Heart of Jubilee: Release (North OC)

Daniel Sumoge: 00:00:00

Good morning everyone.

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It's great seeing you all again.

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I feel like I was just up here a few

minutes ago, but can we give it up

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though real quick for the, the worship

team and everyone who, uh, helps sets

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up so we can worship God together?

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Thank you.

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So much to, to everyone.

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I just wanna give a, a shout

out to, to Mark Lee over here.

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He is in the back.

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He's a learning av, so he is gonna use

his talents to serve God in that way.

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So Mark, we're grateful for you for that.

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So thank you for doing that.

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And then, uh, as well as everyone else

in the back with Stewart as well, and

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Eric as well, thank you so much for, uh,

getting your early so we can, uh, do this.

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Uh, but with that being said, uh, once

again, my name is Daniel Oggi, uh, and

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I will be your substitute teacher or

preacher I should say this morning.

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Uh, but.

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Amen.

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It's all good.

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I'm excited for this, actually.

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Uh, we're continuing this church

wide, uh, not church wide, but

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we're continuing this, uh, sermon

series called The Heart of Jubilee.

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Uh, what, what's coming up in

about 12 days, guys, do you

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guys remember what's coming up?

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It was on the announcement.

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Jubilee, the La Jubilee, correct?

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Yes.

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And we're gonna be studying out

the heart of Jubilee, and it's more

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than just a sermon series, really.

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Church.

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I really believe that this is a season

of preparation and a journey we're

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taking together through reading,

reflecting, and discussing as well.

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And, and it's leading up all

the way up to the La Jubilee.

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So by the time we get there, they're

gonna be preaching sermons on the Jubilee.

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We're gonna know what

they're talking about.

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We're gonna be, ah, we

heard that before guys.

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Don't worry.

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But it's still a great thing to learn.

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You know, last week Marcel preached

about, uh, the, the heart of Jubilee

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when it comes to the idea of reset,

how God gives us a fresh start.

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Amen.

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And today we're gonna continue

that, but this time we're gonna

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talk about how the heart of Jubilee,

how God wants us to release.

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All right?

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And we're gonna talk

about that this morning.

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But before we get into the

scriptures, let's go to God in prayer.

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Father God, just thank you for

bringing us here this morning.

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As we open your word, God, we

pray that you can open our hearts.

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Help us hear your voice,

God, not my voice.

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Just use me as a vessel God.

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But I pray we can hear yours.

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God, I pray that you can minister to each

and every one of us here this morning.

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God.

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Lord, we love you so much.

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And it's your son's name we pray.

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Amen.

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Amen.

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So as we're talking about the Jubilee,

we have to understand this is a,

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there's a bigger picture here to it, and

here's a timeline of what's happened.

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This takes us all the way back with Moses

and when he was leading God's people.

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Out of slavery and in, in Egypt

and into the Promised Land.

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You know, while they were on their

journey, God was forming them as a nation.

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He wasn't just giving them laws,

he was giving them a culture and

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a new identity for his people.

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You know, part of part of this was

something called the Holiness Code, and

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that was fine through, uh, Leviticus

Chapter 17 and through, uh, through 25.

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And right at the end of the section,

that's when we're gonna learn about this

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radical idea that we are studying out.

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And that is the year of Jubilee.

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You know, and with the

Jubilee, what is the Jubilee?

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You probably are wondering,

well, here's a refresher.

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Every 50 years God told his people

to stop working the land to free

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anyone who is in debt or bondage.

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To return the land to their

original families, and most

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importantly, to trust God to provide.

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And hopefully, as you see you, as

we're gonna be studying this out

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in Leviticus chapter 25, that's

where we, we will be this morning.

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Hopefully you'll see all of

these in hand in scripture.

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So if you're with me, please

turn to Leviticus Chapter 25.

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We're gonna see the heart of the jubilee,

but more importantly, the heart of God.

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Amen.

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Amen.

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All right, so in verse, we're

gonna pick up in verse eight.

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And I encourage you guys, as we read this,

try not to get into the little details.

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I know for me, when I was setting this

out, I, I started losing like brain cells.

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There were just too many numbers going on.

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I'm not a math major, and I was

just like, God, what are you saying?

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So, try not to get caught up in

those details as much, but really

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try to get caught up in what God was

really trying to say from the heart.

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Amen.

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So with that, in verse eight,

we're gonna pick up in Leviticus

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chapter 25 verse eight.

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It says, count off seven Sabbath years.

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Seven times.

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Seven years, so that the seven Sabbath

years amount to a period of 49 years,

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then have the trumpet sounded everywhere.

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On the 10th day of the seventh month,

on the day of the atonement, sound the

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trumpet through your land, consecrate

the 50th year, and proclaim liberty

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through the land to all its inhabitants.

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It shall be a jubilee for you.

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Each of you is to return to

your family, uh, to your family

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property, and to your own clan.

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Like I said here guys, there,

there's a lot of numbers, so try

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not to get caught up into it.

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But really I want us to focus in

on this word here and actually

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this phrase, but really liberty.

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This word, liberty.

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I dunno about you guys, but for me

it stood out to me because we just

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celebrated 4th of July a few weeks ago.

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Fireworks, barbecue.

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And we're thinking about how when

I, when I think of liberty, when it

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comes to the 4th of July, I can think

more in a political sense maybe.

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Maybe it's not just about, you know, who

was right, who was wrong, but here, what

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liberty, what God was trying to say here.

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What I think is, is this deep soul

level of freedom that only he can offer.

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And what I love about the scripture is

proclaim liberty to all its inhabitants,

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not to some of them, not to only those

who, uh, are maybe in a certain class

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of people for those who own land or

just to the religious leaders or for

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those who have their lives together.

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No.

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God said, proclaim it to

all of its inhabitants.

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That means the liberty and

freedom is for everyone.

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It's for the broken.

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It's for the burdened, for those

who are indebted, for those who are

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enslaved, even for the person whose

life had fallen apart and didn't see

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a way out, that was for them as well.

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You know what I love about the

Jubilee is it was a fresh start.

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Who here loves to have a fresh start?

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Who here looks forward to the new year?

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Yeah, all of us do.

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And even back then, this is

what it was like for them.

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It was a brand new year for

them, but this one was a year

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where they got to fresh start.

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You know, if you had lost everything

and were working for someone else's land

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just to survive, you got to go home.

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If you were drowning in

debt, you were set free.

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Amen.

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Right?

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Think about that.

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If you were tired to hustle.

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And worn out with this endless strive

of just, you know, working hard.

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God said, rest, I give you

amen, man, the Jubilee.

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What I think about the, what's great

about the Jubilee, it wasn't just great

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in a legal system, but it was also

great in a healing system as well.

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It was a healing reset.

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It was God stepping into the middle

of the people's mess and saying,

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enough, it's time for freedom.

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It's time for restoration.

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It's time to start again.

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And for me, I don't know why as I was

studying this out, it was no coincidence

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that they made this announcement during

the Day of Atonement, which is the

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most sacred day in Israel's calendar.

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You know, the Day of Atonement is

where the nations placed their sins

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symbolically on a goat, which where

you get the term scapegoat and sent

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away, and it reminds everyone that God

forgives, that God restores and God free.

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You know, that was their restart.

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And that is our restart as well,

but minus the scapegoat, obviously.

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But the Jubilee wasn't just a calendar

event, it was a spiritual declaration

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that no matter how bad things had gotten,

God is still the God of second chances.

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God still brings people home

and God still makes it right.

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And that's why this word, liberty,

it means so much because in God's

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kingdom, no one is left out.

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Freedom is for all.

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Amen.

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So after you know the God's commands

liberty and he proclaimed throughout

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the land for all its inhabitants, we

see how this freedom and this liberty

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gets to be played out in everyday

life because it's easy to save freedom

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for all, but we get to see how it

looks like every day here in Israel.

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Here we see in this year,

Jubilee, everyone is to

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return to their own property.

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If you sell land to any of your own

people or buy land from them, do

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not take advantage of each other.

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You are to buy your own people on

the basis of the number of years

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since the Jubilee, and they're to

sell you to the basis of the number

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of years left for harvesting crops.

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When the years are many, you are to

increase the price and when years are

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few, you are to decrease the price.

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'cause what is really being sold

to you is the number of crops.

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Do not take advantage of each

other, but fear your God.

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I am your God.

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You see, the year jubilee isn't just

spiritual, it was also practical as well.

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It touched everything from, from

the economy, from real estate to

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land and to even relationships.

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You know, in the ancient world or

even today, land is everything.

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It wasn't just where you lived, it was

how you survived Your land is where you

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got your food, where you got your income,

where you got your inheritance, and if

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you lost your land, then essentially.

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It was like you lost your future in it.

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But here's the key is that in God's

system, land wasn't sold permanently.

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Why?

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Because ultimately, it

didn't belong to the people.

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The land belonged to him.

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It belonged to God.

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And when you see that, that

really changes everything.

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I mean, think about it.

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If the land is God's, then I don't have

a right to exploit it or to exploit

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others into selling the land for me.

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Yes, I'm just, I'm not owning the land.

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I'm just a steward of it.

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You know, I might lease it, I might

use it for a time, but I don't have the

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right to hoard or manipulate it with

people, and that's why what I love,

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God gave clear instructions here is he

says, don't raise the price unfairly.

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Don't take advantage of someone

despite their situation.

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Don't use someone's misfortune as an

opportunity to have personal gain.

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Because God was really trying to teach

his people during this time how to treat,

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treat each other with dignity and respect.

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Yep.

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He was building a society where

justice and mercy mattered more than

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just making a quick profit where

no one could permanently be left

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behind, where people were always

given a path back to restoration.

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So when someone was selling the

land, they were really just leasing

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it based on how many harvests

were left in the next jubilee.

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That meant everyone knew

it was just temporary.

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So for example, if Michael Morris

over here, he had a plot of land and

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I wanna buy it from him, and the next

Jubilee is in three years, Michael

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can't just upcharge me for those three

years because everyone knows, hey, the

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jubilee's coming, the land's gonna be his.

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And I love that right there.

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'cause it's easy for us as humans to wanna

make a quick buck, to want to profit,

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to do all these things to each other.

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But God is saying, no,

no, no, not on my watch.

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Because I know how you people are.

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All right.

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I love you guys, but man, I

just know how you guys are.

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All right.

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Let's not do that.

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And I just love that 'cause it reminds

us, and the Jubilee even reminds

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us that everything we have is from

God and we are called to handle the

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things we've been given with humility.

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You know, that's the kind of of community

that God was building back then, and

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that's even something that is continuing

to be built right now through us.

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Amen.

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So not only does God call his people to,

to release what they have, not only does

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he command them to to return to their

lands and forgive each other for their

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debts, but then he goes one step further.

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He tells them to stop working the land

completely during the jubilee year.

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And I dunno about you guys, but

reading that, I was like, what?

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You want me to stop working?

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And that's a very legitimate

question, and we'll see what God has

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to say here in verse 18 through 22.

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He says, follow my decrees and

be careful to obey my laws, and

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you'll live safely in the land.

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Then the land will yield its fruits and

you'll eat your fill and live there.

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In safety, you may ask, what will

we eat in the seventh year if we

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do not plant or harvest our crops?

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I will send you such a blessing

in the sixth year that the land

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will yield enough for three years.

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While you plant during the eighth

year, you'll eat from the old crop and

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will continue to eat from it until the

harvest of the ninth year comes in.

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I dunno about you guys, but

that sounds like a great deal.

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I mean, what God is essentially saying

here is, Hey, I know this sounds wild.

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I know this doesn't make

sense for you financially.

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I know you're used to working hard

and hustling and grinding, trying

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to survive, but what I want for each

and every one of you is to stop.

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Let the land rest.

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Let my people rest.

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Amen.

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Not only that, trust me,

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I dunno about you guys, but that is a

radical call of trust in God right there.

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I mean, imagine God told you right now.

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Don't go to work for a year.

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Don't worry.

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I'll make sure you have enough.

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I dunno about you, but if he were to tell

me that I, I'll be like, God are, are you?

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You must have the wrong Daniel.

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Because based off my statements, based

off, you know, everything I have,

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I'm like, God, I really don't think

I have enough for you to cover me.

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But here, that's what God was

asking Israel and to help them out.

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He didn't just say, you know,

oh, just trust me without action.

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No, he said he promised

to provide in advance.

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He said, I'll bless

the sixth year so much.

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You'll have enough for the seventh,

the eighth, and the ninth year

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while you wait for the next harvest.

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You know, God was giving them space to

rest and during that time he didn't want

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'em to just rest and just nap all day.

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But no, he wanted to teach them how

to rely on him, on their, not on their

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own ability to produce or grind, or

to strategize their way through life.

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You see, the Jubilee wasn't just

about what you let go of physically.

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It's about what you let

go of internally as well.

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Your need for control, your anxiety

about your future, your belief

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that everything depends on you.

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All of that needs to be released.

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During the year of Jubilee, God was

training his people to live differently,

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to stop running themselves into the

ground, to stop living, like everything

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dependent on their human effort.

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What he was trying to say to

them is, I'm your provider.

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Yeah, trust my timing.

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Heck, trust my math, trust my heart.

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And I think that speaks

to many of us today.

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'cause we live in a world where we

feel like rest is irresponsible.

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We feel guilty if we're not

doing something productive.

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We measure our worth by what we

produce, by how full our schedules are.

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But God reminds us here in

this year of Jubilee that you

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are not your productivity.

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You are not your hustle.

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You are a child of God and

he will take care of you.

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You know, the question is, will

we trust him enough to rest, to

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stop grasping and start believing?

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And I'm not talking about the rest where

we just watch Netflix all day, church.

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I'm talking about the rest where we

really trust God and what we're resting

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is, all right, I want to be close to him.

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I wanna learn more about him.

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But in doing so, I'm not thinking

about how, oh, in this time I could

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be working right now, or maybe going

to the gym, doing this and that.

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No, but using this time to really

trust and rely and connect with

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him, you know, God, his people for

a year of Jubilee, can we even maybe

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: 00:15:35

dedicate an hour of Jubilee to him?

308

: 00:15:38

You know, that's the

invitation of Jubilee.

309

: 00:15:42

You know we're gonna

continue on here in verse 23.

310

: 00:15:45

It reads, the land must not be sold

permanently because the land is mine and

311

: 00:15:50

you reside in my land as foreigners and

strangers through, throughout the land

312

: 00:15:54

that you hold as a possession, you must

provide for the redemption of the land.

313

: 00:16:00

If I can drop one of these

mics, I would do that for God.

314

: 00:16:02

'cause that was a mic drop moment

for, he's saying the land is mine.

315

: 00:16:08

You know, and most culture back

then, and even now, land meant power.

316

: 00:16:14

The more land you have, the more

wealth you had, the more status,

317

: 00:16:18

the more security you had.

318

: 00:16:21

Land was something, and I still

today, people fight over in war.

319

: 00:16:24

It's what family passed

down for generations.

320

: 00:16:28

But God stops 'em right there and

says, don't forget, I'm the owner.

321

: 00:16:33

You're just living in it.

322

: 00:16:35

You're not the source.

323

: 00:16:37

You're not the provider,

you're just a steward.

324

: 00:16:42

They were to see themselves as

temporary residents, even foreigners

325

: 00:16:46

and strangers to the land.

326

: 00:16:50

I dunno about you guys, but that

is a humbling truth right there.

327

: 00:16:54

You know?

328

: 00:16:54

That's how God wanted Israel to see

the land, and honestly, that's how he

329

: 00:16:58

wants us to see everything we have.

330

: 00:17:01

I mean, think about the most

valuable possession that you have.

331

: 00:17:06

It may be a home that's not yours.

332

: 00:17:09

That's God's.

333

: 00:17:10

It may be your car.

334

: 00:17:13

It's not yours.

335

: 00:17:14

That's God's is.

336

: 00:17:16

It's your job or your money,

or your talents, your time,

337

: 00:17:20

whatever it is, church.

338

: 00:17:22

It all belongs to him.

339

: 00:17:25

You know, this is a huge, huge part

of the Jubilee, the realization

340

: 00:17:28

that we're not owners trying to

protect our stuff, but we're stewards

341

: 00:17:32

called to reflect God's heart.

342

: 00:17:35

And God's heart is generous.

343

: 00:17:38

God's heart is compassionate.

344

: 00:17:41

And because of all that, what

does that mean for you and I?

345

: 00:17:45

It means that greed can't take

root in a heart that knows it's

346

: 00:17:48

only borrowing what belongs to God.

347

: 00:17:51

It means we can share, we can give, we

can forgive and restore because we're not

348

: 00:17:56

building our own small little kingdom.

349

: 00:17:58

We're living in God's kingdom.

350

: 00:18:00

Amen.

351

: 00:18:01

And I dunno about you guys,

but that is so freeing for me.

352

: 00:18:04

Because when I stop trying to be the

owner of everything, I can finally

353

: 00:18:07

rest in the truth that God owns it all.

354

: 00:18:10

And I don't know about you guys,

but God proves to be a great owner

355

: 00:18:14

in everything I have in my life.

356

: 00:18:16

You know, I realized when I began

to really trust God and just taking

357

: 00:18:19

ownership in any part of my life,

whether it's my, my finances, whether

358

: 00:18:23

it's, uh, my marriage, my friendships,

I realized like God really manages

359

: 00:18:28

so much better when he's at the

center of it rather than myself.

360

: 00:18:31

Yeah.

361

: 00:18:33

And because of that, Jubilee calls us

to live open handed, trusting that God

362

: 00:18:39

who provides will continue to provide.

363

: 00:18:42

That's the heart of releasing, but

more importantly, that's the heart and

364

: 00:18:46

even the invitation of Jubilee will

continue reading here in verse 25 20, it

365

: 00:18:52

says, if one of your fellow Israelites

become poor and sell some of their

366

: 00:18:55

property, their nearest relative is to

come and redeem what they have sold.

367

: 00:18:59

If, however, there is no one to

redeem it for them, but later on

368

: 00:19:02

they prosper and acquire sufficient

means to redeem it themselves.

369

: 00:19:05

They are to determine the value for the

years since they sold it and refund the

370

: 00:19:10

balance to the one whom they sold it.

371

: 00:19:11

They can then go back to their

property, but if they do not acquire

372

: 00:19:15

the means to repay, uh, what was sold,

uh, will remain in the possession of

373

: 00:19:19

the buyer until the year of Jubilee.

374

: 00:19:21

It will be returned in the Jubilee and

they can go back to their property.

375

: 00:19:28

You know, in ancient Israel

land wasn't just real estate.

376

: 00:19:31

It was an inheritance.

377

: 00:19:33

It was an identity.

378

: 00:19:34

It was a legacy being passed on to you.

379

: 00:19:36

It was part of God's

covenant with his people.

380

: 00:19:40

So when someone had to sell their

land, because they fell on hard

381

: 00:19:42

times, it wasn't just a financial

transaction, it was a loss of hope.

382

: 00:19:47

It was a loss of security, and

it can kind of feel the same

383

: 00:19:50

way with us today, church.

384

: 00:19:53

Maybe when, I dunno about you, but when my

car breaks down, it has to go in the shop.

385

: 00:19:56

I'm like, what do I do?

386

: 00:19:58

Where's my sense of security?

387

: 00:19:59

How do I do this?

388

: 00:20:00

Or even when I was younger, I remember

we, we had some, uh, issue with

389

: 00:20:04

our houses and our finances of it.

390

: 00:20:06

And I just remember being on edge, like,

oh my gosh, like, what's gonna happen?

391

: 00:20:10

You know, everything that I was

feeling, they were feeling as well.

392

: 00:20:15

But the beautiful thing here,

what I love about what God was

393

: 00:20:19

building here is God was building

redemption right into the system.

394

: 00:20:23

Yep.

395

: 00:20:23

God said, wait for the jubilee.

396

: 00:20:27

'cause in the year Jubilee, the land

automatically returned to its owner.

397

: 00:20:31

No debt had to be paid,

no negotiations required.

398

: 00:20:35

The land was just simply returned back.

399

: 00:20:38

Even today, this reminds us that

God is always working towards

400

: 00:20:42

redemption and even restoration.

401

: 00:20:45

Even when we can't see a way, it's a

reminder to trust that we have is God, and

402

: 00:20:51

when we lose it, he can return it to us.

403

: 00:20:55

You know we're continue

reading here in verse 35.

404

: 00:20:58

It says, any one of your fellow Israelites

become poor and are unable to support

405

: 00:21:01

themselves among you, help them as

you would a foreigner and stranger so

406

: 00:21:05

they can continue to live among you.

407

: 00:21:07

Do not take interest or any profit

from them, but fear your God so that

408

: 00:21:11

they may continue to live among you.

409

: 00:21:13

You must not lend them money at interest

or sell them food out of profit.

410

: 00:21:18

I am the Lord your God, who brought

you out of Egypt to give you the

411

: 00:21:22

land of Canaan and to be your God.

412

: 00:21:25

I mean, there it is again, talking

about foreigners and strangers.

413

: 00:21:29

You know, God doesn't just care

about the land or the the economy.

414

: 00:21:34

What he cares deeply about are the

people, and especially those who

415

: 00:21:39

are in need, who are struggling.

416

: 00:21:42

He says, if your fellow Israelites

becomes poor and cannot maintain

417

: 00:21:45

themselves, you must help them.

418

: 00:21:48

He didn't say try to help them.

419

: 00:21:50

He said, he didn't say, do it

when it feels right for you or

420

: 00:21:53

when it's comfortable for you.

421

: 00:21:55

He said, you must help them.

422

: 00:21:59

How about you guys?

423

: 00:22:00

But to me, this is not optional.

424

: 00:22:02

It's not a suggestion, it's a command.

425

: 00:22:06

But it's not a command just

from God being all rude.

426

: 00:22:08

I really believe it's a command

that is rooted in compassion.

427

: 00:22:12

If someone falls on hard times, he's

saying, man, the community should step in.

428

: 00:22:17

You don't look the other way.

429

: 00:22:19

You don't blame them.

430

: 00:22:20

You don't capitalize on their crisis.

431

: 00:22:23

In fact, God even says clearly,

no charging interest, no making

432

: 00:22:28

profit off someone else's pain,

and not to exploit people when

433

: 00:22:31

they're at their most vulnerable.

434

: 00:22:34

Because God reminds him that you were

once slaves in Egypt and I brought you.

435

: 00:22:40

I didn't charge you.

436

: 00:22:42

I didn't oppress you, but I rescued you.

437

: 00:22:46

God is calling his people to mirror

this same mercy he had on his people.

438

: 00:22:52

This is part of the Jubilee.

439

: 00:22:54

It's a radical call to empathy

because God is building a society,

440

: 00:22:58

not on greed, but on grace.

441

: 00:23:01

It's God saying the, the way

I love you now go and love

442

: 00:23:04

each other the exact same way.

443

: 00:23:06

And it shows here in verse 39, it

reads, if any of your fellow Israelites

444

: 00:23:10

become poor and sell themselves to

you, do not make them work as slaves.

445

: 00:23:14

They're to be treated as hired workers

or temporary residents among you.

446

: 00:23:18

They're to work for you until

the year of the Jubilee.

447

: 00:23:22

Then they and their children are to be

released and they will go back to their

448

: 00:23:25

own clans and to the property of their

ancestors because the Israelites are my

449

: 00:23:30

servants whom I brought out of Egypt.

450

: 00:23:32

They must not be sold as slaves.

451

: 00:23:34

Do not rule over them

ruthlessly, but fear your God.

452

: 00:23:39

You know, this passage just shows us a

picture of God's heart for his people,

453

: 00:23:45

his desire for dignity and justice to

be done even in the midst of hardship.

454

: 00:23:51

You know, back then if someone fell

into deep poverty, that they had no

455

: 00:23:54

choice but to sell themselves into

slavery or into servitude to survive.

456

: 00:23:59

But God made sure that even then,

they're not to be treated as property.

457

: 00:24:04

He says, do not treat them as slaves.

458

: 00:24:05

Instead treat them as hired workers.

459

: 00:24:07

People with value, uh,

with hope and restoration.

460

: 00:24:11

They weren't to be abused,

owned, or treated less as, and

461

: 00:24:16

once again, the year of Jubilee.

462

: 00:24:19

It brought that liberty.

463

: 00:24:21

It brought them that freedom and

that moment, everything got to reset.

464

: 00:24:26

No matter how long they had

served, they were to be released.

465

: 00:24:30

Why?

466

: 00:24:31

Because God makes it clear that they are

my servants who I brought out of Egypt.

467

: 00:24:36

They're not to be sold as slaves.

468

: 00:24:39

You know, God reminds the

people of their own story.

469

: 00:24:42

You were once enslaved.

470

: 00:24:44

You know what it's like to be

treated like when you don't mattered.

471

: 00:24:47

But even then.

472

: 00:24:49

I still rescue.

473

: 00:24:50

Do you know that in the grand picture of

things, that was the heart of Jubilee,

474

: 00:24:57

this idea of release, we're seeing Jesus

release people from debt, from bondage,

475

: 00:25:05

from burden, and hopefully, as you see

here, as we were reading this scripture,

476

: 00:25:09

something that stood out to me was that

release wasn't just for the oppressed,

477

: 00:25:12

but it was also for the oppressor.

478

: 00:25:14

It was released for those under

authority and in authority as well.

479

: 00:25:19

For those under authority, it

meant freedom from shame, from

480

: 00:25:23

debt, from burden, and for those in

authority, it meant released from

481

: 00:25:30

greed, from pride, from control.

482

: 00:25:35

You know, wherever you guys are at

this morning, we either fit in one

483

: 00:25:39

of those two categories, or maybe

both of them, but whatever it is.

484

: 00:25:43

What is it that we need

to be released from?

485

: 00:25:47

Because together it led to true

freedom, both spiritually, relationally,

486

: 00:25:54

and even emotionally as well.

487

: 00:25:57

So the question is, what's holding you?

488

: 00:26:01

You know, today we're not living

in Mosaic law, but the heart of

489

: 00:26:04

Jubilee is still alive in Jesus.

490

: 00:26:07

God still calls us to release

what holds us captive.

491

: 00:26:12

Let me ask you honestly, church,

what's holding you captive?

492

: 00:26:18

What are you chained to today?

493

: 00:26:22

You know, for many of us, we

probably relate to a few of these

494

: 00:26:25

here, but maybe what's holding

us captive is guilt and shame.

495

: 00:26:30

Maybe we feel guilt and shame

about the past choices we've made.

496

: 00:26:34

Maybe the lifestyle we live, maybe

it's that thing nobody else knows.

497

: 00:26:38

And it's heavy and it lingers with us.

498

: 00:26:42

Maybe what holds us

captive is materialism.

499

: 00:26:45

It's this constant pressure to have

more, to earn more, to show more,

500

: 00:26:50

and we become slaves to the chase.

501

: 00:26:54

What about control?

502

: 00:26:56

The need to manage everything

yourself, to not let go.

503

: 00:27:02

Maybe it's bitterness.

504

: 00:27:05

Bitterness towards someone else.

505

: 00:27:07

Maybe it's bitterness towards

someone in your family.

506

: 00:27:11

Maybe it's bitterness towards

someone here in this room.

507

: 00:27:14

Maybe it's even bitterness towards God

and it eats you alive on the inside.

508

: 00:27:22

Or maybe it's just sin.

509

: 00:27:24

Maybe there's a sin in your life

that you constantly go back to.

510

: 00:27:29

Maybe that's lust.

511

: 00:27:31

Maybe it's pride, impurity, anger.

512

: 00:27:35

Name it, bitterness.

513

: 00:27:37

It can feel like a cycle.

514

: 00:27:38

You just can't break and you hate it

and you just keep returning to it.

515

: 00:27:43

You feel guilt, but then you give

in again and it's exhausting.

516

: 00:27:47

And honestly, it feels like

it can become hopeless.

517

: 00:27:51

And what I love here is what Jesus

says in John chapter eight, verse 34.

518

: 00:27:54

He says, Jesus replied very truly, I tell

you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin

519

: 00:28:02

Church.

520

: 00:28:03

That's what sin does to us.

521

: 00:28:06

When we sin and we're, you know, we

can't be open about it and it's holding

522

: 00:28:10

captive to us, we become enslaved to it.

523

: 00:28:17

But what's also very, I guess, encouraging

maybe for us for sure, it's encouraging

524

: 00:28:23

is what Jesus says next though, in verse

35, 2 36, because what I love here is

525

: 00:28:27

Jesus doesn't say you're a slave to it.

526

: 00:28:29

He says You can do something about it.

527

: 00:28:30

Yes.

528

: 00:28:32

He says, now a slave has no

permanent place in the family,

529

: 00:28:35

but a son belongs to it forever.

530

: 00:28:38

So if the son sets you free,

you will be free indeed.

531

: 00:28:42

Amen.

532

: 00:28:44

Only Jesus can truly release our souls.

533

: 00:28:48

Only Jesus can break the

chains of sin and shame.

534

: 00:28:51

Only Jesus can say, you

are not a slave anymore.

535

: 00:28:54

You are mine.

536

: 00:28:57

And the question is, will we let him?

537

: 00:29:01

When we stop holding on and let

Jesus release us from what's been

538

: 00:29:05

gripping us, you know, the year

of Jubilee was all about release,

539

: 00:29:12

release from debt, from loss.

540

: 00:29:15

It was a time of restoration where God's

people were given a clean slate, a second

541

: 00:29:19

chance, a return to what was once theirs.

542

: 00:29:23

You know, the same spirit was released and

is available to us through Jesus today.

543

: 00:29:28

You know, in Luke four, what I

love, he says, uh, Jesus came to

544

: 00:29:31

proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and to set the oppressed free.

545

: 00:29:35

Jesus is our jubilee.

546

: 00:29:38

Jesus offers us freedom.

547

: 00:29:41

But here's the catch though,

church, we have to choose to

548

: 00:29:45

participate in that release.

549

: 00:29:47

We have to be willing to let go

of what's holding you captive.

550

: 00:29:54

The offer is on the table.

551

: 00:29:57

You don't have to earn it.

552

: 00:29:58

You don't have to qualify for it, qualify

for it, but you do have to respond to it.

553

: 00:30:03

Jubilee only help people if they

trusted God enough to live in it.

554

: 00:30:07

And the same is true for us.

555

: 00:30:10

But if we're being honest

here, we all carry something.

556

: 00:30:14

There's something that enslaves us, that

burdens us, that robs us, peace, that robs

557

: 00:30:21

us, the joy, the liberty, and the freedom.

558

: 00:30:24

So what is it for you?

559

: 00:30:26

What is holding you captive?

560

: 00:30:29

Now, if you really want to

experience Jubilee, I really think

561

: 00:30:32

we first have to identify it.

562

: 00:30:35

We have to be specific.

563

: 00:30:36

'cause the Jubilee isn't a vague idea.

564

: 00:30:38

It was meant to touch real areas of life.

565

: 00:30:41

So let's identify the

chains that need breaking.

566

: 00:30:45

Is it the guilt and shame?

567

: 00:30:47

Is it the control?

568

: 00:30:48

Is it the materialism?

569

: 00:30:49

Is it sin?

570

: 00:30:50

Because Jubilee means you don't

have to stay in captivity.

571

: 00:30:55

That you can overcome it.

572

: 00:30:58

Next we have to, once we identify,

we have to release it to God,

573

: 00:31:04

not to the heir, not to chance,

but to God who declares they

574

: 00:31:07

are my servants, not yours.

575

: 00:31:10

So maybe if it's guilt and

shame, well guess what?

576

: 00:31:12

Jesus bore your shame on the cross.

577

: 00:31:16

You don't need to wear it anymore.

578

: 00:31:17

You are forgiven and you can

continue to walk in freedom.

579

: 00:31:21

If it's materialism, we need to

let go of earthly treasures for the

580

: 00:31:25

eternal treasure of what Jesus offers.

581

: 00:31:28

If it's control, then we gotta recognize

that control is a myth that you're

582

: 00:31:32

not in control, and that's okay.

583

: 00:31:35

If it's bitterness, man, we gotta release

it to God who is righteous and just we

584

: 00:31:40

have to let him be the judge, not us.

585

: 00:31:43

'cause this is your moment.

586

: 00:31:44

This is your jubilee.

587

: 00:31:46

This is our jubilee.

588

: 00:31:49

What do you need to release to God

today so that you can return to freedom?

589

: 00:31:54

Amen.

590

: 00:31:55

You know, the concept of Jubilee

wasn't just for ancient Israel.

591

: 00:31:59

It's a picture of freedom,

release, and restoration that God

592

: 00:32:02

offers each of us through Jesus.

593

: 00:32:04

So let's not walk away

just hearing good ideas.

594

: 00:32:07

I want to encourage,

let's really live it out.

595

: 00:32:09

You know, let's try to live out Jubilee

this week and how can we do that?

596

: 00:32:13

Let's get practical here.

597

: 00:32:14

Here's some action steps.

598

: 00:32:15

Uh, first.

599

: 00:32:16

Let's try to follow the week two

reading, planning discussions.

600

: 00:32:18

I dunno about you guys, but I did

week one and that was just tremendous.

601

: 00:32:22

You could scan the QR code if

you want, but we also have hard

602

: 00:32:24

copies, uh, that you can get in the

back from, from Craig over there.

603

: 00:32:27

We don't have enough for everyone,

but if you're a hard copy person,

604

: 00:32:30

please by all means grab it.

605

: 00:32:32

But let's really try to do this reading

plan and answer these questions.

606

: 00:32:35

Take time each day to read the

assigned passages and reflect.

607

: 00:32:39

And don't try to rush, but really

let's have the word reveal areas

608

: 00:32:43

of captivity or hardness in

our own life, in our own heart.

609

: 00:32:47

Second, let's reflect.

610

: 00:32:49

What is God calling you to release?

611

: 00:32:53

Ask yourself honestly, is it

guilt that cheney me to the past?

612

: 00:32:58

Is it bitterness that keeps

me from moving forward?

613

: 00:33:01

Am I clean to control, are

things I've never meant to carry?

614

: 00:33:05

Write it down.

615

: 00:33:07

Name it.

616

: 00:33:08

Bring it to the light.

617

: 00:33:10

And then lastly, we need to respond.

618

: 00:33:12

We should take one step this week.

619

: 00:33:14

Maybe it's a conversation

you've been avoiding.

620

: 00:33:17

Maybe it's a confession.

621

: 00:33:18

Maybe it's simply a heartfelt

prayer or surrender.

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: 00:33:21

But let's respond to it this week because

the heart of Jubilee, when you think

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: 00:33:26

about it, it's simple but powerful.

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: 00:33:28

It's release, release from

debt, from bondage, from the

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: 00:33:33

burdens that weigh us down.

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: 00:33:35

Jubilee wasn't just meant for the past.

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: 00:33:37

We can experience Jubilee today, a

spiritual reset and a fresh release,

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: 00:33:42

but for that to happen, we have to be

willing to let go of what is holding

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: 00:33:46

us captive and in the closeout here in

Leviticus 25 verse S Consecrate the 50th

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: 00:33:52

year, and proclaim liberty throughout

the land to all its inhabitants.

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: 00:33:56

That same liberty and that same

freedom is available to us right now.

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: 00:34:01

And prayerfully, we each can experience

Jubilee release today, not just in theory,

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: 00:34:07

not just in words, but in our hearts,

in our lives, and in our walks with God.

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: 00:34:12

Amen.

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: 00:34:12

Amen.

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: 00:34:13

Thank you, church.