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[1017.62 --> 1018.40] in its own way.
[1018.76 --> 1020.04] But I would also add this.
[1020.40 --> 1021.72] We can live with injustice
[1021.72 --> 1022.96] because we know justice
[1022.96 --> 1023.80] will one day come.
[1024.80 --> 1026.04] If there is no king
[1026.04 --> 1027.16] who rules the world,
[1027.26 --> 1028.74] who rules over all of humanity,
[1028.98 --> 1029.74] who has no interest
[1029.74 --> 1030.82] in establishing justice,
[1031.02 --> 1032.40] we will need to take revenge
[1032.40 --> 1033.30] or feel the need
[1033.30 --> 1034.32] to stand up for ourselves
[1034.32 --> 1035.36] in all these situations
[1035.36 --> 1035.80] of evil.
[1035.80 --> 1037.56] But because we live
[1037.56 --> 1038.92] under a just God
[1038.92 --> 1040.62] who has promised
[1040.62 --> 1041.38] his return,
[1042.10 --> 1043.34] we can live with injustice
[1043.34 --> 1044.10] knowing that it's
[1044.10 --> 1044.88] in his hands
[1044.88 --> 1046.10] in his time.
[1049.06 --> 1051.40] Now, between these two statements,
[1051.70 --> 1052.82] to not exact revenge,
[1052.96 --> 1054.32] to not repay evil for evil,
[1054.80 --> 1056.42] Paul makes this very honest
[1056.42 --> 1057.42] and important statement
[1057.42 --> 1058.80] about making peace.
[1058.88 --> 1059.62] This is what he says,
[1059.70 --> 1060.26] verse 18.
[1060.26 --> 1063.86] If it is possible,
[1064.60 --> 1068.18] as far as it depends on you,
[1069.24 --> 1070.44] live at peace with everybody.
[1072.14 --> 1073.14] My mom would say
[1073.14 --> 1074.12] that's her theme verse.
[1074.94 --> 1075.80] And she grows up
[1075.80 --> 1077.20] and lives in a dysfunctional family
[1077.20 --> 1077.92] just like you do.
[1079.20 --> 1080.96] And how wonderful would it be
[1080.96 --> 1081.90] if most of us saw
[1081.90 --> 1083.00] that function in our lives
[1083.00 --> 1084.02] of being peacemakers
[1084.02 --> 1085.94] in a world of increasing
[1085.94 --> 1088.26] canceling and increasing conflict.
[1088.26 --> 1090.42] But what I appreciate
[1090.42 --> 1091.26] about this statement
[1091.26 --> 1092.90] is Paul is being honest
[1092.90 --> 1094.74] that there are circumstances
[1094.74 --> 1096.96] that are beyond your control
[1096.96 --> 1099.34] that you cannot make peace in
[1099.34 --> 1100.12] in this moment.
[1100.98 --> 1102.20] There are circumstances
[1102.20 --> 1103.08] where you have gone
[1103.08 --> 1105.10] as far as is possible
[1105.10 --> 1107.40] to forgive from the heart,
[1107.56 --> 1108.58] to renounce revenge,
[1108.76 --> 1110.08] to build reconciliation,
[1110.56 --> 1111.86] and because of the person
[1111.86 --> 1112.90] on the other side
[1112.90 --> 1114.30] or the situation
[1114.30 --> 1115.14] you're involved in,
[1115.40 --> 1116.64] that is not in this moment
[1116.64 --> 1117.14] possible.
[1118.26 --> 1120.28] And that means
[1120.28 --> 1121.14] there are situations
[1121.14 --> 1122.80] where you forgive your spouse
[1122.80 --> 1124.06] of 20 plus years,
[1124.46 --> 1126.14] but for the sake of your safety
[1126.14 --> 1126.74] and well-being,
[1127.08 --> 1128.28] you separate or divorce.
[1129.86 --> 1130.78] That also means
[1130.78 --> 1132.00] that you forgive your parent
[1132.00 --> 1132.64] or your sibling
[1132.64 --> 1134.34] for the way that they've hurt you,
[1135.04 --> 1135.92] but you put boundaries
[1135.92 --> 1136.94] around your communication.
[1138.32 --> 1139.88] That means you forgive your friend
[1139.88 --> 1141.56] who was once your best friend
[1141.56 --> 1142.10] for years,
[1142.24 --> 1143.02] but the nature of that
[1143.02 --> 1143.94] relationship changes.
[1143.94 --> 1145.42] Or you forgive your pastor
[1145.42 --> 1146.90] for what has taken place,
[1146.98 --> 1147.46] but you worship
[1147.46 --> 1148.36] in a different church.
[1148.90 --> 1150.10] Because you've gone
[1150.10 --> 1151.36] as far as possible,
[1151.82 --> 1153.50] and the rest is now
[1153.50 --> 1154.00] in the hands
[1154.00 --> 1154.80] of that other person
[1154.80 --> 1155.76] or that other party.
[1156.82 --> 1158.22] You cannot change
[1158.22 --> 1159.18] someone else's behavior,
[1159.28 --> 1159.90] but you can go
[1159.90 --> 1161.10] as far as you can.
[1161.32 --> 1162.90] And there are many circumstances
[1162.90 --> 1165.02] where even people
[1165.02 --> 1165.74] in our church
[1165.74 --> 1167.32] have gone as far as possible.