The Power to Change: The Stories of Matt, Peter, Mary, and You

The Power to Change

The Stories of Matt, Mary, Peter and You

John 20:1-18; 21:1-3

     “Human nature, if it changes at all, changes not much faster than the geological face of the earth.”

     That was the verdict of Nobel Prize winner, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in his Gulag Archipelago.  Of course, he was in a position to say that people don’t change in a way that most of us can't because he lived through one of the most thorough‑going attempts at social change ever made in history, the Russian Revolution.  He lived under the Czars and then under Soviet Communism both of which had the goal of changing all of society and even to creating a new kind of human being. 

    Solzhenitsyn concluded that the whole attempt had completely failed – and such attempts always will fail -- for one major reason, i.e., they do not count on the intractability of human nature.  He argued that people can't be changed in a generation; not in fifty generations.  Let’s face it:  Human nature doesn't seem to be changed easily for the good.  In our world, things don't evolve naturally from disorder to order, from bad to good – and that’s definitely true of people.

   Just think about us humans:  We can change in our understanding of and use of things like technology.  That kind of change happens.  But as we are able to control our environment more and more, we seem less and less able to control our emotions, our morals, our lives. On one side, we often can recognize right from wrong; we can long to live better than we do.  But can we do it?  Solzhenitsyn said no.

     So, am I going to say today that there no hope for any of us ever to overcome our failures and to become better people?  Are we who are human trapped in ways of life that we want to change but can’t?

     With that in mind, on this Easter 2016, you show up at Lake Avenue Church and you see that the pastor’s sermon title is “The Power to Change.” What am I going to say?  The first thing I want to do is to have you see a video of a young man in our own congregation, Matt Balentine.  I want you to hear his story and then I’ll come back and take up this topic.  https://bassemwahbi.smugmug.com/Clients/Video/2016/LAC/TestimonyMatthewBalentine/Page/n-PL7jbR

     You have just seen and heard the personal story of a young man who has courageously opened up his life and shared with us that he had become trapped in a destructive way of life that included addictive drugs.  And, he gives testimony to the fact that he now is finding freedom through faith in Jesus Christ.  Matt Balentine is telling us that, on one side, he had experienced that Solzhenitsyn was right in saying that we human beings cannot change on our own.  But he is also saying that, what is impossible for us on our own, is possible when we place our faith in Jesus.  Matt says that Jesus can change our lives.  Do you believe him? 

     Easter is about many things for those of us who follow Jesus.  But, on a very personal level, I want you to know that Easter is about the power to change.  We have already heard Matt’s story.  Let me show you two more: the stories of Mary Magdalene and of Peter told in John 20-21.  Each one is told, not as legends in the ancient world were told, but as eyewitness accounts – just like we heard from Matt.

Mary Magdalene’s Story: The Power to Overcome Hopelessness (John 20:1-2,11-18).

     Some of you may be aware of how author Dan Brown in his Da Vinci Code fictionalized that Mary Magdalene was the mistress or wife of Jesus.  Brown constructed a Mary who held the “Holy Grail”, which Brown seems to believe was the bloodline of Jesus through a child born through Mary Magdalene.  Let me tell you that there is not one bit of evidence in all of history that substantiates what Brown wrote. 

     What we do know about Mary is that Jesus had set Mary free from a way of life in which she had been enslaved by evil.  Dr. Luke, who who tells us about the liberating work of Jesus in Mary’s life, says there were seven demons she had to be set free from.  In the Bible, the language of “seven” speaks of completion.  What that number seven points to is that Mary’s life had been completely destroyed by the power of evil – emotionally, physically and spiritually.  Through much of church history, people have thought Mary might have been the woman who had been gripped by a life of prostitution told about in Luke 7.  If so, probably just to survive, Mary had been forced into a way of life that left her feeling worthless and hopeless.  In my experience, few people actually grow up as children wanting to be involved in something like prostitution.  No, they get trapped by it.  The affects of sin and evil in the world often drive a person in that direction – usually an attempt to survive financially.  It often seems impossible that anything could change.

     But, Mary met Jesus and he had set her from from the demons.  And it’s clear that she had followed him ever since – even going to the visit Jesus’ grave after his crucifixion. 

     At this point, I simply must stop and tell you something beautiful about Jesus: Jesus cares about and provides hope for all people.  In her time and culture, Mary would have been the least of people in the eyes of her world.  She was a woman in a male-dominant society.  She was viewed as having mental problems in a world in which mental issues were stigmatized. She was demonized.  And she may have been enslaved in prostitution.  That would certainly mean that respectable people would have said she is not respectable.  So, think about her life!  What kind of future could she possible have envisioned?  But then, Jesus had received her, set her free and called her to follow him.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is not that the perfect are in and the bad are out. It is that the humble are in and the proud are out.  Jesus lifts up the humble who trust in him.

     According to Lk 8:1-3, what Mary’s life had become after meeting Jesus was following and supporting Jesus together with a group of other women.  So, when we meet Mary in Jn 20, that’s what she had been doing for several years.  She had seen many of Jesus’ miracles.  She had heard Jesus say often that he would die in Jerusalem – but that he would rise from the dead.  Jesus had never spoken a word that had failed.  With that in your mind, on the day after Jesus’ death, Mary went to his tomb. It’s clear that the government authorities knew Jesus had said he would rise from the dead.  That’s why they put a guard at the tomb!  Still, having experienced all this, when Mary saw Jesus’ empty tomb, she didn’t believe he had risen.  She said in Jn 20:2: “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

     In some ways, Mary had been like Matt was in his childhood.  Matt went to church because his parents had taken him.  That was his pattern of life.  That’s what he had gotten accustomed to.  Like so many of us who go to church, Matt surely looked and talked like a person who was alive to God through faith in Jesus.

     In a similar way, Mary had developed a way of life of following Jesus with other followers.  It was a better way of life than she had before – that for sure!  But, I don’t think she had never truly believed in Jesus. 

     So, please make note of this:  At this point in her life, Mary didn’t know what else to do other than to go to the place where Jesus was.  What could she do?  Go back to prostitution?  She surely couldn’t grasp why God would allow such a thing as this to happen. 

     What God was doing was using this confusing and seemingly hopeless time in her life to draw her to himself – to true faith and not just to doing what others did.  Never forget this: When everything seems to be going wrong, God is still at work!

     You heard Mary’s story when it was read a few moments ago.  The risen Jesus appeared to Mary in the Garden.  At first, he simply called her what any stranger would have called her: “Woman!”  And she didn’t know him.  Mary thought he had to be the gardener.  Then Jesus called her by name, “Mary.” Then, the coin dropped.  Her eyes were opened. She knew.  She called him by what she had always called him, “Rabboni.”  That meant, “Teacher”, “the one I follow”.  I think Mary came alive to Jesus in a whole new way that day.

     In Jn 20:17, Mary holds on to Jesus.  She wanted simply to be close to him in the way she was before his death and resurrection.  I can understand that.  Can’t you?  But, Jesus lets Mary know what he lets us know in our own day, i.e.: From this time on, she would have to live by faith in him. Jesus essentially said, “Mary, I have died for you.  Now, I have work for you to do until I return.  Go, and be my witness.  Tell people there is hope in this world for I have defeated sin and death by my resurrection.”

     And, if the stories of the early church about Mary are true, then her life truly changed. She did not return to her former way of life but became a faithful witness to Jesus and an active part of the early church in Jerusalem.  Mary became known as the “apostle to the apostles” because Mary Magdalene was the one who brought the Easter message to Jesus’ own disciples.  She found a completely new life after believing in the resurrected Jesus.  She had found what we all need in our world, i.e., she had discovered through faith in the resurrected Jesus, the power to change.

Peter’s Story: The Power to Overcome Failure (John 20:3-10; 21:1-3)

     Peter had been the outspoken leader of the disciples.  Peter had claimed that all the other disicples might fail but he was different.  Jesus didn’t have to die for him, Peter thought.  “No, I’ll be the one who rescues you, Jesus.  I’ll die for you.”  But Peter had failed – miserably.  One night he lied about knowing Jesus.  And, he had denied Jesus.  Three times, he lied and denied.

     But, then in Jn 20, he and John got to see that the grave where Jesus had been buried was empty.  He was slower than John in running to get to the tomb but he had even seen Jesus’ linen clothing still there but without a body.  And he had heard from Mary that she had actually talked with Jesus.  Then, he had personally seen Jesus face to face on that evening when Jesus told that doubter Thomas to use his fingers to touch Jesus’ side.  So, when we meet Peter in Jn 21, he knew that Jesus had kept his word.  Jesus had risen!

     In spite of the resurrection, I’m quite sure Peter felt personally like a failure. Maybe Jesus would accept him back – but only in some 2^nd class status.  So, what did Peter do?  He went back to his old life.  He went fishing.  And he didn’t even do that well.  He didn’t catch a thing (on his own).  What we see in Peter is something we can all understand.  Peter had lost his way.  He surely thought, “No one will ever listen to me again.  No one will trust me.  I don’t trust myself.  I made such big promises and couldn’t keep them!” 

     Peter had claimed he would do better than everyone else.  He’d done the worst.  And yet, Jesus forgave him and restored him. Here’s some good news:  Jesus can heal anyone.  Restore anyone.  Jesus restored this old humbled failure and gave him a great commission! The lesson is that God does great things in our lives not because we are great performers – but when we are great repentors who follow Jesus simply by faith.

     Don’t miss this:  Jesus made Peter take personal responsibility for what he had done.  Jesus met Peter next to a fire.  Do you know where Peter had denied him?  By a fire.  Peter had denied Jesus three times.  Now, Jesus called Peter to confess his love for him three times.  Peter had to own up to his sin. And so do you.

   But don’t miss this either:  Jesus doesn’t demand that Peter now has to perform perfectly in the future.  Jesus doesn’t say, “Peter will you ever lie again?”  He doesn’t say, “Peter will you you never deny me again?”  That would only put Peter back where he was before, i.e., having to perform to earn Jesus’ favor.

     Jesus goes to the problem under the problem – to what led to Peter’s lying and denial.  He asks, “Peter, do you love me more?”  More than your accomplishments?  More than your reputation? Those were Peter’s real loves.    He had put his own reputation and pride in the place of Jesus – and they had failed him.  Peter had never really loved Jesus in the Hebrew sense of putting him first in his life.  Jesus called Peter to love him even more than self – or accomplishments – or anything.  And Peter said, “You know everything.  You know that I love you.”  And Jesus said, “Now, feed my sheep.”  It’s amazing.  God chooses those who fail in our own strength but then trust in Him – to be his representatives to the world.

     Matt’s life changed.  Mary’s life changed.  Peter’s life changed.  If human resources are all we have, then Solzhenitsyn was right that “human nature, if it changes at all, changes not much faster than the geological face of the earth.”   But, at Easter we remember that the One through whom the geological face of the was created entered this world, and he has the power to change anything – even death into life!  Jesus can change you!  Jesus is ready to offer you forgiveness for whatever is in your past and a new life for your future.

     What do you have to do?  Like Matt, Mary and Peter, you have to take responsibility for the failures and sins of your past.  You need to turn from them and ask Jesus to forgive you.  Then, believe in him. You need to entrust your life by faith – as Jesus told Peter, to make him the first love of your life.  Ask him to come into your life and be your savior and Lord.

     My call to you:  Add your story to the stories we’ve heard today: of Matt and Mary and Peter.  Add your name to those who have experienced the resurrection power of Jesus to change things.  As you consider how to respond to that invitation, I want you to experience in a new way – through God’s gifts of spoken word, dance, and music --, these stories of lives changed by the power of the resurrected Jesus.

And now, may the God of peace,

who brought back again from the dead our Lord Jesus,

equip you with all you need for doing his will.

May he produce in you,through the resurrection power of Jesus Christ,

all that is pleasing to him;

To him be glory forever and ever. Amen

改變的大能 馬修、瑪莉亞、彼得和你的故事 約翰福音 20:1-18; 21:1-3

        "假如人性能有所改變，那麼不會比地球表面的地理狀況改變得更快。” 這是諾貝爾得獎者亞歷山大蘇忍尼辛在"古拉格群島"一書中的结论。當然，他能說出這樣的話，不是我們大多數人可以說的，因他經歷過歷史上最徹底的社會變革，俄國大革命。他在沙皇統治下，然後又在蘇聯共產黨政權下生活，兩大政權同樣的都以改變社會，創造新的人類為目標。

       蘇忍尼辛總結論是，這一切的嘗試前功盡棄，而且如此的嘗試注定要失敗。一個主要的原因就是他們轻看了人性的頑固。他認為人要改變，整整一代人根本改不了，五十代都不行。人要正視：人性看來不是那麼容易往好的方向改變。事物並不自然的從無序到有序、從毀壞的到美好地進化，這對人來說也是如此。

     想想我們人類：我們可以改變對科技的了解和應用，這類的改變發生了，但是我們卻越來越不能改變我們的環境，對我們的情感、道德和生活越來越不能掌控。一方面，我們能辨別對錯，渴望過一個比我們更好的生活，但我們做的到嗎？蘇忍尼辛說做不到。     那麼我今天是不是要說每個人都沒有希望能夠克服自己的失敗成為更好的人？我們人性是否落在生活方式的網羅中不能自拔？    帶著這樣的思想，在2016年復活節裡，你來到湖道教會聽牧師的講道，題目是"改變的大能"。那我要說什麼呢？我先請大家看一段視頻，講的是我們這個年代的一個名叫Matt Balentine的年輕人。我想大家先聽聽他的故事，然後我再回到主題。 https://bassemwahbi.smugmug.com/Clients/Video/2016/LAC/TestimonyMatthewBalentine/Page/n-PL7jbR    你剛剛看到聽到一個年輕人的故事，他有勇氣敞開他的生活，跟大家分享他是如何陷入毀滅性的生活方式中，包括毒癮。他見證一個事實，就是透過基督裡的信心如今他找到了自由。 馬修告訴我們，一方面他經歷蘇忍尼辛所說的，完全正確，就是人類無法靠自己改變，但是他說當我們把信心放在基督裡就成為可能。 馬修說耶穌可以改變我們的生活。你相信他嗎？    復活節對我們跟隨耶穌的人來說意義眾多。但是，在很個人的方面，我想讓你知道復活節是有關改變的大能。我們已經聽了馬修的故事。讓我簡單再給你們兩個人的例子：約翰福音20－21章記載的瑪利亞和彼得的故事。兩個故事的講述都不是古代傳奇故事，而是見證事件－就像我們聽見馬修講述一樣。 瑪利亞的故事: 勝過絕望的大能 (約翰福音 20:1-2,11-18).      我們得知，瑪利亞是耶穌將她為奴之身從邪惡中拯救出來成為自由的。路加博士告訴我們耶穌在瑪利亞身上做釋放的工作，將七個鬼從她裡面給趕出去。在聖經中，七這個數字表明瑪利亞的生活曾經被邪惡的勢力倾覆毁灭－情感、身体和灵性耗尽一切。在教会历史中，有许多人认为玛丽亚可能就是路加福音7章中描绘的那位妇人，曾经被生活所逼以行淫为生。如果真是如此，瑪利亞也是被迫過上這種的生活方式，毫無價值和盼望的人生。在我的經歷中，很少看見有人从小長大就愿意捲入像行淫這樣的事。他們都是陷在網羅中。常常是世界的罪惡逼迫一個人不得已朝著這一方向而去－通常是為生存物質所逼。看起來不會有任何改變的可能性。

        但是，瑪麗亞遇見了耶穌，而且耶穌將她身上的鬼趕出來。聖經非常清楚明白地告訴我們，從那個時候起瑪利亞就跟隨耶穌，甚至在耶穌被釘十字架之後，她一路跟隨到他的墳墓。

        在這點上，我要告訴你關於耶穌的奇妙之事：耶穌關心所有人，也為他們帶來盼望。在瑪利亞的年代和文化背景下，她在她那個世界的眼中是最卑微的人。她處於男權橫行的年代。那個年代精神問題是被非難的，她被人認為有精神問題。她被鬼附身。並且她還可能被奴役賣婬。 這意味著當時受人敬重的人一定會說她是不受人尊重的。 想想她的生活。她能預見什麽樣的未來呢? 然而，耶穌接納了她，釋放了她的捆綁，並且呼召她跟隨他。 耶穌基督的福音不是叫完美的人進來，敗壞的人出去。他的福音是叫謙卑的人進入，驕傲的人出去。耶穌抬高那些信靠他的謙卑的人。

        所以，根據約翰福音8章13節， 在遇見耶穌后瑪利亞的生活發生了改變: 她從此跟隨耶穌，並且和其他一群的婦女支持耶穌。所以我們讀到約翰福音20章，這個時候的瑪利亞已經跟隨耶穌多年了。她見證耶穌很多的神跡，也常常聼耶穌說他將在耶路撒冷受死—但是他又會從死裏復活。耶穌的話從來都沒有落空。她心裏存著這話，耶穌死後，瑪利亞就跑去他的墳墓。當時的官府清楚知道耶穌說過他會從死裏復活，所以他們在他的墳墓外設置兵丁看守！ 然而即使是這樣，當瑪利亞看到耶穌空的墳墓，她仍然不能相信耶穌已經從死裏復活了。她在約翰福音20章2節説道：“ 有人把主從墳墓裡挪了去，我們不知道放在那裡”

      在某种意義上，瑪利亞就像是我們前面提到的小時候的馬修。馬修去教會是因爲他的父母帶他去。這是他的生活模式。他已經習慣了的。就像我們常去教會的人一樣，馬修無論從外表還是談吐上看起來都像是一個在神的裏面有生命的人。

        同樣的，瑪利亞和其他一群跟隨者已經形成了一種跟隨主耶穌的生活方式。這比她以前的生活方式要好許多—那是肯定無疑！但是，我不認為她沒有真正相信耶穌。

      所以，請大家注意這一點：在她生命的此刻，瑪利亞不知道除了跑去耶穌在的地方她還能做什麽。 她能做什麽？回到過去賣婬的生活嗎？她一定無法理解爲什麽神會允許像這樣（主耶穌受盡折磨被釘十字架的事情）發生。

        神所做的乃是使用一個讓人困惑，看來在她生命中無望的時刻，吸引瑪利亞來到他自己裏面—來到真實的信心當中，而不是盲從做別人做的事情。永遠不要忘記：當一切事物看起來失控亂套的時候，神仍然在掌權。

        在剛才念的經文中你已經聼過瑪利亞的故事了。復活的耶穌在園子裏向瑪利亞顯現。一開始，他只是以貌似陌生人打招呼的方式叫她：“婦人”。瑪麗亞並不知道這是主耶穌。 瑪利亞以為他是看園子的。這個時候，耶穌叫她的名字“瑪利亞”。就像一個硬幣落地一樣，她的眼睛開了，她明白是誰在喊她，“拉波尼”。意思是，“夫子”，或者“我跟隨的那一位”。我認爲那一天瑪利亞對主耶穌的信仰達到了一個前所未有的全新的高度。

        在約翰福音20章17節，瑪利亞想要摸耶穌。她只是單單地想要靠近耶穌，就如耶穌受死和復活之前那樣。我能理解這一點。你呢？但是，耶穌讓瑪利亞知道，也是他讓我們知道的一件事，那就是從此刻起，瑪利亞得要靠信心在他的裏面活著。 耶穌基本上就是說，“瑪利亞，我已經為你死了。現在，我有要你去完成的工作，直等到我再來。你去，為萬民做我的見證。告訴人們在這個世界有盼望，因為我的復活已經戰勝了罪和死亡。”

        而且， 如果初期教會有關瑪利亞的故事是真實的，那麼她的生命真正改變了。她沒有回到過去的生活，而是變成一個主耶穌忠實的見證人，在耶路撒冷初期教會中爲主積極做工。瑪利亞成爲了“使徒們的使徒”因爲她將復活的信息傳給了耶穌自己的門徒們。她從死而復活的耶穌身上找到了一個嶄新的生命。 她找到了我們所有人在這個世界上都需要的，那就是通過對主耶穌的信靠，她找到了改變的大能。

彼得的故事：戰勝失敗的大能（約翰福音20章：3-10節；21章：1-3節）

彼得是門徒中快人快語的領袖。他曾大言不慚說，若是其他所有門徒背叛主，他也永遠不會。耶穌不用為我死，彼得這麽想。“不，我會是那個解救你的人，耶穌。我會為你而死”。但是彼得卻跌倒了——而且跌得非常慘重。耶穌被賣的那個晚上，他撒謊說不認識耶穌。然後，他又否認耶穌。三次，他撒謊不認主。

        但是，在約翰福音的第20章，他和約翰跑去看埋葬耶穌的墳墓是空的。他跑得比約翰慢，但是他看見纏裹耶穌遺體的細麻布還放在那裡，卻沒有看到耶穌的屍體。並且他從瑪利亞那裏聽説了她和主耶穌的對話。然後，他親眼面對面看到了耶穌，同一天晚上多疑的多馬用他的手指探入耶穌曾經被刺的肋旁。所以，當我們在21章讀到彼得的時候，他知道耶穌遵守他自己的諾言。耶穌復活了！

        儘管耶穌復活了，我很肯定彼得覺得自己是一個很失敗的人。也許耶穌會接納彼得，但只會把他放在二等之類的位置上。所以，彼得懷著這樣的想法，他怎麽做？他重操舊業。他出去打魚了，但不順。他靠自己一條魚都沒有捕到。從彼得身上看到我們都能理解的東西。彼得甚為失落。他一定這樣想，“沒有人再會聼我的了。沒有人再會相信我了。我都不相信自己。我向神承諾如此之大，結果我卻無法兌現我的諾言。”

        彼得曾經宣稱他會比其他任何人都做得更好。結果他卻做得最差。 但是，耶穌赦免他，並且重新使用他。這是一個好消息：耶穌可以醫治任何一個人。他可以重新恢復任何一個人。他恢復了一個謙卑下來的失敗者，並且給他一個很大的使命。這裡的功課是主耶穌在我們的生命中行大事並不是因爲我們能夠做大事—而是當我們深深悔改的時候，成為單單在信心中跟隨耶穌的人。

        不要錯過這點: 耶穌讓彼得為他自己做過的事情承擔責任。耶穌在炭火旁與彼得相見。你們記得彼得在哪裏不認主嗎？就是在炭火旁。他三次不認主。現在，耶穌呼召彼得三次承認對主的愛。彼得必須當衆認自己的罪。你們也一樣。

        但也不要錯過這點：耶穌並沒有要求彼得將來都要表現得完美。耶穌沒有說，“彼得你以後還會撒謊嗎？”他沒有說，“彼得你以後還會不認主嗎？”倘若他這樣問了，就會把彼得放在他原來的位置，那就是要去靠自己贏得主耶穌的喜悅。

      耶穌進入問題的根本—到底什麼導致彼得撒謊和不認主。他問，“彼得，你愛我比這些更深嗎？”你愛我比你的成就更多嗎？比你的名望更多嗎？這些曾經都是彼得貪慕的。他曾將自己的名聲和驕傲放在耶穌基督的位置—卻是這些東西最後讓他跌倒。彼得從來沒有愛主耶穌到一個地步，在希伯來意義上就是生命首位的地步。耶穌呼召彼得要愛主勝過自己—或者個人的成就—或者任何事情。彼得說,“主啊，你是無所不知的；你知道我愛你。” 然後耶穌說，“你餵養我的羊。”這是很奇妙的。神揀選那些曾經依靠自己而跌倒但是現在完全信靠主的人—來成爲他在這個世界上的代言人。

        馬修的生命得到改變。瑪利亞的生命改變了。彼得的生命改變了。如果人類的資源就是我們的一切，那麽蘇忍尼辛說的對“假如人性能有所改變，那麼不會比地球表面的地理狀況改變得更快。”但是，在復活節我們要想起有這樣一位創造了地球表面地理面貌的主來到人世，而且他有改變萬事的大能—甚至死而復活。耶穌可以改變你。不論你過去發生過什麼，耶穌預備好赦免你，給你的未來一個嶄新的生命。

        你必須做什麽來回應呢？像馬修，瑪利亞和彼得一樣，你必須承擔自己過去的失敗和罪的責任。你需要從這些失敗和罪中回轉並且請求耶穌的饒恕。然後，全然相信他。你需要將你的生命因信交托給他—就像耶穌告訴彼得的，讓主成為生命中首先的愛。邀請他進入你的生命成爲你的救主。

        我對你們的呼召是：將你的經歷也加到我們今天聽到的馬修，瑪利亞和彼得的故事裏。將你的名字加到那些經歷耶穌復活和改變大能的名單中。

“若有人在基督裡，他就是新造的人，舊事已過，都變成新的了。” 哥林多后書5章17節

榮耀歸給神，

Greg Waybright博士

主任牧師

祂的荣耀，

格雷格Waybright博士
主任牧師

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