:05,001 guy friend who's gay,right? Often happens, 611 00:24:05,001 --> 00:24:07,942 right? A single womangets a friend who's 612 00:24:07,942 --> 00:24:09,412 the guy who's gay. 613 00:24:09,412 --> 00:24:12,337 Why?Why is thathappening so often? 614 00:24:12,337 --> 00:24:15,180 Because of the safetyit provides. Isn't 615 00:24:15,180 --> 00:24:18,023 that so? Because inthat friend there's 616 00:24:18,023 --> 00:24:20,460 there's, there'ssomehow a safe place? 617 00:24:21,710 --> 00:24:23,683 For you to have your 618 00:24:23,683 --> 00:24:26,446 lines respected andyet still have a 619 00:24:26,446 --> 00:24:29,363 relationship you know?Or friends, if you 620 00:24:29,363 --> 00:24:31,969 can think about thatfeeling, that is what 621 00:24:31,969 --> 00:24:34,574 the church is meantto give you, only 622 00:24:34,574 --> 00:24:36,854 much better. Thechurch is supposed to 623 00:24:36,854 --> 00:24:39,460 be a place wherethose lines would be 624 00:24:39,460 --> 00:24:41,740 respected and and youcan be safe. 625 00:24:43,270 --> 00:24:45,989 Through a collectiverelationships between 626 00:24:45,989 --> 00:24:47,620 brothers and sisters. 627 00:24:48,530 --> 00:24:50,314 That's what it'smeant to feel like. 628 00:24:50,314 --> 00:24:52,097 So then like likethese older brothers 629 00:24:52,097 --> 00:24:54,135 in a family in acollective way. We're 630 00:24:54,135 --> 00:24:55,919 not talking aboutindividually. So if a 631 00:24:55,919 --> 00:24:57,957 woman says, well, Ilook at this guys, 632 00:24:57,957 --> 00:25:00,250 what does that meanis who's my head in 633 00:25:00,250 --> 00:25:03,016 this church?And 634 00:25:03,016 --> 00:25:05,465 the answer would benot an individual guy 635 00:25:05,465 --> 00:25:07,608 because it's not likea marriage. It's 636 00:25:07,608 --> 00:25:09,751 different in achurch, but church is 637 00:25:09,751 --> 00:25:12,199 like a family. Soit's supposed to be 638 00:25:12,199 --> 00:25:14,342 the collective of thebrothers are called 639 00:25:14,342 --> 00:25:16,179 to try to be that for 640 00:25:16,179 --> 00:25:18,322 you. And you canrecognize that when 641 00:25:18,322 --> 00:25:20,909 you see maturity. And 642 00:25:20,909 --> 00:25:22,737 if the maturity isthere and the men, 643 00:25:22,737 --> 00:25:23,651 then they can provide 644 00:25:23,651 --> 00:25:26,503 that. And then we 645 00:25:26,503 --> 00:25:28,489 tried to do that in a 646 00:25:28,489 --> 00:25:31,136 formal way by havingwhat we call session 647 00:25:31,136 --> 00:25:34,115 a group of elders,which is male, to try 648 00:25:34,115 --> 00:25:35,770 to provide thatprotecting authority. 649 00:25:38,060 --> 00:25:40,736 So that's one, one 650 00:25:40,736 --> 00:25:42,743 thing. Second thing 651 00:25:42,743 --> 00:25:44,750 is glory, OK. 652 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,362 Not only is HEADseemed to me 653 00:25:48,362 --> 00:25:50,220 something like that,protecting authority 654 00:25:50,220 --> 00:25:52,078 and enablingauthority, but also 655 00:25:52,078 --> 00:25:53,937 there seems to be an 656 00:25:53,937 --> 00:25:56,538 element of glory thatthis passage talks 657 00:25:56,538 --> 00:25:56,910 about. 658 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:01,758 Paul's interest here 659 00:26:01,758 --> 00:26:03,820 is in the glory of 660 00:26:03,820 --> 00:26:06,708 how one aspect ofcreation, how one 661 00:26:06,708 --> 00:26:08,358 aspect of creation is 662 00:26:08,358 --> 00:26:11,245 the glory of another. It gives different 663 00:26:11,245 --> 00:26:13,720 kind of examples ofrelationship, that 664 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:15,783 one who is the glory 665 00:26:15,783 --> 00:26:18,258 of another somehowbrings honor, brings 666 00:26:18,258 --> 00:26:20,830 praise. To that otherexcuses absolutely 667 00:26:20,830 --> 00:26:22,398 opposite tocompetition can't 668 00:26:22,398 --> 00:26:23,966 function in that kind 669 00:26:23,966 --> 00:26:26,027 of environment. So 670 00:26:26,027 --> 00:26:27,573 when Exodus 28 says, 671 00:26:27,573 --> 00:26:30,279 you know that thepriests were given 672 00:26:30,279 --> 00:26:32,212 these wonderfulgarments, these these 673 00:26:32,212 --> 00:26:33,758 these beautiful,splendid garments 674 00:26:33,758 --> 00:26:36,464 were given to them. When they received 675 00:26:36,464 --> 00:26:38,784 these garments, they,the garments gave 676 00:26:38,784 --> 00:26:40,330 them glory and honor. 677 00:26:42,190 --> 00:26:43,667 The garmentsdistinguished them 678 00:26:43,667 --> 00:26:46,620 and set them apartfor their sacredtask. 679 00:26:48,940 --> 00:26:51,795 And So what we seethe second of the 680 00:26:51,795 --> 00:26:53,842 Trinity doing. What 681 00:26:53,842 --> 00:26:55,250 he did for the first? 682 00:26:56,260 --> 00:26:58,981 Is to give him orgive him somehow or 683 00:26:58,981 --> 00:27:01,399 what he was doinggory and he kept 684 00:27:01,399 --> 00:27:04,120 saying that that whathe was doing is for 685 00:27:04,120 --> 00:27:06,538 the glory of thefirst to reveal the 686 00:27:06,538 --> 00:27:08,050 heart of the 1st. And 687 00:27:08,050 --> 00:27:10,771 so I would suggest toyou that this that 688 00:27:10,771 --> 00:27:13,189 women in the churchare needed to affirm 689 00:27:13,189 --> 00:27:15,305 and believe in themission of what's 690 00:27:15,305 --> 00:27:17,570 going on. Whichreally makes things 691 00:27:17,570 --> 00:27:19,325 worth doing. Honestly, if we came 692 00:27:19,325 --> 00:27:21,373 here, had a worshipservice and there 693 00:27:21,373 --> 00:27:23,713 were no women, Ithink would be a 694 00:27:23,713 --> 00:27:24,298 lousy worship 695 00:27:24,298 --> 00:27:27,112 service. Because 696 00:27:27,112 --> 00:27:29,856 Christ needs both toworship fully, to 697 00:27:29,856 --> 00:27:32,217 worship well. And so 698 00:27:32,217 --> 00:27:34,866 when men or women aredistinguished, the 699 00:27:34,866 --> 00:27:36,380 angels who are close. 700 00:27:38,010 --> 00:27:39,787 Look on and we're 701 00:27:39,787 --> 00:27:42,009 close to heavenbecause through 702 00:27:42,009 --> 00:27:44,674 womanhood there'shonor and glory in 703 00:27:44,674 --> 00:27:47,340 the church. It's acrucial role. 704 00:27:49,790 --> 00:27:52,658 And I want to saythat I feel like I 705 00:27:52,658 --> 00:27:54,953 think this is goodnews again for single 706 00:27:54,953 --> 00:27:57,868 woman. Who even 707 00:27:57,868 --> 00:28:00,052 though she is notincomplete, sometimes 708 00:28:00,052 --> 00:28:02,963 we know a singlewoman can feel and 709 00:28:02,963 --> 00:28:05,147 single men like theyare incomplete. 710 00:28:05,147 --> 00:28:08,059 They're not becausethey are fully in the 711 00:28:08,059 --> 00:28:10,243 image of God asthemselves, but 712 00:28:10,243 --> 00:28:11,699 they're not. Sometimes feeling. 713 00:28:11,699 --> 00:28:13,154 They're feelingincomplete, but 714 00:28:13,154 --> 00:28:15,702 they're not. Thispassage tells us it's 715 00:28:15,702 --> 00:28:18,297 not so. This is how 716 00:28:18,297 --> 00:28:20,014 you can make it 717 00:28:20,014 --> 00:28:22,159 through the church. The church 718 00:28:22,159 --> 00:28:23,446 relationshipscollectively allow 719 00:28:23,446 --> 00:28:25,163 you to participate in 720 00:28:25,163 --> 00:28:27,737 your gender whenthings work properly 721 00:28:27,737 --> 00:28:29,883 as they should,whether you're 722 00:28:29,883 --> 00:28:32,250 married or not. That 723 00:28:32,250 --> 00:28:34,330 means you are notsingle in the church. 724 00:28:38,130 --> 00:28:40,548 Women in many casesin the workplace 725 00:28:40,548 --> 00:28:41,929 still are not treated 726 00:28:41,929 --> 00:28:44,693 with dignity. Many 727 00:28:44,693 --> 00:28:47,049 examples of that. In 728 00:28:47,049 --> 00:28:49,080 the Church, thatdignity is restored. 729 00:28:50,110 --> 00:28:52,931 Because you're in anenvironment that's a 730 00:28:52,931 --> 00:28:55,348 place where ourdependence on women 731 00:28:55,348 --> 00:28:56,960 in relationship isrecognized. 732 00:28:59,690 --> 00:29:01,413 So you're not singlein the church and 733 00:29:01,413 --> 00:29:03,352 this is what this isone place where it 734 00:29:03,352 --> 00:29:04,645 does not have to be a 735 00:29:04,645 --> 00:29:06,918 competition. So 736 00:29:06,918 --> 00:29:09,483 that's gory. Somethoughts about that. 737 00:29:09,483 --> 00:29:12,476 The third thing, thethird meaning of 738 00:29:12,476 --> 00:29:14,614 having a head in this 739 00:29:14,614 --> 00:29:16,752 passage is to be a 740 00:29:16,752 --> 00:29:19,462 help. Now you see 741 00:29:19,462 --> 00:29:22,437 in verse 9 says thewoman was made for 742 00:29:22,437 --> 00:29:24,089 man on behalf of for 743 00:29:24,089 --> 00:29:26,734 the sake of, to help. What's he saying? 744 00:29:26,734 --> 00:29:28,717 What's the apostlesaying? He's saying 745 00:29:28,717 --> 00:29:30,369 that man cannot do it 746 00:29:30,369 --> 00:29:33,266 alone. He needs a 747 00:29:33,266 --> 00:29:34,251 helper. He needs 748 00:29:34,251 --> 00:29:36,658 help. Man cannot fill 749 00:29:36,658 --> 00:29:39,505 the earth alone, andin the context that 750 00:29:39,505 --> 00:29:41,640 they're talking aboutGenesis, man cannot 751 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:44,487 till the garden alonecan't do it. Enter 752 00:29:44,487 --> 00:29:45,554 woman. Not as 753 00:29:45,554 --> 00:29:47,696 inferior. But because 754 00:29:47,696 --> 00:29:48,680 he needs help. 755 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:52,564 And So what does thatmean in terms of the 756 00:29:52,564 --> 00:29:54,135 church? We try toread that in the 757 00:29:54,135 --> 00:29:54,724 context of the 758 00:29:54,724 --> 00:29:57,555 church. Well, we 759 00:29:57,555 --> 00:29:59,613 look at, we look athow the second 760 00:29:59,613 --> 00:30:01,819 number. Completed and 761 00:30:01,819 --> 00:30:03,273 and and accomplished 762 00:30:03,273 --> 00:30:05,212 with the first member 763 00:30:05,212 --> 00:30:07,151 the mission that they 764 00:30:07,151 --> 00:30:09,456 had together. That 765 00:30:09,456 --> 00:30:11,080 means that in a 766 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:12,704 church, say, none of 767 00:30:12,704 --> 00:30:14,734 a church, you need to 768 00:30:14,734 --> 00:30:17,170 realize that they'recharged with the 769 00:30:17,170 --> 00:30:19,606 responsibility ofmaking sure that the 770 00:30:19,606 --> 00:30:21,230 church life is about 771 00:30:21,230 --> 00:30:22,854 more than their own 772 00:30:22,854 --> 00:30:25,616 lives. That 773 00:30:25,616 --> 00:30:27,757 this project ofchurch that we have 774 00:30:27,757 --> 00:30:29,898 is about somethingmuch bigger than just 775 00:30:29,898 --> 00:30:32,345 kind of meeting ourown needs. It's about 776 00:30:32,345 --> 00:30:33,874 the Kingdom of God on 777 00:30:33,874 --> 00:30:36,283 earth. And then have 778 00:30:36,283 --> 00:30:38,297 to rise to thatoccasion to to 779 00:30:38,297 --> 00:30:40,887 realize that to bemen, it's to help us 780 00:30:40,887 --> 00:30:43,189 all see that thechurch is more than 781 00:30:43,189 --> 00:30:45,778 just kind of gettinghere to to meet our 782 00:30:45,778 --> 00:30:48,080 own needs. And, youknow, we're prone to 783 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:50,094 bad attitudes aboutthat and make it 784 00:30:50,094 --> 00:30:51,820 about our ownkingdoms, make it 785 00:30:51,820 --> 00:30:53,835 about what we'regetting out of this, 786 00:30:53,835 --> 00:30:56,257 you know?But to put 787 00:30:56,257 --> 00:30:58,275 it succinctly, men,or men in the Church 788 00:30:58,275 --> 00:31:00,293 when they're leadingus to see that the 789 00:31:00,293 --> 00:31:02,311 Church is about thecoming of the Kingdom 790 00:31:02,311 --> 00:31:03,320 of heaven on earth. 791 00:31:04,790 --> 00:31:06,603 And This is why we 792 00:31:06,603 --> 00:31:09,141 put men in thisworld, Elder, to 793 00:31:09,141 --> 00:31:12,042 remind us all thatthe men are are 794 00:31:12,042 --> 00:31:14,580 charged with keepingthat mandate in view. 795 00:31:15,420 --> 00:31:17,194 Which we areselfishly prone to 796 00:31:17,194 --> 00:31:20,070 forget. Now 797 00:31:20,070 --> 00:31:22,827 women are necessarythen for carrying 798 00:31:22,827 --> 00:31:25,584 that out, thatprogram out there, 799 00:31:25,584 --> 00:31:28,341 necessary even todetermining how to 800 00:31:28,341 --> 00:31:31,307 carry that out. And 801 00:31:31,307 --> 00:31:33,686 so women are womenwhen they are helping 802 00:31:33,686 --> 00:31:34,875 us all to complete 803 00:31:34,875 --> 00:31:37,375 that vision. And 804 00:31:37,375 --> 00:31:39,650 that's why, you know,since I've been 805 00:31:39,650 --> 00:31:41,819 coming here. I've 806 00:31:41,819 --> 00:31:44,534 tried to put women incloser roles of 807 00:31:44,534 --> 00:31:47,248 counsel to the eldersand the interns. I 808 00:31:47,248 --> 00:31:49,963 told you last weekabout our our leaders 809 00:31:49,963 --> 00:31:51,999 fellowship that we'rehaving weekly, and 810 00:31:51,999 --> 00:31:54,035 it's wonderful howit's worked out 811 00:31:54,035 --> 00:31:56,070 because, yeah, wehave women in 812 00:31:56,070 --> 00:31:58,446 different stations inthat group. We have 813 00:31:58,446 --> 00:32:00,821 one woman who ismarried, has multiple 814 00:32:00,821 --> 00:32:03,736 children. You haveanother woman who's 815 00:32:03,736 --> 00:32:06,156 single, we haveanother woman who's 816 00:32:06,156 --> 00:32:08,172 married withoutchildren and another 817 00:32:08,172 --> 00:32:09,381 woman who's married 818 00:32:09,381 --> 00:32:11,398 and just had a first 819 00:32:11,398 --> 00:32:14,220 baby. So she's justspinning around and 820 00:32:14,220 --> 00:32:15,430 has that perspective. 821 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:17,971 Trying to figure out 822 00:32:17,971 --> 00:32:20,898 what life is. And 823 00:32:20,898 --> 00:32:23,288 having thosedifferent voices are 824 00:32:23,288 --> 00:32:24,722 important and crucial 825 00:32:24,722 --> 00:32:26,634 to this church. We 826 00:32:26,634 --> 00:32:28,546 have more steps to 827 00:32:28,546 --> 00:32:29,980 take, I think. 828 00:32:31,540 --> 00:32:33,995 In in closercommunication, but 829 00:32:33,995 --> 00:32:36,450 that's that's ourfirst step. 830 00:32:38,100 --> 00:32:40,930 So these are theseare meager comments. 831 00:32:41,830 --> 00:32:44,620 What I thought wouldbe good since. 832 00:32:46,070 --> 00:32:48,811 Sufficiency of myselfto this task alone 833 00:32:48,811 --> 00:32:50,769 would be good is to 834 00:32:50,769 --> 00:32:52,727 to bring up a woman 835 00:32:52,727 --> 00:32:55,468 from our congregationto tell you her 836 00:32:55,468 --> 00:32:57,034 perspective to give a 837 00:32:57,034 --> 00:32:58,600 testimony to us about 838 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:01,341 this issue and howshe understands this 839 00:33:01,341 --> 00:33:02,907 issue. And I could 840 00:33:02,907 --> 00:33:05,648 think of no womanmore competent and 841 00:33:05,648 --> 00:33:08,292 who. Is someone whounderstands and is 842 00:33:08,292 --> 00:33:10,514 comfortable with hergender then MK 843 00:33:10,514 --> 00:33:11,996 Andreis So what I'd 844 00:33:11,996 --> 00:33:13,848 like to do now is 845 00:33:13,848 --> 00:33:15,700 just ask her to come 846 00:33:15,700 --> 00:33:17,552 up here if she would 847 00:33:17,552 --> 00:33:20,514 and address this saywhat does this how 848 00:33:20,514 --> 00:33:23,107 does she feel aboutthese things? How 849 00:33:23,107 --> 00:33:26,070 does she understandit come up my fair. 850 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:26,870 Friend. 851 00:33:29,540 --> 00:33:31,430 OK, hi. 852 00:33:32,690 --> 00:33:34,409 Well, before I became 853 00:33:34,409 --> 00:33:36,128 a Christian, I would 854 00:33:36,128 --> 00:33:38,707 say I simultaneouslyidolized and and 855 00:33:38,707 --> 00:33:39,996 rebelled against men. 856 00:33:39,996 --> 00:33:41,716 Like many of my 857 00:33:41,716 --> 00:33:44,294 friends, I wasambivalent about my 858 00:33:44,294 --> 00:33:46,014 gender as about my 859 00:33:46,014 --> 00:33:47,733 identity as a woman. 860 00:33:47,733 --> 00:33:49,452 It was more important 861 00:33:49,452 --> 00:33:51,601 for me to have the 862 00:33:51,601 --> 00:33:53,793 attention of thatcertain. Boyfriend 863 00:33:53,793 --> 00:33:55,759 then to have truth or 864 00:33:55,759 --> 00:33:57,331 morality or God. All 865 00:33:57,331 --> 00:33:58,904 my emotional life for 866 00:33:58,904 --> 00:34:01,656 a whole weekend wouldrevolve around 1 867 00:34:01,656 --> 00:34:02,835 particular phone call 868 00:34:02,835 --> 00:34:04,801 from a guy that I 869 00:34:04,801 --> 00:34:06,767 knew to be two timing 870 00:34:06,767 --> 00:34:09,353 me. So 871 00:34:09,353 --> 00:34:11,683 I realized this was 872 00:34:11,683 --> 00:34:14,597 unhealthy. So I I I 873 00:34:14,597 --> 00:34:16,927 I tried believing in 874 00:34:16,927 --> 00:34:19,367 myself. Had feminist 875 00:34:19,367 --> 00:34:22,086 books. I started totake up activities 876 00:34:22,086 --> 00:34:24,804 that aretraditionally thoughtof as male 877 00:34:24,804 --> 00:34:27,135 activities. Like Ithought, well, you 878 00:34:27,135 --> 00:34:29,465 know, my boyfriendplays guitar, I'll 879 00:34:29,465 --> 00:34:32,261 play guitar too. I 880 00:34:32,261 --> 00:34:34,719 I worked in an allwomen woodworking 881 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:36,475 shop and then I took 882 00:34:36,475 --> 00:34:38,934 up welding, which wasvery thrilling and 883 00:34:38,934 --> 00:34:41,743 you know, but butEven so, there was 884 00:34:41,743 --> 00:34:43,850 kind of an underlyingfeeling like. 885 00:34:47,110 --> 00:34:47,960 There is an honor. 886 00:34:49,390 --> 00:34:50,350 Like umm. 887 00:34:52,140 --> 00:34:54,407 What's that? I'msorry, I lost my 888 00:34:54,407 --> 00:34:56,674 place. There was anunderlying feeling of 889 00:34:56,674 --> 00:34:58,293 see, I don't need a 890 00:34:58,293 --> 00:35:00,883 man, I can do thismyself. Besides, I 891 00:35:00,883 --> 00:35:02,826 look cute in thesewelding clothes, 892 00:35:02,826 --> 00:35:05,682 right?And 893 00:35:05,682 --> 00:35:08,661 then the phone wouldring and I'd just 894 00:35:08,661 --> 00:35:11,268 drop everything. So Iwas a doormat 895 00:35:11,268 --> 00:35:11,640 feminist. 896 00:35:14,370 --> 00:35:17,108 Well then, Jesusbrought me into a 897 00:35:17,108 --> 00:35:19,845 relationship with himas my boyfriend and 898 00:35:19,845 --> 00:35:21,409 my fiance, and I 899 00:35:21,409 --> 00:35:24,147 received a new senseof security and 900 00:35:24,147 --> 00:35:25,711 purpose. This was the 901 00:35:25,711 --> 00:35:27,667 first time I was ever 902 00:35:27,667 --> 00:35:28,840 happy being single. 903 00:35:29,910 --> 00:35:32,258 Through Jesus andthrough a lesser 904 00:35:32,258 --> 00:35:34,996 extent through mypastor and my Home 905 00:35:34,996 --> 00:35:36,923 group leaders, um. I 906 00:35:36,923 --> 00:35:38,786 had a male voice in 907 00:35:38,786 --> 00:35:40,648 my life and what I 908 00:35:40,648 --> 00:35:43,629 heard from these men,which was which I 909 00:35:43,629 --> 00:35:46,610 deeply needed, wasit's going to be OK 910 00:35:46,610 --> 00:35:48,100 and God loves you. 911 00:35:50,260 --> 00:35:53,257 Jesus and his godlymen inspired me to be 912 00:35:53,257 --> 00:35:55,589 part of the missionof building the 913 00:35:55,589 --> 00:35:57,920 Kingdom of God andspreading his love. 914 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:00,918 These men were not onsome kind of macho 915 00:36:00,918 --> 00:36:03,582 power trip. Theywere. They wereleading and 916 00:36:03,582 --> 00:36:06,246 sacrificing and love. And these men in the 917 00:36:06,246 --> 00:36:08,245 church were safebecause they were 918 00:36:08,245 --> 00:36:09,577 respecting myphysical and 919 00:36:09,577 --> 00:36:12,005 emotional. BoundariesI really need the 920 00:36:12,005 --> 00:36:13,609 security and love of 921 00:36:13,609 --> 00:36:15,213 Christ and since I 922 00:36:15,213 --> 00:36:18,020 had that you know,I'm comfortable being 923 00:36:18,020 --> 00:36:20,025 up front or or you 924 00:36:20,025 --> 00:36:22,029 know I find that it's 925 00:36:22,029 --> 00:36:23,633 fun to serve others 926 00:36:23,633 --> 00:36:26,440 because I have thesecurity since Christ 927 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:28,044 has raised me to 928 00:36:28,044 --> 00:36:30,049 being a Co air with 929 00:36:30,049 --> 00:36:32,142 him. I have a deep 930 00:36:32,142 --> 00:36:34,786 sense of my equalityin Christ. So, you 931 00:36:34,786 --> 00:36:36,439 know, I can be up 932 00:36:36,439 --> 00:36:39,083 front or I can take acomplimentary role, 933 00:36:39,083 --> 00:36:42,058 or I can even, likeJesus did, take a 934 00:36:42,058 --> 00:36:43,380 subordinate role. It's OK. 935 00:36:45,860 --> 00:36:47,682 The men in my life 936 00:36:47,682 --> 00:36:50,598 need a woman's voicetoo. Psalm 46 said 937 00:36:50,598 --> 00:36:52,420 God is a very present 938 00:36:52,420 --> 00:36:53,878 help in trouble. God 939 00:36:53,878 --> 00:36:56,793 is a help because hehas something we 940 00:36:56,793 --> 00:36:59,709 don't have in thesame way women help 941 00:36:59,709 --> 00:37:01,896 because they havesomething that men 942 00:37:01,896 --> 00:37:03,353 lack. So we should, 943 00:37:03,353 --> 00:37:06,177 you know, use all ofour. Gifts, including 944 00:37:06,177 --> 00:37:09,010 our minds to help menas much as we can. 945 00:37:10,590 --> 00:37:13,136 Sam and the other menin my life, and 946 00:37:13,136 --> 00:37:15,115 sometimes I fail todo this miserably, 947 00:37:15,115 --> 00:37:17,944 but Sam and the othermen in my life, they 948 00:37:17,944 --> 00:37:20,489 need me to exercisefaith and be in there 949 00:37:20,489 --> 00:37:23,035 and say, you know Godhas forgiven you. You 950 00:37:23,035 --> 00:37:25,014 can do all thingsthrough Christ who 951 00:37:25,014 --> 00:37:27,606 strengthens you. When 952 00:37:27,606 --> 00:37:29,233 men receiveappropriate honor and 953 00:37:29,233 --> 00:37:31,512 encouragement, theyglow. It's a glory to 954 00:37:31,512 --> 00:37:33,466 them. It helps themreach their 955 00:37:33,466 --> 00:37:36,070 potential. And I knowthere are many women 956 00:37:36,070 --> 00:37:38,674 out there that thatexcel at doing this. 957 00:37:38,674 --> 00:37:41,279 You know, when you,when you women are 958 00:37:41,279 --> 00:37:43,883 able to able to dothis and give 959 00:37:43,883 --> 00:37:45,837 encouragement toother people in the 960 00:37:45,837 --> 00:37:48,390 church, you make thechurch shine. Thank 961 00:37:48,390 --> 00:37:48,760 you. 962 00:38:00,190 --> 00:38:02,839 Well, we are notexperts at all in 963 00:38:02,839 --> 00:38:05,820 this, but I, I hopethat you discern the 964 00:38:05,820 --> 00:38:08,138 three of those thosethree ingredients and 965 00:38:08,138 --> 00:38:10,787 some of the thingsthat she was saying 966 00:38:10,787 --> 00:38:13,105 there. Thank you somuch for being 967 00:38:13,105 --> 00:38:15,754 willing to step upfront, by the way, 968 00:38:15,754 --> 00:38:18,734 losing your place. Ido that all the time. 969 00:38:18,734 --> 00:38:20,390 Nothing genderspecific about that. 970 00:38:22,900 --> 00:38:24,570 Now let me bring this 971 00:38:24,570 --> 00:38:27,243 to a conclusion hereabout going back to 972 00:38:27,243 --> 00:38:29,915 our main lesson, allright, That gender is 973 00:38:29,915 --> 00:38:32,588 there because we bothcome out of God's. 974 00:38:32,588 --> 00:38:35,260 Gender is there toteach us about God. 975 00:38:36,130 --> 00:38:38,772 OK, according to thispassage this is the 976 00:38:38,772 --> 00:38:40,424 male femalerelationship can't be 977 00:38:40,424 --> 00:38:42,736 understood in thechurch apart from the 978 00:38:42,736 --> 00:38:44,718 1st and 2ndrelationship of the 979 00:38:44,718 --> 00:38:46,039 Trinity. So it's the 980 00:38:46,039 --> 00:38:48,305 other way around. You 981 00:38:48,305 --> 00:38:50,830 know the 1st and the 982 00:38:50,830 --> 00:38:52,345 2nd we can 983 00:38:52,345 --> 00:38:54,324 understand. Through 984 00:38:54,324 --> 00:38:56,747 gender we canunderstand some of 985 00:38:56,747 --> 00:38:58,363 what, not all, and 986 00:38:58,363 --> 00:39:00,383 not the depth of what 987 00:39:00,383 --> 00:39:02,402 goes on, what went on 988 00:39:02,402 --> 00:39:04,980 between them. At the 989 00:39:04,980 --> 00:39:07,005 1st, the 2nd, and the 990 00:39:07,005 --> 00:39:09,435 3rd, sitting incounsel before the 991 00:39:09,435 --> 00:39:11,865 foundation of theworld, there they 992 00:39:11,865 --> 00:39:14,260 are. These three. 993 00:39:16,800 --> 00:39:17,650 Equal. 994 00:39:19,850 --> 00:39:21,444 Individual persons of 995 00:39:21,444 --> 00:39:23,570 God sitting incounsel. 996 00:39:25,540 --> 00:39:27,587 And the first says 997 00:39:27,587 --> 00:39:30,284 with gravity. Because 998 00:39:30,284 --> 00:39:31,906 of how we will create 999 00:39:31,906 --> 00:39:34,475 them. Because there 1000 00:39:34,475 --> 00:39:36,188 will be in our image, 1001 00:39:36,188 --> 00:39:38,929 in our very likeness,and because all of 1002 00:39:38,929 --> 00:39:41,327 the gifts that thatlove entails, that 1003 00:39:41,327 --> 00:39:42,697 will be given to 1004 00:39:42,697 --> 00:39:45,450 them. They will 1005 00:39:45,450 --> 00:39:45,920 fall. 1006 00:39:49,510 --> 00:39:51,634 And there will need 1007 00:39:51,634 --> 00:39:54,290 to be anextraordinarysalvation. 1008 00:39:58,370 --> 00:40:00,360 And then there was along pause. 1009 00:40:02,830 --> 00:40:04,520 And then the secondsaid. 1010 00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:08,668 Yes, we can do this 1011 00:40:08,668 --> 00:40:11,440 plan. I will go. 1012 00:40:12,400 --> 00:40:13,880 And I will become 1013 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:16,519 them. And face 1014 00:40:16,519 --> 00:40:18,841 that awfulconsequence of the 1015 00:40:18,841 --> 00:40:20,234 breakup of our 1016 00:40:20,234 --> 00:40:22,092 gender, that is a 1017 00:40:22,092 --> 00:40:23,486 separation of our 1018 00:40:23,486 --> 00:40:25,816 fellowship. I will 1019 00:40:25,816 --> 00:40:27,854 face that and I will 1020 00:40:27,854 --> 00:40:29,893 do it because I'm of 1021 00:40:29,893 --> 00:40:32,340 the same purpose. With your good 1022 00:40:32,340 --> 00:40:35,194 pleasure, that wemight bring them into 1023 00:40:35,194 --> 00:40:36,010 our fellowship. 1024 00:40:39,930 --> 00:40:41,200 At first this. 1025 00:40:44,150 --> 00:40:45,350 I would never leave 1026 00:40:45,350 --> 00:40:48,294 you. As you 1027 00:40:48,294 --> 00:40:50,958 take this on. I 1028 00:40:50,958 --> 00:40:52,898 will be with you. I 1029 00:40:52,898 --> 00:40:54,062 will protect your 1030 00:40:54,062 --> 00:40:57,042 way. And I will stay 1031 00:40:57,042 --> 00:40:58,414 there and you don't 1032 00:40:58,414 --> 00:41:01,401 know it. Every 1033 00:41:01,401 --> 00:41:03,164 step that you take, 1034 00:41:03,164 --> 00:41:04,486 every movement, every 1035 00:41:04,486 --> 00:41:06,249 breath, I will be 1036 00:41:06,249 --> 00:41:08,563 there. Until the 1037 00:41:08,563 --> 00:41:10,990 time. When I cannot. 1038 00:41:11,810 --> 00:41:12,770 On the cross. 1039 00:41:17,370 --> 00:41:19,361 Yesterday we met as a 1040 00:41:19,361 --> 00:41:20,953 session to fast and 1041 00:41:20,953 --> 00:41:22,546 pray for you trying 1042 00:41:22,546 --> 00:41:25,435 to be men. And 1043 00:41:25,435 --> 00:41:27,781 we started going andwe started praying 1044 00:41:27,781 --> 00:41:30,461 through John 17. Andwe reached the point 1045 00:41:30,461 --> 00:41:33,142 at some point wherewe were just baffled 1046 00:41:33,142 --> 00:41:35,823 as we read this,because John 17, you 1047 00:41:35,823 --> 00:41:37,498 know, is a, is a 1048 00:41:37,498 --> 00:41:40,179 prayer. It's a, it'sa, it's a speaking 1049 00:41:40,179 --> 00:41:42,859 between the 2nd andthe 1st. The whole 1050 00:41:42,859 --> 00:41:45,205 chapter is the secondspeaking to the 1051 00:41:45,205 --> 00:41:47,763 first. As we got into 1052 00:41:47,763 --> 00:41:49,677 that and saw whatJesus was actually 1053 00:41:49,677 --> 00:41:52,137 saying, I mean, at acertain point it was 1054 00:41:52,137 --> 00:41:53,777 just baffling. Brennan. It was just 1055 00:41:53,777 --> 00:41:55,963 a certain point we webegan to understand 1056 00:41:55,963 --> 00:41:58,697 why he was doing whathe was doing, why he 1057 00:41:58,697 --> 00:42:00,696 did what he did. And 1058 00:42:00,696 --> 00:42:03,156 it was and it was. Itwas baffling to me. 1059 00:42:03,156 --> 00:42:05,218 So I felt undone. As 1060 00:42:05,218 --> 00:42:06,851 we consider the love 1061 00:42:06,851 --> 00:42:09,300 and the glory betweenthese two. 1062 00:42:11,260 --> 00:42:13,604 And and we're sayingthat baffles that 1063 00:42:13,604 --> 00:42:15,947 dawned on us whatJesus was saying, 1064 00:42:15,947 --> 00:42:18,625 that they wanted usdrawn up into their 1065 00:42:18,625 --> 00:42:20,400 fellowship. And they 1066 00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:22,920 both wanted that. Itwasn't just the one 1067 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:25,125 who wanted that. Itwasn't just the 1068 00:42:25,125 --> 00:42:26,385 first, it was the 1069 00:42:26,385 --> 00:42:28,780 second. See read John 1070 00:42:28,780 --> 00:42:30,180 17. You hear Jesus 1071 00:42:30,180 --> 00:42:31,933 saying. Saying it's 1072 00:42:31,933 --> 00:42:34,665 talking to the firstthing, you know what? 1073 00:42:34,665 --> 00:42:37,370 I want them. With me. 1074 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:40,661 Where I'm going tobe, wherever it is 1075 00:42:40,661 --> 00:42:42,800 I'm going to be, Iwant them with me. 1076 00:42:45,240 --> 00:42:47,065 I want them to see 1077 00:42:47,065 --> 00:42:48,525 what goes on between 1078 00:42:48,525 --> 00:42:51,403 us. I want to invite 1079 00:42:51,403 --> 00:42:53,520 them in to ourfellowship. 1080 00:42:55,900 --> 00:42:57,528 That they wanted us 1081 00:42:57,528 --> 00:42:59,156 to be there, that's 1082 00:42:59,156 --> 00:43:01,517 just baffling. With 1083 00:43:01,517 --> 00:43:04,462 all the glory and andlove that they had. 1084 00:43:04,462 --> 00:43:06,426 It's like gender isabout relationship, 1085 00:43:06,426 --> 00:43:09,210 all right?They wanted 1086 00:43:09,210 --> 00:43:11,110 us in there and that 1087 00:43:11,110 --> 00:43:12,630 is why Jesus did. 1088 00:43:12,630 --> 00:43:14,150 That's why he came, 1089 00:43:14,150 --> 00:43:16,810 became us, and waswilling to undergo 1090 00:43:16,810 --> 00:43:17,950 that separation on 1091 00:43:17,950 --> 00:43:19,850 the cross so that we 1092 00:43:19,850 --> 00:43:22,130 could be invited intothat relationship. 1093 00:43:23,160 --> 00:43:24,520 That's what he'ssaying. 1094 00:43:27,220 --> 00:43:29,826 And so he did. The 1095 00:43:29,826 --> 00:43:31,403 second followed the 1096 00:43:31,403 --> 00:43:32,979 first council. The 1097 00:43:32,979 --> 00:43:35,608 second was wasabsolutely necessary 1098 00:43:35,608 --> 00:43:37,184 to complete their 1099 00:43:37,184 --> 00:43:39,745 purposes. Or should I 1100 00:43:39,745 --> 00:43:40,610 say they're purpose? 1101 00:43:42,710 --> 00:43:44,509 The Father wasglorified, the first 1102 00:43:44,509 --> 00:43:46,907 was glorified in the2nd, and the second 1103 00:43:46,907 --> 00:43:49,006 kept saying that I'malways like, I'm 1104 00:43:49,006 --> 00:43:51,404 doing this to clarifythe first, I'm doing 1105 00:43:51,404 --> 00:43:52,303 this glorified first. 1106 00:43:52,303 --> 00:43:55,001 But let me ask you inthat plan of 1107 00:43:55,001 --> 00:43:56,201 salvation as it came 1108 00:43:56,201 --> 00:43:58,878 forth on earth. Who 1109 00:43:58,878 --> 00:44:00,470 ends up looking best? 1110 00:44:04,120 --> 00:44:06,540 Who ends up lookingbetter in that drama? 1111 00:44:08,220 --> 00:44:09,940 Who's the real hero? 1112 00:44:14,910 --> 00:44:17,159 I don't know. Maybe 1113 00:44:17,159 --> 00:44:18,410 it's a little hard totell. 1114 00:44:23,560 --> 00:44:24,991 When we lose gender 1115 00:44:24,991 --> 00:44:27,851 in the church, we notonly lose something 1116 00:44:27,851 --> 00:44:30,712 of who we arefriends, we lose this 1117 00:44:30,712 --> 00:44:33,482 story. And we lose 1118 00:44:33,482 --> 00:44:35,897 the testimony. To the 1119 00:44:35,897 --> 00:44:38,077 invitation of thegreatest feast of 1120 00:44:38,077 --> 00:44:40,983 love the universe hasever known, you are 1121 00:44:40,983 --> 00:44:42,800 being invited intothat love. 1122 00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:46,820 And and and how it 1123 00:44:46,820 --> 00:44:49,733 came to pass and howit was accomplished 1124 00:44:49,733 --> 00:44:52,282 has something to dowith whiteness. We 1125 00:44:52,282 --> 00:44:55,109 have gender. Can 1126 00:44:55,109 --> 00:44:57,799 we enter into that?How? How much have we 1127 00:44:57,799 --> 00:45:00,190 failed so often? Butcan we enter into? 1128 00:45:03,850 --> 00:45:04,670 I want. 1129 00:45:08,480 --> 00:45:09,230 Amen. 1130 00:45:11,630 --> 00:45:14,625 Will you rise?Let's 1131 00:45:14,625 --> 00:45:15,960 come towards table.