WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.719 I realized before I want to jump in today, I want to do a quick recap of last week. 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:09.880 As many of you know, my previous profession was as a teacher. I know there are teachers 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:19.359 ! Show your hand if you're a teacher. Excellent. Look at that. Loud and proud. Now, homework. 00:00:20.019 --> 00:00:25.679 I set up some homework last week. Some of you are getting triggered right now. I set up 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:29.440 some homework last week because last week I spoke on Acts 8. I spoke about the Ethiopian 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:34.260 and at the end of our time I said, hey, is the Holy Spirit speaking to you that is putting 00:00:34.260 --> 00:00:38.020 someone on your heart and your mind that you need to act upon? Actually, who was here last 00:00:38.020 --> 00:00:43.579 week? Raise your hand. Keep it up. Brilliant. Okay. Keep up your hand if you did what I asked 00:00:43.579 --> 00:00:49.420 you to do. I won't ask you to talk, but I asked you to think of someone and to actually then 00:00:49.420 --> 00:00:56.500 act on it. Praise God. All five of you. Praise God. Thank you very much. And you know, whether 00:00:56.500 --> 00:01:01.740 it actually did something immediately or whether it will take a long time, it really doesn't 00:01:01.740 --> 00:01:05.640 matter. It's none of our business. The whole point is actually that whatever we take from 00:01:05.640 --> 00:01:10.019 the scriptures, whatever we take from God teaching us during these times, the hope is that we 00:01:10.019 --> 00:01:13.920 then go out and actually do something about it. You don't just come and listen to me speak 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:20.060 and then you just, I say it and then you pretend you've done it. And then you go. That's not 00:01:20.060 --> 00:01:24.560 really the purpose of why we gather here. The purpose is when we open up the word and God speaks 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:30.340 to us and the Holy Spirit guides us is then we're like, oh, I need to do something. I didn't realize 00:01:30.340 --> 00:01:34.500 that actually being a Christian isn't just on my Sunday morning for 90 minutes. It's actually for the 00:01:34.500 --> 00:01:39.379 rest of the week. So I'm encouraging us. Can we keep doing that? Can we keep responding to whatever 00:01:39.379 --> 00:01:44.839 the Lord is asking us to do? Because the kingdom of God, Christianity spreads not through programs, 00:01:44.939 --> 00:01:51.920 but through people who are willing to go. That's it. Matthew 28, when Jesus says, go and make disciples 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:59.479 of all nations, all cultures, all ethnicities, you must go and leave your comfort zone. And when we do 00:01:59.479 --> 00:02:05.640 that, then that's when people are converted. That's when people come into the faith, but it requires 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:10.740 obedient people who are receptive to whatever the Holy Spirit is saying and then have the guts to 00:02:10.740 --> 00:02:15.460 actually follow through and actually do it. All while being completely free from the burden that, 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:20.840 oh, I must save that person. No, you can't save that person. Only God can save. We just have to be the 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:26.340 obedient vessel that actually is willing to drop a text and say, hey, felt the Lord remind me to pray 00:02:26.340 --> 00:02:31.240 for you and here's my prayer. That's it. And you'll be surprised. I promise you, you will be surprised. 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:37.340 It won't work every time, at least from our vantage point, from our eyes. But my goodness, God works 00:02:37.340 --> 00:02:43.120 through obedient people because it's people that bring about the kingdom of God. It's people who 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:48.219 bring about conversion. You see Philip going from Jerusalem to Samaria and then going to the desert 00:02:48.219 --> 00:02:54.180 road and then basically converting the Ethiopian who I like to think then goes back into the higher 00:02:54.180 --> 00:02:59.680 echelons of Ethiopian government and then brings about the kingdom of God there. And I can see that's how 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:05.240 God works through all of us. Today, we're going to be talking about a very special man. We're going 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:14.080 into Acts 9. Probably, I dare say, the second most important man in all of human history. Okay, so if 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:18.480 Jesus is the first one. Now, whether you're a Christian or not, you can't argue about Jesus because 00:03:18.480 --> 00:03:24.400 Jesus, whether you believe him or not, he split time in half. Most Western societies based on everything 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:28.540 that he taught. So actually, with Jesus, we know that he's the most significant. But the second most 00:03:28.539 --> 00:03:37.899 significant is the one we're talking about today. Paul. Who here went to St. Paul's co-ed school? 00:03:39.579 --> 00:03:44.799 Paul. There are a few shy people. I was going to pick on Dr. Alex, but he's not here today. 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:51.780 He's only here about half the time. Now, St. Paul's co-ed? St. Paul's college. I can't tell the 00:03:51.780 --> 00:03:56.519 difference, but apparently, if those who went to them can tell, one will swear that the other one is 00:03:56.520 --> 00:04:03.120 better. Actually, in Tsai Ing-pun, there's St. Paul's, and then next door, there's St. Stephen's. 00:04:03.800 --> 00:04:09.219 And I was like, oh, isn't that interesting? Acts 7 and Acts 8, right just off Bonham Road in Hong Kong. 00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:16.519 Can you see the effects of these people who are obedient to God spreading to the other side of 00:04:16.519 --> 00:04:23.720 the world where there are schools named after them? Saul slash Paul, of course, is the most prolific 00:04:23.720 --> 00:04:30.420 church planter of all time, the greatest evangelist of all time. We are likely not sat here without Paul. 00:04:30.980 --> 00:04:35.720 Now, of course, Jesus is the most significant, and actually, it's the spirit of Jesus that used Paul, 00:04:36.060 --> 00:04:40.960 chose Paul as a chosen instrument to spread the kingdom of heaven, but it was Saul that actually 00:04:40.960 --> 00:04:47.840 was first confronted by the gospel and then converted by it. Oh, boy. The moment you convert, 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:53.639 it changes your life, and then it just spread. And he was the one that took, well, it went from 00:04:53.639 --> 00:04:59.219 Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the ends of the earth. We are activating this final phase where Paul 00:04:59.219 --> 00:05:03.719 is the one that is taking the kingdom of heaven, the gospel, to the ends of the earth. And today, 00:05:03.779 --> 00:05:08.679 we're going to look at his account. Now, and I'm going to call it from confrontation to conversion. 00:05:09.019 --> 00:05:13.779 Now, part of me thought, well, maybe let's just encounter. Maybe we all just encounter God, 00:05:13.779 --> 00:05:17.959 and that's really enough. But actually, I think it's not strong enough. I think when we're talking 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:22.379 about the gospel, when we're talking about the good news, there is a confrontation that must happen. 00:05:22.459 --> 00:05:28.919 We see it right here. It is not, I mean, it is terrifying. It is traumatizing. We see Saul get 00:05:28.919 --> 00:05:35.339 traumatized from this confrontation of the gospel because it is. You think about Luke 5. You think 00:05:35.339 --> 00:05:41.000 about Peter, who's a skilled fisherman, and then he struggles, and then he meets Jesus, and Jesus tells 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:45.180 him, hey, cast your nets on this side, and he realizes, oh my goodness, what's the first thing that Peter 00:05:45.180 --> 00:05:51.860 says when he realizes who God is, who Jesus is? He falls down. He says, depart from me, for I am a sinner. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:57.839 He's like, I can't be anywhere near you. This is consistent with every time we see mankind encounter 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:04.519 or be confronted by the most holy God is one where you just fall flat on your face. So I don't know what 00:06:04.519 --> 00:06:09.600 your relationship with God is like. Maybe you've associated him and tied him with your earthly 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:14.120 parents, and maybe there's something that we need to process there, but let me tell you, there is 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:20.320 fear, and there is reverence, and there is awe that is required, that is necessary, that is basically 00:06:20.320 --> 00:06:25.220 inevitable. If Jesus walked in here, I don't know what you're going to do. I don't know whether you're 00:06:25.220 --> 00:06:29.340 going to go to him and go, hey, Jesus, I have a few things, a few bones I need to pick with you. I mean, 00:06:29.400 --> 00:06:33.740 good luck with that. If Jesus walks in here, I'm falling flat on my face because I am a sinner, 00:06:33.740 --> 00:06:41.420 and I am in need of a savior. When the gospel comes into our lives, there is a confrontation. 00:06:42.379 --> 00:06:48.579 There is a wrestle. There is a battle because we have been living following our flesh, but when the 00:06:48.579 --> 00:06:56.420 spirit comes in, it just blows your mind, and you see here Paul, a Jew, a Roman citizen, a Pharisee. 00:06:56.420 --> 00:07:05.060 His CV was incredible, probably the most moral, upright, intellectual person that you and I will 00:07:05.060 --> 00:07:10.819 ever meet. Philippians 3, and later, he talks about this. He says, if anyone else thinks he has reason 00:07:10.819 --> 00:07:16.700 for confidence in the flesh, I have more. That's what he says, right? I'm a Hebrew of Hebrews. I was 00:07:16.700 --> 00:07:21.500 circumcised on the eighth day. I was of the tribe of Benjamin. As to the law, a Pharisee. That means I 00:07:21.500 --> 00:07:26.379 knew the word. As to the zeal, I was a persecutor of the church. That's an interesting one because do 00:07:26.379 --> 00:07:32.800 you remember a couple chapters ago, Stephen was killed, and this young man, probably in his 30s, 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:37.079 saw people went up to him and gave them his garments, and so basically he was the one that 00:07:37.079 --> 00:07:44.519 approved all this, right? So he was a Pharisee that actually knew, but something in his defense, 00:07:45.339 --> 00:07:51.040 he says, as to zeal, a persecutor of the church. What he's saying, hey, I cared enough about the truth. 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:55.879 My truth, the truth that I, the convictions that I had, the life that I had devoted myself to, 00:07:56.040 --> 00:08:00.379 I cared enough about it that I went to hunt down these people called Christians, these people of 00:08:00.379 --> 00:08:06.580 the way, because I think they were doing something wrong. So you say, hey, okay, my convictions were 00:08:06.580 --> 00:08:11.800 misguided. They were wrong, but you can't fault me for not having conviction. That's what he's saying. 00:08:12.200 --> 00:08:17.540 And so he has this whole CV, and yet the moment he's confronted with the gospel, he falls at his feet, 00:08:17.540 --> 00:08:24.600 he is blinded, and suddenly you realize, everything that I once thought I knew about myself, about God, 00:08:25.220 --> 00:08:29.480 is completely blown out the water. And that's what we're going to be reading today. It's a 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:34.440 fascinating account. Acts chapter 9, verse 1 to 19, I think. Can I invite you to stand for the word 00:08:34.440 --> 00:08:37.180 of the Lord? Sarah is going to minister to us and read to us the word. 00:08:42.760 --> 00:08:45.240 Acts chapter 19, verse 1 to 19. 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:51.180 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high 00:08:51.180 --> 00:08:56.860 priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to 00:08:56.860 --> 00:09:03.820 the way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now, as he went on his way, he approached 00:09:03.820 --> 00:09:09.560 Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a 00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:17.939 voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, who are you, Lord? And he said, I am 00:09:17.939 --> 00:09:24.099 Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do. 00:09:24.979 --> 00:09:30.859 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one. Saul rose from 00:09:30.859 --> 00:09:35.979 the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him 00:09:35.980 --> 00:09:42.480 into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:49.560 disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, here I am, 00:09:49.659 --> 00:09:55.360 Lord. And the Lord said to him, rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:01.500 look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. For behold, he is praying. And he has seen in a vision a man named 00:10:01.500 --> 00:10:08.039 Ananias. Come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight. But Ananias answered, 00:10:08.779 --> 00:10:13.659 Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:21.919 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name. But the Lord said 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:28.220 to him, go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine, to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and 00:10:28.220 --> 00:10:33.820 the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. 00:10:34.580 --> 00:10:40.200 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him, he said, brother Saul, 00:10:40.519 --> 00:10:46.980 the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain 00:10:46.980 --> 00:10:53.120 your sight. And he was filled with the Holy Spirit. And immediately something like scales fell from his 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:58.799 eyes. And he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized. And taking food, he was strengthened. 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:04.779 This is the word of the Lord. Praise be to God. Thank you, sir. Please take a seat. I'm not going to do 00:11:04.779 --> 00:11:09.019 all the talking today by myself. I think you're going to get bored of me. But there will be a friend I'm 00:11:09.019 --> 00:11:14.179 going to invite up a little bit later. But first, let's equate ourselves with the story here. So 00:11:14.179 --> 00:11:21.379 chapter seven, Stephen gets murdered. Saul witnesses it and sees it. And we'll come back to that a little bit 00:11:21.379 --> 00:11:26.879 later. And from there, and then Saul starts to basically, he goes from witness to then basically 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:30.679 the perpetrator, the aggressor. He goes into people's homes and drags them out and puts them 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:36.259 into prison. So he's hunting down people of the way. And then it goes into chapter eight, talked last 00:11:36.259 --> 00:11:40.399 week, talked about Philip going into Samaria and then meeting the Ethiopian. And then chapter nine, 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:47.220 we go back to Saul. But Saul still breathing threats and murder. He is so angry. He is so, 00:11:47.220 --> 00:11:52.779 and I'll talk a little bit about that later, about why he was so angry about the message that the 00:11:52.779 --> 00:11:57.040 Christians were carrying. So he goes around and he hears about a group that are in Damascus. And so 00:11:57.040 --> 00:12:02.080 he wants to go to Damascus to hunt these people down. He even has the paperwork to go and drag these 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:06.080 people into prison. And that's what he's doing. And so he's heading there. And when he heads there, 00:12:06.200 --> 00:12:15.500 he is finally confronted by not a set of teaching, not a lifestyle, but the actual person of Jesus 00:12:15.500 --> 00:12:22.779 himself. And so you see, and asking for letters, verse two, verse three, now as he went on his way, 00:12:22.899 --> 00:12:27.539 so he's trying to hunt people who were belonging to the way, but as he went on his way, he approached 00:12:27.539 --> 00:12:33.139 Damascus and suddenly a light from heaven shone round him. And falling to the ground, he heard a 00:12:33.139 --> 00:12:40.220 voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Now in the book of Acts, the author Luke 00:12:40.220 --> 00:12:45.500 actually writes three times, three different accounts explaining basically what happened here. 00:12:45.680 --> 00:12:50.600 Okay. In Acts 22 and when 26, you'll see Paul defending himself to different people and explaining 00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:55.300 different parts of the story. So we know that actually this happened at noon, right at the height 00:12:55.300 --> 00:12:59.460 of day. So if you've been into the middle, in the Middle East at the height of day, and yet there is 00:12:59.460 --> 00:13:05.360 still a light that shines so bright that it blinds him and cause him to fall to the ground, that is a 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:11.820 strong light. He knew, we know that this was God. And so actually he doesn't know Jesus, but he hears a 00:13:11.820 --> 00:13:18.139 voice saying, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he says, who are you, Lord? Now he doesn't know 00:13:18.139 --> 00:13:24.200 Jesus is Lord, but he obviously knows that this is abnormal. This isn't a human being, human being 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:33.139 confronting him. This is God himself. It's funny. He's actually, for someone who knew the law so well, 00:13:33.139 --> 00:13:39.360 who knew the Old Testament so well as a Pharisee. Before he got blinded here, you could say that he 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:46.899 was already blind to the fact that Jesus was the Messiah. In fact, you see this in Luke 24 when Jesus 00:13:46.899 --> 00:13:51.000 resurrects and he walks with those two men on the walk to Emmaus and he's opening up the scriptures 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:54.840 to them and saying, hey, everything that you've heard in the Old Testament, the prophecies that 00:13:54.840 --> 00:14:00.759 you've read, they're all about me. Jesus actually made the accusation himself in John 5 when he was like, 00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:04.120 hey, you guys search the scriptures looking for eternal life and you don't realize that it's 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:09.559 right in front of you. And so you could say Saul was actually blinded already before he got blinded 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:16.480 by this light. And so Jesus confronts him and he says, please call his name, Saul. Saul, 00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:23.960 why are you persecuting me? He calls his name twice. I don't know, even this interaction, 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:28.759 as traumatizing as it is, it just reeks of relationship. It's Jesus coming up to him and saying, 00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:33.559 Saul, Saul, I know who you are, Saul. Why are you persecuting me? At that moment, of course, 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:36.860 Saul is terrified and he's on the floor, but he's like, what do you mean I was persecuting you? I was 00:14:36.860 --> 00:14:43.879 persecuting a group of people that are pretending to be you and are spreading this news outside. I'm 00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:47.700 persecuting them. I mean, just the first thought, and actually Sam and I are going to talk a little 00:14:47.700 --> 00:14:52.759 bit more about this later. You can see right here that our risen Lord, Jesus Christ himself, 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:59.000 stands with his church, with his body through suffering. He's not saying, hey, Saul, you're 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:03.720 hurting my people. Let my people go. No, he's saying you're persecuting me. When you hurt my church, 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:09.279 you hurt me. The Christian God is one that says, actually, I am willing to suffer with you. I am in 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:18.939 this with you together, is what he's saying. It also shows that what Saul is doing isn't just going 00:15:18.939 --> 00:15:24.980 against the will of God. So often when we look at the Old Testament, we see this angry God. We see 00:15:24.980 --> 00:15:28.679 these rules. Don't do this. Don't do that. Don't do this. Don't do that because you need to be a good 00:15:28.679 --> 00:15:34.939 person. The moment you really understand who God is is when you realize every time you do something 00:15:34.940 --> 00:15:38.340 like that, it's not just breaking the rules that he set for you. It's breaking his heart. 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:44.600 And you see, this Christian God isn't one that is distant, just ruling over you, domineering over us. 00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:53.120 It's a God who actually suffers with us, hurts with us. And so he's saying, hey, 00:15:54.080 --> 00:16:00.720 you are persecuting me. And again, he's not saying, Saul, follow my ways. He's saying, follow me. When 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:04.520 Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life, he's saying, actually, it's not just a lifestyle. 00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:09.740 It's not just a set of values that you follow. Why are you a Christian? I guess is the question 00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:15.079 that we really want to ask. In our small group on Monday, Mr. Brown asked us that question. 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:21.259 What is a Christian? Maybe I'll finish with you, Mr. Brown, and you can give us the model answer 00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:28.539 in a minute. But let me go around and just ask, what is a Christian? What have we got? Kelly, 00:16:28.539 --> 00:16:35.599 what is a Christian to you? If you were to describe a Christian, a follower of Jesus? We said that in our 00:16:35.599 --> 00:16:40.500 group. I think it was Luana that said someone who believes and loves and follows Jesus. That's 00:16:40.500 --> 00:16:45.259 definitely a part of what a Christian is. What else is a Christian? Shigala, what do you think? 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:50.939 Someone who has received the Holy Spirit. The moment you choose to declare that Jesus is Lord, 00:16:51.599 --> 00:16:55.439 of course, that's the Holy Spirit that is allowing you to do it. And every Christian has the Holy Spirit 00:16:55.440 --> 00:17:01.000 living inside them, for sure. That's good. One more. Paul, what's a Christian to you? Describe 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:08.860 what a Christian is. Someone who believes that Jesus died and rose again. Absolutely. 00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:14.580 It's someone who actually recognising the life and the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:17:15.740 --> 00:17:19.120 Dr. Brown, bring us home. What's a Christian to you? 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:27.000 Shall we get him to expand? Expand, Mr. Brown. 00:17:40.059 --> 00:17:43.639 That's the end of the sermon, everyone. Shall we bow down? Shall we bow down and we'll pray? 00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:50.120 I'm not going to embarrass him. He's not easily embarrassed anyway. I don't believe he is. 00:17:50.660 --> 00:17:54.360 And I set us up because I threw him an alley-oop because I knew he was fully capable of doing that. 00:17:54.600 --> 00:17:59.000 Here's my hope. Here's my dream. That all of us are, in our own ways, able to do that. 00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:06.020 Able to articulate what the gospel is. Able to articulate what a follower of Christ actually is. 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:11.580 Someone who actually is in union with Jesus Christ, who identifies with Jesus Christ, 00:18:11.579 --> 00:18:15.119 so that when God sees us, he sees Jesus Christ. That's it. 00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:19.919 I mean, mine was going to be much less intellectual and much less smart. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:23.679 It's kind of like when all of you look at MJ and you go, 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:26.139 Oh, he's so cute. He looks just like you. 00:18:26.220 --> 00:18:28.839 And then you get me all confused and you think I'm cute. 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:32.859 And then, oh, he's like a little James. 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:35.980 When we're Christians, people look at us and go, 00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:39.019 You identify. You are in union with your Lord. 00:18:39.099 --> 00:18:40.180 You look just like Jesus. 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:42.920 That's what it means. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:46.200 But, of course, that was what we were intended to be. 00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:48.140 That's why, in Genesis 1.26, it says, 00:18:48.579 --> 00:18:51.599 The Godhead said, Let us make man in our image. 00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:54.059 And then we stray away from that. 00:18:54.420 --> 00:18:57.299 The moment we choose that, the connection is severed. 00:18:57.299 --> 00:18:59.879 And that is the fall. 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:02.680 And that's why we are where we are right now. 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.819 And I don't have any more hair. 00:19:03.919 --> 00:19:06.059 And I'm not the perfect person that God made me to be. 00:19:07.159 --> 00:19:08.720 Because we are in a fallen world now. 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:11.940 But the goal is, as Jesus came back, 00:19:12.299 --> 00:19:14.059 once his spirit, once Shagala said, 00:19:14.099 --> 00:19:15.579 once his spirit is inside us, 00:19:15.740 --> 00:19:17.779 we are now being conformed to the image of the Son, 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:19.960 which is what Romans 8 talks about. 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:22.799 That's the goal of what a Christian is. 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:26.099 Because Paul, when he encounters this Jesus, 00:19:26.220 --> 00:19:27.559 it's not Jesus' teachings. 00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:29.339 It's not teachers' values. 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:31.519 Jesus' values, it's not his lifestyle. 00:19:31.779 --> 00:19:33.359 It's the person of Jesus himself. 00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:35.579 Many years later, in 1 Corinthians, he talks about this. 00:19:35.619 --> 00:19:37.700 He's like, there's only really one thing that's important. 00:19:38.019 --> 00:19:38.919 1 Corinthians 15. 00:19:39.819 --> 00:19:42.200 This Jesus died, and he rose again. 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:43.680 That is of first importance. 00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:44.919 That is the only thing that matters. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:45.180 Why? 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:46.700 Because if he didn't rise from the dead, 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:48.099 my preaching is futile. 00:19:48.399 --> 00:19:49.940 My faith is futile. 00:19:49.940 --> 00:19:51.599 Everything that we do is in vain. 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:57.019 And that day, on the road to Damascus, 00:19:57.259 --> 00:20:00.139 Paul encountered the living Christ. 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:02.259 That's what we believe. 00:20:02.719 --> 00:20:03.759 And that's what we see here. 00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:06.839 And this confrontation that he experienced 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:07.839 is what converted him. 00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:09.839 The question I have for us is, 00:20:09.959 --> 00:20:12.240 have we truly been confronted by the gospel? 00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:13.719 I asked you, why are you a Christian? 00:20:14.399 --> 00:20:15.740 Because there's got to be a moment. 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:16.500 There's got to be a moment. 00:20:16.579 --> 00:20:18.759 And Tim Keller puts it in such a simple, eloquent way. 00:20:18.759 --> 00:20:20.379 He says, the gospel is when you realize 00:20:20.379 --> 00:20:22.079 you are far worse than you ever imagined. 00:20:23.460 --> 00:20:25.220 When you are confronted with that truth, 00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:27.039 and I was confronted with that truth this week 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:28.059 as I was looking at myself, 00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:29.480 having a fight with my wife, 00:20:29.779 --> 00:20:31.759 losing massively in this fight, 00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:34.420 and just going, man, there is sin inside me. 00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:38.099 Ah, what a wretched man I am. 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:40.440 When we are confronted with that, 00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:42.960 when we are reminded of the bad news, 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:46.620 and then we are confronted with the living God. 00:20:48.539 --> 00:20:50.840 And yes, we are far worse than we ever imagined. 00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:52.559 But then the second part is that 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:54.620 we are far more loved than we ever dare dream, 00:20:54.819 --> 00:20:55.740 is what Tim Keller said. 00:20:56.779 --> 00:20:58.779 But first, it requires that confrontation. 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:02.019 And I wonder whether we have actually experienced that. 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:04.019 Paul finally got it, 00:21:04.220 --> 00:21:06.579 but it took a very traumatizing confrontation 00:21:06.579 --> 00:21:09.039 that left him blind for three days. 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:11.460 Can you imagine this? 00:21:11.879 --> 00:21:13.480 Paul of Tarsus, 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:15.440 a Jew, a Roman citizen, 00:21:15.740 --> 00:21:16.899 had everything that he ever needed. 00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:19.079 You can't match his CV, 00:21:19.639 --> 00:21:20.839 and yet in those three days, 00:21:20.899 --> 00:21:22.299 can you imagine what he's going through? 00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:25.359 He would have remembered all the scriptures in his head, 00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:27.720 and he has to get led away. 00:21:28.740 --> 00:21:29.899 And so he will sit there for three days, 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:31.299 and he's so traumatized, he can't even eat. 00:21:31.399 --> 00:21:32.819 So he's fasting, he can't even drink. 00:21:34.019 --> 00:21:36.379 And he's just blind with his own thoughts. 00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:37.599 Can you imagine what he's thinking? 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:38.500 I'm just going to have a guess here. 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:40.339 I have been so blind. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:43.659 Not eyes blind, I've been so blind. 00:21:43.940 --> 00:21:45.839 How did I miss this? 00:21:47.079 --> 00:21:49.480 How did I miss the fact that over 300 prophecies 00:21:49.480 --> 00:21:51.759 in the Old Testament point to this person of Jesus, 00:21:51.940 --> 00:21:54.440 and I was so busy trying to persecute people 00:21:54.440 --> 00:21:55.259 who were trying to say this? 00:21:55.339 --> 00:21:56.980 I have been so blind. 00:21:57.079 --> 00:21:58.559 But in that moment, there was no promise 00:21:58.559 --> 00:21:59.899 that he would recover his sight. 00:22:01.139 --> 00:22:02.980 Just those three days, I would have just been thought, 00:22:03.059 --> 00:22:05.039 this is the end. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:07.279 The mistakes I've made. 00:22:08.779 --> 00:22:09.539 The murders. 00:22:11.720 --> 00:22:13.700 Confronted with his depravity. 00:22:14.059 --> 00:22:15.139 Confronted with the gospel. 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:16.539 When we are confronted with the gospel, 00:22:16.700 --> 00:22:17.779 two things happen in my eyes. 00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:20.299 We are both humbled, and we are horrified. 00:22:21.659 --> 00:22:22.279 Because you realize, 00:22:22.379 --> 00:22:23.639 everything that I've been trying to do 00:22:23.639 --> 00:22:24.960 to become a good person, 00:22:25.579 --> 00:22:26.339 it just isn't true. 00:22:26.339 --> 00:22:29.099 It won't work. 00:22:29.159 --> 00:22:30.980 This isn't how I get there. 00:22:31.859 --> 00:22:33.319 I'll talk a little bit more about that later. 00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:35.659 And then, of course, there is the conversion. 00:22:35.939 --> 00:22:36.939 And this is another person 00:22:36.939 --> 00:22:38.059 that I find is really interesting. 00:22:38.199 --> 00:22:39.139 Verse 10 says this. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:41.919 So now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias, 00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:43.579 and the Lord said to him in a vision, 00:22:43.679 --> 00:22:44.659 Ananias, and said, 00:22:44.740 --> 00:22:45.379 Here I am, Lord. 00:22:45.419 --> 00:22:46.099 So this guy's praying. 00:22:46.199 --> 00:22:48.299 He's obviously just waiting on, 00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:49.240 focusing on God. 00:22:49.299 --> 00:22:50.299 And so he says, Here I am. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:53.179 And then the Lord says this. 00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:54.799 Rise and go to the street called Straight 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:55.799 at the house of Judas. 00:22:55.899 --> 00:22:58.539 Look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. 00:22:58.759 --> 00:22:59.720 For behold, he is praying, 00:22:59.779 --> 00:23:00.519 and he is seen in a vision 00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:01.680 a man named Ananias come in 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:02.519 and lay his hands on him 00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:03.659 so that he might regain his sight. 00:23:04.659 --> 00:23:05.159 So he's praying. 00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:06.079 Can you imagine Ananias? 00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:06.619 Good man. 00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:07.059 He's praying. 00:23:07.399 --> 00:23:08.399 He's like, Oh, here I am, Lord. 00:23:09.139 --> 00:23:09.680 Send me. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:10.359 Use me. 00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:12.539 Just give me specific directions 00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:13.500 to the name of the road, 00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:14.139 to the house, 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:16.180 and I'll do whatever it is you say. 00:23:16.659 --> 00:23:17.339 Oh, thank you, Lord. 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:18.399 Yep, yep, I hear it. 00:23:18.659 --> 00:23:18.859 Straight. 00:23:19.559 --> 00:23:20.960 The street called Straight. 00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:21.379 Great, great, great. 00:23:23.220 --> 00:23:23.740 Sorry, God. 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:24.139 Sorry, God. 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:25.419 I am here, 00:23:25.700 --> 00:23:26.480 and I will go. 00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:27.980 But there was a moment, 00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:28.759 there was a second there 00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:30.279 where I think I heard you, 00:23:30.299 --> 00:23:30.980 I think I misheard, 00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:33.180 but I think I heard you say the name Saul. 00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:34.359 But you see, 00:23:34.419 --> 00:23:34.899 this is funny 00:23:34.899 --> 00:23:36.879 because there's another guy called Saul 00:23:36.879 --> 00:23:38.980 who's been hunting my friends and family down, 00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:41.019 who have been dragging my friends to prison. 00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:42.899 It's really funny, God. 00:23:42.919 --> 00:23:43.839 I'm sure you made a mistake. 00:23:44.839 --> 00:23:45.579 It sounded like him, 00:23:45.659 --> 00:23:46.799 but you're not sending me to that guy. 00:23:46.899 --> 00:23:47.099 I'm sure. 00:23:47.099 --> 00:23:47.839 I'm sure of it 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:49.720 because that would be a suicide mission, God. 00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:51.460 So can you just say it again 00:23:51.460 --> 00:23:52.759 or just maybe send an email 00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:54.139 just in case it was a typo. 00:23:54.140 --> 00:23:56.160 So it's not that Saul, is it, God? 00:24:00.920 --> 00:24:02.220 Sometimes when we ask God 00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:03.360 to give us specific instructions, 00:24:03.360 --> 00:24:04.259 we have to be prepared 00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:05.560 that it won't be what we like. 00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:10.540 And so God responds to him. 00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:11.960 He says, 00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:27.880 God doesn't really address his fear necessarily. 00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:28.559 He just says, 00:24:28.960 --> 00:24:29.259 go, 00:24:29.620 --> 00:24:30.579 I have chosen him. 00:24:30.700 --> 00:24:31.600 I am the one who does this. 00:24:31.640 --> 00:24:32.700 Just a side point here. 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:33.680 I keep saying, 00:24:33.880 --> 00:24:35.259 it's the Holy Spirit that does the stuff, 00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:36.019 everything. 00:24:36.340 --> 00:24:36.799 Can you just see? 00:24:36.840 --> 00:24:38.059 He's just like pulling all the strings. 00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:38.360 He's like, 00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:38.880 you do this. 00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:39.880 In Acts 10, 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:41.040 which we'll do in two weeks, 00:24:41.260 --> 00:24:42.040 he does the same thing. 00:24:42.080 --> 00:24:42.620 He talks to Peter. 00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:43.420 He talks to Cornelius. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:45.360 He's the one who's pulling all the strings. 00:24:45.580 --> 00:24:46.860 As we are sat here, 00:24:47.060 --> 00:24:48.260 that's what we're asking for. 00:24:48.360 --> 00:24:48.560 God, 00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:49.400 Holy Spirit, 00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:50.180 would you speak to us? 00:24:50.440 --> 00:24:51.920 Show us where you want us to go, 00:24:52.020 --> 00:24:53.020 what you want us to do. 00:24:53.280 --> 00:24:54.780 So it is all the Holy Spirit. 00:24:54.920 --> 00:24:55.880 But what's his methodology? 00:24:56.340 --> 00:24:57.540 What's his way of doing it? 00:24:57.820 --> 00:24:58.400 Through people. 00:24:58.400 --> 00:25:01.860 He could convert Saul himself in that moment, 00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:07.780 but yet he chooses Ananias to empower the chosen instrument that he has. 00:25:07.840 --> 00:25:08.680 We all need people. 00:25:09.580 --> 00:25:10.400 Even the greatest, 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:14.600 most prolific church planter evangelist needed someone to comfort him, 00:25:14.840 --> 00:25:15.280 help him, 00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:16.160 pray for him. 00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:19.519 What makes us think that we can do it on our own? 00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:23.460 We need people who are obedient. 00:25:23.840 --> 00:25:25.120 We need no people who are trusting. 00:25:25.620 --> 00:25:25.980 And he's saying, 00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:26.160 hey, 00:25:26.299 --> 00:25:30.160 I have chosen this person and he will suffer for my name. 00:25:30.980 --> 00:25:32.519 It reminds me again in Philippians, 00:25:32.860 --> 00:25:35.500 when Paul is writing later to the church in Philippi, 00:25:35.579 --> 00:25:36.180 saying actually, 00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:37.920 for the sake of Christ, 00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:39.059 you would not only believe in him, 00:25:39.099 --> 00:25:40.319 but also suffer for his sake, 00:25:40.539 --> 00:25:43.120 engaged in the conflict that I have and now here that I still have. 00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:43.740 He's saying, 00:25:44.579 --> 00:25:45.559 when we believe in Christ, 00:25:45.640 --> 00:25:46.420 it's not just, 00:25:46.620 --> 00:25:48.799 it's not just all roses from here. 00:25:49.339 --> 00:25:51.640 It's not the blessings that we will receive, 00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:52.519 not just the blessings, 00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:53.559 but it is hard. 00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:55.940 And Paul, 00:25:56.599 --> 00:25:56.879 Saul, 00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:58.319 I've chosen him. 00:25:59.059 --> 00:26:00.539 He's going to be my chosen instrument. 00:26:00.659 --> 00:26:01.079 And by the way, 00:26:01.139 --> 00:26:02.419 instruments cannot play themselves. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:05.700 They still need the Holy Spirit to be the one that plays, 00:26:05.819 --> 00:26:09.899 but he will be my chosen instrument and I will use him to go to the ends of the earth. 00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:11.539 But he will suffer. 00:26:11.539 --> 00:26:15.379 So before you go home and pray today, 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:15.980 Holy Spirit, 00:26:16.099 --> 00:26:16.359 send me, 00:26:16.420 --> 00:26:17.460 just be prepared for that. 00:26:20.859 --> 00:26:22.500 Because if it happened to our Lord, 00:26:23.279 --> 00:26:25.200 then what makes us think it won't happen to us? 00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:28.099 The question really isn't whether what we prefer. 00:26:28.200 --> 00:26:29.659 The question is whether this is true or not, 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:31.740 whether Jesus really did rise from the dead. 00:26:31.779 --> 00:26:33.099 Because if he did rise from the dead, 00:26:34.099 --> 00:26:35.519 it is worth anything that we'll do. 00:26:35.659 --> 00:26:38.819 It is worth taking that cross and following him. 00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:40.679 And Ananias didn't know what he was expecting. 00:26:40.879 --> 00:26:42.039 He must have said bye to his friend. 00:26:42.139 --> 00:26:42.379 He's like, 00:26:42.919 --> 00:26:43.179 guys, 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:43.919 I've got to go. 00:26:44.159 --> 00:26:44.700 I've got a mission. 00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:46.740 It's impossible. 00:26:46.899 --> 00:26:48.559 Or at least I won't come back from this. 00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:49.919 I will see you. 00:26:50.819 --> 00:26:51.460 And then he goes, 00:26:52.159 --> 00:26:54.539 thank God for Ananias. 00:26:54.599 --> 00:26:57.559 Because I don't think we would be here without Paul. 00:26:57.879 --> 00:27:00.179 I don't think we'd be here without Ananias. 00:27:00.180 --> 00:27:02.560 And as he goes and prays, 00:27:02.620 --> 00:27:02.840 and he goes, 00:27:02.940 --> 00:27:03.539 brother Saul. 00:27:04.580 --> 00:27:04.940 Brother. 00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:06.380 Embraces him. 00:27:07.580 --> 00:27:08.519 And he prays for him. 00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:09.779 The Holy Spirit comes upon him. 00:27:09.940 --> 00:27:11.360 Scales fall from his eyes, 00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:12.140 and he gets to see. 00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:13.220 And then, of course, 00:27:13.259 --> 00:27:13.820 he gets baptized, 00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:15.539 and then he does the second most important thing, 00:27:15.580 --> 00:27:16.440 which he eats. 00:27:17.420 --> 00:27:18.360 And then he is strengthened, 00:27:18.580 --> 00:27:19.380 and then he goes. 00:27:22.380 --> 00:27:23.380 What a confrontation, 00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:25.660 and what a conversion. 00:27:25.660 --> 00:27:28.080 I guess the question for us is, 00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:30.000 have you converted to Christianity? 00:27:32.080 --> 00:27:33.500 Maybe I'll just ask you to be brave again. 00:27:33.820 --> 00:27:36.080 Have you converted to Christianity? 00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:37.380 Put your hand up if you would say 00:27:37.380 --> 00:27:39.380 you have converted to the way of Jesus. 00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:40.940 It's not a trick question, guys. 00:27:41.040 --> 00:27:41.400 It's not a trick. 00:27:44.840 --> 00:27:45.920 You see, with Christianity, 00:27:46.140 --> 00:27:46.580 here's the thing. 00:27:46.800 --> 00:27:48.360 It isn't something that you just sign up to, 00:27:48.500 --> 00:27:48.740 and you say, 00:27:48.820 --> 00:27:50.740 there is a conversion that happens. 00:27:50.800 --> 00:27:52.500 There is a change in direction. 00:27:52.620 --> 00:27:53.920 If you go and change your module, 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:55.320 and if you convert the module 00:27:55.320 --> 00:27:56.440 that you're doing at university, 00:27:56.620 --> 00:27:58.019 you are going to a different classroom. 00:27:58.259 --> 00:27:59.600 You are studying a different subject. 00:27:59.880 --> 00:28:02.160 If you go and convert your Hong Kong dollars 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:03.700 into a different currency, 00:28:03.779 --> 00:28:04.820 you are converting it, 00:28:04.900 --> 00:28:05.960 and you're saying that, 00:28:06.080 --> 00:28:07.480 I am going to go somewhere else, 00:28:07.740 --> 00:28:09.480 and I'm going to use this money there. 00:28:09.940 --> 00:28:11.000 It changes your life. 00:28:11.140 --> 00:28:12.680 For those of us who said, 00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:13.960 I have converted to Christianity, 00:28:14.100 --> 00:28:15.300 the question I have for us is, 00:28:15.560 --> 00:28:16.660 well, is your life converted? 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:18.940 Because if you say that 00:28:18.940 --> 00:28:20.180 you have converted to Christianity, 00:28:20.300 --> 00:28:21.539 but your life hasn't really converted, 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:22.240 then I would say 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:23.060 you haven't even converted. 00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:27.140 There is a pastor who says this, 00:28:27.160 --> 00:28:29.340 you can't react moderately to Jesus Christ. 00:28:29.420 --> 00:28:29.960 You can't say, 00:28:30.080 --> 00:28:31.140 Jesus, I believe you, 00:28:31.360 --> 00:28:32.259 I follow you, 00:28:32.580 --> 00:28:34.480 but I'm also just going to follow my own way. 00:28:34.779 --> 00:28:35.620 It's not possible. 00:28:35.700 --> 00:28:36.060 Can you see? 00:28:36.120 --> 00:28:37.400 It doesn't actually make sense. 00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:39.880 The moment you are confronted with the gospel, 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:41.160 you can't help but convert 00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:42.500 and follow this new way, 00:28:42.620 --> 00:28:44.259 and this new way is drastically different 00:28:44.259 --> 00:28:44.960 from your old way. 00:28:48.420 --> 00:28:49.640 And it doesn't make sense. 00:28:49.640 --> 00:28:50.780 And there is suffering. 00:28:51.120 --> 00:28:51.880 And there is hardship. 00:28:52.560 --> 00:28:53.320 But it is true. 00:28:53.620 --> 00:28:54.400 And it is abundant. 00:28:55.120 --> 00:28:56.220 And it is satisfying. 00:28:56.660 --> 00:28:57.380 And it is eternal. 00:28:58.960 --> 00:29:00.759 Confrontation and conversion. 00:29:00.860 --> 00:29:01.900 I want to stop here for a second. 00:29:02.700 --> 00:29:03.300 As I started, 00:29:04.060 --> 00:29:04.620 all of this, 00:29:05.180 --> 00:29:06.220 why we gather here, 00:29:06.320 --> 00:29:07.420 why we open up this book, 00:29:07.460 --> 00:29:08.640 and we believe this book gives us 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:09.380 the words of life 00:29:09.380 --> 00:29:10.820 that we need to navigate 00:29:10.820 --> 00:29:11.820 this broken world, 00:29:12.040 --> 00:29:13.140 this world where it is 00:29:13.140 --> 00:29:14.700 completely broken. 00:29:14.700 --> 00:29:17.120 Just look at the news this week, 00:29:17.140 --> 00:29:18.080 and you will see that there is 00:29:18.080 --> 00:29:19.740 brokenness in this world. 00:29:19.819 --> 00:29:20.980 But why do we, 00:29:21.340 --> 00:29:22.180 as followers of Christ, 00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:22.900 still have hope? 00:29:23.059 --> 00:29:24.120 It's because we believe 00:29:24.120 --> 00:29:24.819 there is a Savior 00:29:24.819 --> 00:29:26.640 who stepped into this brokenness 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:28.039 and had his own body 00:29:28.039 --> 00:29:29.160 broken for us. 00:29:30.660 --> 00:29:32.120 And through that, 00:29:32.420 --> 00:29:33.799 he redeems and he restores. 00:29:34.580 --> 00:29:35.759 And he heals this world. 00:29:37.100 --> 00:29:37.980 There's no point in us 00:29:37.980 --> 00:29:38.620 reading this book, 00:29:38.940 --> 00:29:40.140 looking at an account like this, 00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:40.299 going, 00:29:40.360 --> 00:29:41.080 wow, that's crazy. 00:29:41.700 --> 00:29:43.819 I wish when I was walking somewhere, 00:29:43.819 --> 00:29:46.200 Jesus would encounter me, 00:29:46.339 --> 00:29:46.879 confront me. 00:29:47.740 --> 00:29:48.980 And we look at stories like this, 00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:49.519 whether it's here, 00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:50.579 or we look at some of the letters 00:29:50.579 --> 00:29:51.179 that Paul's writing, 00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:51.659 the epistles, 00:29:51.859 --> 00:29:52.599 that are just filled with 00:29:52.599 --> 00:29:54.519 just rich theology and doctrine. 00:29:54.919 --> 00:29:55.619 If you're like me, 00:29:56.159 --> 00:29:57.000 sometimes we read these 00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:59.079 and we just skip over them 00:29:59.079 --> 00:29:59.359 and just go, 00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:00.619 oh, it was a cool story. 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:02.079 But it doesn't change 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:02.559 the way we live. 00:30:02.579 --> 00:30:03.339 We don't convert 00:30:03.339 --> 00:30:04.559 to the way of Jesus. 00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:05.579 We're just reading. 00:30:06.379 --> 00:30:06.700 Sometimes, 00:30:06.819 --> 00:30:07.299 most of the time, 00:30:07.339 --> 00:30:08.220 we don't even understand. 00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:10.000 So what I want to do 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:10.679 during these times 00:30:10.679 --> 00:30:11.359 is actually really 00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:13.019 see if we can be equipped 00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:14.139 in actually being able 00:30:14.139 --> 00:30:14.920 to read scripture, 00:30:15.259 --> 00:30:16.019 understand it, 00:30:16.740 --> 00:30:17.539 see how it applies 00:30:17.539 --> 00:30:18.000 to our lives, 00:30:18.019 --> 00:30:19.220 and then actually cause it 00:30:19.220 --> 00:30:20.799 to change our lives. 00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:22.240 And so some questions 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:22.940 I like to ask, 00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:24.539 I mean, 00:30:24.579 --> 00:30:25.220 I'm sure all of you 00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:25.740 have read the Bible 00:30:25.740 --> 00:30:26.079 and gone, 00:30:26.200 --> 00:30:27.220 I don't understand that passage, 00:30:27.379 --> 00:30:28.059 but I'm too lazy 00:30:28.059 --> 00:30:29.119 to go into a commentary. 00:30:29.700 --> 00:30:30.279 I'm too lazy 00:30:30.279 --> 00:30:31.099 to even use AI, 00:30:31.240 --> 00:30:31.740 so I'm just going to, 00:30:31.900 --> 00:30:32.799 I've done my reading 00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:33.579 and I'm going to go. 00:30:34.859 --> 00:30:35.839 When that's happened, 00:30:36.139 --> 00:30:37.200 often I try and ask myself 00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:37.839 a few questions. 00:30:37.980 --> 00:30:38.599 They're not my own. 00:30:38.700 --> 00:30:39.279 It's based on, 00:30:39.420 --> 00:30:40.720 inspired by DBS, 00:30:40.839 --> 00:30:41.559 the Discovery Bible, 00:30:41.559 --> 00:30:42.639 study kind of questions, 00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:43.619 inductive Bible studies, 00:30:43.679 --> 00:30:44.240 which is just, 00:30:44.639 --> 00:30:45.299 what's this passage 00:30:45.299 --> 00:30:46.159 telling me about God? 00:30:47.319 --> 00:30:48.319 What's this passage 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:49.220 telling me about me? 00:30:50.599 --> 00:30:52.039 And where's the good news here 00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:53.259 and how can I apply it 00:30:53.259 --> 00:30:54.099 and who do I share it with? 00:30:54.159 --> 00:30:54.480 That's it. 00:30:55.099 --> 00:30:55.819 Those are the questions 00:30:55.819 --> 00:30:56.279 I'm asking. 00:30:56.899 --> 00:30:58.200 Once I'm engaging 00:30:58.200 --> 00:30:58.720 with it more, 00:30:58.819 --> 00:30:59.539 then I start looking 00:30:59.539 --> 00:31:00.339 into the context 00:31:00.339 --> 00:31:01.460 and where this happened, 00:31:01.559 --> 00:31:02.619 the culture that it happened in 00:31:02.619 --> 00:31:03.419 and all these kind of things, 00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:04.539 but really I start with 00:31:04.539 --> 00:31:05.480 what is it trying to tell me? 00:31:05.599 --> 00:31:06.299 And so actually, 00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:06.960 Sam, 00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:08.619 can you come and join me up here? 00:31:08.619 --> 00:31:09.939 I actually posed these questions 00:31:09.939 --> 00:31:11.399 to Sam at the beginning 00:31:11.399 --> 00:31:11.899 of the week 00:31:11.899 --> 00:31:12.739 and I was like, 00:31:12.819 --> 00:31:12.959 actually, 00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:13.159 Sam, 00:31:13.199 --> 00:31:14.339 can you read this passage with me? 00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:16.279 Can you pray over this passage with me? 00:31:16.500 --> 00:31:17.459 And can you just reflect 00:31:17.459 --> 00:31:19.039 on these things with me? 00:31:19.259 --> 00:31:19.939 And maybe there's something 00:31:19.939 --> 00:31:21.199 for you to share with me 00:31:21.199 --> 00:31:22.359 today over here as well. 00:31:22.419 --> 00:31:23.039 So we're going to spend 00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:23.879 maybe 10 minutes or so 00:31:23.879 --> 00:31:25.219 just going through that. 00:31:26.239 --> 00:31:26.799 Hey, Sam. 00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:27.139 Hi. 00:31:27.719 --> 00:31:28.659 I'll get you another mic 00:31:28.659 --> 00:31:28.919 in a minute. 00:31:29.439 --> 00:31:30.759 But as you look at this passage, 00:31:31.099 --> 00:31:32.359 what was the first thing 00:31:32.359 --> 00:31:33.459 that came to mind for you, 00:31:33.739 --> 00:31:34.779 whether it's what it's telling you 00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:35.359 about yourself 00:31:35.359 --> 00:31:36.219 or whether it's telling you 00:31:36.219 --> 00:31:36.599 about God? 00:31:36.599 --> 00:31:39.099 I think you touched on it 00:31:39.099 --> 00:31:39.659 earlier, James, 00:31:39.699 --> 00:31:42.240 when you mentioned Jesus 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:43.919 being in the midst 00:31:43.919 --> 00:31:45.119 of suffering, 00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:46.399 of persecution. 00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:49.159 I think back to Martha and Mary 00:31:49.159 --> 00:31:51.099 coming out to Jesus, right? 00:31:51.399 --> 00:31:52.319 Lazarus had died 00:31:52.319 --> 00:31:53.879 and they both say the same thing. 00:31:53.939 --> 00:31:54.480 Scripture says, 00:31:54.619 --> 00:31:55.179 both of them say, 00:31:55.240 --> 00:31:55.379 Lord, 00:31:55.459 --> 00:31:56.480 if you've been here earlier, 00:31:57.119 --> 00:31:57.599 then my brother 00:31:57.599 --> 00:31:58.719 would not have died, right? 00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.699 And the first time, 00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:01.399 we kind of imagine 00:32:01.399 --> 00:32:03.219 the stoic response from Christ. 00:32:03.679 --> 00:32:04.719 And the second time, 00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:06.119 Mary says the same thing. 00:32:06.599 --> 00:32:07.939 And Jesus is just moved 00:32:07.939 --> 00:32:08.599 to compassion. 00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:11.219 I'm reminded of that 00:32:11.219 --> 00:32:12.339 as you were sharing 00:32:12.339 --> 00:32:14.459 that God is in the midst 00:32:14.459 --> 00:32:16.059 of our suffering, right? 00:32:16.419 --> 00:32:16.559 Yeah. 00:32:17.319 --> 00:32:17.699 And of course, 00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:19.419 tell us how that's impacted you 00:32:19.419 --> 00:32:19.759 over the years. 00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:20.959 You've had your fair share 00:32:20.959 --> 00:32:22.759 of trauma and pain 00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:23.519 and suffering. 00:32:24.199 --> 00:32:25.179 What's that done for you? 00:32:25.180 --> 00:32:33.240 I think it's in suffering 00:32:33.240 --> 00:32:35.220 when God is most real. 00:32:36.340 --> 00:32:39.140 I think a prayer for many 00:32:39.140 --> 00:32:39.700 is like, 00:32:39.740 --> 00:32:40.799 God, I want to experience you. 00:32:41.060 --> 00:32:41.980 We pray things like, 00:32:42.519 --> 00:32:43.039 I want to be filled 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:44.160 with the Holy Spirit, right? 00:32:44.180 --> 00:32:45.200 We see Ananias 00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:46.400 laying hands here on Paul 00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:47.759 and he's filled with the Spirit. 00:32:47.860 --> 00:32:49.100 We love these moments. 00:32:49.980 --> 00:32:50.860 But in the day-to-day, 00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:51.680 I think as we work out 00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:52.140 what it means 00:32:52.140 --> 00:32:53.519 to be a Christian, 00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:55.920 to find that place 00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:57.200 where heaven meets earth, 00:32:57.799 --> 00:32:58.539 we're wondering 00:32:58.539 --> 00:32:59.400 what does life 00:32:59.400 --> 00:33:00.240 with God look like? 00:33:01.500 --> 00:33:02.299 And we're in a culture 00:33:02.299 --> 00:33:03.560 where we want to escape 00:33:03.560 --> 00:33:04.120 suffering, 00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:04.680 don't we? 00:33:05.259 --> 00:33:06.279 Where we don't like pain. 00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:08.620 But it's in the pain, 00:33:08.700 --> 00:33:09.000 I think, 00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:10.460 that God is most real. 00:33:11.060 --> 00:33:12.560 And that's something 00:33:12.560 --> 00:33:14.100 that can't be just told to you. 00:33:14.560 --> 00:33:15.980 I think you have to go through it, 00:33:16.180 --> 00:33:16.380 right? 00:33:17.380 --> 00:33:18.400 And just those words 00:33:18.400 --> 00:33:19.060 that Jesus had, 00:33:19.140 --> 00:33:19.360 it's not, 00:33:19.520 --> 00:33:19.640 hey, 00:33:19.700 --> 00:33:20.840 why are you persecuting 00:33:20.840 --> 00:33:22.740 my underlings far away? 00:33:23.120 --> 00:33:23.280 It's like, 00:33:23.300 --> 00:33:24.580 why are you persecuting me? 00:33:25.660 --> 00:33:27.260 And that would have just pierced, 00:33:27.300 --> 00:33:27.680 I think, 00:33:27.800 --> 00:33:29.000 pierced Saul's heart, 00:33:29.060 --> 00:33:29.200 right? 00:33:30.020 --> 00:33:30.740 I mean, 00:33:30.800 --> 00:33:31.140 what else? 00:33:31.700 --> 00:33:32.500 As you were praying 00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:33.160 through this this week, 00:33:33.400 --> 00:33:34.680 what did this passage, 00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:35.080 what do you think 00:33:35.080 --> 00:33:35.700 this passage is, 00:33:35.880 --> 00:33:36.480 God is using 00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:37.420 to tell us about us, 00:33:37.940 --> 00:33:39.380 humanity and people? 00:33:39.380 --> 00:33:45.160 I think about us, 00:33:45.900 --> 00:33:46.080 you know, 00:33:46.120 --> 00:33:46.420 blindness, 00:33:46.640 --> 00:33:47.620 you touched on that. 00:33:49.740 --> 00:33:51.000 It's a real thing. 00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:53.980 I think, 00:33:54.320 --> 00:33:55.400 I also think about 00:33:55.400 --> 00:33:56.740 purpose here. 00:33:57.200 --> 00:33:58.580 As someone who grew up 00:33:58.580 --> 00:33:59.240 in the church, 00:33:59.760 --> 00:34:00.800 my parents were believers, 00:34:01.180 --> 00:34:01.580 and so, 00:34:02.360 --> 00:34:03.720 I think for many believers 00:34:03.720 --> 00:34:05.400 who grew up 00:34:05.400 --> 00:34:06.360 in the faith, 00:34:07.120 --> 00:34:08.599 we get to a point 00:34:08.599 --> 00:34:09.380 where we need 00:34:09.380 --> 00:34:10.019 to make it our own. 00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:10.980 A question, 00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:12.400 I think many of us ask is, 00:34:12.759 --> 00:34:14.380 what is my purpose? 00:34:15.460 --> 00:34:16.420 And we look at someone 00:34:16.420 --> 00:34:16.900 like Saul, 00:34:17.000 --> 00:34:18.480 and it's inspiring. 00:34:18.759 --> 00:34:19.719 We were all struck 00:34:19.719 --> 00:34:21.480 by this amazing sense 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:21.880 of purpose 00:34:21.880 --> 00:34:22.819 that God gave him. 00:34:23.500 --> 00:34:23.920 I think, 00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:25.139 I reflect on that, 00:34:25.619 --> 00:34:26.659 and I think to myself, 00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:28.579 what does that say 00:34:28.579 --> 00:34:29.639 about us today? 00:34:29.900 --> 00:34:31.619 We're so hungry, 00:34:31.739 --> 00:34:32.219 we're starving 00:34:32.219 --> 00:34:33.159 for purpose, 00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:35.259 here for significance, 00:34:35.639 --> 00:34:35.819 right? 00:34:36.579 --> 00:34:37.900 Maybe there's something 00:34:37.900 --> 00:34:38.800 in me that I'm 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:39.940 looking too inwardly, 00:34:40.360 --> 00:34:41.320 and this challenges 00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:42.860 me to look outwardly. 00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.559 In Paul, 00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:44.960 I see, 00:34:45.220 --> 00:34:46.360 he's so zealous 00:34:46.360 --> 00:34:49.280 against the Christian Jews, 00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:49.880 Jews, 00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:50.360 excuse me, 00:34:50.820 --> 00:34:51.820 and later on 00:34:51.820 --> 00:34:53.240 when he's spoken to, 00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:55.460 the Lord says 00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:56.539 in verse 15, 00:34:56.680 --> 00:34:56.820 go, 00:34:56.920 --> 00:34:57.360 he's a chosen 00:34:57.360 --> 00:34:58.280 instrument of mine 00:34:58.280 --> 00:34:59.500 to carry the name 00:34:59.500 --> 00:35:00.500 before the Gentiles 00:35:00.500 --> 00:35:01.180 and kings 00:35:01.180 --> 00:35:01.920 and the children 00:35:01.920 --> 00:35:02.440 of Israel. 00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:04.400 Here's a shift 00:35:04.400 --> 00:35:05.059 in purpose here 00:35:05.059 --> 00:35:05.920 for Saul. 00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:07.179 He was devoting 00:35:07.179 --> 00:35:07.699 his life 00:35:07.699 --> 00:35:08.880 to correcting 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:09.920 the Jewish faith 00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:10.860 as he saw fit, 00:35:11.519 --> 00:35:12.079 and then God 00:35:12.079 --> 00:35:13.299 turns that purpose 00:35:13.299 --> 00:35:13.639 around. 00:35:14.619 --> 00:35:15.079 For me, 00:35:15.239 --> 00:35:16.299 I have to 00:35:16.299 --> 00:35:18.019 adjust my posture, 00:35:18.860 --> 00:35:19.519 and look, 00:35:20.259 --> 00:35:20.759 there are things 00:35:20.759 --> 00:35:21.420 that I guess 00:35:21.420 --> 00:35:22.039 I don't want to do, 00:35:22.239 --> 00:35:22.779 but God, 00:35:22.900 --> 00:35:23.920 because of you, 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:24.779 I will do it. 00:35:24.920 --> 00:35:25.980 I will do it faithfully. 00:35:25.980 --> 00:35:28.320 And it's that hard, 00:35:28.480 --> 00:35:28.940 because God doesn't 00:35:28.940 --> 00:35:30.099 need us to do anything. 00:35:30.920 --> 00:35:31.280 Especially, 00:35:31.400 --> 00:35:31.780 I imagine, 00:35:32.260 --> 00:35:32.780 Paul here, 00:35:33.320 --> 00:35:34.619 his CV would have 00:35:34.619 --> 00:35:35.559 been just outstanding. 00:35:36.599 --> 00:35:38.179 I've been thinking 00:35:38.179 --> 00:35:39.280 even someone like him 00:35:39.280 --> 00:35:39.980 as a debater 00:35:39.980 --> 00:35:40.880 would have been 00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:42.079 nearly impossible to be. 00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:43.099 And yet, 00:35:43.179 --> 00:35:43.920 in 1 Corinthians 1, 00:35:43.960 --> 00:35:44.639 which is my own reading, 00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:45.240 it's been, 00:35:45.960 --> 00:35:46.360 Paul's saying, 00:35:46.420 --> 00:35:47.159 it's not even about that. 00:35:47.219 --> 00:35:48.219 It's not my lofty speech. 00:35:48.260 --> 00:35:49.260 It's not my eloquent words. 00:35:49.320 --> 00:35:50.000 It's not my wisdom. 00:35:50.260 --> 00:35:52.059 It's just the power 00:35:52.059 --> 00:35:52.940 that is at the cross, 00:35:53.059 --> 00:35:54.079 and it's the wisdom of God, 00:35:54.139 --> 00:35:54.619 which is Christ, 00:35:54.699 --> 00:35:55.260 and that's it. 00:35:55.260 --> 00:35:56.180 And I come to you 00:35:56.180 --> 00:35:58.500 with just fear and trembling, 00:35:58.580 --> 00:35:58.800 almost, 00:35:58.860 --> 00:35:59.340 and weakness, 00:35:59.560 --> 00:36:00.260 because that's all 00:36:00.260 --> 00:36:00.720 that's needed. 00:36:00.920 --> 00:36:02.520 And I guess that's a heart thing, 00:36:02.580 --> 00:36:02.700 right? 00:36:03.100 --> 00:36:03.400 I mean, 00:36:03.420 --> 00:36:04.260 as you look at this passage, 00:36:04.580 --> 00:36:05.440 where's the gospel here? 00:36:05.460 --> 00:36:06.420 What's the good news for you? 00:36:12.340 --> 00:36:14.160 I think God's timing here is key. 00:36:14.820 --> 00:36:15.900 The believers must have been 00:36:15.900 --> 00:36:16.900 praying for so long 00:36:16.900 --> 00:36:18.360 for justice. 00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:18.940 You know, 00:36:18.940 --> 00:36:19.840 the blood on the ground, 00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:21.400 they're crying out for justice. 00:36:21.980 --> 00:36:22.580 And you mentioned 00:36:22.580 --> 00:36:24.080 this was a heavy news week, 00:36:24.140 --> 00:36:24.340 right, 00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:25.980 for Americans especially. 00:36:27.079 --> 00:36:28.320 And that prayer, 00:36:28.460 --> 00:36:28.760 I think, 00:36:29.120 --> 00:36:30.559 is a felt one here. 00:36:32.140 --> 00:36:33.460 I'm seeing God's timing here. 00:36:33.579 --> 00:36:35.360 That's how I see God at work. 00:36:35.539 --> 00:36:37.539 I'm seeing God's compassion here. 00:36:38.200 --> 00:36:39.039 And I see, 00:36:39.760 --> 00:36:41.400 through the life of Ananias, 00:36:41.880 --> 00:36:42.840 God choosing to, 00:36:43.079 --> 00:36:43.740 you know, 00:36:43.780 --> 00:36:45.400 choosing to use us 00:36:45.400 --> 00:36:46.960 as we are waiting 00:36:46.960 --> 00:36:47.620 and willing. 00:36:47.619 --> 00:36:48.699 and you painted 00:36:48.699 --> 00:36:49.440 a wonderful picture 00:36:49.440 --> 00:36:50.400 of Ananias just waiting. 00:36:50.920 --> 00:36:51.440 I think that's a prayer 00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:52.319 many of us have had. 00:36:52.440 --> 00:36:52.639 God, 00:36:52.759 --> 00:36:53.279 I'm here, 00:36:53.619 --> 00:36:53.839 you know, 00:36:54.339 --> 00:36:55.159 use me. 00:36:56.359 --> 00:36:57.859 And then bringing it back 00:36:57.859 --> 00:36:58.519 to a year ago 00:36:58.519 --> 00:36:59.500 when you talked about Jonah, 00:36:59.759 --> 00:36:59.900 it's, 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:01.219 it's something, 00:37:01.400 --> 00:37:01.599 we're, 00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:03.219 that's a dangerous prayer 00:37:03.219 --> 00:37:04.739 because absolutely, 00:37:04.859 --> 00:37:05.559 God might ask us 00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:06.059 to do something 00:37:06.059 --> 00:37:06.960 that we don't want to do. 00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:08.980 I mean, 00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:09.240 I guess, 00:37:09.320 --> 00:37:10.179 I think you just answered 00:37:10.179 --> 00:37:11.039 that final bit is, 00:37:11.659 --> 00:37:12.380 where do we take 00:37:12.380 --> 00:37:13.360 this passage like this? 00:37:13.380 --> 00:37:14.079 How do we apply it 00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:14.639 to our lives? 00:37:14.679 --> 00:37:15.480 And who do we, 00:37:15.480 --> 00:37:16.280 who do we share it with? 00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:18.320 I see a few trends here. 00:37:18.699 --> 00:37:19.139 I think, 00:37:19.220 --> 00:37:22.199 for some of us, 00:37:22.280 --> 00:37:23.579 it may be Ananias, 00:37:24.039 --> 00:37:26.720 just a joy of being 00:37:26.720 --> 00:37:28.099 the hands and feet of Jesus. 00:37:29.320 --> 00:37:29.500 God, 00:37:29.619 --> 00:37:31.639 God didn't have to ask Ananias 00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:33.400 to be the conduit 00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:34.340 of healing. 00:37:35.179 --> 00:37:35.420 He, 00:37:35.460 --> 00:37:36.119 he gets to, 00:37:36.380 --> 00:37:36.559 right? 00:37:37.360 --> 00:37:38.119 Ephesians 2.10, 00:37:38.199 --> 00:37:39.059 like we are the workmanship 00:37:39.059 --> 00:37:39.940 of Christ, 00:37:40.059 --> 00:37:40.260 right? 00:37:41.360 --> 00:37:43.159 There's work prepared beforehand 00:37:43.159 --> 00:37:45.300 that we should walk in them, 00:37:45.539 --> 00:37:45.720 right? 00:37:45.820 --> 00:37:46.019 So, 00:37:46.099 --> 00:37:47.639 so we get to participate. 00:37:48.039 --> 00:37:49.639 I imagine a house being built, 00:37:49.760 --> 00:37:49.940 right? 00:37:50.000 --> 00:37:50.139 And, 00:37:50.159 --> 00:37:51.039 and God, 00:37:51.400 --> 00:37:52.079 the designer, 00:37:52.179 --> 00:37:52.579 the blueprint, 00:37:52.780 --> 00:37:53.460 everything's made 00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:54.760 and he's inviting us 00:37:54.760 --> 00:37:55.820 to partake in that, 00:37:56.019 --> 00:37:56.240 right? 00:37:56.659 --> 00:37:57.079 And, 00:37:57.139 --> 00:37:58.139 and if the contractor 00:37:58.139 --> 00:37:59.019 doesn't show up, 00:37:59.119 --> 00:38:00.480 then someone else comes in 00:38:00.480 --> 00:38:01.199 and does the job. 00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:02.260 But it's a joy 00:38:02.260 --> 00:38:03.199 that we have, 00:38:03.280 --> 00:38:05.280 that we get to serve the Lord. 00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:06.340 And I think that's, 00:38:06.340 --> 00:38:07.260 that's Ananias here. 00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:07.920 For, 00:38:07.960 --> 00:38:08.440 for Saul, 00:38:08.519 --> 00:38:09.640 I think where we live is we, 00:38:09.680 --> 00:38:10.079 we get, 00:38:10.200 --> 00:38:11.559 we have to look at others 00:38:11.559 --> 00:38:12.079 with, 00:38:12.140 --> 00:38:12.680 with grace. 00:38:13.120 --> 00:38:14.680 If someone as evil as Saul 00:38:14.680 --> 00:38:16.500 can become the second most prominent person 00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:17.100 in your, 00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:18.100 in your eyes, 00:38:18.340 --> 00:38:18.539 then, 00:38:18.539 --> 00:38:19.900 then grace can, 00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:20.860 can rescue anyone. 00:38:20.860 --> 00:38:22.039 And for me, 00:38:22.099 --> 00:38:22.340 finally, 00:38:22.440 --> 00:38:23.579 I guess if I peek ahead 00:38:23.579 --> 00:38:25.059 to the rest of the verses 00:38:25.059 --> 00:38:25.539 here in, 00:38:25.539 --> 00:38:26.700 in chapter nine, 00:38:26.820 --> 00:38:28.360 where it speaks briefly 00:38:28.360 --> 00:38:29.160 about Barnabas. 00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:30.539 Barnabas is the one 00:38:30.539 --> 00:38:31.880 who vouches for, 00:38:31.880 --> 00:38:32.480 for Saul 00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:33.460 and, 00:38:33.500 --> 00:38:34.700 and is a character witness. 00:38:34.700 --> 00:38:35.019 So, 00:38:35.120 --> 00:38:36.780 I wonder if any of us 00:38:36.780 --> 00:38:37.260 are in the midst 00:38:37.260 --> 00:38:38.700 of seeing a life transformed 00:38:38.700 --> 00:38:39.860 and, 00:38:39.900 --> 00:38:41.440 and we are the character witness 00:38:41.440 --> 00:38:42.300 that encourages 00:38:42.300 --> 00:38:43.300 the rest of the church, 00:38:43.300 --> 00:38:44.840 but also the person 00:38:44.840 --> 00:38:45.720 who's in the middle 00:38:45.720 --> 00:38:46.480 of being transformed. 00:38:47.200 --> 00:38:47.740 That is so good. 00:38:48.240 --> 00:38:48.599 Thank you, 00:38:48.660 --> 00:38:48.760 Sam. 00:38:48.940 --> 00:38:49.320 Thank you. 00:38:49.320 --> 00:38:50.260 Can we give him a round of applause? 00:38:56.680 --> 00:38:57.780 I think it's so important 00:38:57.780 --> 00:38:58.740 and I encourage you, 00:38:58.940 --> 00:38:59.039 well, 00:38:59.100 --> 00:39:00.240 Paul needed Adonai, 00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:01.300 he needed Barnabas. 00:39:01.380 --> 00:39:02.380 We need people around 00:39:02.380 --> 00:39:02.940 to help us 00:39:02.940 --> 00:39:03.980 look at these, 00:39:04.080 --> 00:39:05.340 look at these words of life 00:39:05.340 --> 00:39:06.580 and help us to decipher them, 00:39:06.680 --> 00:39:07.260 understand them 00:39:07.260 --> 00:39:08.059 and then apply them 00:39:08.059 --> 00:39:09.480 and hold us accountable to it 00:39:09.480 --> 00:39:10.900 so we're not just reading 00:39:10.900 --> 00:39:12.400 and then just leaving it, 00:39:12.980 --> 00:39:13.960 but there is more to it. 00:39:15.080 --> 00:39:15.640 And honestly, 00:39:15.780 --> 00:39:15.940 as I, 00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:17.440 as I look more into this character 00:39:17.440 --> 00:39:18.080 of Saul, 00:39:18.740 --> 00:39:19.000 Paul, 00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:19.280 I'm like, 00:39:19.340 --> 00:39:19.840 this guy, 00:39:20.699 --> 00:39:21.039 these can, 00:39:21.579 --> 00:39:23.079 the conviction that he had, 00:39:23.920 --> 00:39:24.780 the skill that he had, 00:39:24.840 --> 00:39:25.980 the humility that he had, 00:39:26.519 --> 00:39:28.840 I almost kind of see 00:39:28.840 --> 00:39:29.739 where he's coming from 00:39:29.739 --> 00:39:31.199 in a lot of these things. 00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:32.820 And it made me think, 00:39:32.860 --> 00:39:32.960 well, 00:39:33.000 --> 00:39:33.179 why, 00:39:33.239 --> 00:39:33.800 why was he, 00:39:34.059 --> 00:39:35.099 why was he so angry? 00:39:35.980 --> 00:39:37.099 Why was he so angry 00:39:37.099 --> 00:39:38.380 with people belonging 00:39:38.380 --> 00:39:39.699 to the way? 00:39:40.780 --> 00:39:41.059 I mean, 00:39:41.139 --> 00:39:42.039 maybe quick final thoughts. 00:39:42.119 --> 00:39:43.000 Why was he so angry, 00:39:43.059 --> 00:39:43.420 do you think? 00:39:45.739 --> 00:39:46.519 Broke tradition. 00:39:46.840 --> 00:39:47.400 Oh my goodness. 00:39:47.400 --> 00:39:47.720 That is, 00:39:48.139 --> 00:39:48.760 can you imagine 00:39:48.760 --> 00:39:50.200 Saul having grown up 00:39:50.200 --> 00:39:52.300 with all the tradition 00:39:52.300 --> 00:39:52.840 that he would have to, 00:39:52.920 --> 00:39:53.740 all the sacrifices 00:39:53.740 --> 00:39:55.280 that he would have had to make 00:39:55.280 --> 00:39:56.360 to become a Pharisee? 00:39:56.579 --> 00:39:57.680 And then yet he stands 00:39:57.680 --> 00:39:59.240 and he sees this Stephen 00:39:59.240 --> 00:40:00.639 giving this sermon 00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:01.340 of his life. 00:40:01.559 --> 00:40:02.420 And what's the sermon 00:40:02.420 --> 00:40:03.200 basically saying? 00:40:03.460 --> 00:40:04.320 Is that there's nothing 00:40:04.320 --> 00:40:05.519 that Paul didn't know, 00:40:05.980 --> 00:40:06.460 the stories, 00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:08.380 but then Stephen's also saying 00:40:08.380 --> 00:40:09.440 God is doing away 00:40:09.440 --> 00:40:09.980 with the temple. 00:40:10.240 --> 00:40:11.240 God is doing away 00:40:11.240 --> 00:40:12.619 with the tabernacle. 00:40:12.619 --> 00:40:13.719 God is doing away 00:40:13.719 --> 00:40:14.699 with the priesthood. 00:40:14.779 --> 00:40:15.819 God is doing away 00:40:15.819 --> 00:40:17.339 with the sacrificial system. 00:40:18.440 --> 00:40:18.819 And he's like, 00:40:18.880 --> 00:40:20.059 how dare you? 00:40:21.519 --> 00:40:22.880 Do you know who I am? 00:40:22.940 --> 00:40:23.339 Do you know what 00:40:23.339 --> 00:40:25.119 I've built my life upon? 00:40:26.579 --> 00:40:27.259 Do you know what? 00:40:27.339 --> 00:40:28.279 Everything I've ever known, 00:40:28.380 --> 00:40:29.659 everything I've worked for 00:40:29.659 --> 00:40:31.619 is that I would be the best, 00:40:31.819 --> 00:40:32.599 the most moral, 00:40:33.079 --> 00:40:34.259 upright human being 00:40:34.259 --> 00:40:35.460 that pleases God. 00:40:35.679 --> 00:40:36.940 And you're here telling me 00:40:36.940 --> 00:40:37.639 that I'm never going 00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:38.179 to be good enough. 00:40:39.199 --> 00:40:39.920 Can you see? 00:40:40.079 --> 00:40:41.460 That's where he's coming from. 00:40:41.460 --> 00:40:43.400 That's why the Christian message 00:40:43.400 --> 00:40:44.639 is so offensive. 00:40:45.599 --> 00:40:46.659 When he meets 00:40:46.659 --> 00:40:47.599 and is confronted 00:40:47.599 --> 00:40:48.599 by the living Jesus, 00:40:48.679 --> 00:40:48.980 he's like, 00:40:49.059 --> 00:40:51.119 none of it matters anymore. 00:40:51.240 --> 00:40:53.460 I will never be good enough. 00:40:56.360 --> 00:40:57.740 But if I follow him, 00:40:58.460 --> 00:41:00.400 if I identify with him, 00:41:00.539 --> 00:41:02.619 if I am in union with him, 00:41:02.619 --> 00:41:04.420 if I commit to being 00:41:04.420 --> 00:41:06.199 the place where heaven 00:41:06.199 --> 00:41:07.320 meets earth in him, 00:41:08.599 --> 00:41:10.559 what's true of him 00:41:10.559 --> 00:41:12.279 is now true of me, 00:41:13.340 --> 00:41:15.779 that changes everything. 00:41:17.000 --> 00:41:17.579 That's what, 00:41:18.380 --> 00:41:19.519 that's why he was so angry. 00:41:20.420 --> 00:41:21.380 That's why he needed 00:41:21.380 --> 00:41:22.900 this traumatic experience 00:41:22.900 --> 00:41:24.179 to get him to a place 00:41:24.179 --> 00:41:24.759 to understand 00:41:24.759 --> 00:41:25.659 we are never going 00:41:25.659 --> 00:41:26.320 to be good enough, 00:41:26.420 --> 00:41:27.380 but in Christ Jesus, 00:41:27.579 --> 00:41:28.880 we are more 00:41:28.880 --> 00:41:30.259 than good enough. 00:41:30.320 --> 00:41:32.940 And that's all we need. 00:41:33.480 --> 00:41:34.880 There's a pastor in England 00:41:34.880 --> 00:41:35.639 many years ago 00:41:35.639 --> 00:41:37.599 who asked this question, 00:41:37.819 --> 00:41:38.659 Martin Lloyd-Jones. 00:41:38.879 --> 00:41:39.420 He asked, 00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:41.440 he likes to ask people, 00:41:41.500 --> 00:41:42.879 are you a Christian today? 00:41:44.779 --> 00:41:45.639 And often he'll be, 00:41:45.719 --> 00:41:45.879 well, 00:41:46.099 --> 00:41:47.920 he'll get responses like, 00:41:47.980 --> 00:41:49.900 I'm trying to be a Christian. 00:41:50.279 --> 00:41:51.819 I'm trying to be a good Christian 00:41:51.819 --> 00:41:52.699 until you realize 00:41:52.699 --> 00:41:53.259 that that actually 00:41:53.259 --> 00:41:53.900 is the wrong answer, 00:41:53.980 --> 00:41:54.900 that there is no such thing 00:41:54.900 --> 00:41:55.599 as a good Christian. 00:41:55.699 --> 00:41:57.079 You can't try to be a Christian 00:41:57.079 --> 00:41:58.259 until you realize 00:41:58.259 --> 00:41:59.359 that actually Christianity 00:41:59.359 --> 00:42:00.920 is something that you receive. 00:42:01.099 --> 00:42:01.799 It is not something 00:42:01.799 --> 00:42:03.079 that you can achieve. 00:42:03.900 --> 00:42:04.940 Paul spent all of his life 00:42:04.940 --> 00:42:06.619 trying to achieve the status, 00:42:06.900 --> 00:42:07.900 achieve the righteousness. 00:42:08.039 --> 00:42:08.940 He was blameless 00:42:08.940 --> 00:42:10.099 under the law. 00:42:11.659 --> 00:42:12.960 But until you realize 00:42:12.960 --> 00:42:13.539 that it is something 00:42:13.539 --> 00:42:14.440 that you receive, 00:42:15.400 --> 00:42:16.179 when you acknowledge 00:42:16.179 --> 00:42:17.139 who Jesus is, 00:42:17.239 --> 00:42:18.099 the life and the death 00:42:18.099 --> 00:42:19.179 and the resurrection of Jesus 00:42:19.179 --> 00:42:20.719 and what that actually meant 00:42:20.719 --> 00:42:21.840 that he paid for our sins 00:42:21.840 --> 00:42:22.759 and paid for our debts 00:42:22.759 --> 00:42:23.900 and because he paid 00:42:23.900 --> 00:42:24.400 for our debts, 00:42:24.539 --> 00:42:25.799 when God looks at us 00:42:25.799 --> 00:42:27.259 and when we believe in him, 00:42:27.340 --> 00:42:28.480 then he sees Jesus, 00:42:28.579 --> 00:42:29.579 which means our debts 00:42:29.579 --> 00:42:30.279 are now paid. 00:42:31.400 --> 00:42:32.360 And what is true of Jesus 00:42:32.360 --> 00:42:33.039 is now true 00:42:33.039 --> 00:42:33.880 of us, 00:42:33.960 --> 00:42:35.239 the moment that happens 00:42:35.239 --> 00:42:35.840 and you realize, 00:42:35.960 --> 00:42:36.559 oh, it's got nothing 00:42:36.559 --> 00:42:37.400 to do with me. 00:42:37.500 --> 00:42:38.300 It's everything to do 00:42:38.300 --> 00:42:39.259 with who he is 00:42:39.259 --> 00:42:40.800 and what he did for us 00:42:40.800 --> 00:42:41.880 and that's it. 00:42:42.079 --> 00:42:43.099 That moment then 00:42:43.099 --> 00:42:44.159 changes everything. 00:42:45.119 --> 00:42:45.719 As I was saying, 00:42:46.179 --> 00:42:46.940 there's my own reading 00:42:46.940 --> 00:42:47.579 in 1 Corinthians, 00:42:47.900 --> 00:42:49.119 1 Corinthians chapter 4, 00:42:49.199 --> 00:42:50.119 I encourage you to read it. 00:42:50.239 --> 00:42:50.800 I've just found 00:42:50.800 --> 00:42:51.880 I really loved it this week 00:42:51.880 --> 00:42:53.099 because Paul is just 00:42:53.099 --> 00:42:53.920 so passive-aggressive. 00:42:54.000 --> 00:42:54.759 Actually, he's not even passive. 00:42:54.840 --> 00:42:55.500 He's just aggressive. 00:42:56.019 --> 00:42:56.259 He's like, 00:42:57.219 --> 00:42:58.920 what do you have 00:42:58.920 --> 00:42:59.659 that you didn't receive 00:42:59.659 --> 00:43:00.119 from God? 00:43:00.800 --> 00:43:01.659 Even I don't judge myself. 00:43:01.659 --> 00:43:03.079 I don't care what you think anymore. 00:43:03.079 --> 00:43:03.480 Why? 00:43:03.679 --> 00:43:05.059 Because I met the living Christ 00:43:05.059 --> 00:43:06.599 and that is all that matters. 00:43:07.399 --> 00:43:07.659 Right? 00:43:07.799 --> 00:43:08.659 That's what he says. 00:43:09.059 --> 00:43:11.219 I don't care about anything anymore 00:43:11.219 --> 00:43:12.539 because of him 00:43:12.539 --> 00:43:13.539 and I met him 00:43:13.539 --> 00:43:14.239 and he is real. 00:43:14.460 --> 00:43:14.899 And that's why 00:43:14.899 --> 00:43:16.179 in chapter 9 later, 00:43:16.359 --> 00:43:17.339 he goes to Damascus 00:43:17.339 --> 00:43:18.460 and all he says is, 00:43:18.519 --> 00:43:19.319 he is the son of God. 00:43:19.960 --> 00:43:20.359 That's it. 00:43:20.440 --> 00:43:20.980 End of story. 00:43:21.099 --> 00:43:21.699 He's the OG, 00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:22.739 Alpha and Omega, 00:43:23.039 --> 00:43:23.559 beginning and end. 00:43:23.699 --> 00:43:24.699 It doesn't matter about me. 00:43:24.699 --> 00:43:25.639 It's all about him. 00:43:27.139 --> 00:43:28.199 That moment frees you. 00:43:29.139 --> 00:43:30.219 That's what a Christian is. 00:43:30.919 --> 00:43:31.599 I think my brother 00:43:31.599 --> 00:43:32.480 shared this one time 00:43:32.480 --> 00:43:33.639 from somewhere 00:43:33.639 --> 00:43:34.559 he had heard 00:43:34.559 --> 00:43:34.980 and he said, 00:43:35.099 --> 00:43:35.259 actually, 00:43:35.359 --> 00:43:36.019 how do you know 00:43:36.019 --> 00:43:36.879 that you will get to heaven? 00:43:36.939 --> 00:43:37.619 If you die today, 00:43:37.679 --> 00:43:38.219 how will you know 00:43:38.219 --> 00:43:38.919 that you get to heaven? 00:43:39.639 --> 00:43:40.500 You can start thinking 00:43:40.500 --> 00:43:41.619 about what that answer might be 00:43:41.619 --> 00:43:42.679 and maybe the majority 00:43:42.679 --> 00:43:43.319 of people outside, 00:43:43.460 --> 00:43:43.599 well, 00:43:43.639 --> 00:43:44.839 I think I get to heaven 00:43:44.839 --> 00:43:46.139 because I've been 00:43:46.139 --> 00:43:46.939 a pretty good person. 00:43:47.439 --> 00:43:48.079 I've donated 00:43:48.079 --> 00:43:49.279 to a few good charities. 00:43:49.819 --> 00:43:50.419 On the whole, 00:43:50.559 --> 00:43:51.059 I've been okay. 00:43:51.139 --> 00:43:52.159 I haven't stolen anything 00:43:52.159 --> 00:43:53.480 apart from when I was young 00:43:53.480 --> 00:43:54.019 in a tuck shop 00:43:54.019 --> 00:43:54.880 and I stole some chocolate 00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:55.880 but otherwise, 00:43:56.019 --> 00:43:56.440 I'm okay. 00:43:57.000 --> 00:43:57.760 His point was, 00:43:58.119 --> 00:43:58.800 if your answer 00:43:58.800 --> 00:43:59.599 to that question, 00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:00.760 how do you know 00:44:00.760 --> 00:44:01.460 you can get to heaven? 00:44:01.559 --> 00:44:02.519 If it starts with, 00:44:02.820 --> 00:44:02.920 oh, 00:44:03.000 --> 00:44:03.480 because I, 00:44:04.400 --> 00:44:04.940 then it's over. 00:44:05.679 --> 00:44:06.639 You won't get there. 00:44:07.199 --> 00:44:07.719 You haven't been 00:44:07.719 --> 00:44:08.639 confronted with the gospel. 00:44:09.240 --> 00:44:10.480 The only answer 00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:11.260 that is acceptable 00:44:11.260 --> 00:44:12.199 is because Jesus. 00:44:13.240 --> 00:44:13.780 That's it. 00:44:15.079 --> 00:44:16.219 Because of what Jesus did 00:44:16.219 --> 00:44:16.980 and that frees us 00:44:16.980 --> 00:44:17.380 not to mean 00:44:17.380 --> 00:44:18.480 that we don't do good works, 00:44:18.559 --> 00:44:18.980 not to mean 00:44:18.980 --> 00:44:20.059 that we don't allow God 00:44:20.059 --> 00:44:21.420 to conform us 00:44:21.420 --> 00:44:22.219 to this image 00:44:22.219 --> 00:44:22.880 of his son 00:44:22.880 --> 00:44:24.480 but it starts with that. 00:44:25.460 --> 00:44:26.400 Would we be confronted 00:44:26.400 --> 00:44:27.220 by the gospel 00:44:27.220 --> 00:44:28.960 and then would we be converted 00:44:28.960 --> 00:44:30.059 and then when we realize 00:44:30.059 --> 00:44:30.579 that actually 00:44:30.579 --> 00:44:31.360 it is no longer 00:44:31.360 --> 00:44:32.460 we who live 00:44:32.460 --> 00:44:33.340 but Christ who lives 00:44:33.340 --> 00:44:33.980 in us. 00:44:35.220 --> 00:44:35.380 Oh. 00:44:37.720 --> 00:44:38.700 That's when it changes. 00:44:39.559 --> 00:44:40.680 When Paul realized 00:44:40.680 --> 00:44:41.519 in Philippians 3 00:44:41.519 --> 00:44:42.760 that it's not about 00:44:42.760 --> 00:44:43.420 having a righteousness 00:44:43.420 --> 00:44:44.140 on my own 00:44:44.140 --> 00:44:45.140 but a righteousness 00:44:45.140 --> 00:44:45.640 of God 00:44:45.640 --> 00:44:46.680 that depends on faith. 00:44:48.300 --> 00:44:49.099 That I may know him 00:44:49.099 --> 00:44:49.539 and the power 00:44:49.539 --> 00:44:50.200 of his resurrection, 00:44:50.360 --> 00:44:50.880 that I may share 00:44:50.880 --> 00:44:51.300 his suffering 00:44:51.300 --> 00:44:52.120 becoming like him 00:44:52.120 --> 00:44:52.519 in his death 00:44:52.519 --> 00:44:54.019 and by any means possible 00:44:54.019 --> 00:44:55.019 attain the resurrection 00:44:55.019 --> 00:44:55.560 from the dead. 00:44:55.640 --> 00:44:56.800 That is all Paul cared about. 00:44:56.980 --> 00:44:57.960 That is all we 00:44:57.960 --> 00:44:59.700 should care about. 00:45:02.000 --> 00:45:03.180 May we be confronted 00:45:03.180 --> 00:45:04.000 with the gospel today. 00:45:06.080 --> 00:45:07.420 May we be comforted 00:45:07.420 --> 00:45:08.800 by those around us 00:45:08.800 --> 00:45:09.220 today. 00:45:10.320 --> 00:45:11.480 And may we convert 00:45:11.480 --> 00:45:12.240 to following 00:45:12.240 --> 00:45:13.840 the way of Jesus. 00:45:13.840 --> 00:45:15.260 Not a set of values, 00:45:15.539 --> 00:45:16.800 not a lifestyle, 00:45:17.320 --> 00:45:18.500 not just a teaching 00:45:18.500 --> 00:45:19.639 but the person 00:45:19.639 --> 00:45:20.659 of Jesus himself, 00:45:20.739 --> 00:45:21.940 the resurrected God 00:45:21.940 --> 00:45:24.260 who lives inside us. 00:45:25.860 --> 00:45:27.199 Are we open to that? 00:45:28.119 --> 00:45:29.559 Are we receptive to that? 00:45:29.599 --> 00:45:30.239 Are we hungry 00:45:30.239 --> 00:45:31.179 for that? 00:45:32.559 --> 00:45:33.820 That's the only thing 00:45:33.820 --> 00:45:34.960 that matters. 00:45:36.440 --> 00:45:36.860 I'm going to ask 00:45:36.860 --> 00:45:37.260 me here 00:45:37.260 --> 00:45:38.079 and the band 00:45:38.079 --> 00:45:38.860 to lead us 00:45:38.860 --> 00:45:40.199 in a song of response 00:45:40.199 --> 00:45:41.960 and this song 00:45:41.960 --> 00:45:43.920 is exactly that. 00:45:43.920 --> 00:45:45.780 that everything 00:45:45.780 --> 00:45:46.420 that we do, 00:45:46.820 --> 00:45:48.820 we do because 00:45:48.820 --> 00:45:49.240 of Christ 00:45:49.240 --> 00:45:50.380 who lives inside us. 00:45:50.500 --> 00:45:50.900 Again, 00:45:51.119 --> 00:45:51.599 in Philippians, 00:45:51.780 --> 00:45:52.300 can you tell 00:45:52.300 --> 00:45:53.119 it's my favorite letter? 00:45:54.180 --> 00:45:54.639 I think it was 00:45:54.639 --> 00:45:55.420 Paul's favorite church 00:45:55.420 --> 00:45:55.700 as well. 00:45:56.740 --> 00:45:57.559 Many years later 00:45:57.559 --> 00:45:58.039 he goes 00:45:58.039 --> 00:45:58.760 and then he says, 00:45:59.500 --> 00:46:00.320 I've learned the secret 00:46:00.320 --> 00:46:02.099 of being content 00:46:02.099 --> 00:46:03.340 in any and every circumstance 00:46:03.340 --> 00:46:04.320 I've learned the secret 00:46:04.320 --> 00:46:05.940 of facing anything. 00:46:07.680 --> 00:46:08.119 Hunger, 00:46:08.659 --> 00:46:09.099 abundance, 00:46:09.320 --> 00:46:09.619 need, 00:46:09.820 --> 00:46:10.460 it doesn't matter. 00:46:10.460 --> 00:46:12.639 I can do all things 00:46:12.639 --> 00:46:14.320 through him 00:46:14.320 --> 00:46:16.220 who strengthens me. 00:46:18.320 --> 00:46:19.679 Let us have that same 00:46:19.679 --> 00:46:21.599 openness to Christ 00:46:21.599 --> 00:46:22.300 apported. 00:46:22.500 --> 00:46:23.159 Can we bow our heads 00:46:23.159 --> 00:46:24.340 and we'll respond now.