WEBVTT 00:00:17.420 --> 00:00:18.360 I 00:00:18.361 --> 00:00:18.520 confess 00:00:18.521 --> 00:00:24.070 that I hold my breath when 00:00:24.071 --> 00:00:25.380 I check out 00:00:25.381 --> 00:00:31.170 what the assigned Scripture is on a coming 00:00:31.171 --> 00:00:35.570 Sunday from the ccumenical lectionary, particularly 00:00:35.571 --> 00:00:40.180 when I'm preparing for parents' weekend. Because, look, 00:00:40.181 --> 00:00:42.399 I- I realize that 00:00:42.400 --> 00:00:46.620 your high tuition pays my salary, and 00:00:46.621 --> 00:00:51.930 so naturally I want to make a good impression on visiting parents and, by 00:00:51.931 --> 00:00:56.860 the way, let me take this opportunity to thank all of 00:00:56.861 --> 00:00:59.600 your parents for your tuitions 00:00:59.601 --> 00:01:03.760 payments. Because I know that without you, not 00:01:03.761 --> 00:01:08.390 only your Duke daughter or son but this Methodist preacher would probably not 00:01:08.391 --> 00:01:13.100 be here. At any rate, I want to look good for visiting parents and 00:01:13.101 --> 00:01:14.830 to convince you 00:01:14.831 --> 00:01:18.720 that the spiritual care of your son 00:01:18.721 --> 00:01:23.429 or daughter is in good hands and I believe in making a good impression 00:01:23.430 --> 00:01:24.150 on 00:01:24.151 --> 00:01:30.740 visitors. And yet I also believe in preaching from the Bible and 00:01:30.741 --> 00:01:35.550 therein lies my Twenty-fourth Sunday 00:01:35.551 --> 00:01:40.730 after Pentecost Parents'-Weekend dilemma. 00:01:40.731 --> 00:01:46.140 Because today's Gospel is not a parentally approved text - 00:01:46.141 --> 00:01:50.860 Jesus' story of the Pharisee and the Publican. Let 00:01:50.861 --> 00:01:54.380 me read it to you in English. "He 00:01:54.381 --> 00:01:58.790 also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that 00:01:58.791 --> 00:01:59.990 they were 00:01:59.991 --> 00:02:04.540 righteous and they despised others. 'Two men went up to the 00:02:04.541 --> 00:02:09.830 temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. 00:02:09.831 --> 00:02:14.270 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. 'God. 00:02:14.271 --> 00:02:19.020 I think we that I am not like other people - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or 00:02:19.021 --> 00:02:24.470 even this 00:02:24.471 --> 00:02:28.780 tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes 00:02:28.781 --> 00:02:31.450 of all that I get.' 00:02:31.451 --> 00:02:36.300 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not 00:02:36.301 --> 00:02:39.230 even lift up his eyes to heaven. 00:02:39.231 --> 00:02:43.890 He beat on his breasts saying, 'God, be merciful to 00:02:43.891 --> 00:02:47.739 me a sinner.' 'I tell you 00:02:47.740 --> 00:02:52.239 this man went down to his house justified, rather than the 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:56.579 other. For every one who exults himself will 00:02:56.580 --> 00:02:59.960 be humbled, but he humbles 00:02:59.961 --> 00:03:06.780 himself will be exalted." 00:03:06.781 --> 00:03:07.030 Now 00:03:07.031 --> 00:03:12.180 to get into this story, first, let's get out of the way any 00:03:12.181 --> 00:03:14.990 notion 00:03:14.991 --> 00:03:19.680 that this Pharisee and Publican story of Jesus is 00:03:19.681 --> 00:03:23.310 a story about the virtue of humility. As 00:03:23.311 --> 00:03:28.090 Robert Capon says, it's not a parable about 00:03:28.091 --> 00:03:32.750 the virtue of humility. Rather it is a parable 00:03:32.751 --> 00:03:35.920 about religious futility. 00:03:35.921 --> 00:03:41.290 It is not a story about how we are to adapt a humble religious stance, as 00:03:41.291 --> 00:03:47.360 opposed to a proud one, but rather it is an exhortation to let go of 00:03:47.361 --> 00:03:51.570 all religious posturing. 00:03:51.571 --> 00:03:51.720 And 00:03:51.721 --> 00:03:56.659 so, to get into this story, I want you to give all the credit that you possibly 00:03:56.660 --> 00:04:01.839 can to this Pharisee. Now I know the Pharisees get a bad press in 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:02.899 the Gospels, 00:04:02.900 --> 00:04:08.320 but I want to, you to just put out of your mind this morning any 00:04:08.321 --> 00:04:12.150 unattractive things you have ever heard about Pharisees because 00:04:12.151 --> 00:04:16.850 Jesus points out that here we have a good Pharisee, 00:04:16.851 --> 00:04:19.570 a really good man. 00:04:19.571 --> 00:04:23.630 Here is a man who never cheated on his church or 00:04:23.631 --> 00:04:29.720 his wife, he never raised his voice to his kids, he's never sold timesharing 00:04:29.721 --> 00:04:34.120 condominiums in Charlotte, he did his time as president on 00:04:34.121 --> 00:04:38.910 the PTA without grumbling, he does work with Habitat for Humanity on 00:04:38.911 --> 00:04:41.510 the weekends, and even though he won the Congressional Medal 00:04:41.511 --> 00:04:46.370 of Honor in the big war, he told President Bush to ease up on aid to 00:04:46.371 --> 00:04:54.120 the Contras - here is a good man, not 00:04:54.121 --> 00:04:58.850 like that tax collector. This 00:04:58.851 --> 00:04:59.870 tax collector 00:04:59.871 --> 00:05:04.710 who has collaborated with the Roman occupation forces to oppress his very 00:05:04.711 --> 00:05:07.180 own people. 00:05:07.181 --> 00:05:09.260 How do you think he, 00:05:09.261 --> 00:05:11.720 he bought that stretch limo? 00:05:11.721 --> 00:05:15.610 And why he's able to spend winters in 00:05:15.611 --> 00:05:18.460 Palm Beach and summers in 00:05:18.461 --> 00:05:21.870 Newport? Why he only drinks the best Scotch? Bought 00:05:21.871 --> 00:05:22.550 with 00:05:22.551 --> 00:05:28.500 money that he has squeezed out of the meager earnings of widows and orphans. 00:05:28.501 --> 00:05:33.400 The publican, the tax collector, is a 00:05:33.401 --> 00:05:37.400 bad man. Not 00:05:37.401 --> 00:05:39.200 only is this Pharisee 00:05:39.201 --> 00:05:40.520 00:05:40.521 --> 00:05:44.420 good, but the really attractive thing about him is that he thanks God 00:05:44.421 --> 00:05:46.670 for his goodness. 00:05:46.671 --> 00:05:51.240 He refuses to take any personal credit for his high moral tone as 00:05:51.241 --> 00:05:54.100 if this were somehow his personal achievement. 00:05:54.101 --> 00:05:59.550 Earlier that week, when he was tutoring some inner city kids in math as he does every week, he 00:05:59.551 --> 00:06:04.400 slipped up and said something like "Boys, I'm glad to say that I have never in 00:06:04.401 --> 00:06:07.620 my whole life stolen anything from anybody." 00:06:07.621 --> 00:06:12.520 Well, on the way home, he got to thinking bad about that remark as if it somehow implied 00:06:12.521 --> 00:06:17.490 that his goodness were of his own creation. And so he's at the chapel this morning 00:06:17.491 --> 00:06:18.070 to 00:06:18.071 --> 00:06:21.100 make clear to God 00:06:21.101 --> 00:06:27.880 that if he is good, it is because God has made him that way. "God, 00:06:27.881 --> 00:06:30.340 I thank thee. 00:06:30.341 --> 00:06:36.210 God I thank thee that, that I'm not like other people." Here is a good 00:06:36.211 --> 00:06:40.780 prayer from a very good man. 00:06:40.781 --> 00:06:45.930 And what does Jesus tell you about this good - good - good, very 00:06:45.931 --> 00:06:48.920 good man. 00:06:48.921 --> 00:06:54.390 He tells you that he was worse off when he came to 00:06:54.391 --> 00:06:58.050 church than that sleazy good-for-nothing tax 00:06:58.051 --> 00:07:02.600 collector who just waltzes in to the chapel, and he doesn't sing the hymns because he doesn't 00:07:02.601 --> 00:07:04.790 know the words. 00:07:04.791 --> 00:07:10.080 And when it comes time to prayer he can only get out a few halting, mumbling phrases "God," 00:07:10.081 --> 00:07:14.860 or "I mean, like God, uh, uh, 00:07:14.861 --> 00:07:15.640 00:07:15.641 --> 00:07:18.530 be merciful, uh, like to me, a 00:07:18.531 --> 00:07:20.320 sinner. Amen." 00:07:20.321 --> 00:07:23.280 00:07:23.281 --> 00:07:28.250 And Jesus tells you that this sleazy tax collector, staring down at the tips of his 00:07:28.251 --> 00:07:32.670 eelskins, and mumbling, 00:07:32.671 --> 00:07:36.409 was justified by 00:07:36.410 --> 00:07:38.820 God, but not our Citizen of the Year 00:07:38.821 --> 00:07:40.540 00:07:40.541 --> 00:07:43.860 Pharisee. 00:07:43.861 --> 00:07:48.700 I'm sorry that your mother had to hear this, because I know full well that she 00:07:48.701 --> 00:07:52.100 has told you otherwise. 00:07:52.101 --> 00:07:57.280 But here it is in the Bible. Just because 00:07:57.281 --> 00:08:02.149 you happen to be good at being good or 00:08:02.150 --> 00:08:04.580 good at religion, 00:08:04.581 --> 00:08:07.080 even if you were a good little girl or 00:08:07.081 --> 00:08:11.530 boy, that when it comes down to your basic relationship 00:08:11.531 --> 00:08:12.660 with 00:08:12.661 --> 00:08:16.890 God, all that is really quite irrelevant, even 00:08:16.891 --> 00:08:21.429 sometimes, surprise, detrimental. As far 00:08:21.430 --> 00:08:22.890 as God is 00:08:22.891 --> 00:08:28.160 concerned, both the Pharisee and the Publican 00:08:28.161 --> 00:08:31.009 are losers. 00:08:31.010 --> 00:08:36.180 But we say, wait a minute, isn't Jesus at least trying to make a little 00:08:36.181 --> 00:08:40.910 distinction between these two people. Isn't 00:08:40.911 --> 00:08:44.950 this proud Pharisee, okay, we know we're all sinners, but isn't this 00:08:44.951 --> 00:08:50.450 proud Pharisee, somehow, a little bigger sinner than this 00:08:50.451 --> 00:08:53.500 humble Publican? 00:08:53.501 --> 00:08:59.809 You see, you're making the same mistake that the Pharisee made, assuming 00:08:59.810 --> 00:09:01.530 that there is 00:09:01.531 --> 00:09:06.150 something within the behavior of this tax 00:09:06.151 --> 00:09:11.830 collector, maybe his humility or his penitence, that 00:09:11.831 --> 00:09:17.420 somehow weasels him in on God's good 00:09:17.421 --> 00:09:21.740 graces, it somehow earns him God's 00:09:21.741 --> 00:09:23.860 love. But you can forget it, 00:09:23.861 --> 00:09:30.729 because, look, we're talking God here - pure love, complete truth, utter honesty, pure 00:09:30.730 --> 00:09:35.090 righteousness - God.  We're not talking sorority rush, we're 00:09:35.091 --> 00:09:40.549 talking eternal life here and no human goodness, even the, even 00:09:40.550 --> 00:09:45.159 of the very good Pharisee variety 00:09:45.160 --> 00:09:46.930 is good 00:09:46.931 --> 00:09:49.430 enough for God's 00:09:49.431 --> 00:09:51.950 goodness. 00:09:51.951 --> 00:09:58.040 So here we come Sunday morning, trudging up to God, like at Pharisee, dragging 00:09:58.041 --> 00:10:03.020 along behind us in our Sunday school attendance pins and our confirmation certificate and 00:10:03.021 --> 00:10:05.720 our record of giving to the United Way, only 00:10:05.721 --> 00:10:07.480 to find out that God really 00:10:07.481 --> 00:10:11.590 isn't impressed with all that stuff.  " 00:10:11.591 --> 00:10:14.390 Cool it," says God. Look, save all that baggage for 00:10:14.391 --> 00:10:18.580 your application to law school. 00:10:18.581 --> 00:10:21.600 We're talking justification 00:10:21.601 --> 00:10:24.030 here. We're, we're talking the right to stand face to face, toe-to-toe 00:10:24.031 --> 00:10:28.510 with God almighty, not nomination to Alpha Phi 00:10:28.511 --> 00:10:35.000 Omega. The Pharisee is 00:10:35.001 --> 00:10:37.050 condemned because he's trying to slip through that narrow needle's eye 00:10:37.051 --> 00:10:41.660 that Jesus spoke of. 00:10:41.661 --> 00:10:44.730 Slipping 00:10:44.731 --> 00:10:44.870 in the needle's eye into God's kingdom while still clutching, clutching all 00:10:44.871 --> 00:10:50.210 that works and righteousness baggage. 00:10:50.211 --> 00:10:54.960 Whereas the tax collector gets welcomed because he's 00:10:54.961 --> 00:10:59.850 not holding on to anything. He's got nothing to hold onto, 00:10:59.851 --> 00:11:04.870 his hands are empty. He's got nothing, 00:11:04.871 --> 00:11:09.350 and what is more, he knows he's got nothing. 00:11:09.351 --> 00:11:12.690 He is a complete 00:11:12.691 --> 00:11:14.970 moral, social, religious loser, a dead 00:11:14.971 --> 00:11:19.400 duck, so far as his relationship to God is concerned. 00:11:19.401 --> 00:11:24.140 But fortunately, we know from a lot of other stories, here is a savior who 00:11:24.141 --> 00:11:29.180 just loves to raise the dead and just lives to 00:11:29.181 --> 00:11:33.710 seek and to save the lost and likes nothing better than to party 00:11:33.711 --> 00:11:38.430 with sinners. 00:11:38.431 --> 00:11:43.350 Now, 00:11:43.351 --> 00:11:43.470 let's be honest here. At this point, you may be thinking to yourself, what 00:11:43.471 --> 00:11:48.409 a fool this Pharise is for thinking that somehow he can get 00:11:48.410 --> 00:11:53.410 in with good with God through his good works. 00:11:53.411 --> 00:11:59.100 But 00:11:59.101 --> 00:11:59.250 don't be so quick to judge. Even now, I would bet you that 00:11:59.251 --> 00:12:04.140 even now, in the back of our minds we are anxiously rearranging ourselves in 00:12:04.141 --> 00:12:10.490 ways that are shockingly similar to that Pharisee. 00:12:10.491 --> 00:12:14.780 Come on now, isn't somebody out there thinking God, I thank 00:12:14.781 --> 00:12:19.960 thee that, well I'm not the best person in the world, I'm 00:12:19.961 --> 00:12:24.600 certainly better than that self-righteous bible-beating, priggish, literalist 00:12:24.601 --> 00:12:32.050 religious fanatic Pharisee. 00:12:32.051 --> 00:12:34.180 I don't make a big show out of my religion! 00:12:34.181 --> 00:12:38.800 You 00:12:38.801 --> 00:12:39.890 see, see? It's just, it's right back down the ole works-righteousnesss path we go. 00:12:39.891 --> 00:12:45.160 This time we're carrying different baggage, but we're still carrying 00:12:45.161 --> 00:12:50.010 baggage. And if you don't believe me, Robert 00:12:50.011 --> 00:12:56.320 Capon suggested we try this little experiment. Try this. 00:12:56.321 --> 00:13:01.420 Let's say that Jesus' parable does not end with just the two people going 00:13:01.421 --> 00:13:06.430 back home after Sunday morning justified. One of them 00:13:06.431 --> 00:13:10.620 justified, and one not. Let's say the story goes on. Now, okay, the 00:13:10.621 --> 00:13:16.440 the tax collector has gone back home and he's made right with God and, okay, the 00:13:16.441 --> 00:13:22.979 fellow's been forgiven. He's been accepted by loving infinitely 00:13:22.980 --> 00:13:27.640 forgiving and gracious God. Okay, now let's say 00:13:27.641 --> 00:13:32.340 it's next Friday night, and you're on your way with a family and you're 00:13:32.341 --> 00:13:37.140 driving through a seedy section 00:13:37.141 --> 00:13:38.750 of town and you happen to see coming out of the Kit Kat Club, peroxided 00:13:38.751 --> 00:13:44.289 blonde on each arm, ten dollar cigar in his mouth, getting into 00:13:44.290 --> 00:13:48.890 his pale pink limo. 00:13:48.891 --> 00:13:53.670 Now 00:13:53.671 --> 00:13:53.770 do you find this a little shocking, after all that grace and forgiveness that 00:13:53.771 --> 00:13:58.679 was given out on Sunday morning by 00:13:58.680 --> 00:14:01.780 God? 00:14:01.781 --> 00:14:03.580 But let me tell you, your shock at seeing him on Friday night is nothing 00:14:03.581 --> 00:14:08.760 compared to the shock you feel on the coming Sunday morning. 00:14:08.761 --> 00:14:13.960 Say you've settled into your seat here in the 00:14:13.961 --> 00:14:16.900 chapel and, it's, the service has begun and it's the 00:14:16.901 --> 00:14:20.820 opening prayer of 00:14:20.821 --> 00:14:22.550 confession and you're praying and suddenly you hear someone mumbling over to the 00:14:22.551 --> 00:14:27.199 side, it catches your attention and right there, down front, in front 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:31.870 of the cameras, the blondes and the cigar gone but you can still tell, it's him, mumbling 00:14:31.871 --> 00:14:38.700 of the cameras, the blondes and the cigar gone but you can still tell, it's him, mumbling 00:14:38.701 --> 00:14:43.550 out once again, "God, have mercy on me, a 00:14:43.551 --> 00:14:44.090 sinner". And this is too much. 00:14:44.091 --> 00:14:49.860 Okay, grace is amazing but, I mean, aren't there limits? 00:14:49.861 --> 00:14:56.330 Okay, grace is amazing but, I mean, aren't there limits? 00:14:56.331 --> 00:15:03.600 And 00:15:03.601 --> 00:15:03.680 And 00:15:03.681 --> 00:15:07.310 what about God in all this? 00:15:07.311 --> 00:15:10.930 At the end of the service, when the benediction is done and 00:15:10.931 --> 00:15:14.970 there is God sending this guy back down to his house, forgiven, made righteous, 00:15:14.971 --> 00:15:20.360 there is God sending this guy back down to his house, forgiven, made righteous, 00:15:20.361 --> 00:15:23.420 If the tax collector isn't going to change his ways, just a little, can't we expect God to 00:15:23.421 --> 00:15:28.450 If the tax collector isn't going to change his ways, just a little, can't we expect God to 00:15:28.451 --> 00:15:29.560 ways, just a little? 00:15:29.561 --> 00:15:35.490 ways, just a little? 00:15:35.491 --> 00:15:35.680 We 00:15:35.681 --> 00:15:40.930 gag at the injustice of the story. This little rat is getting 00:15:40.931 --> 00:15:45.409 But, 00:15:45.410 --> 00:15:45.710 but, what, what do we want? Now, what -what do we 00:15:45.711 --> 00:15:52.030 but, what, what do we want? Now, what -what do we 00:15:52.031 --> 00:15:57.140 the tax collector should again show up at church, but this time driving a 00:15:57.141 --> 00:16:02.030 Toyota and drinking cheaper scotch and giving the difference to Bread for the World? 00:16:02.031 --> 00:16:08.670 Toyota and drinking cheaper scotch and giving the difference to Bread for the World? 00:16:08.671 --> 00:16:08.880 Do 00:16:08.881 --> 00:16:13.950 we really think that if God gagged on that decidedly long list 00:16:13.951 --> 00:16:18.859 of good deeds of the Pharisee that God is going to somehow be more 00:16:18.860 --> 00:16:29.640 impressed by this short List of this allegedly better tax collector? 00:16:29.641 --> 00:16:29.779 No. What 00:16:29.780 --> 00:16:31.510 do we 00:16:31.511 --> 00:16:32.700 want? 00:16:32.701 --> 00:16:36.980 Do we want to mess up Jesus' perfectly outrageous 00:16:36.981 --> 00:16:41.180 story by sending the tax collector back to church next week 00:16:41.181 --> 00:16:46.810 Yeah, that's what I want! 00:16:46.811 --> 00:16:50.820 We 00:16:50.821 --> 00:16:51.010 We 00:16:51.011 --> 00:16:55.320 spend our lives before the mirror of other people's opinions of 00:16:55.321 --> 00:17:00.100 us, hoping that we can order our little lives in such a way, that 00:17:00.101 --> 00:17:04.680 somehow our points will measure up in their eyes, that they will total 00:17:04.681 --> 00:17:10.310 We just hate to stand naked before the gaze of God. We just hate to come 00:17:10.311 --> 00:17:15.680 We just hate to stand naked before the gaze of God. We just hate to come 00:17:15.681 --> 00:17:18.390 before God's altar empty handed with 00:17:18.391 --> 00:17:24.500 its consequence. 00:17:24.501 --> 00:17:28.880 That 00:17:28.881 --> 00:17:29.030 God must take us, losers that we 00:17:29.031 --> 00:17:36.390 God must take us, losers that we 00:17:36.391 --> 00:17:42.480 are, or we're not going to be taken at all. 00:17:42.481 --> 00:17:48.370 God's grace is a shock. That's why we 00:17:48.371 --> 00:17:51.960 grumble at the party that the old man threw for the returning 00:17:51.961 --> 00:17:52.680 prodigal 00:17:52.681 --> 00:17:54.119 son. "is this any way to run a 00:17:54.120 --> 00:17:56.070 family?" 00:17:56.071 --> 00:18:01.050 And we murmured mightily when the Lord of the harvest paid those people who showed up at the 00:18:01.051 --> 00:18:07.980 And 00:18:07.981 --> 00:18:08.200 And 00:18:08.201 --> 00:18:12.990 then later when he went off arm in arm to another tax collector's house, this 00:18:12.991 --> 00:18:15.000 stood in the crowd and said, "he's gone to have lunch at the home of a 00:18:15.001 --> 00:18:20.020 man who is a sinner!" 00:18:20.021 --> 00:18:24.470 man who is a sinner!" 00:18:24.471 --> 00:18:24.760 But 00:18:24.761 --> 00:18:26.510 who do we expect to have for 00:18:26.511 --> 00:18:30.780 Jesus to have lunch 00:18:30.781 --> 00:18:33.950 with? Sinners, 00:18:33.951 --> 00:18:39.140 be they of the good Pharisee variety or of the bad Publican 00:18:39.141 --> 00:18:43.250 variety - 00:18:43.251 --> 00:18:47.460 sinners, losers. 00:18:47.461 --> 00:18:52.399 We just hate to see ourselves as losers who need 00:18:52.400 --> 00:19:00.620 God to love us, to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. 00:19:00.621 --> 00:19:05.500 Now my earlier point was that some of you think I have it easy here just cause I only work one 00:19:05.501 --> 00:19:09.150 day a week. 00:19:09.151 --> 00:19:09.530 But 00:19:09.531 --> 00:19:13.330 you think it's easy to preach this parable 00:19:13.331 --> 00:19:19.390 here? I mean, parents, let's face it. 00:19:19.391 --> 00:19:24.590 Your kids are here because they're good. 00:19:24.591 --> 00:19:24.799 Lots 00:19:24.800 --> 00:19:29.780 of other parents have raised Publicans rather 00:19:29.781 --> 00:19:32.920 than Pharisees. 00:19:32.921 --> 00:19:41.180 A daughter at Duke no less, oh well, good for you! You must've been quite a parent. My, you 00:19:41.181 --> 00:19:46.530 must've done a very good 00:19:46.531 --> 00:19:46.920 job. 00:19:46.921 --> 00:19:51.700 And let's face it, they're good. I know they're good. Oh, there was 00:19:51.701 --> 00:19:55.700 a little matter about the late night call from the cops the night of her junior 00:19:55.701 --> 00:19:58.180 senior prom, but look, basically she's a 00:19:58.181 --> 00:20:03.020 good kid. Very 00:20:03.021 --> 00:20:07.990 good, very successful at being good and getting 00:20:07.991 --> 00:20:12.620 accepted and being successful. And 00:20:12.621 --> 00:20:19.310 yet here is a story that Jesus told about a loser who, 00:20:19.311 --> 00:20:26.250 while you were burning the midnight oil and hitting the books and getting into the college of your choice, 00:20:26.251 --> 00:20:26.680 cruised down 00:20:26.681 --> 00:20:31.050 the boulevard in a souped up Chevrolet and 00:20:31.051 --> 00:20:34.450 hid the six-pack in his gym locker and 00:20:34.451 --> 00:20:40.210 cheated his way through remedial math. And 00:20:40.211 --> 00:20:47.350 Jesus said, "God took him blessed him, justified him." 00:20:47.351 --> 00:20:52.370 I told you, it's an embarrassing story.