Participants:
Series Code: AU
Program Code: AU000098S
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00:01 - So why do you think it is that when you sometimes
00:02 see something really, really beautiful, 00:05 it kinda produces a, well, low-level heartache? 00:08 I mean, how can you be profoundly happy 00:11 and profoundly sad at the very same time? 00:14 That's what we're gonna look at 00:15 on today's episode of Authentic. 00:18 [upbeat music] 00:39 Open a Bible to the first two chapters of Genesis 00:42 and give them a read, especially 00:43 if it's been a little while. 00:44 Actually, if you're streaming this, just push pause, 00:47 go read those two chapters and come back 00:49 'cause I think you're gonna find this interesting. 00:52 Here's what I want you to notice. 00:54 It's almost impossible to read those opening passages 00:57 and not start to kind of pine for what it's describing. 01:01 It's a primeval description of the world 01:04 and it reveals a pristine planet that is, 01:06 well, radically different than the one we live in right now. 01:10 In fact, you'll notice the creator steps back 01:12 at the end of every single day 01:14 and declares that his work is good. 01:17 Then on the sixth day, after making the human race, 01:19 he ups the ante just a little bit and calls it very good. 01:23 And when you read that, 01:25 there's a part of you that longs for it, 01:27 especially when the world we're living in 01:29 appears to be anything but good. 01:31 As of right now, as I'm sitting here, 01:34 that awful war in Ukraine is still being waged. 01:36 And of course, back in October of 2023, 01:39 Hamas launched that brutal attack on Israel 01:42 and did unspeakable things to civilians, 01:44 which prompted a massive military reply from Israel 01:48 and led to an awful lot of death and destruction 01:50 on the Gaza Strip. 01:52 It's another painful reminder 01:54 that human beings find themselves mostly helpless 01:56 to solve our very worst problems. 02:00 And of course, on a more personal level, 02:02 there's a pretty good chance that your life 02:04 has been a constant struggle too. 02:07 Maybe you're working overtime to make ends meet 02:09 in this new inflationary economy, 02:11 or you're dealing with a debilitating disease 02:14 or maybe you've got serious family problems. 02:17 And then you read these opening verses in Genesis 02:19 and you can't help but feel, well, a lot of sadness. 02:23 It's not describing the world you live in 02:26 and you kind of wish it was. 02:29 And that's the way it is 02:30 with beautiful things, unfortunately. 02:32 I remember there was this painting 02:34 in my 12th grade English lit textbook that captivated me. 02:38 I found it on a day when we had this really, 02:40 really bad substitute teacher 02:43 who seemed like he was in love with himself 02:45 because he kept prattling on 02:47 about how unbelievably intelligent his college papers were. 02:51 I mean, who does that? 02:52 Especially in a high school classroom. 02:55 He was, in his not so humble opinion, 02:57 the most insightful man who ever lived. 03:00 The problem though was that he was number one, 03:02 deluded about his own intelligence 03:04 and two, he was also the most egotistical man I'd ever met. 03:08 So, when I turned the page in my textbook 03:11 and found this stunning painting from the Romantic period, 03:14 it was a massive upgrade from what was happening 03:17 at the front of the classroom. 03:19 I've always wished I could find that exact picture back 03:22 because to this day, I still think it was one 03:24 of the most beautiful works of art I've ever seen. 03:27 If you're watching me with visuals, 03:30 it's not the one that's on the screen. 03:31 I tried to replicate it best I could. 03:34 It was a scene from the mountains 03:36 with a river running in the foreground 03:37 and a prominent castle high up on a hillside. 03:41 The colors were breathtaking. 03:43 The artist had used light so masterfully 03:45 that it nearly brought tears to my teenage eyes. 03:49 And I'm not exactly a squishy guy 03:51 when I walk through an art gallery. 03:53 I think it was the first time I'd ever been 03:56 profoundly moved by a painting. 03:59 I mean, I was used to music making me feel that way, 04:02 but not really visual art. 04:04 And it was a really strange emotion. 04:06 I remember it well because it wasn't just joy or happiness. 04:10 That scene was so hauntingly beautiful 04:13 that it actually caused me to feel a little bit of sadness. 04:17 The only other time that's ever happened 04:19 is when Gene and I were driving across New Mexico 04:21 and I saw this conical-shaped mountain, 04:24 probably an extinct volcano, 04:26 with a simple little cabin perched on the side of it. 04:30 It was one of the most peaceful bits of property 04:32 I have ever seen. 04:33 And I suddenly had all these melancholic feelings. 04:37 Kinda surprised me. 04:39 So here's the question. 04:41 Why is it when we're faced with incredible beauty 04:44 that the joy we feel is almost always coupled 04:48 with a hint of sadness? 04:50 Personally, I think it's because we're looking at something 04:52 that is, for the most part, completely unobtainable. 04:56 The reality of daily life doesn't match the beauty 04:59 that you're looking at. 05:01 I'm reminded of something that the late great 05:03 Lutheran theologian Helmut Thielicke once said 05:06 when he wrote these words. 05:07 He said, "But why is it that this encounter 05:10 "with what is perfect and whole always makes us a bit sad? 05:14 "What is the source of that faint touch of melancholy 05:17 "on the faces of Greek statues and their perfection? 05:20 "Why do beauty and sadness dwell so close together? 05:24 "Why is it that the clear bell-like tones 05:26 "of a boy soprano not only delight, 05:28 "but also fill us with aching pain? 05:31 "Why is the utmost of beauty so heartbreaking?" 05:36 That's a really good question. 05:38 And it certainly applies to the creation account 05:40 that you find in the book of Genesis. 05:43 That describes a world that actually put a smile 05:46 on the face of God. 05:48 But when you compare it to the world we're living in now, 05:51 well, the word heartache is almost a little too tepid. 05:55 One of my favorite Bible verses is found 05:57 in the book of Ecclesiastes, where the wise man says this, 06:00 "He," speaking of God, 06:02 "has made everything beautiful in its time. 06:04 "Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, 06:07 "yet so that he cannot find out what God has done 06:10 "from the beginning to the end." 06:13 Honestly, you and I can't even imagine 06:15 what it would be like to live in a pristine 06:17 or perfect world, and yet our hearts still seem to want it. 06:22 There's something inside all of us that reminds us 06:24 the world was once a much better place. 06:27 All of us seem to have this latent memory 06:29 of a better time and better place, 06:31 and we also somehow know that we've completely destroyed 06:35 that original innocence. 06:37 We've lost that world forever. 06:39 It's not gonna come back, at least not in my lifetime. 06:43 The very presence of the human race on this planet 06:46 and the terrible things that we do 06:48 have become a blight on the perfection of God. 06:52 Frankly, the way we live is a betrayal of the Creator. 06:55 So all we can do now is look back on a world 06:58 that we have never actually lived in 06:59 and guess at how perfect it might have been, 07:03 and then experience this profound heartache, 07:05 the heartache that comes when you recognize real beauty. 07:10 And here's the thing. 07:12 We're not the only ones who feel that. 07:13 God Himself was actually there to witness 07:16 the perfection of His creation, 07:18 a perfection He called very good. 07:21 According to Job 38, 07:23 when God spoke this world into existence, 07:25 the "morning stars," that's another term for the angels, 07:29 the morning stars sang together 07:31 and all the sons of God shouted for joy. 07:35 That's how amazing it was. 07:37 So now think about the fact that God Himself 07:39 has to look at this unbelievable moral mess 07:42 that you and I have made, 07:43 and He has to remember what used to be here. 07:46 I know that some people don't really like 07:48 what it says in Genesis 6, 07:50 where God examines the evil of humanity 07:52 and He's suddenly sorry that He made us in the first place. 07:56 Some people point to that passage 07:58 to say that God's character must be somehow flawed 08:00 because what kind of God would want to eliminate 08:03 the whole human race? 08:05 Well, I'll tell you what kind of God 08:06 would be tempted to do that, 08:08 a God who remembers, 08:10 a God who smiled with pleasure 08:12 when He saw the world that He originally made, 08:14 a God who took delight in bringing 08:16 the human race into existence 08:17 because everything was perfect. 08:19 There was no pain, there was no death. 08:22 And if my heart is bothered 08:24 when I think about the hypothetical beauty 08:26 of that place I've never been, 08:29 try to imagine how the one 08:30 who actually experienced it must feel. 08:33 Let's just think about this. 08:35 You and I are usually very unhappy 08:37 with the suffering that we have to experience in life, 08:40 but what about the suffering that God has to endure? 08:43 Did He really walk into Eden angry that day, 08:47 the way that some people tell the story, 08:48 or did He call out to Adam from a heart crushed by grief 08:51 with tears in His eyes? 08:53 Adam, where are you? 08:55 What have you done? 08:57 I'm guessing if I was in charge 08:59 or if you were in charge, 09:01 we would have acted much faster 09:02 to flood the surface of the planet. 09:04 I mean, just think about the revulsion you feel 09:06 when you hear about just one absolutely horrible crime 09:10 and then multiply that by millions. 09:13 It's a good thing, as Peter reminds us, 09:15 that God is patient towards you, 09:17 not willing that any should perish, 09:19 but that all should reach repentance. 09:21 I mean, my heart aches when I see the kind 09:24 of original beauty that is beyond my grasp, 09:27 but let's be honest, 09:28 I've never actually known it, not firsthand. 09:31 And so while my sense of loss 09:32 when I'm reading Genesis is profound, 09:35 it can't even come close to the loss that God must feel. 09:39 I'll be right back after. 09:42 [soft music] 09:45 - [Narrator] Here at the Voice of Prophecy, 09:46 we're committed to creating top quality programming 09:49 for the whole family, 09:50 like our audio adventure series, Discovery Mountain. 09:53 Discovery Mountain is a Bible-based program 09:56 for kids of all ages and backgrounds. 09:58 Your family will enjoy the faith-building stories 10:01 from this small mountain summer camp and town. 10:04 With 24 seasonal episodes every year 10:06 and fresh content every week, 10:08 there's always a new adventure just on the horizon. 10:14 - There's an old story about the Russian author, 10:16 Leo Tolstoy, who decided he'd go and live 10:19 with the peasants for a little while. 10:21 They were people who actually lived on his family's estate 10:24 and he became curious enough to move 10:26 into one of their dirty little hovels 10:27 to experience life from their perspective. 10:30 He ate their food, he worked the fields with them, 10:33 and he slept in their beds. 10:35 It was a pretty far cry from the wealth 10:37 and privilege he normally enjoyed. 10:39 And you'd think that the peasants would appreciate it 10:42 because he was trying to identify with them. 10:45 But to his great surprise, they didn't trust him. 10:47 "Look," they said, "this is just a game for you. 10:51 You're not stuck here forever like us 10:52 because you can go back to your daddy's money 10:54 anytime you choose." 10:57 Now, I kinda get that. 10:58 I sometimes have those same thoughts 11:00 when I see an American president 11:02 or a member of the British royal family 11:03 spend a few hours with everyday working people. 11:07 Somebody running for office suddenly shows up at the factory 11:09 where people live a monotonous existence 11:12 40 hours a week or more, 11:14 decade after decade after decade, 11:17 and this candidate will pretend for just a few minutes 11:19 that he or she can actually identify with them. 11:22 But they can't, not really, 11:24 because in a few minutes after the photo-op, 11:27 they're gonna climb back into a private limousine 11:29 and spend the night in a hotel that costs more per night 11:32 than some people fork over as a monthly mortgage payment. 11:36 So it's not really believable. 11:39 And then if I'm perfectly honest, 11:41 I'd have to say that I've actually experienced 11:44 the other side of that equation. 11:45 It's not that I'm wealthy, because believe me, I'm not. 11:48 I'm anything but. 11:50 But sometimes, when I travel to a developing country 11:54 where the average worker makes like 20 bucks a month, 11:57 and I'm suddenly the richest man in the room, 12:00 I can tell they all know it. 12:03 Now, I can express all kinds of sympathy. 12:05 I can promise to raise money and send help. 12:07 I can shed tears when they cry 12:09 about how hard life is there. 12:12 But everyone there knows that when the visit is over, 12:15 I'm gonna get back on a plane and return to an existence 12:18 that most of them could only dream of. 12:21 I remember visiting an impoverished village 12:23 on the other side of the world, 12:24 and as I was walking down the street, 12:26 a mother suddenly came up to me, 12:28 shoved a two-year-old child into my arms, 12:31 turned around and walked away. 12:33 Now, that's a completely unnatural instinct for a mother. 12:36 Most mothers would never give a child away. 12:39 But of course, this lady understood 12:40 that all she had to offer that kid 12:42 was a life of unbelievable hardship. 12:45 So she gave her child to this so-called rich American, 12:49 assuming that I could take her home 12:50 and give her a much better life. 12:53 What she couldn't possibly know was that, 12:55 well, A, there was no way I could take that kid 12:57 out of the country, and B, by American standards, 13:00 there was really no way I could 13:01 afford to feed another mouth. 13:04 But still, there was this little moment of guilt 13:06 because I knew full well that even though 13:08 I was experiencing the awfulness of these people's lives, 13:12 at the end of the day, I was going to escape, 13:16 and they never would. 13:18 So now let's consider God's solution 13:21 to the mess we made on this planet, 13:22 because some people are going to think of this 13:24 in similar terms. 13:26 What difference would it make for the Son of God 13:29 to become human and live right here among us? 13:32 Was that really an authentic human existence? 13:35 I mean, couldn't Jesus just blow the whistle 13:37 at any given moment and go straight back 13:39 to the glory of heaven? 13:40 Was Jesus some kind of humanitarian tourist 13:43 who came here to help repair a few buildings 13:45 before he returned to the luxury of his own home? 13:48 Was he merely sympathetic to our predicament? 13:51 The way you feel sympathy when you see 13:53 those ads of starving kids. 13:55 I mean, how completely did Jesus identify with us? 13:59 I think there might be an answer 14:01 in the story of his betrayal 14:02 when Judas returned with the mob to arrest him. 14:06 Peter was understandably upset, 14:08 and he attempted to help by pulling out his sword 14:10 and chopping off someone's ear. 14:12 Jesus told him to stop and then said this, 14:15 "Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father 14:18 and He will at once send me more than 12 legions of angels?" 14:22 Now that's the point I've been driving at. 14:26 At any moment, Jesus could have tapped out. 14:28 He could have walked away from the mob 14:30 that was about to spit on him, 14:32 mock him, and whip him like a common criminal. 14:35 They were going to turn him over to the Romans 14:37 to die by the most cruel method imaginable, 14:40 but the fact is Jesus did not tap out. 14:44 Tolstoy went back home. 14:46 I got on a plane, went back to my home. 14:49 But Jesus so completely became one of us 14:51 that you find him crying out in the dark, 14:53 "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 14:57 He was so much like us that even people 14:59 who do not believe that he was God in human flesh 15:02 will point to Jesus and admit 15:04 that he was the most noble example 15:07 of a human being who has ever lived. 15:09 And it's on this point that we find another deep heartache 15:13 that is tied to something really, really beautiful. 15:16 The longer you examine the life and teachings of Christ, 15:19 the more your heart aches for the rest of humanity 15:22 because it becomes so obvious that we are not like Christ. 15:26 Our lives are broken and imperfect 15:29 and driven by these dark, selfish impulses. 15:32 In fact, we don't even see just how broken we are 15:36 until we see the beauty 15:37 of that one and only perfect human life 15:39 you find recorded in the Gospels. 15:42 I'm pretty sure I've told you this story before, 15:44 but quite a few years ago, I was working for a church 15:47 that decided to renovate their basement. 15:49 And the first thing they did was replace the dingy lighting. 15:53 And I remember the anticipation of going downstairs 15:56 to turn those new lights on for the first time, 15:58 and we all thought it would make the basement 16:00 look a whole lot better. 16:02 That's not what happened. 16:03 All it did was make it look worse 16:05 because now with new lights, you could see all of the flaws, 16:09 some of which had been hidden in the dark. 16:12 The basement looked better with the old lights. 16:15 And that's kind of the way it is with the person of Christ. 16:18 What you see when you examine his life and teachings 16:21 is the way that human life is supposed to be, 16:24 except of course for the fact that Jesus had to live 16:27 his perfect life in a broken world. 16:29 And that means that his perfection is even more astonishing. 16:34 Sometimes people despair of finding 16:36 a meaningful relationship with God, 16:38 and they'll tell me that they don't think 16:39 that God can accept them because they're so horribly flawed. 16:43 But that's the real point of the whole thing. 16:47 Seeing your flaws more deeply 16:49 is exactly what should happen 16:51 if you're examining the life of Christ. 16:54 It's really a bit of a paradox 16:55 because the closer you get to the light, 16:57 the worse you're gonna look. 16:59 To study Jesus is to see yourself like you really are. 17:03 There's no more deluding yourself, 17:05 no more pretending that it's really not all that bad. 17:09 Honestly, as a minister, 17:10 I'm not really worried about people 17:12 who feel sadness in the presence of Christ 17:14 because it means their conscience is still alive. 17:17 I mean, don't forget what Jesus taught in John 16 17:20 regarding the work of the Spirit. 17:22 He said, "And when He comes, 17:24 He will convict the world concerning sin 17:26 and righteousness and judgment." 17:29 According to the Bible, 17:30 the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, 17:33 is Christ's continued presence in this world. 17:36 And one of the Spirit's primary roles 17:38 is to convict us of sin. 17:40 That's how you actually know that your life 17:42 falls way short of the glory of God. 17:45 Many people know that the Greek word for sin 17:47 is actually hamartia, which means missing the mark. 17:51 It's a word that an archer might use 17:53 if his arrow went wide and completely missed the target. 17:57 What God does is allow you to see the life of Christ 18:00 and know for sure you're nothing like Him. 18:03 He's the one who makes your heart ache 18:05 when you recognize that your life is not all that beautiful, 18:08 or at least not as beautiful as it should be. 18:12 And there's another paradox that comes from studying Christ, 18:14 because while we know that we are not like Christ, 18:17 the Bible underlines the idea that He is still like us. 18:21 It's a comparison that seems to run in one direction. 18:24 And as soon as I take a really quick break, 18:26 we'll come back to that. 18:27 But for right now, grab a pen and a piece of paper 18:30 so that you can take advantage of this incredible offer 18:32 from the good people at The Voice of Prophecy. 18:35 And I'll be right back after this. 18:37 [upbeat music] 18:41 - [Narrator] Dragons, beasts, cryptic statues. 18:46 Bible prophecy can be incredibly vivid and confusing. 18:50 If you've ever read Daniel or Revelation 18:52 and come away scratching your head, you're not alone. 18:55 Our free Focus on Prophecy guides 18:58 are designed to help you unlock the mysteries of the Bible 19:01 and deepen your understanding of God's plan 19:03 for you and our world. 19:05 Study online or request them by mail 19:07 and start bringing prophecy into focus today. 19:10 - Right before the break, we were talking about 19:13 how examining the life of Christ 19:15 can make you feel pretty inadequate. 19:17 And I was mentioning how when somebody tells me, 19:20 "Look, God can't accept me because I'm too broken." 19:23 That feeling is actually a pretty good sign. 19:26 I'm not really worried about people who feel inadequate 19:29 when they compare themselves to Jesus. 19:31 It means they're kind of getting the point. 19:33 It's the boastful people 19:35 or even the apathetic people that I worry about 19:37 because they're not getting it at all. 19:40 - Look, if you've been worried 19:41 that your life looks miserable 19:42 by comparison to God's standard, 19:45 that actually means you're moving in the right direction. 19:47 It likely means that God is working with you right now. 19:50 What you're going through 19:52 is exactly what's supposed to happen. 19:54 The Bible calls that conviction. 19:58 You know, I've been in the ministry for about three decades 20:00 and I can tell you, 20:01 I feel less worthy today than when I first got started. 20:05 Does that mean I'm a lost cause? 20:07 No, and I can back that up 20:09 with something that Paul wrote to the church in Rome. 20:11 This might be my all-time favorite Bible passage 20:14 from Romans 5 and verse 8. 20:16 It says, "But God shows His love for us 20:19 and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." 20:24 The fact is that God isn't waiting for you 20:26 to get everything right before you can approach Him 20:29 as if that was even possible. 20:31 I mean, think about it. 20:32 If you could achieve moral perfection 20:34 before you came to God, 20:36 that would mean you don't really need Him. 20:39 God knows full well who you are 20:41 and He invites you anyway. 20:44 But now let's get back to the paradox 20:46 I mentioned before the break. 20:48 What I said was that you and I are nothing like Christ 20:51 and that's the reason that we are both stunned 20:53 by His sheer beauty and feel 20:55 sadness at the very same moment. 20:58 It's a little like that painting I found in my textbook. 21:01 I suddenly knew that I could 21:02 never live in a place that nice. 21:05 And the same way I know 21:06 that my life will never be like Christ's. 21:10 But at the same time, 21:11 the Bible teaches that Christ is like me. 21:14 I mean, just listen to this unbelievable passage 21:17 from the book of Hebrews 21:18 and I'm gonna read quite a bit of this. 21:20 Listen to this. 21:21 It says, "Since therefore the children share 21:24 in flesh and blood, 21:25 He Himself likewise partook of the same things, 21:28 that through death He might destroy the one 21:30 who has the power of death, that is the devil, 21:33 and deliver all those who through fear of death 21:36 were subject to lifelong slavery. 21:38 For surely it is not angels that He helps, 21:41 but He helps the offspring of Abraham. 21:44 Therefore He had to be made like His brothers 21:46 in every respect so that He might become a merciful 21:50 and faithful high priest in the service of God 21:52 to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 21:56 For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, 22:00 He is able to help those who are being tempted." 22:03 You know, the reason we call this show authentic 22:06 is because we're exploring what it means 22:08 to live an authentic human life. 22:11 That's why we spend so much time looking 22:13 at our very best efforts to understand ourselves. 22:16 And for the most part, 22:17 we've seen that human philosophers are at a loss 22:20 to figure this out. 22:21 We conceive of these very high ideals, 22:24 but every time we try to implement them, 22:26 every time we try to construct utopia, 22:29 we completely blow it. 22:31 But in Christ, we have this person who pulled it off 22:35 against all odds, and in spite of the fact 22:37 that the world was fighting Him every step of the way, 22:41 He could have. 22:42 He could have tapped out at any moment, 22:44 and it would have been His right to do that. 22:46 He owed us exactly nothing, but He went the distance 22:50 and lived an authentic human life 22:52 that continues to amaze everybody, 22:54 I mean, even the most dedicated skeptic. 22:58 Most people just instinctively understand 23:00 that Christ's life is the best example we've got. 23:04 That's why reading the Bible can become 23:06 such a roller coaster of emotions. 23:09 On the one hand, you feel this profound sadness 23:12 because the beauty of this person is so profound, 23:16 but then somehow you're still irresistibly drawn 23:18 in His direction, and He helps you realize 23:21 you are not alone in this world. 23:23 There is a God who has noticed your suffering, 23:25 and He's actually doing something about it. 23:28 Even after Christ came back from the grave, 23:30 you'll notice that He retained His humanity. 23:33 The disciples were able to touch Him. 23:34 He even had a bite to eat. 23:36 He did not go back to the way it was before the incarnation. 23:40 He has identified with us so completely 23:43 that He adopted humanity forever. 23:47 I'll be right back after this. 23:53 [pensive music] 23:55 - [Narrator] Are you searching for answers 23:56 to life's toughest questions like, 23:58 where is God when we suffer? 23:59 Can I find real happiness? 24:01 Or is there any hope for our chaotic world? 24:05 The Discover Bible Guides will help you find 24:06 the answers you're looking for. 24:08 Visit us at biblestudies.com 24:11 or give us a call at 888-456-7933 24:16 for your free Discover Bible Guides. 24:19 Study online on our secure website 24:21 or have the free guides mailed right to your home. 24:24 There is never a cost or obligation. 24:27 The Discover Bible Guides are our free gift to you. 24:30 Find answers in guides like, 24:32 does my life really matter to God? 24:34 And a second chance at life. 24:36 You'll find answers to the things that matter most to you 24:38 in each of the 26 Discover Bible Guides. 24:41 Visit biblestudies.com and begin your journey today 24:45 to discover answers to life's deepest questions. 24:52 - I've always been a lover of beautiful things. 24:54 At least I like to think I am, 24:56 especially when it comes to music. 24:59 One of my all time favorites is the second movement 25:02 from Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. 25:05 It really just starts out with this one single note 25:08 being repeated over and over and over and over, 25:11 but the harmonies underneath it are so stirring. 25:14 And the great composer just pulls you in 25:17 with this relentless march that makes you feel 25:19 like you're moving to something great. 25:23 And again, as I'm sitting there listening to it, 25:24 I experience this mixed bag of emotions. 25:28 On the one hand, it's so irresistibly wonderful 25:31 that I can't stop listening. 25:34 But on the other hand, it's so beautiful 25:36 that it stirs up feelings of sadness. 25:39 Why? 25:40 Well, it's because in this world, 25:42 that kind of beauty is the exception, not the rule. 25:46 Beethoven makes use of such a broad range of harmonic color 25:49 that by comparison, my own daily existence 25:52 begins to feel like I'm just living grayscale, 25:55 black and white. 25:56 The same is true for a handful of other pieces 25:59 like Brahms' Romance in F major 26:01 or the Nimrod Adagio by Elgar. 26:04 There's just something about those works 26:07 that reminds me that there is still beauty out there 26:10 that completely transcends my monotonous, 26:13 painful daily existence. 26:15 There is something greater, 26:16 something higher than this horrible mess we live in. 26:20 For a guy who loves music, 26:23 these kinds of compositions serve as a powerful reminder 26:26 that the world was not always like this, 26:28 not always this painful. 26:30 And the sadness we feel when confronted with the beauty 26:34 of those opening chapters of the book of Genesis 26:36 or the beauty of the person of Christ, 26:40 there's a really good reason for those feelings. 26:43 It's an expression of that eternity 26:46 that God has placed in our hearts 26:48 because God refuses to let us just drift off 26:51 into the darkness of oblivion 26:53 to reap a fate that, frankly, we richly deserve. 26:57 The fact that we still long for what we lost 27:01 is proof positive that our Creator has not abandoned us 27:04 and He plans to restore us completely. 27:08 It's proof that God's heart also aches 27:11 over the condition of our world 27:12 because He feels the disconnect 27:15 just as profoundly as you do 27:17 and then some. 27:19 And God is determined to do something about it, 27:22 to do something to redeem you. 27:25 I mean, if that wasn't true, 27:26 then our hearts would just turn to stone 27:28 and we would all stop caring 27:30 as the lights just slowly went out. 27:34 Thanks for joining me again this week. 27:36 I'm Shawn Boonstra, 27:37 and this has been another episode of "Authentic." 27:41 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Revised 2024-04-24