[0:00] Thank you for tuning into this message by David Entry. Every True Revival is a product of the strong preaching of God's Word. May you receive a word from this message that will spark a revival in you.
[0:13] Acts chapter 3, reading from verse 13 to 20. The God of Abraham and of Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his son Jesus, whom he delivered up and denied him in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go.
[0:32] But he denied the Holy One and the just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of Life whom God has raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses.
[0:48] And his name through faith in his name has made this man strong, whom ye see and know. Yea, the faith which is by him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of your.
[1:01] And now, brethren, I want that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things which God beforehand had shewed by the mouth of all the prophets that Christ should suffer, he has so fulfilled.
[1:21] Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
[1:33] And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you. Here ends the reading of God's word. Father, we pray that as we are gathered together to get into your word, we pray that reveal Jesus to us.
[1:47] We pray, teach us your word. We pray, give us listening ears, seeing eyes, that we will behold wondrous things from your word. We pray that let your word bring deliverance.
[2:00] Let your word bring salvation. Let your word bring healing. Let your word bring illumination. Let your word bring direction. Let your word bring comfort. And let your word bring hope.
[2:12] All to the glory of your name in Jesus' name. Amen. Hallelujah. Please be seated. As you all know, in the previous teaching, when I was explaining, I told you I'll come back to break it down, because I just wanted to talk about the terminologies Peter used to describe Jesus.
[2:33] And so I'm back to now break it. I covered till verse 24, but I want to sink my teeth into the flesh of the text a little bit, and then we go systematically.
[2:45] But Pastor O helped so much by covering the major part of it, because the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that's how he chose to be known. He chose to reveal himself in the Old Testament when he hadn't physically manifested.
[2:58] So the best way I can reveal myself is to attach myself to the names of these three people. God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob. So it's a very important subject. And now, when you look at the text again, it says, Peter said in verse 13, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his son.
[3:21] Praise God. It says that this God we are talking about, he chose to do something which only him could do. The Bible says that he has glorified his son.
[3:33] Say glorified his son. When Jesus resurrected from the dead, he met some disciples, and he says that, O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have written.
[3:45] Luke chapter 24 from verse 25. Then Jesus said unto them, O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.
[3:57] Now that's very important. If you believe all that the prophets have spoken, you won't have a struggle to understand what was happening with Jesus. So that was the problem of the Jews.
[4:08] They were reading the prophets every day. Why were the prophets given? The prophets were given to describe and to point to the coming one so that when he comes, you won't miss him because he must fit the description of the prophets.
[4:23] So everything Jesus did was not detached from what the prophets have said in scripture. So Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 from verse 1.
[4:34] It talks about how, first of all, I declare unto you the gospel which I preach unto you, which I have received, wherein you stand. Verse 3 talks about, I deliver unto you first of all that which I have also received.
[4:47] how Christ died for our sins. How did he do it? According to the scripture. Do you understand? That's so important. Now the next verse, he resurrected, even at the resurrection, is still based on scripture.
[5:03] So everything Christ came to do has already been spoken of. Romans chapter 1 verse 1, Paul, an apostle by the will of God, separated unto the gospel of God.
[5:14] Then he tells us what the gospel is primarily about. It's not about your peace. The gospel is not about my blessings. It's not about your blessing. It's not about how God can deliver you, the miracles God can do.
[5:28] That's not fundamental aspect of the gospel. The fundamental aspect of the gospel in the next verse, look at verse 2 again. He promised this gospel before, okay, promised before.
[5:39] Give us New King James, please. He promised before, through his prophets, in the holy scriptures. So when the Bible, in the New Testament, when you hear the word prophets, we are talking about those who spoke in the Old Testament.
[5:53] So those whose words were scripture. That's important. So then in the New Testament, the scripture kept making references to the prophets because whatever we are supposed to be enjoying from God or however we are supposed to know God has already been spoken about by the prophets.
[6:09] Jesus came to manifest God. John chapter 1 verse 18. He came to declare God. He has manifested him. He has defined him. He has declared him. But before he showed up to do anything in declaration and definition of God, the prophets have already said he was coming.
[6:25] So everybody who had encounters with the prophet looked for one thing. Anytime anyone had an encounter with the prophet, that's why John the Baptist was the greatest of all of them because when you meet John the Baptist, he's telling you there's somebody coming.
[6:38] John chapter 1 verse 15. John bore record of him and he says that after me comes a person who is preferred before me because he was before me. That was his message. He said there's someone coming and that was actually the message of the prophets.
[6:52] Moses spoke about the coming one. Elijah spoke about the coming one. David spoke about the coming one. Samuel spoke about the coming one. Zephaniah spoke about the coming one. Zechariah, Malachi, Naohum, Habakkuk, all of them, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, they all spoke about the coming one.
[7:08] That was their message. The message of the prophets was about the coming one. And here we can see, in fact, in Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1, it says, God, who in times past spoke to our fathers by the prophets.
[7:23] So the fathers of the Jews expected a coming one. Why? Because they heard the prophets speak. When you hear the prophets speak, you don't have any option but to look for the coming one.
[7:36] Jesus said this to the Jews in John chapter 5 that you think you are Moses' disciples. He said, if you were to believe Moses, John 5 verse 46, he said, if you believed Moses, you would believe me.
[7:48] Why? I was his subject. Whatever Moses wrote was about me. Now, he says that the God of our fathers, now that is a very important phrase.
[8:01] So the God of our fathers, the God who spoke to our fathers, our fathers expected something. Our fathers expected the coming of a Messiah. In fact, in Acts 13, 32, it made reference to the fathers.
[8:13] He said that, we declare to you glad tidings. That promise which was made to the, did you see that? How did he make it? By the prophets. So, if you have been raised, like Pastor Hu spoke about, we raise our children to serve our God.
[8:29] And if you were raised by your fathers, talking about the Jews, then you don't have an option but to look for the coming of the Messiah. So they spoke about the God of our fathers and there's one message he gave that he himself is going to come as the Messiah one day.
[8:45] So that was the biggest breakthrough of Jews. They always look forward to the coming of the Messiah. And I said, the God of our fathers, verse 13 again, the God of our fathers has glorified, has glorified his servant Jesus.
[8:59] He chose. So, when you look at the Old Testament, it was always talking about the coming of the Messiah. But there are things he said about the Messiah that were said about the Messiah in the Old Testament which they, sometimes, the Jews couldn't put all together in one.
[9:13] So they had disjointed aspects of the Messiah. They thought the Messiah was only going to be a conquering king. So he's coming and he's going to ride on a horse to overcome the Romans who were oppressing them.
[9:27] So, at that time, by the time Jesus was coming, they were under strict and tyrannical rule of the Romans. Oppressive Roman rule. And they were waiting for the times of refreshing.
[9:40] They were waiting for breath of fresh air because they knew that the Messiah is going to be the son of David. Why? Because David was the only king of Israel who never lost a battle.
[9:52] He's the king of Israel par excellence. He was the epitome of how the king of Israel should be. David was the classic king. And God said to David that when you die, I'm going to actually raise a son after you who is going to establish the kingdom forever.
[10:09] So the Israelites knew that the Messiah, that's why he said, who the Messiah, Matthew chapter 22, the Messiah, whose son is he? David, Jesus asked them. And they said, but this is a small question.
[10:21] David, obviously. Because they all knew that there was coming this son of David who is going to reign and restore the kingdom to Israel. Because David established the kingdom and through apostasy, the different godless kings and godless leaders who will not follow Jehovah, who will not follow the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, through these godless kings, they lost the kingdom.
[10:47] And so now, they've missed so much that the Romans are now ruling them. So they are waiting for this Davidic king. King who is going to come after the order of David. Does that make sense when he says that Jesus, thou son of David.
[11:00] When the angel visited Mary and was telling Mary that you are going to have a son, in Luke chapter 1, verse 29, an angel visited Mary, verse 30, 31, the angel told Mary, you are going to have a son and he's going to sit on the throne of his father David.
[11:16] He says that he will be great and he will be called the son of the highest and the Lord shall give him the throne of his father David. Jesus, the son of David. So they expected this Davidic, messianic king coming.
[11:29] Everybody expected. And so guess what? In the time of oppression, when you think about the Messiah, automatically, you think about relief. You think about deliverance.
[11:40] Just the way, if you preach the gospel to somebody who is in hospital, it's likely he's believing God that as I get born again, may I also be healed. When you preach the gospel to somebody in prison, he's not thinking about healing.
[11:54] He's thinking about release. When you preach the gospel to somebody who is going through a lot of poverty and hunger, he's not thinking about just salvation.
[12:05] He's thinking about breakthrough and prosperity. prosperity. That's why we cannot say the message of prosperity is not Christian. It is Christian, but that's not the basis.
[12:16] That's not the core of the message. But it's, if you are sick, there's nothing, who doesn't like healing? Who doesn't like release from prison? Who doesn't like good marriage?
[12:30] So, they were expecting deliverer. They remember how God raised these mini, mini, micro, mini judges.
[12:42] Mini messiahs called judges. Like Samson. Like Jephthah. Like Deborah. Like Othniel. Like Gideon. God raised these mini messiahs.
[12:53] And they wrote victory for Israel. They brought Israel like Moses. And Moses said, God is going to bring a prophet like me. He'll bring you out of tyranny. He'll bring you out of captivity.
[13:04] So, their expectation of this messiah was a phenomenal deliverer and a general. A warlord. That's why Peter said, when Jesus said they should buy a sword when they are coming to arise him, he said, you can't.
[13:20] That's why when he said I'm going to go to the cross, Peter said, God forbid, you are the messiah now. The messiah is supposed to deliver us. What are you talking about? But one thing they didn't realize is that the messiah was also supposed to be a suffering servant.
[13:35] He was meant to die. What kind of conqueror is this? He's going to die. God forbid. No, it cannot be. So, they didn't know.
[13:46] So, when Jesus resurrected from the dead, he said, oh foolish and slow of heart to believe all. To believe all. That means they believed some.
[13:57] but he got to believe all that the prophet because the messiah or the Christ is supposed to be the convergence of so many different things that have been said in one person.
[14:10] So, believe all. Then look at the next statement he made in Luke, the same text. It says that ought not the messiah that same is Christ to so, really? So far? No, no, no.
[14:22] We don't expect messiah. You read the text. Isaiah spoke extensively about the suffering of the messiah. Ought not the messiah to have suffered these things you are talking about that they've crucified.
[14:35] That's exactly what was described about the messiah to suffer. So, ought not the messiah to have suffered these things but that's not the end. It's after the suffering glory.
[14:47] Ah. But you miss the suffering aspect and so you were thinking about him in his conquering aspect. So, it says that all these are the worst of Jesus.
[15:00] You are slow of hearts. Fools. You are slow of hearts. I'm not saying to you. I'm just quoting the scripture. He's talking to us. These are fools. Slow of hearts to believe all the messiah or ought not that Christ to have suffered these things and then entered his glory.
[15:16] Say glory. Glory. What does it mean to enter his glory? In John chapter 12 verse 22 some people came and they said we want to see Jesus and when they said we want to see Jesus they came to Philip and they asked saying sir we want to see Jesus and then Philip brought them to Jesus and then do you know what Jesus said?
[15:33] Verse 23 Jesus answered and said the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. And do you know what he was talking about?
[15:44] He was about to go into the grave. Look at the next statement. He gave this statement that except the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies it abides alone but if it dies it brings forth much fruit.
[15:54] He's talking about his going to the grave is the beginning of the glorification. In John chapter 7 on the last day the great day of her feet he stood with a loud voice verse 37 and said if any man test let him come to me and drink for whoever believes in me as the scriptures have said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters.
[16:12] Verse 39 this spake he concerning the spirit which they which believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost have not yet been given. Why? Because Jesus was not yet glorified.
[16:25] So really the apostles had the opportunity to preach a glorified Jesus but they preached a crucified Jesus because the crucifixion was not the end of the story after the crucifixion glorification followed.
[16:38] And so the glory of Jesus Christ was something that had already been prophesied. Isaiah chapter 55 verse 5 spoke about how Jesus will be glorified. So it wasn't something that wasn't part of the script but there was the need for him to go through the suffering first before his glorification.
[16:55] So just before he went to the cross in John chapter 17 verse 1 Jesus prayed a prayer. That was his prayer to God. When he was about to pray Jesus spoke these words lifted up his eyes to heaven and said Father the hour has come glorify your son that your son also may glorify you.
[17:15] It's the time of glorification and what exactly did he mean by the glorification? In John chapter 13 verse 31 and 32 he was also speaking about how the son of man should be glorified.
[17:28] So when he had gone out Jesus said now the son of man is glorified and God is glorified in him verse 32 if God is glorified in him God will also glorify him in himself and glorify himself immediately.
[17:44] This glorification what exactly did he mean? Is it the death? No there's no glory in dying but the glorification was pointing to the resurrection and the ascension.
[17:55] So God glorified Jesus through the resurrection and the ascension. God glorified Jesus through the resurrection and the ascension. In Ephesians chapter 1 verse 19 where it talks about the power that works towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power.
[18:13] Now we are going to 22 look at verse 20 it says that which the power this talking about God which God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead.
[18:25] Now watch this this is very important who raised him from the dead? Who raised him from the dead? God raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places far above principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come and he put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.
[18:53] Now this is glorification. This is the glorification he's talking about. Do you remember Philippians chapter 2 verse 7? Wherefore he became obedient to the death on the cross.
[19:04] Bible says that he humbled himself from verse 5 let this man be in you which was also in Christ who would be in the form of God counted in no robbery equality to God something to grasp onto but he made himself of no reputation and became obedient unto death even the death on the cross hallelujah being found in the appearance became and Bible being found in appearance as man he humbled himself became obedient to the point of death even the death that's shameful high nose and disgusting type of death he reduced himself so much that he went even as far as being dead on the cross now the glorification started from the verse 9 wherefore can you say wherefore you can just say therefore because of the suffering therefore God also has highly that's glorification now that's glorification now highly exalted him and giving him a name which is above every name verse 10 that at the name of Jesus that at the name of Jesus say at the name say at the name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven of those on earth and those things under the earth and every tongue should confess thank you that Jesus is Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father brothers and sisters
[20:24] I submit to you that is how God glorified him and now we are serving a glorified Jesus he was the crucified Jesus but he's now glorified now watch this Peter submits to them that the God of our fathers glorified his son Jesus God glorified him by elevating him by resurrecting him from the grave because he was resurrected now look at what he said glorified his servant Jesus whom you delivered you people delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate they delivered him up Bible says in Acts chapter 2 verse 23 he being delivered by the determined purpose and the full knowledge of God yet he was delivered they handed him they took him they took him Bible said he came to his own his own didn't receive him it is your household people who can hurt you most yeah that's why divorce can be a very painful thing because people who can hurt you most are those who have come closest to you betrayers must be insiders for you to work oh yes be careful who you call your best friend betrayers must be insiders one of the things that has plagued many leaders is betrayers betrayers many churches have collapsed because of betrayers they smile with you hello pastor it's not true it's not true we are happy to see you it's not true it's not true that's how a man the guy it's not true it's not true yeah insiders insiders can do the best job for the enemy so then when you are an insider you have to watch out because you are
[22:24] Satan's prime vessel you have to be careful who you listen to or what you decide to take offense in because you'll be the betrayer you'll be the betrayer when you are an insider that means you have to put extra layer of security four tier layer security verification code and different different it's important so he says that you delivered him they delivered up Jesus and not just that when they delivered him Pontius Pilate 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 13 Jesus witnessed a good profession before Pontius Pilate the Bible says that I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate he stood before Pontius Pilate so they delivered him to Pontius Pilate and after they delivered him
[23:26] Pontius Pilate because of Jesus good confession he realized that this man I cannot be part of his demise so he said no guys let's not do this this guy is too good let's not do this and they went as far as after delivering him deny him when Pontius Pilate was determined there are strong words there look at the text strong words there let's put you on the screen if you don't mind it says that you delivered him up and denied him in the presence of Pontius Pilate who was determined to let him go Pontius Pilate was so determined he had made up his mind that I will not kill this guy yeah he was determined Luke chapter 23 verse 16 look at that Luke chapter 23 verse 16 and then verse 20 I would therefore chastise him and release him he was determined he wanted to release him look at the verse 20 and 22 he said Pilate therefore wishing to release Jesus again called out to them let's go to verse 21 and 22 because it's called out verse 21 but they shouted saying crucify him these people were very callous that hatred they had for Jesus was unexplainable but it wasn't human even though it was human they shouted crucify him then look at verse 22
[24:55] Pontius Pilate then he said to them the third time why why the enemy of the Jews was defending Jesus he said why what evil has he done then he said I have found no reason for death in this man I will therefore chastise him and let him go they said no you can't let him go you can't let him go in John chapter 19 Bible says that he told Jesus I have the power to let you go and then from verse 11 12 13 Bible says that from that time forward he sought to release him yes from then on Pilate sought to release him but the Jews cried out saying hey if you let this man go they used political language if you let this man go you are not fit for the office you are not fit for the office for letting Jesus go how can he let him go this guy is not a friend he speaks against Caesar he says he's the one coming to overthrow Caesar he's an insurrectionist how can you let him go if you don't deal with this insurrectionist you are not fit to be in the office you are actually an enemy of Caesar politically backed off so the point is they denied him even though
[26:08] Pontius Pilate that word he was determined he was determined but the Jews said we would deny him they delivered him and then after they delivered him he was determined to let him go and then they denied him wow the Jews they denied him Mark chapter 8 verse 8 verse 31 says something interesting here and he began to teach them that the son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed and after three days he'll rise said he'll be rejected they rejected him Bible says that he's the stone chosen of God precious stone rejected indeed of men 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 4 rejected of men but chosen of God rejected indeed of men they denied him but that's God's choice so you remember Peter told them the stone which ye the builders rejected Acts chapter 4 has become the chief cornerstone said this is talking about
[27:08] Jesus he said concerning Jesus that Jesus is the stone which was rejected by the builders you builders it has become the cornerstone so they rejected him they denied him and they verse 14 in Acts chapter 3 verse 14 rejected him even though Pontius Pilate was determined to let him go but they denied the holy one and the just and asked they requested please instead of letting this one go can you give us the killer they actually asked give us the killer it tends to happen often when people become born again and sometimes family begins to ostracize them and prefer the troublesome ones the one who has made the family been crying and created the most stress in the family sometimes because of the hatred or the animosity people can develop for you this your Christian extremity they prefer give us the wicked troublesome one and they would rather how many of you know what I'm talking about and sometimes the one who has changed the one who used to be a terrorist in the family he used to be the wildest person in the family now has met
[28:17] Jesus has repented and converted rather answer being punished not for the conversion but you know they take advantage of the person it's a human nature so they said give us give us give us the killer give us the murderer it's very easy for human beings any of us to fall in that category especially the more religious you attempt to be the more religious you attempt to be the more you can vandalize the work of God how can a church do this how can the mother do this and you are the one talking for God how can a church do this we have to speak out hey now you have become an advocate against people who you don't agree with in the church when you are trying to correct a church please do it carefully when you are trying to correct preachers who have some level of influence and positive impact on people's lives even though maybe their doctrine might not be holistic but as long as it's not anti-servific because the most fundamental thing is whether the doctrine is salvific it upholds the lordship of Jesus
[29:31] Christ the messianic status of Jesus Christ and admits that Jesus is God Jesus is Lord and salvation is found only in Jesus all the other ones like oil and all the other ones like offering and tithes are subjective are secondary so if you are correcting somebody for the way he's preaching prosperity and your interest is the kingdom then the way you do it matters people are trying to correct other preachers with a lot of hatred that doesn't seem to reflect the nature of God it's pointing to some underlying jealousy you know the guy Acts chapter 8 Simon the sorcerer he said you are full of bitterness and you have guile of bitterness and poisoned by jealousy or poisoned by sin let's get back to the text verse 14 it says that whom you deny the holy one and the just one and ask for a murderer to be granted to you verse 15 and killed say killed what did they do to Jesus they killed him
[30:37] I like the way Stephen puts it he said you have become his murderer Acts chapter 7 verse 52 yeah they're about he said your fathers stoned and persecuted the people God sent and now when the just one came you have become the betrayers and the murderer they murdered Jesus it was cold-blooded murder Bible said they killed him in Acts chapter 2 verse 23 it says that by the predetermined counsel of God they took with lawless hands and crucified and put to death they killed Jesus who killed Jesus the Jews so when Peter was preaching in Acts chapter 2 to the Jews on the day of Pentacles verse 36 he said house of Israel let it be known to you that this same Jesus this Jesus therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you killed you murdered he held them culpable so you murdered him even though it was part of God's plan you murdered him so here Peter when they came to and were astounded by what has happened
[31:39] Peter said don't focus on the healing but can I tell you about Jesus then it starts by the God of our fathers God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob God of our fathers glorify Jesus Christ of Nazareth and he says that whom you delivered so he began to talk about what they did but there's something very interesting here let's quickly go down the text I'll have to look at verse 16 we are going to verse 17 and his name through faith so he said with all that it's his name through faith that has healed this guy you are seeing whose name Jesus the one that you meted the one whom God glorified the one you meted the one you denied the one you what so guys look at what Peter did they were so excited about the miracle they gave Peter and John their focus and they wanted to glorify them Peter quickly disconnected himself and took the focus of the healing and he said this thing is
[32:40] Jesus so when they came to come and glorify Peter he took Jesus whom they crucified and put it in their faces this is this he is responsible for this they realized oh look at what we have done so how could we have killed such a person so he brought them to their knees by highlighting who Jesus was before their eyes and when he highlighted who Jesus was look at what he did look at verse 17 verse 17 said yet now brethren I know that you did it in theologians call something visible ignorance and invincible ignorance when it comes to something you can't claim ignorance because there's a notice there road signs you don't read you are going to Birmingham you didn't look at a sign you just thought oh I know I know the road normally it's the south but you know the way you didn't realize you're actually going west you have to read the signs so if you don't read and you say I didn't know it doesn't work at the court of law it is called visible ignorance even though you actually didn't know you could have taken responsibility to get to know so that is visible ignorance whereas invincible ignorance is what happens to a lot of husbands when the wife expected them to know that she's hungry
[34:03] I mean how could I have known that this is what you didn't like flowers you didn't have said it you know what I'm talking about sometimes you go somewhere or you came into the building and no one told you the front seat is reserved for the pastors no one told you and you came and they said sit down and you went and said that then when the service was going on security came and said this is wrong so you have to be taken out and you fulfilled why I didn't know that's what's called invincible ignorance you actually didn't know and there was no way you would have known that Peter said you people didn't know you didn't know what you did I know that you did it in ignorance it wasn't that they wanted no Jesus said something that if you sin against the son of man you'll be forgiven but if you blaspheme against the
[35:07] Holy Spirit you will not be forgiven how would I know what it means is that when the signs are so clear that Jesus what Jesus is doing is of God and now you are saying it's the devil whilst you can tell everything is clearly showing that it's of God that one you are culpable it is not an invincible ignorance you knew it you could have taken responsibility to check oh I can see the signs that there's something going on this is God but even though God was giving you ample enough signals for you to follow the lead and know you chose not to because you in some settings it's called willful ignorance in Ephesians chapter 4 it talks about through their ignorance that ignorance is willful ignorance because the signs of existence of God even the most remotest of people know that some test must be something beyond what you see naturally so to be an atheist it is a willful
[36:12] I don't want to know I don't want to know because once you get to know you have to be accountable so as I always say atheism is not an intellectual issue it's a moral issue it's an intentional thing not to know and here it's not about intentional ignorance they just didn't know that's why in Luke chapter 23 verse 34 Jesus said father father forgive them why for they know not what they do they actually didn't know in Acts chapter 13 verse 27 it says that the people of Israel and their leaders the people who lived in Jerusalem said those who dwelt in Jerusalem and their rulers because they did not know they actually don't know if they knew they would have done something different so now it's like you cannot be held culpable even though you are still responsible for the execution there was a genuine level of ignorance within you people in fact when Paul was preaching to the
[37:12] Athenians in Acts chapter 17 verse 30 he said in the times of ignorance God we behaved like he didn't see it not after you've come to hear the preaching it's very dangerous to hear good preaching because it puts you in a very difficult place of responsibility because there's no middle ground after hearing good preaching you have to obey God or disobey God you are either saved or condemned you never have middle ground when you are exposed to good preaching so he says that but in the time of ignorance God went Numbers chapter 15 verse 22 to 29 God gave a certain less punishment for people who do something in ignorance Numbers chapter 15 verse 22 if you sin unintentionally and do not observe all these commandments which the Lord has spoken look at verse 26 it's a lot but
[38:15] I think verse 26 might capture it it shall be forgiven the whole congregation of the children of Israel and the stranger who dwells among them because all the people did it unintentionally so even the law of Moses makes provision for allowance for ignorance but in the time of ignorance God will wink but after he says that now he commands all men to repent now he commands all men to repent is someone learning something he commands all men to repent now let me run up quickly Peter said I know I like that phrase I know you did it ignorantly wow you did it in ignorance as did your rulers also verse 18 he brought the prophets again please permit me I have this proclivity and when I'm reading you when I come across the word prophets talking about what the scriptures have said it stares at some excitement in my heart so it really can take a bit of my time but I'm trying to ignore it and move on
[39:23] I'm talking about the prophets already didn't tell the prophets what they said the old testament the prophets so he said that but those things which God foretold by the mouth of his prophets God always spoke he always spoke out he said those things which God foretold by the mouth of his prophets that their Christ would suffer that he has fulfilled he has done it so you see check the text very carefully you realize that you missed something the prophets spoke about which the Christ must fulfill which only Jesus of Nazareth has been able to fulfill you missed it so Peter was drawing the attention to the person of Jesus as compared to what the scriptures have said because you are talking to a Jewish audience you must be able to fit the bill when it comes to the Christ you are talking about and the prophets talk about but as I said they had disjointed revelations or understandings or information about the
[40:27] Christ so when he came they couldn't collate the information together to realize that the Christ is not just a conqueror even though you are looking for a conqueror at the moment the Christ is also a sufferer he has after introducing Jesus he turns it on them action points he said therefore repent he uses two words repent and be converted repentance meaning metanoia change of mind change your mind change your mind because the mind when it comes to salvation your thinking your mindset matters can I say this to religious super religiously inclined people religion has a way of sidestepping the faculties of your mind religion tells you it doesn't make sense but just follow it religion tells you when you die you get many wives depending on how you die but you see religion makes you accept things without thinking you have to think so when we say metanoia it's actually change of mind
[41:54] Romans chapter 12 verse 2 be transformed by the renewal of your mind mind the days of mindless Christianity are over can I say that again the days of mindless Christianity are over think and what should you think think scripturally think scripturally find out the praise and worship they are doing does it fit into scripture does the scripture describe that is it built on the foundation of the apostle the prophet find out the preaching is saying the things is saying confidently is it exactly what the scripture is saying find out don't be a Christian who doesn't read your Bible you don't get because if you don't read the Bible what is going to be the basis of your thinking when it comes to judging behavior or judging presentation or judging anything called spiritual that's why
[42:56] I said the other time on Thursday Satan likes people who God speaks to directly who believe God speaks to them directly without any references if anyone who believes that God speaks to me directly I only hear from God directly no one I don't Satan likes them Satan says ah now I can speak to you very quickly I can speak to God this is quite a strong statement but permit me to say it as I get ready to go God has spoken don't go and look for him to speak again he has spoken he read the Bible he said the God who spoke Hebrews chapter one the God who spoke in the past times to our fathers by the prophets he didn't say we will speak he has spoken through his hand he has spoken already how do you know why you have spoken open this open this my pastor when I read
[43:58] I don't understand that's why you need to subject yourself to good teachings sound teachings that will draw you closer to Jesus sound teachings said repent I probably have to continue the repentance I want to go deeper into repentance and conversion is there a difference repentance and conversion is there a difference next week I'm going to talk about repent and be converted or you can do your research and come and let's talk and come and advise me so I can know repent because of what you have done repent and be converted I can't wait to go so your sins will be blotted out never in the Old Testament but in the New Testament sins can be wiped wiped clean I'll pick it up next week sins blotted out but for today they crucified him they crucified him they denied him they crucified him they delivered him and denied him the just one the holy one
[45:10] I pray that God will help us not to crucify the just one not to deny the holy one God will help us not to walk in ignorance God will help us to know him better and better did you receive something this