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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Expressions Of God's Power and Authority (Part 1)

February 6, 2025 | S25:E40

Allen Jackson - Expressions Of God's Power and Authority (Part 1)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#BodyofChrist #Church #Religion #Jesus #inActive #PresenceofGod #Setapart #AllenJacksonMinistries #AllenJackson #Holiness #ReturnofChrist #Authority #SecondComing #Eternity #Sovereignty #LightoftheWorld

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Expressions Of God's Power and Authority (Part 1) | February 6, 2025
  • ...
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  • Allen jackson: we're the church.
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  • We are; that's awkward, isn't it?
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  • Scruffy, broken down, inconsistent.
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  • If your friends have heard you swear more than
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  • They've heard you say, "i love jesus," we've got work to do.
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  • If they've heard you express your enthusiasm and your joy
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  • About wickedness and ungodly things and selfish gratification
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  • More than they've heard us say, "god has been so good to me,"
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  • We've got some work to do.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen: i wanna continue the discussion we began
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  • In a previous session, really focused on the church.
  • 00:01:02.112 --> 00:01:05.515
  • The church and the earth.
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  • Jesus is coming back to the earth for his church.
  • 00:01:08.685 --> 00:01:12.822
  • He came the first time to offer himself as a sacrifice for
  • 00:01:12.822 --> 00:01:16.793
  • Any who would believe in him, but he's coming back again;
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  • Bodily, he's coming back to the earth
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  • As a conquering king for his church.
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  • There'll be many imitations.
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  • There'll be many distractions.
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  • There'll be many expressions of things that are false:
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  • False teachers, false prophets, false apostles, false gospels,
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  • False christs, even a false church.
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  • We're warned clearly, repeatedly.
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  • So i wanna talk a bit about this notion of the church, remind you
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  • Of what we've been called to.
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  • It's a glorious, amazing thing.
  • 00:01:51.628 --> 00:01:54.230
  • In ephesians chapter 5, in verse 25,
  • 00:01:54.230 --> 00:01:56.733
  • You do have that in your notes.
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  • It says: "christ loved the church."
  • 00:01:58.601 --> 00:02:00.870
  • You really ought to stop there.
  • 00:02:00.870 --> 00:02:03.039
  • "christ loved the church."
  • 00:02:03.039 --> 00:02:04.474
  • If you're mad at the church, you and jesus have a problem.
  • 00:02:04.474 --> 00:02:09.979
  • I didn't like church.
  • 00:02:11.381 --> 00:02:13.383
  • It was a real problem when god came to invite me
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  • Into the ministry.
  • 00:02:15.285 --> 00:02:18.121
  • I didn't like church.
  • 00:02:18.121 --> 00:02:19.822
  • To be honest, i didn't like christians that much.
  • 00:02:19.822 --> 00:02:22.692
  • You know what my problem was?
  • 00:02:22.692 --> 00:02:24.160
  • There was so little of jesus in me, i got uncomfortable
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  • Around all those people.
  • 00:02:26.162 --> 00:02:29.732
  • "christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make
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  • Her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through
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  • The word, and to present her," the church, "to himself as
  • 00:02:41.644 --> 00:02:45.815
  • A radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish,
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  • But holy and blameless."
  • 00:02:50.286 --> 00:02:53.556
  • Wow, "christ loved the church so much he gave himself up for
  • 00:02:53.556 --> 00:02:58.628
  • The church that she might be presented into eternity as
  • 00:02:58.628 --> 00:03:03.766
  • A radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish,
  • 00:03:03.766 --> 00:03:09.672
  • But holy, blameless."
  • 00:03:09.672 --> 00:03:13.576
  • Folks, that's more than a bible study society.
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  • That's more than just barely making it over the threshold.
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  • That's not the "well, how much do i have to do" club?
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  • "how often do i have to volunteer?"
  • 00:03:25.855 --> 00:03:27.824
  • "how much do i have to give?"
  • 00:03:27.824 --> 00:03:30.260
  • "i'm supposed to be there how frequently?"
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  • That doesn't--that's not what's being described in that passage.
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  • Jesus offered himself up for you and for me, that we could stand
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  • Before the creator of heaven and earth, holy and blameless, wow.
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  • We'll never do that on our own.
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  • We'll never be good enough or moral enough or kind enough or
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  • Generous enough or smart enough.
  • 00:03:59.455 --> 00:04:01.591
  • We had to have help, and jesus raised his hand.
  • 00:04:01.591 --> 00:04:05.928
  • He said, "i will offer myself on their behalf.
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  • I'll be the sacrifice for their transgressions."
  • 00:04:08.731 --> 00:04:12.702
  • And his objective, what he could see--in hebrews
  • 00:04:12.702 --> 00:04:16.005
  • It says he despised the shame.
  • 00:04:16.005 --> 00:04:21.377
  • He could look past the pain and the suffering,
  • 00:04:21.377 --> 00:04:23.980
  • Looking for a church, a radiant church.
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  • Don't tell me the church is insignificant.
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  • Don't tell me we don't matter.
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  • Don't tell me we'll be fine if we're dispersed
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  • Or distributed or silenced.
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  • We won't be.
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  • We're the expression.
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  • We're an expression of god's power
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  • And authority in the earth.
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  • Ephesians 1, verse 4: "he chose us--
  • 00:04:46.636 --> 00:04:49.739
  • He chose us in him before the creation of the world
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  • To be holy and blameless in his sight."
  • 00:04:54.744 --> 00:04:58.681
  • A radiant church is a church that is holy and blameless
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  • In the sight of god.
  • 00:05:02.518 --> 00:05:05.655
  • You see, we can be holy and blameless in our sight.
  • 00:05:05.655 --> 00:05:10.993
  • Oh, come on.
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  • You're like, "i'm pretty good."
  • 00:05:13.796 --> 00:05:16.399
  • I mean, if you'll give me a minute,
  • 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:18.301
  • I'll explain why i've got some stains.
  • 00:05:18.301 --> 00:05:20.636
  • I mean, it wasn't anything i did.
  • 00:05:20.636 --> 00:05:22.105
  • I've been around some pretty stinky people,
  • 00:05:22.105 --> 00:05:24.107
  • And they stained me up.
  • 00:05:24.107 --> 00:05:27.176
  • I mean, it doesn't take us much effort at all to convince
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  • Ourselves that we are holy and blameless, right?
  • 00:05:29.645 --> 00:05:32.715
  • We can go there.
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  • We can justify about anything,
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  • Where everybody's looking so innocent.
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  • How many of you know somebody
  • 00:05:37.854 --> 00:05:39.188
  • That could justify just about anything?
  • 00:05:39.188 --> 00:05:41.457
  • Now, we're gonna get some buy-in.
  • 00:05:41.457 --> 00:05:43.493
  • But it says that we're holy and blameless in his sight.
  • 00:05:43.493 --> 00:05:47.296
  • In his sight, not in our opinion.
  • 00:05:47.296 --> 00:05:49.132
  • In the light of god's justice, we can be holy and blameless.
  • 00:05:49.132 --> 00:05:52.969
  • That's good news for our world, because none of us can be holy
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  • And blameless on our own.
  • 00:05:58.374 --> 00:06:00.476
  • The motivation of jesus's sacrifice
  • 00:06:00.476 --> 00:06:03.146
  • Was our transformation.
  • 00:06:03.146 --> 00:06:05.181
  • Apart from jesus's redemptive work, we have
  • 00:06:05.181 --> 00:06:07.583
  • No way of achieving holiness or forgiveness.
  • 00:06:07.583 --> 00:06:11.954
  • It's why jesus is so important.
  • 00:06:11.954 --> 00:06:14.056
  • It's why the jesus narrative is so important.
  • 00:06:14.056 --> 00:06:16.159
  • It's why your jesus story is so important.
  • 00:06:16.159 --> 00:06:19.395
  • It's why the people who know you and all of your fractured
  • 00:06:19.395 --> 00:06:22.098
  • Lives and your brokenness and your inconsistencies,
  • 00:06:22.098 --> 00:06:24.867
  • To share with them how jesus is transforming you.
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  • He's changing your "want-tos," he's changing your objectives.
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  • Romans chapter 6 and verse 22.
  • 00:06:35.411 --> 00:06:39.081
  • Says: "now--" now's a timing word.
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  • When's it mean?
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  • Now.
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  • Clever group.
  • 00:06:44.287 --> 00:06:45.955
  • "now you have been set free from sin and have become slaves
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  • To god, the benefit you reap leads to holiness,
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  • And the result is eternal life.
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  • For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of god is eternal
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  • Life in christ jesus our lord."
  • 00:06:57.733 --> 00:07:00.069
  • "now you have been set free from sin."
  • 00:07:00.069 --> 00:07:03.406
  • You can't be set free from sin unless you take what comes next.
  • 00:07:03.406 --> 00:07:08.678
  • And we've become slaves to god.
  • 00:07:08.678 --> 00:07:11.747
  • We've been set free from sin to become slaves for god.
  • 00:07:11.747 --> 00:07:14.417
  • I have an objective with this little study.
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  • You see, i think we're gonna have
  • 00:07:16.953 --> 00:07:18.754
  • To make some course corrections.
  • 00:07:18.754 --> 00:07:20.356
  • We're gonna have to make some adjustments.
  • 00:07:20.356 --> 00:07:21.958
  • The church, the trajectory we've been on for several decades
  • 00:07:21.958 --> 00:07:24.293
  • In american evangelicalism, has been pretty self-absorbed.
  • 00:07:24.293 --> 00:07:28.464
  • We've had so much freedom and liberty and abundance
  • 00:07:28.464 --> 00:07:31.100
  • And opportunity that we didn't really need god
  • 00:07:31.100 --> 00:07:33.135
  • To sort those things out.
  • 00:07:33.135 --> 00:07:34.570
  • Our kids had schools,
  • 00:07:34.570 --> 00:07:35.938
  • And there was healthcare available to them.
  • 00:07:35.938 --> 00:07:37.406
  • And there was enough order in our world and there was enough
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  • Latent opportunities around us that we could add god
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  • As kind of a component, kind of a luxury item.
  • 00:07:43.145 --> 00:07:47.416
  • But folks, the world is changing, dramatically,
  • 00:07:47.416 --> 00:07:50.052
  • Rapidly, swiftly.
  • 00:07:50.052 --> 00:07:52.655
  • And those stabilizing voices and the things you've counted on,
  • 00:07:52.655 --> 00:07:55.458
  • They are deteriorating before your eyes,
  • 00:07:55.458 --> 00:07:57.360
  • Day after day after day.
  • 00:07:57.360 --> 00:07:59.929
  • We didn't understand they came from a biblical worldview so we
  • 00:07:59.929 --> 00:08:03.466
  • Were silent and let our biblical worldview be put in the shredder
  • 00:08:03.466 --> 00:08:06.235
  • And removed from the public square and taken
  • 00:08:06.235 --> 00:08:08.504
  • Out of corporate behavior and eliminated from the public
  • 00:08:08.504 --> 00:08:11.674
  • Justice system in place after place after place.
  • 00:08:11.674 --> 00:08:14.944
  • And now we're watching chaos begin to emerge.
  • 00:08:14.944 --> 00:08:18.447
  • It's growing rapidly.
  • 00:08:18.447 --> 00:08:20.650
  • And the church is a bit addled and a bit confused
  • 00:08:20.650 --> 00:08:23.352
  • And we're like, "well, wow, wow, what?"
  • 00:08:23.352 --> 00:08:25.855
  • We haven't been to church.
  • 00:08:25.855 --> 00:08:28.090
  • We've gathered in our buildings and we've had our little songs
  • 00:08:28.090 --> 00:08:30.660
  • And we've done our little studies and we've been
  • 00:08:30.660 --> 00:08:32.995
  • A little puffed up because we could do exegetically correct,
  • 00:08:32.995 --> 00:08:35.464
  • Homiletically, appropriately hermeneutically, exact studies.
  • 00:08:35.464 --> 00:08:41.404
  • But we weren't being transformed.
  • 00:08:45.141 --> 00:08:46.976
  • We weren't being changed.
  • 00:08:46.976 --> 00:08:48.344
  • We weren't a believing church.
  • 00:08:48.344 --> 00:08:50.346
  • We were an accumulating, we were gathering knowledge and getting
  • 00:08:50.346 --> 00:08:53.316
  • Facts and we were smug and self-righteous and we really
  • 00:08:53.316 --> 00:08:57.119
  • Didn't have this--we don't--to be set free from sin,
  • 00:08:57.119 --> 00:09:00.222
  • We weren't that bad.
  • 00:09:00.222 --> 00:09:01.557
  • There were worse people.
  • 00:09:01.557 --> 00:09:03.659
  • I mean, we probably thought we needed a little forgiveness,
  • 00:09:03.659 --> 00:09:06.195
  • You know, we needed a little polish because even silver,
  • 00:09:06.195 --> 00:09:08.864
  • Sterling silver, will tarnish without a little polish.
  • 00:09:08.864 --> 00:09:15.504
  • Jesus didn't come just to polish us.
  • 00:09:15.504 --> 00:09:19.208
  • He didn't come to hammer out the dents and put in a little bondo,
  • 00:09:19.208 --> 00:09:24.981
  • Slap a new coat of paint on us.
  • 00:09:24.981 --> 00:09:28.317
  • He came that we might be holy and blameless
  • 00:09:28.317 --> 00:09:32.488
  • In the sight of god.
  • 00:09:32.488 --> 00:09:35.458
  • And to do that, their power will need to be brought to bear,
  • 00:09:35.458 --> 00:09:38.761
  • Authority will come in to play.
  • 00:09:38.761 --> 00:09:40.730
  • We have to change kingdoms.
  • 00:09:40.730 --> 00:09:42.965
  • We have to understand that we need forgiveness from sin
  • 00:09:42.965 --> 00:09:47.036
  • Or we got no shot, and that in order to walk in that freedom,
  • 00:09:47.036 --> 00:09:51.874
  • We have to become willing to become slaves to god.
  • 00:09:51.874 --> 00:09:55.544
  • The benefits you reap leads to what?
  • 00:09:55.544 --> 00:09:58.347
  • It's in your notes.
  • 00:09:58.347 --> 00:10:01.651
  • "the benefit you reap leads to holiness."
  • 00:10:01.651 --> 00:10:05.955
  • "well, now, wait a minute, you want me to be one of those--"
  • 00:10:05.955 --> 00:10:09.058
  • Yeah, god intends that.
  • 00:10:09.058 --> 00:10:13.429
  • He didn't forgive your sin so you could be a pagan
  • 00:10:13.429 --> 00:10:15.698
  • With a clean conscience.
  • 00:10:15.698 --> 00:10:19.335
  • He didn't forgive you of your past so you could be the most
  • 00:10:19.335 --> 00:10:23.339
  • Worldly amongst the people of god.
  • 00:10:23.339 --> 00:10:27.810
  • He's forgiven us so that we could become slaves to him,
  • 00:10:27.810 --> 00:10:32.748
  • Which will lead us to holiness.
  • 00:10:32.748 --> 00:10:36.052
  • "and the result," don't miss the result, it's "eternal life."
  • 00:10:36.052 --> 00:10:43.793
  • Eternal life.
  • 00:10:43.793 --> 00:10:45.861
  • Not just a life without end.
  • 00:10:45.861 --> 00:10:47.963
  • Your spirit has no end.
  • 00:10:47.963 --> 00:10:50.366
  • When your body's done, your spirit will step into eternity.
  • 00:10:50.366 --> 00:10:53.536
  • Eternal life in this context is life in the presence of god.
  • 00:10:53.536 --> 00:10:58.207
  • Your spirit could spend all eternity apart from
  • 00:10:58.207 --> 00:11:01.277
  • The presence of god.
  • 00:11:01.277 --> 00:11:03.145
  • That's a desperate place, too desperate for
  • 00:11:03.145 --> 00:11:06.148
  • Me to even imagine.
  • 00:11:06.148 --> 00:11:08.451
  • You wanna spend every waking moment you have under the sun
  • 00:11:08.451 --> 00:11:12.321
  • Being certain that your eternity is in the presence of god.
  • 00:11:12.321 --> 00:11:17.326
  • And the presumptive attitude that "i said a little prayer,
  • 00:11:17.326 --> 00:11:19.829
  • Took a little dip in the pool, and therefore it's mine,
  • 00:11:19.829 --> 00:11:22.498
  • It's all mine," is a very deceptive idea.
  • 00:11:22.498 --> 00:11:31.040
  • Female announcer: if you look, you'll find good
  • 00:11:35.044 --> 00:11:36.679
  • News everywhere.
  • 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:38.547
  • Female: our baby was born healthy and strong.
  • 00:11:38.547 --> 00:11:42.418
  • Female: we have the groceries we need.
  • 00:11:42.418 --> 00:11:44.987
  • Male: another year cancer-free.
  • 00:11:44.987 --> 00:11:48.357
  • Female: we bought our first house this year.
  • 00:11:48.357 --> 00:11:52.294
  • Female: the raise came through when i needed it most.
  • 00:11:52.294 --> 00:11:55.931
  • Male: i have a working car.
  • 00:11:55.931 --> 00:11:59.535
  • Female: my husband came home safe.
  • 00:11:59.535 --> 00:12:03.405
  • Female announcer: philippians 4 tells us to, "think about
  • 00:12:03.405 --> 00:12:05.241
  • Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable,
  • 00:12:05.241 --> 00:12:10.846
  • Excellent and praiseworthy."
  • 00:12:10.846 --> 00:12:13.115
  • All of these things honor god and when we take time to notice
  • 00:12:13.115 --> 00:12:16.418
  • Them, we welcome god's presence and experience his peace.
  • 00:12:16.418 --> 00:12:20.289
  • Allen: you know, the two most critical junctures of any
  • 00:12:22.057 --> 00:12:24.593
  • Enterprise are how we begin and how we conclude.
  • 00:12:24.593 --> 00:12:28.030
  • So, the beginning of a new year is a tremendous opportunity.
  • 00:12:28.030 --> 00:12:31.967
  • We've prepared a tool we want to share with you.
  • 00:12:31.967 --> 00:12:33.769
  • It's a good news journal.
  • 00:12:33.769 --> 00:12:35.638
  • We wanna help you set a habit this year to do something with a
  • 00:12:35.638 --> 00:12:39.675
  • Bit more intention than perhaps has been our pattern in
  • 00:12:39.675 --> 00:12:42.645
  • The past.
  • 00:12:42.645 --> 00:12:43.979
  • We wanna start our year with an attitude of appreciation and
  • 00:12:43.979 --> 00:12:47.016
  • Gratitude for the blessings of god in our lives.
  • 00:12:47.016 --> 00:12:50.252
  • So, we've designed this journal so that you can use it as a part
  • 00:12:50.252 --> 00:12:53.255
  • Of your devotional.
  • 00:12:53.255 --> 00:12:54.590
  • It's something you could include the children, the grandchildren.
  • 00:12:54.590 --> 00:12:56.826
  • You could take it to work and create a good news journal for
  • 00:12:56.826 --> 00:12:59.261
  • The people you work with.
  • 00:12:59.261 --> 00:13:00.863
  • Wherever that may be, let's start our year out purposefully,
  • 00:13:00.863 --> 00:13:04.633
  • Intentionally saying, "thank you," to the lord for his
  • 00:13:04.633 --> 00:13:07.636
  • Goodness to us.
  • 00:13:07.636 --> 00:13:09.104
  • I know there's challenges and we have places where we need god's
  • 00:13:09.104 --> 00:13:11.841
  • Help, but we're gonna begin with gratitude and walk into the
  • 00:13:11.841 --> 00:13:15.744
  • Blessings of god in this year.
  • 00:13:15.744 --> 00:13:18.113
  • I think you'll enjoy the journal.
  • 00:13:18.113 --> 00:13:19.849
  • God bless.
  • 00:13:19.849 --> 00:13:21.183
  • Female announcer: when you keep a good news list, you'll notice
  • 00:13:21.183 --> 00:13:23.285
  • How god is constantly at work all around you.
  • 00:13:23.285 --> 00:13:26.555
  • Our new 52-week, good news notebook gives you a place to
  • 00:13:26.555 --> 00:13:30.492
  • Record your good news, prayers you saw god answer, and your
  • 00:13:30.492 --> 00:13:34.096
  • Current prayer requests.
  • 00:13:34.096 --> 00:13:35.865
  • As you look back on your lists over the weeks and months to
  • 00:13:35.865 --> 00:13:38.734
  • Come, you'll find a personal record of god's faithfulness
  • 00:13:38.734 --> 00:13:41.670
  • To you.
  • 00:13:41.670 --> 00:13:43.005
  • Allen: we are trusting god for a year like no other for his
  • 00:13:43.005 --> 00:13:45.407
  • Breakthroughs this year.
  • 00:13:45.407 --> 00:13:46.775
  • I believe the good news journal can be a part of our journey in
  • 00:13:46.775 --> 00:13:49.745
  • Each of our lives.
  • 00:13:49.745 --> 00:13:51.080
  • Female announcer: request your good news notebook when you
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  • Donate $20 or more today at allenjackson.com or by
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  • Female announcer: getting the latest messages
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  • Allen: if we work with people and live next door to people
  • 00:15:04.219 --> 00:15:07.289
  • And we socialize with people and we gather with them and we don't
  • 00:15:07.289 --> 00:15:12.194
  • Have the willingness to say, "you know,
  • 00:15:12.194 --> 00:15:15.164
  • I'm pretty excited about jesus in my life."
  • 00:15:15.164 --> 00:15:18.834
  • If you don't say anything more than that, make 'em wonder why.
  • 00:15:18.834 --> 00:15:24.673
  • I bet most of them never thought about being excited about jesus.
  • 00:15:24.673 --> 00:15:28.477
  • They're excited about the next vacation.
  • 00:15:28.477 --> 00:15:30.679
  • They're excited about the kid's next ball game,
  • 00:15:30.679 --> 00:15:32.481
  • They're excited about ut hanging another 50 on somebody.
  • 00:15:32.481 --> 00:15:37.386
  • It's okay with me.
  • 00:15:37.386 --> 00:15:40.189
  • But are you willing to say, "you know,
  • 00:15:40.189 --> 00:15:42.624
  • I'm pretty excited with this jesus thing.
  • 00:15:42.624 --> 00:15:44.693
  • I've been thinking about him more and more."
  • 00:15:44.693 --> 00:15:47.363
  • First time you say it, it'll get really quiet.
  • 00:15:47.363 --> 00:15:50.599
  • "pass the cheese dip."
  • 00:15:50.599 --> 00:15:54.970
  • But if you'll let that be known, people will begin to come up
  • 00:15:54.970 --> 00:15:58.240
  • To you and say, "you know, i heard what you said,
  • 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:00.909
  • The thing about what you were excited.
  • 00:16:00.909 --> 00:16:02.611
  • I don't understand.
  • 00:16:02.611 --> 00:16:03.979
  • Could you tell me a little bit more about that?"
  • 00:16:03.979 --> 00:16:06.348
  • "well, there's a lot i don't know.
  • 00:16:06.348 --> 00:16:09.418
  • Lord knows, i certainly don't feel like a bible scholar,
  • 00:16:09.418 --> 00:16:13.222
  • But i believe he's real and i found hope in that
  • 00:16:13.222 --> 00:16:17.126
  • And i found peace and i, actually, i prayed a little bit.
  • 00:16:17.126 --> 00:16:21.830
  • I mean, like, out loud, me.
  • 00:16:21.830 --> 00:16:23.198
  • I, like, said a prayer.
  • 00:16:23.198 --> 00:16:26.468
  • It didn't show up on evan's caller id 'cause, apparently,
  • 00:16:26.468 --> 00:16:29.505
  • I wasn't in their directory, but i kept it up anyway."
  • 00:16:29.505 --> 00:16:33.409
  • You see, you can do this.
  • 00:16:33.409 --> 00:16:36.845
  • I can do this.
  • 00:16:36.845 --> 00:16:38.914
  • We haven't cared, 'cause we thought the government
  • 00:16:38.914 --> 00:16:42.084
  • Was gonna bring justice to us.
  • 00:16:42.084 --> 00:16:45.287
  • Hello?
  • 00:16:47.656 --> 00:16:50.526
  • We thought that somebody was gonna secure our future.
  • 00:16:50.592 --> 00:16:53.495
  • We'd elect somebody and they're gonna make this right.
  • 00:16:53.495 --> 00:16:55.197
  • So, we didn't really care.
  • 00:16:55.197 --> 00:16:56.665
  • Folks, the government didn't take jesus out of our schools.
  • 00:16:56.665 --> 00:16:58.767
  • We didn't put enough jesus in our kids and we sent our kids
  • 00:16:58.767 --> 00:17:01.136
  • To school and there was no jesus there.
  • 00:17:01.136 --> 00:17:04.573
  • That's the truth.
  • 00:17:04.573 --> 00:17:06.742
  • The government didn't take jesus out of the corporate world,
  • 00:17:06.742 --> 00:17:09.011
  • There wasn't enough jesus in us and we've been hanging out
  • 00:17:09.011 --> 00:17:11.113
  • In the corporate world, stacking bucks, and we didn't care
  • 00:17:11.113 --> 00:17:13.082
  • If jesus was there or not.
  • 00:17:13.082 --> 00:17:18.954
  • We're the church.
  • 00:17:18.954 --> 00:17:20.656
  • We are.
  • 00:17:20.656 --> 00:17:22.391
  • That's awkward, isn't it?
  • 00:17:22.391 --> 00:17:23.892
  • Scruffy, broken down, inconsistent.
  • 00:17:23.892 --> 00:17:28.030
  • If your friends have heard you swear more than
  • 00:17:28.030 --> 00:17:31.300
  • They've heard you say, "i love jesus," we've got work to do.
  • 00:17:31.300 --> 00:17:37.172
  • If they've heard you express your enthusiasm and your joy
  • 00:17:37.172 --> 00:17:40.509
  • About wickedness and ungodly things and selfish gratification
  • 00:17:40.509 --> 00:17:44.847
  • More than they've heard us say, "god has been so good to me,"
  • 00:17:44.847 --> 00:17:49.318
  • We've got some work to do.
  • 00:17:49.318 --> 00:17:52.054
  • "well, pastor, i'm an introvert."
  • 00:17:52.054 --> 00:17:56.558
  • Oh, i see.
  • 00:17:56.558 --> 00:18:01.130
  • That's in 2 hezekiah 3, verse 11: "introverts sit
  • 00:18:01.130 --> 00:18:09.104
  • Silently in the bleachers while those wacked-out people
  • 00:18:09.104 --> 00:18:13.509
  • Talk about something."
  • 00:18:13.509 --> 00:18:19.581
  • I wanna add another layer to it.
  • 00:18:22.251 --> 00:18:24.920
  • We have been overwhelmed with this notion
  • 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:27.456
  • Of personal salvation, and i believe in that.
  • 00:18:27.456 --> 00:18:30.826
  • I believe in the new birth, being born again, saved.
  • 00:18:30.826 --> 00:18:34.496
  • I believe in that initiation point into the kingdom of god.
  • 00:18:34.496 --> 00:18:38.567
  • But this issue really came front and center with the lockdowns.
  • 00:18:38.567 --> 00:18:42.704
  • And it will be back.
  • 00:18:42.704 --> 00:18:45.674
  • The government never takes authority and yields it again.
  • 00:18:45.674 --> 00:18:50.812
  • They'll take it with a crisis.
  • 00:18:50.812 --> 00:18:53.582
  • But once they've understood you will yield to that expression of
  • 00:18:53.582 --> 00:18:55.918
  • Authority, they will create another crisis so they
  • 00:18:55.918 --> 00:18:59.388
  • Can exert that authority again.
  • 00:18:59.388 --> 00:19:02.824
  • The labels will be a bit different,
  • 00:19:02.824 --> 00:19:04.960
  • The causes will be a little different.
  • 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:06.929
  • Folks, we're very slow sometimes.
  • 00:19:06.929 --> 00:19:09.598
  • It's because we walk too much in the dark
  • 00:19:09.598 --> 00:19:11.333
  • And not enough in the light.
  • 00:19:11.333 --> 00:19:13.502
  • So i wanna add a notion to this, that while we believe
  • 00:19:13.502 --> 00:19:18.006
  • In that individual salvation that you have to make
  • 00:19:18.006 --> 00:19:21.343
  • A decision about jesus.
  • 00:19:21.343 --> 00:19:22.878
  • The fact that your wife loves jesus or your husband loves
  • 00:19:22.878 --> 00:19:24.613
  • Jesus will not help you.
  • 00:19:24.613 --> 00:19:27.482
  • The fact that your parents were godly people will not make
  • 00:19:27.482 --> 00:19:29.885
  • A difference when you have to give an account.
  • 00:19:29.885 --> 00:19:32.521
  • The fact that you sat in the midst of a church filled
  • 00:19:32.521 --> 00:19:34.790
  • With people who love the lord will not help you.
  • 00:19:34.790 --> 00:19:36.925
  • Your membership card from whatever community of faith,
  • 00:19:36.925 --> 00:19:40.662
  • Whatever denomination, whatever label, your laminated ministry
  • 00:19:40.662 --> 00:19:45.267
  • Tag from woc next gen ministries--
  • 00:19:45.267 --> 00:19:47.869
  • That might get you in.
  • 00:19:47.869 --> 00:19:51.873
  • I'm kidding.
  • 00:19:53.508 --> 00:19:54.876
  • Don't send me-- romans chapter 12 and verse 4: "just as each
  • 00:19:54.876 --> 00:20:00.549
  • One of us has one body with many members, and these members do
  • 00:20:00.549 --> 00:20:04.286
  • Not all have the same function, so in christ we who are many
  • 00:20:04.286 --> 00:20:08.457
  • Form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."
  • 00:20:08.457 --> 00:20:14.263
  • It's using the analogy of our physical person.
  • 00:20:14.263 --> 00:20:17.266
  • It said there's a lot of components,
  • 00:20:17.266 --> 00:20:19.301
  • And every component matters.
  • 00:20:19.301 --> 00:20:21.570
  • And no component flourishes alone.
  • 00:20:21.570 --> 00:20:24.339
  • You know that's true.
  • 00:20:24.339 --> 00:20:25.974
  • Your little finger's valuable.
  • 00:20:25.974 --> 00:20:27.909
  • It is.
  • 00:20:27.909 --> 00:20:29.745
  • You don't believe it, you get a little paper cut on that thing,
  • 00:20:29.745 --> 00:20:32.214
  • You'll take a sick day.
  • 00:20:32.214 --> 00:20:34.683
  • "i can't be typing with that thing.
  • 00:20:34.683 --> 00:20:37.152
  • It's throbbing."
  • 00:20:37.152 --> 00:20:41.323
  • Valuable as it is, if you severed it from
  • 00:20:41.323 --> 00:20:43.258
  • The rest of your body, it won't flourish.
  • 00:20:43.258 --> 00:20:44.993
  • It's done.
  • 00:20:44.993 --> 00:20:46.728
  • And no matter how valuable you think you are,
  • 00:20:46.728 --> 00:20:48.764
  • Apart from the body of christ, you are done.
  • 00:20:48.764 --> 00:20:53.035
  • "well, i'm born again."
  • 00:20:53.035 --> 00:20:55.170
  • Okay, i'll address that in a moment.
  • 00:20:55.170 --> 00:20:58.473
  • But you will not have finished your assignment,
  • 00:20:58.473 --> 00:21:01.610
  • You'll not complete what you were created for.
  • 00:21:01.610 --> 00:21:04.313
  • "well, i've had a lot of success."
  • 00:21:04.313 --> 00:21:05.681
  • I'm happy about that.
  • 00:21:05.681 --> 00:21:07.015
  • God blesses us even when we're ignorant.
  • 00:21:07.015 --> 00:21:10.385
  • "well, i've achieved and accomplished and become and--"
  • 00:21:10.385 --> 00:21:13.088
  • I understand that.
  • 00:21:13.088 --> 00:21:15.057
  • I mean, as magnificent as your heart is,
  • 00:21:15.057 --> 00:21:18.894
  • That pump in the middle of your person, separated
  • 00:21:18.894 --> 00:21:22.130
  • From the rest of your person, it's not overly helpful.
  • 00:21:22.130 --> 00:21:25.100
  • It's far more valuable functioning inside of the body,
  • 00:21:25.100 --> 00:21:28.704
  • Than it is as a science experiment being dissected.
  • 00:21:28.704 --> 00:21:33.342
  • Look at 1 corinthians 12: "if one part suffers,
  • 00:21:33.342 --> 00:21:37.012
  • Every part suffers with it; if one part is honored,
  • 00:21:37.012 --> 00:21:40.549
  • Every part rejoices with it.
  • 00:21:40.549 --> 00:21:44.252
  • Now you are the body of christ,
  • 00:21:44.252 --> 00:21:46.221
  • And each one of you is a part of it."
  • 00:21:46.221 --> 00:21:48.790
  • Ephesians 4, it's talking about the ministry gifts that god
  • 00:21:48.790 --> 00:21:52.761
  • Placed in the church and he said they were to "prepare god's
  • 00:21:52.761 --> 00:21:55.263
  • People for works of service, so that the body of christ
  • 00:21:55.263 --> 00:21:57.733
  • May be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in
  • 00:21:57.733 --> 00:22:01.803
  • The knowledge of the son of god and become mature,
  • 00:22:01.803 --> 00:22:05.107
  • Attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of christ."
  • 00:22:05.107 --> 00:22:08.610
  • The whole measure of the fullness of christ is expressed
  • 00:22:08.610 --> 00:22:12.547
  • In the unity of the body.
  • 00:22:12.547 --> 00:22:17.386
  • And if you'll allow me, unity in the faith does not equal some
  • 00:22:17.386 --> 00:22:20.722
  • Squishy compromise of truth.
  • 00:22:20.722 --> 00:22:23.925
  • It's not about negotiating away the principles of scripture.
  • 00:22:23.925 --> 00:22:28.997
  • Rather, we're united in our obedience to god's truth.
  • 00:22:28.997 --> 00:22:33.001
  • And i should also point out to you, 'cause it isn't clear if
  • 00:22:33.001 --> 00:22:37.406
  • You glance at our culture, that maturity does not equal sloppy
  • 00:22:37.406 --> 00:22:41.209
  • Adolescence as an adult.
  • 00:22:41.209 --> 00:22:45.514
  • The exuberance of youth has to yield
  • 00:22:45.514 --> 00:22:49.418
  • To the responsibility of maturing.
  • 00:22:49.418 --> 00:22:52.788
  • Amen, church?
  • 00:22:52.788 --> 00:22:56.258
  • It isn't just about me and how to get blessed, and how to get
  • 00:22:56.258 --> 00:23:00.362
  • What i want so that i can do what i want, when i want,
  • 00:23:00.362 --> 00:23:03.565
  • For the duration of time i want.
  • 00:23:03.565 --> 00:23:06.435
  • That's a very childish attitude in a human being or spiritually.
  • 00:23:06.435 --> 00:23:15.944
  • This bit has become so much more real to me in these last months
  • 00:23:15.944 --> 00:23:19.247
  • As we have traveled a bit.
  • 00:23:19.247 --> 00:23:21.116
  • Talking to church leaders and being
  • 00:23:21.116 --> 00:23:23.118
  • In churches across the country.
  • 00:23:23.118 --> 00:23:26.788
  • There's a great deal of disparity, a lot of distinction
  • 00:23:26.788 --> 00:23:29.891
  • And differences, in how we understand ourselves.
  • 00:23:29.891 --> 00:23:35.197
  • Well, we have the same book and our--the labels on our buildings
  • 00:23:35.197 --> 00:23:38.600
  • Are very similar and there are some forms of our worship
  • 00:23:38.600 --> 00:23:41.069
  • That are similar.
  • 00:23:41.069 --> 00:23:43.271
  • But when i'm with the church in portland and seattle,
  • 00:23:43.271 --> 00:23:47.476
  • They imagine themselves very differently.
  • 00:23:47.476 --> 00:23:50.178
  • Far more isolated, lots of different--and in city
  • 00:23:50.178 --> 00:23:56.184
  • After city after city, i listen and somewhere along the way
  • 00:23:56.184 --> 00:23:59.855
  • It became so clear to me that there's not a church in seattle
  • 00:23:59.855 --> 00:24:02.324
  • And a church in san diego and a church in detroit and
  • 00:24:02.324 --> 00:24:06.828
  • A church in philadelphia and a church in new york
  • 00:24:06.828 --> 00:24:09.264
  • And a church in murfreesboro.
  • 00:24:09.264 --> 00:24:10.899
  • There is the church.
  • 00:24:10.899 --> 00:24:13.134
  • The church.
  • 00:24:13.134 --> 00:24:15.770
  • And if i read this correctly, in romans or corinthians or--
  • 00:24:15.770 --> 00:24:19.508
  • If one part of us suffers, we all suffer.
  • 00:24:19.508 --> 00:24:23.512
  • We're the church.
  • 00:24:23.512 --> 00:24:25.514
  • There's not the church in the bible belt
  • 00:24:25.514 --> 00:24:27.215
  • And the church in pagan california.
  • 00:24:27.215 --> 00:24:30.185
  • May they drop into the ocean quickly.
  • 00:24:30.185 --> 00:24:33.922
  • I don't mean it.
  • 00:24:33.922 --> 00:24:36.124
  • We've been so casual with this.
  • 00:24:36.124 --> 00:24:39.027
  • Folks, we are the church.
  • 00:24:39.027 --> 00:24:41.429
  • And i found myself saying, "we'll be back.
  • 00:24:41.429 --> 00:24:44.266
  • You're not alone.
  • 00:24:44.266 --> 00:24:45.600
  • You do matter."
  • 00:24:45.600 --> 00:24:47.536
  • Where we're living is plunging into paganism so quickly,
  • 00:24:47.536 --> 00:24:51.106
  • We need your prayers.
  • 00:24:51.106 --> 00:24:53.675
  • That's true.
  • 00:24:53.675 --> 00:24:55.911
  • You've been downtown nashville lately on a weekend?
  • 00:24:55.911 --> 00:24:59.814
  • It's not the athens of the south any longer.
  • 00:24:59.814 --> 00:25:04.419
  • It's not the center of christian publishing.
  • 00:25:04.419 --> 00:25:07.722
  • It's nash vegas, we say, proudly.
  • 00:25:07.722 --> 00:25:15.497
  • We're the church, salt and light.
  • 00:25:15.497 --> 00:25:19.935
  • We're a body of people.
  • 00:25:19.935 --> 00:25:22.904
  • 1 corinthians 12:20: "there are many parts, but one body.
  • 00:25:22.904 --> 00:25:28.043
  • And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'i don't need you!'
  • 00:25:28.043 --> 00:25:31.413
  • And the head cannot say to the feet, 'i don't need you!'"
  • 00:25:31.413 --> 00:25:36.484
  • Let me give you the contemporary version of that.
  • 00:25:36.484 --> 00:25:39.187
  • "i don't need anyone else.
  • 00:25:39.187 --> 00:25:40.789
  • I'm born again."
  • 00:25:40.789 --> 00:25:42.991
  • Based on that scripture, you can't say that.
  • 00:25:42.991 --> 00:25:47.729
  • You can't say that.
  • 00:25:47.729 --> 00:25:51.933
  • "the eye cannot say to the hand, 'i don't need you!'
  • 00:25:51.933 --> 00:25:56.404
  • And the head can't say to the feet, 'i don't need you!'"
  • 00:25:56.404 --> 00:26:02.744
  • We have an assignment that requires cooperation.
  • 00:26:05.647 --> 00:26:09.951
  • "ohh, we're gonna have to work together."
  • 00:26:09.951 --> 00:26:14.389
  • I know, i hate to break it.
  • 00:26:14.389 --> 00:26:17.058
  • We're never gonna do this on our own.
  • 00:26:17.058 --> 00:26:20.996
  • We weren't called to be a group of individuals, transformed
  • 00:26:20.996 --> 00:26:25.967
  • By the power of god, his grace, and his mercy through
  • 00:26:25.967 --> 00:26:29.671
  • The authority of the shed blood of jesus, so we stand alone.
  • 00:26:29.671 --> 00:26:33.675
  • We have been justified, sanctified, redeemed,
  • 00:26:33.675 --> 00:26:36.544
  • To be included in the community of faith.
  • 00:26:36.544 --> 00:26:40.515
  • We need one another.
  • 00:26:40.515 --> 00:26:43.318
  • Allen: the new testament reveals to us that the church
  • 00:26:43.385 --> 00:26:45.487
  • Of jesus christ is a body, that we need one another.
  • 00:26:45.487 --> 00:26:49.024
  • That's awkward, isn't it?
  • 00:26:49.024 --> 00:26:50.692
  • Every part's important, though the parts that are more annoying
  • 00:26:50.692 --> 00:26:53.828
  • And the parts that seem more valuable in god's sight,
  • 00:26:53.828 --> 00:26:56.564
  • We've got to stand together.
  • 00:26:56.564 --> 00:26:58.133
  • I wanna pray that god will use your voice
  • 00:26:58.133 --> 00:27:00.568
  • And mine to bring healing to his people.
  • 00:27:00.568 --> 00:27:03.204
  • Heavenly father, i thank you for the church.
  • 00:27:03.204 --> 00:27:05.740
  • I pray that you will give us the wisdom to be a voice of
  • 00:27:05.740 --> 00:27:08.810
  • Encouragement and strength to those around us.
  • 00:27:08.810 --> 00:27:11.179
  • May we have the willingness to forgive those who need forgiven,
  • 00:27:11.179 --> 00:27:13.648
  • And to ask forgiveness where it's needed.
  • 00:27:13.648 --> 00:27:15.650
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:15.650 --> 00:27:18.086
  • Cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.aberdeen.io
  • 00:27:18.153 --> 00:27:22.090
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:25.026 --> 00:27:27.362