WEBVTT

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 First of all, thank you guys, because that was very powerful musical worship this morning.

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 As always, I love that part of our morning when we get to sing together to the Lord.

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! It's a very comforting and a wonderful time.

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 It's an honor and a privilege to be with you this morning.

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 And I would ask for you to open up your Bibles, if you have them with you, to Acts chapter 5.

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 Acts chapter 5.

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 As I've been asked to preach from Acts chapter 5, verses 12 through 42,

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 as we continue our verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Acts.

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 Just by way of review, as we took a week off from the book of Acts,

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 for those of you who have not been with us, guests, or if you've just missed some weekends,

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 through the book of Acts, we have seen the start of the Christian church.

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 We have seen the disciples go out as they start to preach the gospel, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

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 And we also see beginning of persecution of the church.

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 In chapter 4, we see, after the apostles heal a crippled man,

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 that they are arrested as persecution starts,

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 and they are put before the Sanhedrin, the Senate Council of Israel,

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 and they are charged not to preach anymore in the name of Jesus.

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 The week before last, we saw Ananias and Sapphira who lie to the Holy Spirit,

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 and therefore God pronounces judgment upon them,

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 and they are killed for their lying to the Holy Spirit.

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 And that is where we pick up as news of this activity spreads throughout the nation of Israel,

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 throughout the city of Jerusalem.

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 And we pick up in verse 12 of chapter 5,

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 and God's Word reads, beginning in verse 12,

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 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles,

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 and they were all together in Solomon's portico.

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 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.

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 And more than ever, believers were added to the Lord,

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 multitudes of both men and women,

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 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets,

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 and laid them on cots and mats,

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 that as Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

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 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem,

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 bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits,

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 and they were all healed.

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 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him,

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 that is, the party of the Sadducees,

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 and filled with jealousy, they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.

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 But during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors

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 and brought them out and said,

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 Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.

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 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

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 Now when the high priest came and those who were with him,

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 they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel,

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 and sent to the prison to have them brought.

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 When the officers came, they did not find them in the prison,

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 so they returned and reported,

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 We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors,

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 but when we opened them, we found no one inside.

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 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priest heard these words,

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 they were greatly perplexed about them,

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 wondering what this would come to,

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 and someone came and told them,

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 Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.

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 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them,

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 but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

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 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council,

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 and the high priest questioned them, saying,

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 We strictly charged you not to teach in this name.

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 Yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching,

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 and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

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 But Peter and the apostles answered,

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 We must obey God rather than men.

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 The God of our fathers raised Jesus,

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 whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.

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 God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior,

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 to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sin.

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 And we are witnesses to these things,

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 and so is the Holy Spirit,

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 whom God has given to those who obey him.

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 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.

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 But a Pharisee in the council,

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 named Gamaliel,

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 a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people,

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 stood up and gave orders to put the man outside for a little while.

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 And he said to the men,

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 Men of Israel,

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 take care what you are about to do with these men.

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 For before these days Theodos rose up,

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 claiming to be somebody,

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 and a number of men, about 400, joined him.

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 He was killed,

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 and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.

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 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census,

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 and drew away some of the people after him.

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 He too perished,

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 and all who followed him were scattered.

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 So in the present case I tell you,

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 keep away from these men,

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 and let them alone.

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 For if this plan or this undertaking is of man,

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 it will fail.

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 But if it is of God,

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 you will not be able to overthrow them.

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 You might even be found opposing God.

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 So they took his advice.

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 And when they had called in the apostles,

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 they beat them and charged them

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 not to speak in the name of Jesus,

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 and let them go.

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 Then they left the presence of the council,

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 rejoicing that they were counted worthy

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 to suffer dishonor for the name.

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 And every day in the temple,

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 and from house to house,

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 they did not cease teaching

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 and preaching

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 that Christ is Jesus.

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 In his book entitled,

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 Do Not Waste Your Life,

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 Pastor John Piper writes,

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 and I quote,

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 If our single,

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 all-embracing passion

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 is to make much of Christ

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 in this life and death,

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 and if the life that magnifies him the most

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 is the life of costly love,

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 then life is risk,

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 and risk is right.

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 To run from it is to waste your life.

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 He goes on,

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 and he says,

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 I define risk very simply

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 as an action that exposes you

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 to the possibility of loss or injury.

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 If you take a risk,

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 you can lose money,

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 you can lose face,

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 you can lose health,

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 or even your life.

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 And what's worse,

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 if you take a risk,

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 you may endanger other people,

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 and not just yourself.

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 Their lives may be at stake.

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 Will a wise and loving person

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 then ever take a risk?

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 Is it wise to expose yourself to loss?

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 Is it loving to endanger others?

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 Is losing life the same as wasting it?

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 He answers,

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 It depends.

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 Of course,

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 you can throw your life away

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 in a hundred sinful ways

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 and die as a result.

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 In that case,

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 losing life and wasting it

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 would be the same.

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 But losing life

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 is not always the same as wasting it.

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 What if the circumstances are such

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 that not taking a risk

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 will result in loss and injury?

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 It may not be wise to play it safe.

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 And what if a successful risk

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 would bring great benefit to many people?

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 And its failure would bring harm

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 only to yourself.

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 It may not be loving to choose comfort

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 or security when something great

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 may be achieved for the cause of Christ

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 and for the good of others.

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 Close quote.

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 And brothers and sisters,

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 we are here this morning,

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 many of us,

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 if not all of us,

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 having been born again

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 by the Spirit of God

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 and by the grace of God

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 through the blessing

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 of the fruits

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 of the work,

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 of the risk

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 that many godly men and women

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 have taken for the cause of Christ

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 in the last 2,000 years.

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 Men and women

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 who fully embody

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 the very essence of that quote

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 by John Piper.

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 Men and women

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 who have risked everything

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 and who have paid

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 the ultimate price

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 and have lost their lives

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 at the hands of enemies

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 of the gospel.

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 All so that

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 the message

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 which was

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 at first

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 handed down to them

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 would continue

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 to spread

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 so that wretched sinners

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 in their generation

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 and generations to come

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 could know

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 and come to understand

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 the most prized,

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 the most worthy,

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 the most beautiful

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 type of knowledge

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 that any human being

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 can ever possibly attain to

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 in this life.

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 That is,

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 the knowledge of Christ

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 and the truth

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 and the very fountain of truth

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 from which all truth

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 and every good

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 and perfect thing

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 springs up from,

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 including the truth

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 and the only way

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 that sinners

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 can ever come

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 to a point

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 where they can have

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 peace with God.

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 The gospel,

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 brothers and sisters,

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 is and has been

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 a message

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 that has been

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 passed down to us

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 and has been

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 entrusted to us

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 and looking back

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 it has been

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 a road

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 filled and stained

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 with much blood,

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 sweat and tears

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 but make no mistake

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 about it

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 that that is exactly

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 how it was meant

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 to be.

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 Tribulation

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 and persecution

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 comes as a result

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 of living a godly life

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 for it was the first

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 born among many brethren,

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 the Lord Jesus Christ himself,

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 who promised his disciples

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 that tribulation

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 would come to them

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 while in this world,

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 John 16, 33.

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 And also in John 15, 20,

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 he tells them,

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 if they persecuted me,

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 they will also persecute you.

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 And the apostle Paul

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 also affirms this

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 as he emphatically states

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 in 2 Timothy 3, 12,

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 and we've heard it before,

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 indeed,

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 all who desire

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 to live a godly life

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 in Christ Jesus

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 will be persecuted.

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 And so in our text

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 this morning,

00:10:32.059 --> 00:10:33.399
 we will be looking

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 at some truths

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 behind these

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 foundational affirmations

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 and extract some

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 applications for ourselves

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 for it is my prayer

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 this morning

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 that every one of us

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 would come

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 to live a life

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 of risk

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 in faith

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 in order that

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 we may live our lives

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 without wasting them.

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 So I have divided

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 this text into

00:10:54.139 --> 00:10:55.039
 four headings,

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 but we are only

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 going to cover

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 two of them.

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 But let me give you

00:10:59.080 --> 00:10:59.639
 all four

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 and you can go back

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 and consider the last

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 two throughout your week.

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 The four headings

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 are, number one,

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 the obedience

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 of the apostles.

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 Number two,

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 the root cause

00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:12.440
 of persecution.

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 Number three,

00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:17.200
 the proper perspective

00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:18.620
 on persecution.

00:11:19.580 --> 00:11:20.500
 And number four,

00:11:21.080 --> 00:11:22.680
 the root of Christian

00:11:22.680 --> 00:11:23.420
 confidence.

00:11:25.340 --> 00:11:26.820
 So for our first heading,

00:11:27.100 --> 00:11:28.400
 notice the obedience

00:11:28.400 --> 00:11:29.340
 of the apostles.

00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:31.640
 Beginning in verse 12

00:11:31.640 --> 00:11:32.740
 through verse 16,

00:11:33.740 --> 00:11:35.000
 we read,

00:11:35.500 --> 00:11:36.880
 Now many signs and wonders

00:11:36.880 --> 00:11:38.080
 were regularly done

00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:38.860
 among the people

00:11:38.860 --> 00:11:40.560
 by the hands of the apostles,

00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:42.000
 and they were all together

00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:42.939
 in Solomon's portico.

00:11:43.459 --> 00:11:44.159
 None of the rest

00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:44.899
 dared join them,

00:11:44.979 --> 00:11:45.439
 but the people

00:11:45.439 --> 00:11:46.539
 held them in high esteem.

00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:47.579
 And more than ever,

00:11:47.719 --> 00:11:48.599
 believers were added

00:11:48.599 --> 00:11:49.139
 to the Lord,

00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:50.359
 multitudes of both men

00:11:50.359 --> 00:11:50.739
 and women,

00:11:50.819 --> 00:11:51.519
 so that they even

00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:52.439
 carried out the sick

00:11:52.439 --> 00:11:53.179
 into the streets

00:11:53.179 --> 00:11:54.199
 and laid them

00:11:54.199 --> 00:11:55.099
 on cots and mats

00:11:55.099 --> 00:11:56.179
 that as Peter came by,

00:11:56.279 --> 00:11:57.059
 at least his shadow

00:11:57.059 --> 00:11:58.079
 might fall on some of them.

00:11:58.559 --> 00:11:59.559
 The people also gathered

00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:00.119
 from the towns

00:12:00.119 --> 00:12:00.759
 around Jerusalem,

00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:01.779
 bringing the sick

00:12:01.779 --> 00:12:02.539
 and those afflicted

00:12:02.539 --> 00:12:03.439
 with unclean spirits,

00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:05.000
 and they were all healed.

00:12:06.500 --> 00:12:06.939
 Here,

00:12:06.940 --> 00:12:08.300
 we see the apostles

00:12:08.300 --> 00:12:10.520
 obeying and fulfilling

00:12:10.520 --> 00:12:11.580
 that command

00:12:11.580 --> 00:12:12.640
 of our Lord

00:12:12.640 --> 00:12:14.060
 in Matthew 28,

00:12:14.140 --> 00:12:15.280
 verses 18 through 20,

00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:16.480
 when standing before

00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:17.220
 his disciples

00:12:17.220 --> 00:12:18.320
 after the resurrection,

00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:19.080
 he commands them,

00:12:19.160 --> 00:12:19.340
 saying,

00:12:19.520 --> 00:12:20.460
 All authority

00:12:20.460 --> 00:12:22.060
 has been given

00:12:22.060 --> 00:12:23.580
 unto me

00:12:23.580 --> 00:12:24.800
 on heaven and on earth.

00:12:25.340 --> 00:12:26.060
 Go therefore

00:12:26.060 --> 00:12:26.820
 and make disciples

00:12:26.820 --> 00:12:27.480
 of all nations,

00:12:27.700 --> 00:12:28.520
 baptizing them

00:12:28.520 --> 00:12:29.780
 in the name of the Father

00:12:29.780 --> 00:12:30.620
 and of the Son

00:12:30.620 --> 00:12:31.740
 and of the Holy Spirit,

00:12:32.160 --> 00:12:32.780
 teaching them

00:12:32.780 --> 00:12:33.320
 to observe

00:12:33.320 --> 00:12:34.460
 all that I have commanded

00:12:34.460 --> 00:12:35.780
 you.

00:12:35.779 --> 00:12:37.360
 We see in verse 12

00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:37.939
 that the apostles

00:12:37.939 --> 00:12:38.500
 were together

00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:39.600
 in Solomon's portico,

00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:41.039
 which it was

00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:41.819
 on the eastern side

00:12:41.819 --> 00:12:42.379
 of the temple

00:12:42.379 --> 00:12:43.379
 in Jerusalem,

00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:44.600
 and we see many signs

00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:45.000
 and wonders

00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:46.139
 are regularly done

00:12:46.139 --> 00:12:46.579
 by them.

00:12:47.059 --> 00:12:48.279
 The sick are being healed,

00:12:48.860 --> 00:12:50.139
 those who are demon-possessed

00:12:50.139 --> 00:12:50.939
 are being cleansed,

00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:52.059
 and the news

00:12:52.059 --> 00:12:52.879
 of this activity

00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:55.159
 spreads like wildfire.

00:12:55.259 --> 00:12:56.179
 We see in verse 16

00:12:56.179 --> 00:12:56.740
 that the people

00:12:56.740 --> 00:12:57.299
 from towns

00:12:57.299 --> 00:12:58.720
 all around Jerusalem

00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:00.319
 were going to them

00:13:00.319 --> 00:13:01.679
 and were also being healed.

00:13:02.740 --> 00:13:03.860
 Some of these healings

00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:04.699
 appear to have

00:13:04.700 --> 00:13:06.060
 unusually miraculous

00:13:06.060 --> 00:13:12.360
 types of healings.

00:13:14.920 --> 00:13:16.540
 As we see in verse 15,

00:13:16.680 --> 00:13:17.240
 it states that

00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:18.240
 some of the sick people

00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:19.280
 were laid on cots

00:13:19.280 --> 00:13:20.860
 and mats on the street

00:13:20.860 --> 00:13:22.920
 hoping that Peter's shadow

00:13:22.920 --> 00:13:23.860
 might fall on them

00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:24.700
 so they could be healed.

00:13:25.420 --> 00:13:26.400
 Now, some commentators

00:13:26.400 --> 00:13:26.960
 say here

00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:27.560
 that this verse

00:13:27.560 --> 00:13:28.259
 does not teach

00:13:28.259 --> 00:13:29.460
 that people were actually healed

00:13:29.460 --> 00:13:30.480
 by the falling

00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:31.940
 of Peter's shadow

00:13:31.940 --> 00:13:32.540
 upon them

00:13:32.539 --> 00:13:33.799
 and try to make arguments

00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:34.539
 to that end.

00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:36.480
 However, I have no problem

00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:37.279
 believing that people

00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:38.279
 were healed

00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:39.019
 in this manner,

00:13:39.219 --> 00:13:40.259
 and I do believe

00:13:40.259 --> 00:13:41.419
 that that is the very purpose

00:13:41.419 --> 00:13:43.019
 of the very mentioning

00:13:43.019 --> 00:13:44.159
 of that text

00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:46.779
 in that chapter.

00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:48.699
 Elsewhere in the book of Acts,

00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:50.379
 we see other miraculous healings

00:13:50.379 --> 00:13:53.059
 through interesting objects.

00:13:53.599 --> 00:13:54.439
 For example,

00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:55.360
 in Acts 19,

00:13:55.620 --> 00:13:57.000
 we see people healed

00:13:57.000 --> 00:13:58.139
 by handkerchiefs

00:13:58.139 --> 00:13:58.799
 and aprons

00:13:58.799 --> 00:13:59.980
 that had simply touched

00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:02.039
 the skin of the Apostle Paul

00:14:02.039 --> 00:14:02.879
 and then taken

00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:04.460
 to heal the sick.

00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:05.519
 However,

00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:06.199
 I don't think

00:14:06.199 --> 00:14:06.980
 it really matters

00:14:06.980 --> 00:14:07.980
 whether or not

00:14:07.980 --> 00:14:09.059
 people were actually healed

00:14:09.059 --> 00:14:10.000
 by Peter's shadow,

00:14:10.500 --> 00:14:11.179
 and I believe

00:14:11.179 --> 00:14:12.360
 it is rather inconsequential

00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:13.279
 for our main purpose

00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:14.659
 in our text this morning.

00:14:15.059 --> 00:14:16.039
 Although we are told

00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:17.080
 that all these people

00:14:17.080 --> 00:14:18.559
 were being healed,

00:14:19.939 --> 00:14:21.740
 and many signs and wonders

00:14:21.740 --> 00:14:22.500
 were done

00:14:22.500 --> 00:14:24.319
 among the people.

00:14:24.659 --> 00:14:25.379
 But the question

00:14:25.379 --> 00:14:25.960
 that I believe

00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:27.120
 we should be asking

00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:30.440
 is to what end?

00:14:31.420 --> 00:14:33.519
 For what purpose?

00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:36.920
 What did these healings accomplish?

00:14:37.320 --> 00:14:38.900
 And how do these healings

00:14:38.900 --> 00:14:40.780
 align with the Apostles' mission?

00:14:41.280 --> 00:14:42.200
 The Great Commission.

00:14:42.860 --> 00:14:43.800
 I think that there is certainly

00:14:43.800 --> 00:14:44.820
 an amazement factor

00:14:44.820 --> 00:14:46.920
 for us 21st century Christians

00:14:46.920 --> 00:14:48.220
 when we read about

00:14:48.220 --> 00:14:49.200
 incredible miracles

00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:51.500
 and supernatural works

00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:52.940
 of God in our Bibles,

00:14:52.940 --> 00:14:55.000
 and we certainly believe them

00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:57.220
 if we believe that God is

00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:58.299
 and that He is

00:14:58.299 --> 00:14:59.539
 who He says He is.

00:15:00.500 --> 00:15:01.279
 But let me ask you

00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:01.740
 this question.

00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:02.740
 How many of you,

00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:03.440
 like me,

00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:04.519
 often,

00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:05.500
 when you read

00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:06.600
 of these wonders,

00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:07.679
 think to yourself,

00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:09.019
 God,

00:15:09.059 --> 00:15:10.299
 I wish I could witness

00:15:10.299 --> 00:15:10.960
 something

00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:12.419
 of this magnitude.

00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:15.200
 Something of this

00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:17.840
 type of miracle.

00:15:18.299 --> 00:15:19.639
 This power of yours

00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:20.740
 in person

00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:21.759
 today.

00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:23.519
 And while I certainly

00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:25.019
 believe that God

00:15:25.019 --> 00:15:26.080
 is still doing miracles,

00:15:26.779 --> 00:15:27.899
 I would agree

00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:28.840
 with a cessationist

00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:29.340
 point of view

00:15:29.340 --> 00:15:30.740
 that miracles of this kind,

00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:32.080
 ministries of healing

00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:32.899
 of the kind

00:15:32.899 --> 00:15:33.299
 that we see

00:15:33.299 --> 00:15:34.139
 with the Apostles,

00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:35.580
 ceased with the last

00:15:35.580 --> 00:15:36.279
 of the Apostles

00:15:36.279 --> 00:15:37.120
 in the first century.

00:15:37.639 --> 00:15:37.980
 However,

00:15:38.059 --> 00:15:39.039
 my goal is not to teach

00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:39.819
 on cessationism,

00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:41.720
 but I want us to look

00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:42.460
 at the big picture

00:15:42.460 --> 00:15:43.019
 of this text.

00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:43.659
 So,

00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:45.019
 to look at what

00:15:45.019 --> 00:15:45.639
 the greater miracle

00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:46.659
 is in the text

00:15:46.659 --> 00:15:48.059
 that we still see

00:15:48.059 --> 00:15:48.840
 to this day,

00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:50.800
 but I think we often

00:15:50.800 --> 00:15:52.360
 overlook and perhaps

00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:53.500
 even undervalue

00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:54.580
 that miracle

00:15:54.580 --> 00:15:55.700
 which we still see

00:15:55.700 --> 00:15:56.160
 to this day

00:15:56.160 --> 00:15:56.860
 which is greater

00:15:56.860 --> 00:15:59.060
 than healing miracles

00:15:59.060 --> 00:16:00.240
 of the type.

00:16:02.800 --> 00:16:03.120
 And so,

00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:03.519
 like I said,

00:16:03.580 --> 00:16:04.360
 sometimes I read

00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:04.780
 this stuff

00:16:04.780 --> 00:16:05.519
 and I think to myself,

00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:06.420
 God,

00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:06.960
 I would just love

00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:08.560
 to see some miracles

00:16:08.560 --> 00:16:09.220
 like this.

00:16:10.280 --> 00:16:11.759
 To see such a display

00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:12.620
 of your power.

00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:13.980
 And I say that

00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:14.720
 without realizing

00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:15.980
 that I have seen

00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:16.900
 supernatural works

00:16:16.900 --> 00:16:17.340
 of God,

00:16:17.340 --> 00:16:18.519
 of this magnitude

00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:19.060
 and power

00:16:19.060 --> 00:16:20.360
 multiple times

00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:21.480
 and have heard

00:16:21.480 --> 00:16:22.680
 of many more

00:16:22.680 --> 00:16:23.800
 even then.

00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:25.139
 And what do I mean

00:16:25.139 --> 00:16:25.600
 by that?

00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:26.399
 I'll answer

00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:27.780
 with this question.

00:16:28.060 --> 00:16:28.379
 Again,

00:16:28.680 --> 00:16:30.060
 to what end

00:16:30.060 --> 00:16:31.240
 were these signs

00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:32.080
 and wonders done?

00:16:33.060 --> 00:16:33.700
 Salvation.

00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:36.580
 Salvation by regeneration

00:16:36.580 --> 00:16:38.360
 through the preaching

00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:39.340
 of the gospel.

00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:40.480
 The purpose

00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:41.580
 of signs and wonders

00:16:41.580 --> 00:16:42.940
 was to validate

00:16:42.940 --> 00:16:44.639
 and authenticate

00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:45.220
 the apostles

00:16:45.220 --> 00:16:46.480
 as true ambassadors

00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:47.180
 of God.

00:16:47.340 --> 00:16:48.879
 who were preaching

00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:49.820
 the true counsel

00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:50.500
 of God,

00:16:50.680 --> 00:16:51.200
 the gospel.

00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:53.840
 In Acts 2.22,

00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:54.519
 Peter says,

00:16:54.940 --> 00:16:55.519
 Men of Israel,

00:16:55.720 --> 00:16:56.780
 hear these words.

00:16:57.220 --> 00:16:58.200
 Jesus of Nazareth,

00:16:58.340 --> 00:16:59.300
 a man attested

00:16:59.300 --> 00:16:59.960
 to you

00:16:59.960 --> 00:17:00.879
 by God

00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:01.540
 with mighty works

00:17:01.540 --> 00:17:01.960
 and wonders,

00:17:02.060 --> 00:17:02.980
 signs that God

00:17:02.980 --> 00:17:03.740
 did through him

00:17:03.740 --> 00:17:04.319
 in your midst.

00:17:04.980 --> 00:17:05.420
 Miracles

00:17:05.420 --> 00:17:06.920
 were done

00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:08.079
 to bear witness

00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:08.700
 to God

00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:10.019
 to the end

00:17:10.019 --> 00:17:10.680
 that people

00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:11.500
 might believe

00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:12.559
 and repent.

00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:14.299
 In John 20,

00:17:14.759 --> 00:17:16.319
 verses 30 and 31,

00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:17.000
 John says,

00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:17.819
 Now Jesus did

00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:18.679
 many other signs

00:17:18.679 --> 00:17:19.220
 in the presence

00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:20.019
 of the disciples,

00:17:20.200 --> 00:17:21.000
 which are not

00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:21.799
 written in this book,

00:17:21.919 --> 00:17:23.000
 but these are written

00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:24.799
 so that you may believe

00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.359
 that Jesus is the Christ,

00:17:26.439 --> 00:17:27.079
 the Son of God,

00:17:27.639 --> 00:17:29.059
 and that by believing

00:17:29.059 --> 00:17:30.819
 you may have life

00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:31.759
 in his name.

00:17:32.859 --> 00:17:34.460
 Christ did not commission

00:17:34.460 --> 00:17:35.079
 the apostles

00:17:35.079 --> 00:17:36.599
 to go and simply provide

00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:38.379
 temporary pain relief,

00:17:39.059 --> 00:17:40.379
 to make a few fevers

00:17:40.379 --> 00:17:40.980
 go away

00:17:40.980 --> 00:17:41.500
 or to heal

00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:42.599
 some broken bones,

00:17:42.599 --> 00:17:43.559
 but rather

00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:44.579
 to preach the gospel

00:17:44.579 --> 00:17:45.339
 and make disciples

00:17:45.339 --> 00:17:46.000
 so that people

00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:47.759
 may have salvation,

00:17:48.199 --> 00:17:49.659
 peace with God.

00:17:51.139 --> 00:17:51.839
 And to that end,

00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:53.019
 they were obedient

00:17:53.019 --> 00:17:54.199
 and preached

00:17:54.199 --> 00:17:55.059
 as they were commanded.

00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:56.039
 And the fruit

00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:56.719
 of their labor

00:17:56.719 --> 00:17:58.159
 is seen in verse 14

00:17:58.159 --> 00:17:58.859
 of our text

00:17:58.859 --> 00:18:00.000
 where we read,

00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:01.240
 And more than ever,

00:18:01.500 --> 00:18:01.980
 believers

00:18:01.980 --> 00:18:03.500
 were added to the Lord,

00:18:03.879 --> 00:18:05.179
 multitudes of both men

00:18:05.179 --> 00:18:05.919
 and women.

00:18:06.379 --> 00:18:06.899
 And that,

00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:08.000
 brothers and sisters,

00:18:08.059 --> 00:18:09.219
 is what I mean

00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:11.279
 by the miraculous work

00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:11.640
 of God

00:18:11.640 --> 00:18:13.519
 that we ought not to fail,

00:18:14.120 --> 00:18:15.000
 ought not fail

00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:15.680
 to see

00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:17.380
 and stand

00:18:17.380 --> 00:18:18.400
 in awe

00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:19.259
 and worship

00:18:19.259 --> 00:18:21.460
 if you truly

00:18:21.460 --> 00:18:22.400
 understand

00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:23.559
 the level

00:18:23.559 --> 00:18:24.440
 of your sin

00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:25.259
 and extent

00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:26.759
 of God's holiness

00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:28.940
 and that in regeneration

00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:30.180
 God takes you,

00:18:30.420 --> 00:18:31.160
 his enemy,

00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:32.920
 takes your heart

00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:33.480
 of stone,

00:18:33.620 --> 00:18:34.180
 gives your heart

00:18:34.180 --> 00:18:34.620
 of flesh,

00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:36.279
 imputes Christ's

00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:37.240
 righteousness to you,

00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:38.160
 adopts you,

00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:38.900
 makes you

00:18:38.900 --> 00:18:39.519
 an heir

00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:40.140
 of Christ's

00:18:40.140 --> 00:18:40.620
 inheritance,

00:18:41.060 --> 00:18:42.180
 calls you a friend,

00:18:42.300 --> 00:18:42.940
 a son,

00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:44.040
 or daughter,

00:18:44.940 --> 00:18:46.380
 all by his grace

00:18:46.380 --> 00:18:47.300
 for his glory,

00:18:47.640 --> 00:18:48.440
 no amount

00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:49.340
 of miraculously

00:18:49.340 --> 00:18:50.240
 healed bones

00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:51.300
 could ever

00:18:51.300 --> 00:18:52.600
 outweigh

00:18:52.600 --> 00:18:53.259
 the miraculous

00:18:53.259 --> 00:18:53.800
 salvation

00:18:53.800 --> 00:18:55.620
 of one soul.

00:18:57.140 --> 00:18:57.680
 I love how

00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:58.180
 Paul Washer

00:18:58.180 --> 00:18:58.540
 puts it,

00:18:58.560 --> 00:18:58.940
 he says,

00:18:59.259 --> 00:18:59.780
 and I'm somewhat

00:18:59.780 --> 00:19:00.380
 paraphrasing,

00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:02.220
 but he says

00:19:02.220 --> 00:19:02.820
 that regeneration

00:19:02.820 --> 00:19:04.560
 is a greater display

00:19:04.560 --> 00:19:05.600
 of God's power

00:19:05.600 --> 00:19:07.080
 than his work

00:19:07.080 --> 00:19:07.680
 of creation

00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:08.500
 because

00:19:08.500 --> 00:19:09.660
 he created

00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:10.100
 the world

00:19:10.100 --> 00:19:11.000
 ex nihilo,

00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:11.920
 meaning out of

00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:12.420
 nothing,

00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:13.680
 but in regeneration

00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:14.600
 he makes something

00:19:14.600 --> 00:19:15.740
 holy out of a pile

00:19:15.740 --> 00:19:16.519
 of depraved,

00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:17.380
 sinful,

00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:18.799
 God-hating humanity.

00:19:19.580 --> 00:19:20.799
 So if these people

00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:21.920
 in our text

00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:22.759
 would have been healed

00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:23.700
 but not saved,

00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:24.560
 they would have

00:19:24.560 --> 00:19:25.600
 simply gone to hell

00:19:25.600 --> 00:19:26.380
 healthy.

00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:28.200
 So Christians,

00:19:29.080 --> 00:19:30.320
 be in awe

00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:32.319
 and give thanks

00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:33.000
 that you have

00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:34.480
 to look no further

00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:35.899
 than these walls

00:19:35.899 --> 00:19:37.059
 of this building

00:19:37.059 --> 00:19:38.740
 to see a miraculous,

00:19:39.139 --> 00:19:40.439
 powerful work of God.

00:19:41.099 --> 00:19:41.819
 No further

00:19:41.819 --> 00:19:42.799
 than these walls.

00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:48.220
 Now we see on down

00:19:48.220 --> 00:19:48.879
 in our text

00:19:48.879 --> 00:19:49.419
 that the apostles

00:19:49.419 --> 00:19:50.099
 are arrested

00:19:50.099 --> 00:19:52.480
 and put in jail

00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:53.539
 and in verses 19

00:19:53.539 --> 00:19:54.099
 through 21

00:19:54.099 --> 00:19:54.700
 we read,

00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:56.240
 but during the night

00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.059
 an angel of the Lord

00:19:57.059 --> 00:19:58.360
 opened the prison doors

00:19:58.360 --> 00:19:59.440
 and brought them out

00:19:59.440 --> 00:19:59.960
 and said,

00:20:00.460 --> 00:20:01.220
 go and stand

00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:02.059
 in the temple

00:20:02.059 --> 00:20:03.160
 and speak to the people

00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:03.600
 all the words

00:20:03.600 --> 00:20:04.160
 of this life.

00:20:04.580 --> 00:20:05.539
 And when they heard this

00:20:05.539 --> 00:20:06.440
 they entered the temple

00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:07.080
 at daybreak

00:20:07.080 --> 00:20:08.059
 and began to teach.

00:20:08.460 --> 00:20:09.380
 The angel tells them

00:20:09.380 --> 00:20:12.460
 to go and speak

00:20:12.460 --> 00:20:13.200
 all the words

00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:13.920
 of this life,

00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:15.680
 meaning go and preach

00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:16.200
 the gospel.

00:20:16.420 --> 00:20:17.460
 And they continue

00:20:17.460 --> 00:20:18.740
 in their obedience

00:20:18.740 --> 00:20:19.940
 by continuing

00:20:19.940 --> 00:20:20.880
 to preach.

00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:22.220
 And once again

00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:23.040
 we see that they are

00:20:23.040 --> 00:20:23.960
 detained and brought

00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:25.340
 before the Sanhedrin again.

00:20:25.820 --> 00:20:26.840
 Now the first time

00:20:26.840 --> 00:20:27.640
 that they were arrested

00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:28.660
 as I mentioned earlier

00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:31.080
 was in chapter 4.

00:20:31.840 --> 00:20:33.220
 And in chapter 4

00:20:33.220 --> 00:20:34.260
 verses 1 to 3

00:20:34.260 --> 00:20:35.380
 we read,

00:20:35.840 --> 00:20:36.540
 and as they were

00:20:36.540 --> 00:20:37.480
 speaking to the people

00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:38.060
 the priest

00:20:38.060 --> 00:20:38.620
 and the captains

00:20:38.620 --> 00:20:39.100
 of the temple

00:20:39.100 --> 00:20:39.800
 and the Sadducees

00:20:39.800 --> 00:20:41.000
 came upon them

00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:41.680
 greatly annoyed

00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:42.200
 because they were

00:20:42.200 --> 00:20:43.200
 teaching the people

00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:44.360
 and proclaiming

00:20:44.360 --> 00:20:44.700
 in Jesus

00:20:44.700 --> 00:20:45.220
 the resurrection

00:20:45.220 --> 00:20:45.920
 from the dead.

00:20:46.320 --> 00:20:47.900
 And they arrested them.

00:20:48.140 --> 00:20:48.720
 Did you hear that?

00:20:49.120 --> 00:20:50.660
 They were greatly

00:20:50.660 --> 00:20:51.240
 annoyed because

00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:51.960
 they were teaching

00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:52.880
 the people

00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:54.080
 and proclaiming

00:20:54.080 --> 00:20:54.759
 in Jesus

00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:56.360
 the resurrection

00:20:56.360 --> 00:20:56.960
 of the dead.

00:20:57.720 --> 00:20:58.560
 The Sanhedrin

00:20:58.560 --> 00:20:59.860
 was not annoyed

00:20:59.860 --> 00:21:01.340
 at them for healing.

00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:03.259
 They were fine

00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:03.840
 with the healing.

00:21:04.580 --> 00:21:05.220
 I can assure you

00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:06.480
 that they were okay

00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:08.480
 with no longer

00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:09.800
 having dirty

00:21:09.800 --> 00:21:11.040
 crippled beggars

00:21:11.040 --> 00:21:11.779
 being laid

00:21:11.779 --> 00:21:13.140
 at the temple gate

00:21:13.140 --> 00:21:13.779
 daily.

00:21:16.840 --> 00:21:18.160
 So in verse 18

00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:19.000
 of chapter 4

00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:19.720
 we read,

00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:20.579
 so they called

00:21:20.579 --> 00:21:21.160
 them and charged

00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:21.880
 them not to speak

00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:22.319
 or teach

00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:22.700
 at all

00:21:22.700 --> 00:21:22.980
 in the name

00:21:22.980 --> 00:21:23.420
 of Jesus.

00:21:24.680 --> 00:21:25.460
 They never

00:21:25.460 --> 00:21:26.140
 charged them

00:21:26.140 --> 00:21:26.880
 to stop healing.

00:21:27.940 --> 00:21:28.559
 So why the

00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:29.180
 hostility

00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:30.220
 and the opposition

00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:31.079
 to the apostles?

00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:32.500
 Let's examine

00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:32.960
 this in our

00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:33.579
 second point

00:21:33.579 --> 00:21:33.980
 which I've

00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:34.360
 entitled

00:21:34.360 --> 00:21:35.920
 The Root Cause

00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:36.900
 of Persecution.

00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:37.940
 The Root Cause

00:21:37.940 --> 00:21:38.660
 of Persecution

00:21:38.660 --> 00:21:39.799
 as we read

00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:40.759
 in verses 17

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.680
 through 33

00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:42.700
 of our chapter,

00:21:42.860 --> 00:21:43.420
 chapter 5.

00:21:43.420 --> 00:21:45.320
 But the high

00:21:45.320 --> 00:21:46.279
 priest rose up

00:21:46.279 --> 00:21:47.200
 and all who

00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:47.920
 were with him

00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:48.759
 that is the party

00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:49.640
 of the Sadducees

00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:50.779
 and being filled

00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:51.480
 with jealousy

00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:52.080
 they arrested

00:21:52.080 --> 00:21:52.640
 the apostles

00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:53.720
 and put them

00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:54.140
 in the public

00:21:54.140 --> 00:21:54.539
 prison.

00:21:54.980 --> 00:21:55.560
 But during the

00:21:55.560 --> 00:21:56.100
 night an angel

00:21:56.100 --> 00:21:56.480
 of the Lord

00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:57.259
 opened the prison

00:21:57.259 --> 00:21:58.100
 doors and brought

00:21:58.100 --> 00:21:59.039
 them out and said

00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:00.279
 go and stand

00:22:00.279 --> 00:22:00.940
 in the temple

00:22:00.940 --> 00:22:01.940
 and speak to the

00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:02.779
 people all the

00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:03.539
 words of this life.

00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:04.400
 And when they

00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:04.900
 heard this

00:22:04.900 --> 00:22:05.340
 they entered

00:22:05.340 --> 00:22:05.740
 the temple

00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:06.360
 at daybreak

00:22:06.360 --> 00:22:07.080
 and began to

00:22:07.080 --> 00:22:07.420
 teach.

00:22:07.860 --> 00:22:08.320
 Now when the high

00:22:08.320 --> 00:22:08.880
 priest came

00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:09.240
 and those who

00:22:09.240 --> 00:22:09.720
 were with him

00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:10.220
 they called

00:22:10.220 --> 00:22:10.720
 together the

00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.120
 council,

00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:11.899
 all the

00:22:11.899 --> 00:22:12.359
 center of the

00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:12.759
 people of

00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:13.119
 Israel

00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:13.619
 and sent

00:22:13.619 --> 00:22:13.859
 to the

00:22:13.859 --> 00:22:14.259
 prison to

00:22:14.259 --> 00:22:14.539
 have them

00:22:14.539 --> 00:22:14.819
 brought.

00:22:15.419 --> 00:22:15.819
 But when the

00:22:15.819 --> 00:22:16.399
 officers came

00:22:16.399 --> 00:22:17.000
 they did not

00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:17.619
 find them in

00:22:17.619 --> 00:22:17.979
 the prison

00:22:17.979 --> 00:22:18.339
 so they

00:22:18.339 --> 00:22:18.859
 returned and

00:22:18.859 --> 00:22:19.699
 reported we

00:22:19.699 --> 00:22:20.059
 found the

00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:20.639
 prison securely

00:22:20.639 --> 00:22:21.219
 locked and the

00:22:21.219 --> 00:22:21.699
 guards standing

00:22:21.699 --> 00:22:22.319
 at the doors

00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:23.159
 but when we

00:22:23.159 --> 00:22:23.579
 opened them

00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:24.159
 we found no

00:22:24.159 --> 00:22:24.799
 one inside.

00:22:25.479 --> 00:22:25.839
 Now when the

00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:26.419
 captain of the

00:22:26.419 --> 00:22:26.979
 temple and the

00:22:26.979 --> 00:22:27.759
 chief priest heard

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.319
 these words they

00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:28.839
 were greatly

00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:29.699
 perplexed about

00:22:29.699 --> 00:22:30.519
 them wondering

00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:31.379
 what this would

00:22:31.379 --> 00:22:31.819
 come to.

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:32.559
 And someone

00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:33.139
 came and told

00:22:33.139 --> 00:22:34.279
 them look the

00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:34.819
 men whom you

00:22:34.819 --> 00:22:35.379
 put in prison

00:22:35.379 --> 00:22:36.119
 are standing in

00:22:36.119 --> 00:22:36.819
 the temple and

00:22:36.819 --> 00:22:37.359
 teaching the

00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:37.699
 people.

00:22:38.579 --> 00:22:38.819
 Then the

00:22:38.819 --> 00:22:39.519
 captain with the

00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:40.339
 officers went

00:22:40.339 --> 00:22:40.339


00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:42.539
 but not by

00:22:42.539 --> 00:22:43.519
 force for they

00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:44.299
 were afraid of

00:22:44.299 --> 00:22:44.939
 being stoned by

00:22:44.939 --> 00:22:45.439
 the people.

00:22:46.699 --> 00:22:46.979
 And when they

00:22:46.979 --> 00:22:47.419
 had brought

00:22:47.419 --> 00:22:48.039
 them they set

00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:48.539
 them before the

00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:49.039
 council and the

00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.219
 high priest and

00:22:50.219 --> 00:22:51.119
 the high priest

00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:51.839
 questioned them

00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:53.239
 saying we

00:22:53.239 --> 00:22:54.459
 strictly charged

00:22:54.459 --> 00:22:55.599
 you not to

00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:56.259
 teach in this

00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:57.479
 name yet here

00:22:57.479 --> 00:22:58.219
 you have filled

00:22:58.219 --> 00:22:59.079
 Jerusalem with

00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:00.639
 your teaching and

00:23:00.639 --> 00:23:01.439
 you intend to

00:23:01.439 --> 00:23:02.259
 bring this man's

00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:03.359
 blood upon us.

00:23:04.039 --> 00:23:04.479
 But Peter and

00:23:04.479 --> 00:23:04.879
 the apostles

00:23:04.879 --> 00:23:05.859
 answered we must

00:23:05.859 --> 00:23:06.719
 obey God rather

00:23:06.719 --> 00:23:07.119
 than men.

00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:08.019
 The God of our

00:23:08.019 --> 00:23:08.719
 fathers raised

00:23:08.719 --> 00:23:09.459
 Jesus whom you

00:23:09.459 --> 00:23:10.039
 killed by hanging

00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:10.659
 him on a tree.

00:23:11.240 --> 00:23:11.860
 God exalted

00:23:11.860 --> 00:23:12.340
 him at his

00:23:12.340 --> 00:23:12.940
 right hand as

00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:13.340
 leader and

00:23:13.340 --> 00:23:13.940
 savior to give

00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:14.519
 repentance to

00:23:14.519 --> 00:23:15.360
 Israel and

00:23:15.360 --> 00:23:15.960
 forgiveness of

00:23:15.960 --> 00:23:16.620
 sins and we

00:23:16.620 --> 00:23:17.460
 are witnesses to

00:23:17.460 --> 00:23:17.960
 these things and

00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:18.400
 so is the Holy

00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:19.820
 Spirit whom God

00:23:19.820 --> 00:23:20.360
 has given to

00:23:20.360 --> 00:23:21.220
 those who

00:23:21.220 --> 00:23:21.759
 obey him.

00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:23.000
 When they

00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:24.640
 heard this they

00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:27.160
 were enraged and

00:23:27.160 --> 00:23:28.480
 wanted to kill

00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:28.800
 them.

00:23:30.040 --> 00:23:30.960
 Now I really want

00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:31.700
 to take some time

00:23:31.700 --> 00:23:32.360
 this morning to

00:23:32.360 --> 00:23:33.759
 examine with you the

00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:34.960
 root cause of

00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:36.900
 persecution and we

00:23:36.900 --> 00:23:38.100
 will do so first by

00:23:38.099 --> 00:23:39.319
 starting with a

00:23:39.319 --> 00:23:40.959
 general cause of

00:23:40.959 --> 00:23:42.039
 persecution specific

00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:43.279
 to our text and

00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:43.799
 then by digging

00:23:43.799 --> 00:23:44.939
 deeper into the

00:23:44.939 --> 00:23:45.879
 issue and looking

00:23:45.879 --> 00:23:47.039
 at a broader more

00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:48.859
 foundational cause of

00:23:48.859 --> 00:23:49.339
 persecution.

00:23:50.099 --> 00:23:51.399
 So where does

00:23:51.399 --> 00:23:52.919
 persecution come

00:23:52.919 --> 00:23:53.679
 from and why

00:23:53.679 --> 00:23:54.679
 should we Christians

00:23:54.679 --> 00:23:56.119
 in a church service

00:23:56.119 --> 00:23:57.099
 in beautiful and

00:23:57.099 --> 00:23:57.959
 peaceful quiet

00:23:57.959 --> 00:24:00.480
 Dahlonega expect

00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:01.919
 persecution in our

00:24:01.919 --> 00:24:02.319
 lives.

00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:02.379
 us.

00:24:03.259 --> 00:24:03.980
 Let's start by

00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:04.480
 looking at the

00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:05.339
 general cause of

00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:06.179
 persecution in our

00:24:06.179 --> 00:24:06.559
 text.

00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:08.379
 After the apostles

00:24:08.379 --> 00:24:09.200
 are brought before

00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:09.960
 the senate and

00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:10.720
 questioned by the

00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:12.000
 Sanhedrin Peter

00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:13.019
 preaches to them and

00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:13.740
 we read in verse

00:24:13.740 --> 00:24:15.819
 33 when they heard

00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:16.399
 this they were

00:24:16.399 --> 00:24:17.659
 enraged and wanted

00:24:17.659 --> 00:24:18.339
 to kill them.

00:24:18.639 --> 00:24:19.439
 But where does that

00:24:19.439 --> 00:24:20.939
 hatred and desire to

00:24:20.939 --> 00:24:22.519
 kill come from?

00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:23.939
 I think to better

00:24:23.939 --> 00:24:25.039
 understand this scene

00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:26.039
 it's beneficial for

00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:26.859
 us to have a broader

00:24:26.859 --> 00:24:28.519
 understanding of the

00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:29.700
 historical context

00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:30.960
 politically around

00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:31.539
 this time.

00:24:32.200 --> 00:24:33.279
 And so I also want

00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:34.100
 to take some time

00:24:34.100 --> 00:24:34.740
 this morning to

00:24:34.740 --> 00:24:36.819
 even navigate above

00:24:36.819 --> 00:24:38.019
 and away from our

00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:39.480
 text as we take

00:24:39.480 --> 00:24:40.400
 sort of if you would

00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:41.920
 in a bird's eye

00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:43.400
 view of some of the

00:24:43.400 --> 00:24:44.440
 history of the Jews.

00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:46.319
 So to start let us

00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:47.799
 understand first the

00:24:47.799 --> 00:24:48.460
 Sanhedrin.

00:24:49.380 --> 00:24:50.360
 You may remember

00:24:50.360 --> 00:24:52.180
 Nathan telling us

00:24:52.180 --> 00:24:53.200
 that they were like

00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:54.039
 the Supreme Court

00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:54.519
 of Israel.

00:24:54.519 --> 00:24:55.920
 It comprised of 70

00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:56.900
 members plus the

00:24:56.900 --> 00:24:57.539
 high priest.

00:24:58.039 --> 00:24:58.680
 The members were

00:24:58.680 --> 00:24:59.579
 mostly if not

00:24:59.579 --> 00:25:00.940
 completely made up of

00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:01.799
 the two major

00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:02.180
 parties.

00:25:02.279 --> 00:25:02.840
 Those being the

00:25:02.840 --> 00:25:03.620
 Pharisees and the

00:25:03.620 --> 00:25:04.180
 Sadducees.

00:25:04.620 --> 00:25:05.620
 The Pharisees were

00:25:05.620 --> 00:25:06.440
 the more conservative

00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:07.100
 of the two.

00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:08.059
 The Sadducees were

00:25:08.059 --> 00:25:08.559
 the liberals.

00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:10.200
 At this point in time

00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:11.220
 the high priest was

00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:12.320
 under Sadducean

00:25:12.320 --> 00:25:13.059
 control.

00:25:13.580 --> 00:25:14.640
 The Sadducees were

00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:16.200
 wealthy aristocrats.

00:25:16.600 --> 00:25:17.600
 They were the elite

00:25:17.600 --> 00:25:18.539
 class per se.

00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:20.059
 They also believed

00:25:20.059 --> 00:25:20.700
 only in the first

00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:21.539
 five books of the

00:25:21.539 --> 00:25:22.220
 Old Testament as

00:25:22.220 --> 00:25:23.059
 being authoritative.

00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:24.400
 They did not believe

00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:24.980
 in the resurrection

00:25:24.980 --> 00:25:25.759
 of the dead.

00:25:25.940 --> 00:25:26.840
 They did not believe

00:25:26.840 --> 00:25:27.360
 in angels.

00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:28.660
 They did not believe

00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:29.200
 in the sovereignty

00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:30.600
 of God or in his

00:25:30.600 --> 00:25:31.400
 providential work

00:25:31.400 --> 00:25:32.019
 in the world.

00:25:32.019 --> 00:25:33.279
 They stressed the

00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:34.460
 libertarian free will

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:34.960
 of man.

00:25:35.340 --> 00:25:36.180
 They denied most

00:25:36.180 --> 00:25:36.940
 things supernatural.

00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:38.660
 And we could say

00:25:38.660 --> 00:25:39.480
 that they practiced

00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:40.720
 religion more so

00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:41.519
 as political

00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:42.819
 opportunists.

00:25:44.120 --> 00:25:45.259
 So understanding

00:25:45.259 --> 00:25:47.360
 them, we read

00:25:47.360 --> 00:25:49.340
 back in verse 17

00:25:49.340 --> 00:25:51.019
 of chapter 5,

00:25:51.019 --> 00:25:52.460
 But the high priest

00:25:52.460 --> 00:25:53.839
 rose up and all

00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:54.839
 who were with him,

00:25:55.139 --> 00:25:55.900
 that is the party

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:56.740
 of the Sadducees,

00:25:56.879 --> 00:25:58.079
 and filled with

00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:58.920
 jealousy.

00:25:59.539 --> 00:26:00.660
 They were filled

00:26:00.660 --> 00:26:02.019
 with jealousy.

00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:04.240
 But why jealousy?

00:26:04.460 --> 00:26:05.160
 What were they

00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:06.579
 jealous about?

00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:08.579
 And how does this

00:26:08.579 --> 00:26:09.759
 emotion, this

00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:11.700
 jealousy, lead to

00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:12.799
 persecution and a

00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:13.879
 desire to kill?

00:26:14.859 --> 00:26:15.480
 Well, it's interesting

00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:16.460
 to note that jealousy

00:26:16.460 --> 00:26:17.599
 throughout the Bible,

00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:19.500
 when put in a list

00:26:19.500 --> 00:26:21.899
 of sinful practices,

00:26:22.459 --> 00:26:23.599
 is always paired up

00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:24.319
 with things like

00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:25.959
 strife, malice,

00:26:26.399 --> 00:26:27.459
 hate, hostility,

00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:28.099
 etc.

00:26:28.219 --> 00:26:29.099
 Always put together

00:26:29.099 --> 00:26:30.019
 side by side.

00:26:30.500 --> 00:26:31.899
 And we see this both

00:26:31.899 --> 00:26:32.559
 in narrative

00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:33.799
 illustrations throughout

00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:35.219
 the Bible and also

00:26:35.219 --> 00:26:36.339
 in epistolic

00:26:36.339 --> 00:26:37.279
 exhortations.

00:26:37.679 --> 00:26:38.439
 So, for example,

00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:38.879
 a narrative

00:26:38.879 --> 00:26:40.559
 illustration, we see

00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:41.699
 in Genesis 37

00:26:41.699 --> 00:26:44.079
 that Joseph, he is

00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:45.199
 given a robe of

00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:45.720
 many colors.

00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:47.000
 And in verse 4

00:26:47.000 --> 00:26:47.799
 of Genesis 37,

00:26:47.980 --> 00:26:48.640
 we read that his

00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:50.120
 brothers hated him

00:26:50.120 --> 00:26:51.620
 and could not even

00:26:51.620 --> 00:26:52.500
 speak to him

00:26:52.500 --> 00:26:53.019
 peacefully.

00:26:53.620 --> 00:26:54.880
 Then down in verse 11,

00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:55.740
 it says that they

00:26:55.740 --> 00:26:56.779
 were jealous of

00:26:56.779 --> 00:26:58.059
 Joseph, and we know

00:26:58.059 --> 00:26:59.720
 the result of that

00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:00.500
 jealousy.

00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.980
 In that case,

00:27:02.140 --> 00:27:03.160
 they sell their own

00:27:03.160 --> 00:27:04.299
 brother into slavery.

00:27:05.140 --> 00:27:05.920
 As far as

00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:07.059
 exhortative examples,

00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:08.220
 we see in the

00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:09.400
 epistles, here are a

00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:10.500
 few, and listen to

00:27:10.500 --> 00:27:11.299
 how they are grouped

00:27:11.299 --> 00:27:13.240
 in this list.

00:27:13.240 --> 00:27:15.019
 You do not have to

00:27:15.019 --> 00:27:15.460
 turn here.

00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:16.140
 I'm going to move

00:27:16.140 --> 00:27:16.819
 through this pretty

00:27:16.819 --> 00:27:17.220
 quick.

00:27:17.640 --> 00:27:18.359
 The first one,

00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:19.740
 Galatians 5, 19

00:27:19.740 --> 00:27:20.940
 through 21, it says,

00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:22.319
 Now the works of the

00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:23.120
 flesh are evident,

00:27:23.380 --> 00:27:24.359
 sexual immorality,

00:27:24.740 --> 00:27:26.120
 impurity, sensuality,

00:27:26.579 --> 00:27:28.160
 idolatry, sorcery,

00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:30.259
 enmity, strife,

00:27:30.660 --> 00:27:31.920
 jealousy, fits of

00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:33.740
 anger, rivalries,

00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:35.099
 dissensions, division,

00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:36.960
 envy, drunkenness,

00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:37.700
 orgies, and things

00:27:37.700 --> 00:27:38.160
 like these.

00:27:38.519 --> 00:27:39.880
 2 Corinthians 12, 20.

00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:41.420
 Perhaps there may be

00:27:41.420 --> 00:27:42.859
 quarreling, jealousy,

00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:44.579
 anger, hostility,

00:27:44.940 --> 00:27:46.160
 slander, gossip,

00:27:46.819 --> 00:27:48.200
 conceit, and disorder

00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:49.039
 among you.

00:27:49.559 --> 00:27:50.779
 Also Romans 13,

00:27:50.900 --> 00:27:51.799
 13 through 14,

00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:52.940
 and I'm going to

00:27:52.940 --> 00:27:53.400
 skip that one,

00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:55.120
 but James 3, 14

00:27:55.120 --> 00:27:55.839
 through 16.

00:27:55.920 --> 00:27:56.500
 If you would,

00:27:56.559 --> 00:27:57.299
 turn to that one

00:27:57.299 --> 00:27:57.700
 with me.

00:27:58.140 --> 00:28:00.579
 James 3, 14

00:28:00.579 --> 00:28:01.240
 through 16.

00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:02.500
 James 3, 14

00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:01.279
 through 16.

00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:17.940
 James 3, 14

00:28:17.940 --> 00:28:19.059
 13 through 16.

00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:20.019
 We read,

00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:23.220
 But if you have bitter jealousy

00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:26.880
 and selfish ambition in your hearts,

00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:29.500
 do not boast and be false to the truth.

00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:32.279
 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above,

00:28:32.460 --> 00:28:35.660
 but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:39.440
 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,

00:28:39.779 --> 00:28:44.140
 there will be disorder in every vile practice.

00:28:45.300 --> 00:28:45.860
 Did you hear that?

00:28:46.019 --> 00:28:47.160
 Every vile practice.

00:28:47.500 --> 00:28:49.140
 Jealousy and self-ambition.

00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:51.600
 This was the heart of the Sanhedrin.

00:28:52.120 --> 00:28:54.100
 And what were they jealous of?

00:28:55.460 --> 00:28:59.220
 Were they jealous that they were losing popularity to the apostles?

00:28:59.539 --> 00:29:00.319
 I don't think so.

00:29:01.339 --> 00:29:02.720
 This was the great Sanhedrin.

00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:04.440
 They were ambitious, power-hungry,

00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:05.579
 prideful men

00:29:05.579 --> 00:29:08.240
 who had the law on their side

00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:10.539
 and the power to judge and control.

00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:13.740
 They were not afraid or threatened by the apostles.

00:29:13.900 --> 00:29:15.059
 And how can I say that?

00:29:15.500 --> 00:29:16.360
 Two reasons.

00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:18.600
 The first one I would say is an educated guess.

00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:20.380
 What I mean by that is,

00:29:20.759 --> 00:29:24.120
 can you imagine how arrogant and prideful these men were?

00:29:24.900 --> 00:29:26.400
 Here stands before them,

00:29:26.500 --> 00:29:27.900
 the disciples of Jesus,

00:29:27.900 --> 00:29:30.500
 a man whom in their minds,

00:29:30.620 --> 00:29:35.820
 only days after he had been welcomed into the city of Jerusalem by the people,

00:29:35.920 --> 00:29:37.320
 as if he was a king,

00:29:38.040 --> 00:29:39.400
 they, the Sanhedrin,

00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:42.200
 managed to turn the entire nation against him.

00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:43.400
 Right?

00:29:43.480 --> 00:29:46.900
 To the point where those who were on Monday

00:29:46.900 --> 00:29:48.259
 screaming out,

00:29:48.340 --> 00:29:50.220
 Hosanna, blessed be the name of the Lord,

00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:53.720
 by Friday they had changed their chance to crucify him.

00:29:54.920 --> 00:29:57.440
 They, the Sanhedrin, were proud.

00:29:58.560 --> 00:30:00.140
 And I think that in their minds,

00:30:00.220 --> 00:30:01.600
 they took credit for all that.

00:30:02.120 --> 00:30:05.120
 They managed to change the people's minds in a matter of hours.

00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:08.560
 They were proud.

00:30:08.680 --> 00:30:09.560
 They felt strong.

00:30:09.559 --> 00:30:16.399
 And here before them stood mere followers of a leader that they had already done away with.

00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:20.379
 They were not scared of the apostles and they were not scared of the people.

00:30:20.839 --> 00:30:26.279
 Now we read in verse 26 that the captain of the police and his men were scared of the people,

00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:28.179
 but not the Sanhedrin.

00:30:28.460 --> 00:30:30.759
 They were not scared of the people or the apostles.

00:30:30.759 --> 00:30:33.940
 They were corrupt and smart politicians.

00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:35.799
 They knew how to play the people.

00:30:36.259 --> 00:30:37.579
 They knew how to get what they wanted.

00:30:38.099 --> 00:30:40.039
 Now my second reason is from scripture.

00:30:40.859 --> 00:30:43.579
 Because scripture tells me that they didn't even fear God.

00:30:44.019 --> 00:30:45.599
 And if they didn't fear God,

00:30:45.640 --> 00:30:47.119
 I don't think they feared his messengers.

00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:53.359
 But I do believe that their jealousy towards the apostles stemmed from fear.

00:30:54.879 --> 00:30:57.879
 Fear of the Roman Empire.

00:30:57.880 --> 00:31:00.280
 Now why do I say that?

00:31:01.640 --> 00:31:05.600
 This is where I want to navigate above and away from our text

00:31:05.600 --> 00:31:12.220
 and quickly brush over about 600 years worth of history, of Jewish history.

00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:13.820
 So bear with me.

00:31:14.340 --> 00:31:21.780
 But I'm doing this because I want you to get a better feel for what the apostles were standing up against

00:31:21.780 --> 00:31:24.480
 as they stood before that council of 71 politicians.

00:31:24.480 --> 00:31:29.120
 And I hope that this doesn't feel too out of the way from our text, from our context.

00:31:29.660 --> 00:31:34.140
 And I promise you that I believe it has its purpose well within our text this morning.

00:31:34.339 --> 00:31:38.759
 So the history of the Jews, and I'm going to try to move kind of quickly here.

00:31:39.240 --> 00:31:40.819
 So you may not want to write notes.

00:31:41.059 --> 00:31:43.759
 You may just want to sit and listen so you get a good picture.

00:31:44.180 --> 00:31:45.660
 But if you want to write notes, it's up to you.

00:31:47.339 --> 00:31:50.860
 So the history of the Jews is filled with a lot of war and violence.

00:31:50.859 --> 00:31:59.039
 And starting in about 589 B.C., which is a little over 600 years before Acts chapter 5,

00:31:59.179 --> 00:32:00.659
 where we find ourselves this morning,

00:32:01.139 --> 00:32:05.699
 the Babylonian Empire under King Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem,

00:32:05.959 --> 00:32:08.799
 destroyed the temple, killed many Jews, and took thousands captive.

00:32:09.240 --> 00:32:11.139
 We read about this in Jeremiah 52.

00:32:11.779 --> 00:32:15.779
 And this is the same King Nebuchadnezzar who we read of in the book of Daniel

00:32:15.779 --> 00:32:22.899
 who gets the dream of a great statue of a man who Daniel interprets for us as prophecy in the book of Daniel chapter 2.

00:32:23.799 --> 00:32:31.799
 The interpretation is given in Daniel chapter 2 that the statue represents five kingdoms.

00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:38.440
 The first one, Daniel says, to King Nebuchadnezzar represents him in the Babylonian Empire.

00:32:38.980 --> 00:32:42.319
 Now throughout the rest of the book of Daniel, the other kingdoms are described,

00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:49.220
 and Daniel lays out with such specific detail the course of events with world powers to come.

00:32:50.579 --> 00:32:57.439
 And it's just exciting to see the veracity of God's word through the course of history,

00:32:57.539 --> 00:33:02.379
 as prophesied in the Old Testament, hundreds of years before any of this came to pass.

00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:06.579
 Now, after being under Babylonian rule for some time,

00:33:06.679 --> 00:33:11.019
 the Jews came under Persian rule after Cyrus the Great defeated the Babylonian Empire.

00:33:11.019 --> 00:33:14.279
 And at the start of the intertestamental period,

00:33:14.279 --> 00:33:19.579
 we find the Jews under Persian rule, which is the second of the five kingdoms.

00:33:20.099 --> 00:33:27.000
 Now, in the intertestamental period, which is the 400 years between the closing of the Old Testament

00:33:27.000 --> 00:33:28.859
 and the beginning of the New Testament,

00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:32.200
 which is also referred to as the 400 years of silence,

00:33:32.740 --> 00:33:36.579
 because God no longer spoke to his people in those 400 years,

00:33:36.579 --> 00:33:45.279
 God continues, however, to sovereignly and providentially direct the course of history in the making.

00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:53.819
 And so in these 400 years, the rest of the remaining empires of the prophesied dream

00:33:53.819 --> 00:34:04.240
 from Daniel chapter 2 are described and identified except for the fifth one.

00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:09.099
 Now, for about 200 years, the Jews continued under Persian rule.

00:34:09.659 --> 00:34:13.079
 They were allowed to rebuild the temple and had religious freedom.

00:34:13.980 --> 00:34:18.300
 Around 330 BC, the Persian Empire fell to the Greek Empire,

00:34:18.699 --> 00:34:22.099
 which was the third of the five kingdoms under Alexander the Great.

00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:26.880
 After Alexander's death, his generals divided his empire into two,

00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:33.160
 and two dynasties came out of that, the Ptolemies and the Seleucids.

00:34:34.119 --> 00:34:39.920
 Judea first initially fell under Ptolemic rule for about 100 years.

00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:42.880
 The Jews were economically oppressed,

00:34:43.320 --> 00:34:50.860
 but had fairly good religious freedom under the Ptolemies.

00:34:50.860 --> 00:34:57.300
 The Jews at this time also were exposed to Hellenism.

00:34:57.380 --> 00:35:01.760
 Hellenism spread, which was Greek culture, but they still had religious freedom.

00:35:01.860 --> 00:35:05.960
 Then for the next 57 years, Judea came under Seleucid rule,

00:35:06.620 --> 00:35:09.140
 under Antiochus Epiphanes,

00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:13.200
 and that level of freedom drastically, drastically changed.

00:35:13.199 --> 00:35:17.679
 Antiochus placed the high priest of his choosing,

00:35:18.539 --> 00:35:21.819
 a man by the name of Jason, possibly a Greek,

00:35:22.239 --> 00:35:25.439
 not even a Jewish man, or at the least a Greek supporter.

00:35:26.199 --> 00:35:29.419
 He then issues a decree that all nations under his rule

00:35:29.419 --> 00:35:32.399
 should abandon their own customs and become one people.

00:35:32.839 --> 00:35:35.099
 He launched a fierce attack against the Jews,

00:35:35.460 --> 00:35:37.679
 plundered Jerusalem and set many buildings on fire,

00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:41.339
 had any copies of the Old Testament that he could find burned,

00:35:41.340 --> 00:35:43.340
 forced Jews to eat pork,

00:35:43.460 --> 00:35:45.380
 prevented them from observing the Sabbath,

00:35:45.539 --> 00:35:47.960
 prevented the circumcision of boys,

00:35:48.160 --> 00:35:50.200
 to the point that they would go around and check,

00:35:50.240 --> 00:35:52.160
 and if any boy was found to be circumcised,

00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:53.680
 the mother would be killed,

00:35:53.980 --> 00:35:55.039
 the child would be killed,

00:35:55.100 --> 00:35:57.340
 and the child would then be hung around the neck of the mother.

00:35:58.280 --> 00:36:05.160
 Pagan worship exploded in Jerusalem at this time.

00:36:05.159 --> 00:36:08.699
 Antiochus even had the title,

00:36:09.359 --> 00:36:12.239
 Theos Antiochus Theos Epiphanes,

00:36:12.839 --> 00:36:14.259
 inscribed on the currency,

00:36:14.699 --> 00:36:19.199
 which translates to Antiochus, God Manifest.

00:36:19.839 --> 00:36:22.980
 All this led to a 24-year war

00:36:22.980 --> 00:36:27.859
 led by a Jew named Judah Maccabee.

00:36:28.299 --> 00:36:30.699
 The war was called the Maccabean Revolt.

00:36:30.699 --> 00:36:34.079
 The Jews won and gained their freedom.

00:36:34.319 --> 00:36:38.739
 The Maccabees then established the Hasmonian dynasty in Israel.

00:36:39.219 --> 00:36:42.219
 The Jews had peace that lasted for a very short time,

00:36:42.379 --> 00:36:45.059
 and the Seleucid Empire once again attacked Jerusalem,

00:36:45.759 --> 00:36:47.939
 and this was around 129 B.C.

00:36:48.659 --> 00:36:49.419
 At this point,

00:36:49.779 --> 00:36:52.339
 leadership of the Hasmonian dynasty had changed

00:36:52.339 --> 00:36:55.219
 due to the first leader of the Hasmonian dynasty

00:36:55.219 --> 00:36:57.899
 being assassinated by his own son-in-law.

00:36:57.900 --> 00:37:01.220
 In a short period of time of about 37 years,

00:37:01.340 --> 00:37:04.220
 the Hasmonian dynasty had four different kings.

00:37:05.420 --> 00:37:08.180
 The fourth one, Alexander Gennas,

00:37:09.680 --> 00:37:11.800
 by that point,

00:37:12.059 --> 00:37:14.619
 Hellenism had spread deep into the Hasmonian kingdom,

00:37:15.059 --> 00:37:17.360
 which was the very thing that they fought against.

00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:20.840
 King Alexander Gennas took upon himself

00:37:20.840 --> 00:37:23.440
 both office of king and priest,

00:37:24.059 --> 00:37:25.300
 high priest,

00:37:25.300 --> 00:37:27.860
 and the conservative political party at the time,

00:37:28.019 --> 00:37:28.900
 the Pharisees,

00:37:29.380 --> 00:37:31.880
 demanded that he choose either or.

00:37:32.560 --> 00:37:34.300
 The king refused and sided with

00:37:34.300 --> 00:37:36.519
 and was supported by the Sadducees.

00:37:37.400 --> 00:37:38.060
 Shortly after,

00:37:38.180 --> 00:37:40.080
 a disagreement during the Feast of Tabernacles

00:37:40.080 --> 00:37:41.340
 led the king,

00:37:41.700 --> 00:37:42.620
 Alexander Gennas,

00:37:42.680 --> 00:37:44.820
 to have 6,000 Jews

00:37:44.820 --> 00:37:47.140
 massacred in the temple courtyard.

00:37:47.139 --> 00:37:49.839
 This event was a cause to the start

00:37:49.839 --> 00:37:51.619
 of a six-year civil war

00:37:51.619 --> 00:37:53.619
 in Jerusalem,

00:37:54.420 --> 00:37:55.559
 within Judea,

00:37:56.199 --> 00:37:59.940
 where 50,000 Judeans were killed.

00:38:00.579 --> 00:38:04.000
 And Josephus writes that this Sadduceean king,

00:38:04.159 --> 00:38:04.799
 Alexander,

00:38:05.980 --> 00:38:08.839
 had 800 Pharisees

00:38:08.839 --> 00:38:09.859
 arrested

00:38:09.860 --> 00:38:12.700
 and then had their wives and children's throats

00:38:12.700 --> 00:38:14.620
 cut in front of them

00:38:14.620 --> 00:38:18.000
 right before executing them as well.

00:38:18.740 --> 00:38:19.900
 After Alexander died,

00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:21.820
 his wife became queen of Judea.

00:38:22.240 --> 00:38:23.099
 After she died,

00:38:23.200 --> 00:38:23.620
 her son,

00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:24.599
 Heracanus,

00:38:25.019 --> 00:38:26.220
 became the rightful heir

00:38:26.220 --> 00:38:27.460
 of the Hasmonian kingdom.

00:38:27.860 --> 00:38:29.920
 And he was in favor of the Pharisees.

00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:30.620
 However,

00:38:30.780 --> 00:38:31.740
 his little brother,

00:38:32.300 --> 00:38:33.180
 Aristobulus,

00:38:33.539 --> 00:38:34.800
 who was more popular

00:38:34.800 --> 00:38:36.599
 and was in favor of the Sadducees,

00:38:37.079 --> 00:38:38.740
 rebelled against his big brother.

00:38:38.739 --> 00:38:40.500
 In yet another civil war,

00:38:41.579 --> 00:38:43.839
 Heracanus surrendered for the time being

00:38:43.839 --> 00:38:46.099
 and Aristobulus became king.

00:38:46.619 --> 00:38:46.859
 Now,

00:38:46.959 --> 00:38:49.839
 when we get to around 65 to 63 BC,

00:38:50.579 --> 00:38:53.839
 the fourth kingdom of Daniel's prophecy,

00:38:54.399 --> 00:38:56.939
 the one that is successor to the Greek Empire,

00:38:57.299 --> 00:38:59.619
 comes to the scene as the Roman Republic,

00:39:00.099 --> 00:39:02.299
 soon to become the Roman Empire.

00:39:03.279 --> 00:39:03.779
 So,

00:39:03.959 --> 00:39:05.339
 the Romans conquer the Greeks

00:39:05.339 --> 00:39:06.699
 and around this time,

00:39:06.779 --> 00:39:08.719
 Heracanus starts another,

00:39:08.719 --> 00:39:09.359
 another civil war,

00:39:09.419 --> 00:39:10.919
 to try to get his kingdom back

00:39:10.919 --> 00:39:11.759
 from his little brother.

00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:12.699
 Now,

00:39:12.759 --> 00:39:14.279
 there were so many moving pieces here

00:39:14.279 --> 00:39:15.480
 and true conspiracies

00:39:15.480 --> 00:39:16.199
 that led

00:39:16.199 --> 00:39:18.519
 to this continued civil war

00:39:18.519 --> 00:39:19.579
 between these Jewish brothers.

00:39:19.679 --> 00:39:20.539
 But for the sake of time,

00:39:20.859 --> 00:39:22.859
 I'm going to have to skip all those details.

00:39:22.980 --> 00:39:23.259
 However,

00:39:23.699 --> 00:39:24.619
 the two brothers

00:39:24.619 --> 00:39:26.939
 both ended up going to General Pompey,

00:39:27.559 --> 00:39:29.039
 a Roman military general

00:39:29.039 --> 00:39:30.459
 who just months earlier

00:39:30.459 --> 00:39:32.099
 had marched into Syria,

00:39:33.339 --> 00:39:34.439
 overpowered their kingdom

00:39:34.440 --> 00:39:36.240
 and made it into a Roman province.

00:39:37.240 --> 00:39:40.000
 Pompey originally sided with Aristobulus,

00:39:40.519 --> 00:39:41.519
 the younger brother,

00:39:41.760 --> 00:39:43.340
 which led to a crushing defeat

00:39:43.340 --> 00:39:46.019
 of Heracanus' allies' army.

00:39:46.700 --> 00:39:47.320
 But then,

00:39:47.599 --> 00:39:49.480
 Pompey changes his mind,

00:39:49.920 --> 00:39:52.400
 decides that he wants to take over Judea,

00:39:52.940 --> 00:39:55.380
 and thought that Heracanus,

00:39:55.500 --> 00:39:56.260
 the older brother,

00:39:56.400 --> 00:39:58.820
 would instead be easier to control

00:39:58.820 --> 00:39:59.740
 than Aristobulus.

00:39:59.739 --> 00:40:00.799
 So,

00:40:01.339 --> 00:40:03.299
 Pompey changes sides

00:40:03.299 --> 00:40:05.519
 and backs Heracanus now instead.

00:40:06.259 --> 00:40:08.019
 Pompey then fights against Aristobulus,

00:40:08.139 --> 00:40:10.239
 and Aristobulus surrenders to Pompey.

00:40:10.879 --> 00:40:12.019
 And in 63 BC,

00:40:12.219 --> 00:40:14.059
 Pompey marched into Jerusalem,

00:40:14.059 --> 00:40:15.539
 where he met more opposition

00:40:15.539 --> 00:40:16.519
 from the Sadducees.

00:40:17.179 --> 00:40:20.099
 And after a several-month siege,

00:40:20.419 --> 00:40:21.839
 which resulted in a good bit

00:40:21.839 --> 00:40:22.799
 of death and destruction,

00:40:23.019 --> 00:40:24.799
 and as Josephus puts it,

00:40:25.279 --> 00:40:27.739
 12,000 Jews were slaughtered,

00:40:27.739 --> 00:40:31.319
 with only a few Roman troops being killed.

00:40:32.279 --> 00:40:34.879
 The Jews lost their short-lived independence

00:40:34.879 --> 00:40:36.119
 and came under the rule

00:40:36.119 --> 00:40:37.219
 of the Roman Republic.

00:40:38.199 --> 00:40:40.839
 Pompey reinstalled Heracanus as high priest.

00:40:41.479 --> 00:40:41.679
 Now,

00:40:41.899 --> 00:40:43.859
 within the Roman Republic at this time,

00:40:44.319 --> 00:40:46.319
 there was also a lot of instability.

00:40:47.079 --> 00:40:48.919
 After his victory in Jerusalem,

00:40:49.119 --> 00:40:50.279
 Pompey returns to Rome,

00:40:50.699 --> 00:40:52.679
 and the first triumvirate

00:40:52.679 --> 00:40:54.039
 was established

00:40:54.039 --> 00:40:55.800
 by three men

00:40:55.800 --> 00:40:56.480
 who became

00:40:56.480 --> 00:40:58.039
 the most powerful men

00:40:58.039 --> 00:40:58.820
 in the Republic.

00:40:59.300 --> 00:41:00.659
 Pompey being one of them,

00:41:01.079 --> 00:41:02.099
 Marcus Crassus,

00:41:02.259 --> 00:41:03.159
 and Julius Caesar.

00:41:03.880 --> 00:41:04.880
 Not long after,

00:41:05.099 --> 00:41:06.239
 there was a civil war

00:41:06.239 --> 00:41:07.380
 which broke out

00:41:07.380 --> 00:41:09.079
 between Caesar and Pompey.

00:41:09.679 --> 00:41:11.139
 And the whole Heracanus

00:41:11.139 --> 00:41:12.340
 and Aristobulus thing

00:41:12.340 --> 00:41:13.820
 surfaced again

00:41:13.820 --> 00:41:14.699
 because Caesar

00:41:14.699 --> 00:41:16.400
 wanted to restore the kingdom

00:41:16.400 --> 00:41:17.659
 to Aristobulus,

00:41:17.759 --> 00:41:18.340
 the little brother.

00:41:19.219 --> 00:41:20.139
 Pompey's people,

00:41:20.440 --> 00:41:21.119
 knowing this,

00:41:21.239 --> 00:41:22.860
 then had Aristobulus

00:41:22.860 --> 00:41:23.760
 killed.

00:41:24.620 --> 00:41:26.519
 Heracanus and his closest ally,

00:41:27.120 --> 00:41:28.200
 Antipater,

00:41:28.660 --> 00:41:30.079
 were ready to fight

00:41:30.079 --> 00:41:31.140
 with Pompey

00:41:31.140 --> 00:41:32.180
 against Caesar.

00:41:32.860 --> 00:41:33.320
 However,

00:41:33.440 --> 00:41:34.599
 when Pompey was killed,

00:41:34.940 --> 00:41:35.920
 they switched sides

00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:38.340
 and helped Caesar.

00:41:38.820 --> 00:41:39.579
 Caesar then became

00:41:39.579 --> 00:41:40.440
 the sole dictator

00:41:40.440 --> 00:41:41.140
 of the Republic.

00:41:42.700 --> 00:41:43.019
 Caesar,

00:41:43.240 --> 00:41:44.260
 thankful for the help

00:41:44.260 --> 00:41:45.500
 of Heracanus and Antipater,

00:41:46.039 --> 00:41:47.019
 allowed Heracanus

00:41:47.019 --> 00:41:48.280
 to remain high priest

00:41:48.280 --> 00:41:49.320
 and gave Antipater

00:41:49.320 --> 00:41:50.920
 rule of Judea

00:41:50.920 --> 00:41:51.800
 by making him

00:41:51.800 --> 00:41:54.019
 procurator of Judea.

00:41:54.680 --> 00:41:56.380
 Now, one of Antipater's sons

00:41:56.380 --> 00:41:57.280
 is known to you

00:41:57.280 --> 00:41:58.099
 as King Herod,

00:41:58.240 --> 00:41:59.720
 who was later appointed

00:41:59.720 --> 00:42:00.579
 king of the Jews

00:42:00.579 --> 00:42:01.340
 by the Romans

00:42:01.340 --> 00:42:02.539
 and was the one

00:42:02.539 --> 00:42:03.720
 who had all the young boys

00:42:03.720 --> 00:42:04.740
 murdered at the time

00:42:04.740 --> 00:42:05.720
 of the birth of Jesus.

00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:08.220
 Now, Julius Caesar

00:42:08.220 --> 00:42:09.420
 is assassinated

00:42:09.420 --> 00:42:11.559
 and his adopted son

00:42:11.559 --> 00:42:12.240
 and heir,

00:42:12.460 --> 00:42:13.059
 Octavian,

00:42:13.659 --> 00:42:14.340
 joins forces

00:42:14.340 --> 00:42:15.539
 with Mark Antony

00:42:15.539 --> 00:42:16.599
 in what was called

00:42:16.599 --> 00:42:17.980
 the Second Triumvirate.

00:42:17.980 --> 00:42:20.019
 Now, not long after,

00:42:20.460 --> 00:42:21.119
 they turned

00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:22.740
 against one another

00:42:22.740 --> 00:42:24.920
 in yet another civil war.

00:42:27.280 --> 00:42:28.559
 Octavian won the war

00:42:28.559 --> 00:42:29.920
 and became Augustus,

00:42:30.139 --> 00:42:31.599
 the first emperor

00:42:31.599 --> 00:42:32.880
 and founder

00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:34.380
 of the Roman Empire.

00:42:35.039 --> 00:42:35.980
 Jesus was born

00:42:35.980 --> 00:42:37.139
 during the reign of Augustus.

00:42:37.280 --> 00:42:37.900
 So you can see

00:42:37.900 --> 00:42:39.079
 there was much war

00:42:39.079 --> 00:42:39.679
 surrounding

00:42:39.679 --> 00:42:42.340
 and even within Judea

00:42:42.340 --> 00:42:43.420
 up to this point

00:42:43.420 --> 00:42:44.139
 and even more

00:42:44.139 --> 00:42:45.039
 that I don't have time

00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:45.619
 to get into.

00:42:46.320 --> 00:42:47.539
 So why am I telling you

00:42:47.539 --> 00:42:47.840
 all this?

00:42:47.880 --> 00:42:48.480
 A few reasons.

00:42:48.599 --> 00:42:50.320
 First, history is important.

00:42:50.840 --> 00:42:52.340
 Also, I hope it gives you

00:42:52.340 --> 00:42:53.300
 a better picture,

00:42:53.960 --> 00:42:54.719
 but more importantly,

00:42:54.840 --> 00:42:55.659
 related to our text

00:42:55.659 --> 00:42:56.139
 this morning

00:42:56.139 --> 00:42:57.159
 to answer the question,

00:42:57.639 --> 00:42:58.900
 why were the Sanhedrin

00:42:58.900 --> 00:43:00.420
 afraid of the Roman Empire?

00:43:00.980 --> 00:43:01.440
 Now, here's where

00:43:01.440 --> 00:43:02.360
 I was going with all this.

00:43:02.480 --> 00:43:03.659
 In 63 BC,

00:43:04.340 --> 00:43:05.440
 the year that the Romans

00:43:05.440 --> 00:43:07.179
 took over Judea,

00:43:07.599 --> 00:43:08.820
 perhaps the most powerful

00:43:08.820 --> 00:43:10.059
 man in Rome

00:43:10.059 --> 00:43:12.019
 was a man

00:43:12.019 --> 00:43:13.159
 by the name of Cicero,

00:43:13.860 --> 00:43:14.500
 being that he was

00:43:14.500 --> 00:43:15.900
 the highest elected official

00:43:15.900 --> 00:43:17.200
 official of the Republic

00:43:17.200 --> 00:43:18.340
 along with one other guy.

00:43:19.400 --> 00:43:20.760
 The Romans had a law

00:43:20.760 --> 00:43:21.880
 that is referred to

00:43:21.880 --> 00:43:25.680
 as the Edict of Religio Licita,

00:43:26.099 --> 00:43:27.220
 which means the Edict

00:43:27.220 --> 00:43:28.980
 of Permitted Religion.

00:43:29.579 --> 00:43:31.099
 Listen to what Cicero writes

00:43:31.099 --> 00:43:32.079
 around this time

00:43:32.079 --> 00:43:33.660
 in his book entitled

00:43:33.660 --> 00:43:35.119
 On the Laws.

00:43:35.119 --> 00:43:36.099
 He writes,

00:43:36.180 --> 00:43:36.579
 and I quote,

00:43:36.579 --> 00:44:01.960
 Close quote.

00:44:01.960 --> 00:44:01.980
 Close quote.

00:44:01.980 --> 00:44:04.079
 Now, a few years later,

00:44:04.159 --> 00:44:05.380
 listen to what Gaius

00:44:05.380 --> 00:44:07.099
 Macenus,

00:44:07.360 --> 00:44:09.260
 Emperor Augustus' advisor,

00:44:10.599 --> 00:44:11.840
 said to Augustus,

00:44:12.380 --> 00:44:14.400
 probably within a few years

00:44:14.400 --> 00:44:15.740
 of Jesus' birth.

00:44:16.420 --> 00:44:17.619
 He tells him,

00:44:18.280 --> 00:44:19.240
 Honor the gods

00:44:19.240 --> 00:44:20.719
 in every way

00:44:20.719 --> 00:44:22.300
 according to the usage

00:44:22.300 --> 00:44:23.800
 of your ancestors

00:44:23.800 --> 00:44:25.820
 and compel others

00:44:25.820 --> 00:44:26.880
 to worship them.

00:44:27.500 --> 00:44:28.980
 Hate and punish

00:44:28.980 --> 00:44:30.900
 those who introduce

00:44:30.900 --> 00:44:32.420
 strange gods,

00:44:32.860 --> 00:44:33.820
 not only for the sake

00:44:33.820 --> 00:44:34.340
 of the gods,

00:44:34.420 --> 00:44:35.199
 but because those

00:44:35.199 --> 00:44:36.199
 who introduce

00:44:36.199 --> 00:44:37.240
 new gods

00:44:37.240 --> 00:44:38.699
 engage a multitude

00:44:38.699 --> 00:44:39.440
 of persons

00:44:39.440 --> 00:44:41.219
 in foreign laws

00:44:41.219 --> 00:44:42.079
 and customs.

00:44:42.780 --> 00:44:43.579
 From hence

00:44:43.579 --> 00:44:44.920
 arise unions

00:44:44.920 --> 00:44:46.639
 bound by oaths

00:44:46.639 --> 00:44:47.699
 and confederacies

00:44:47.699 --> 00:44:49.099
 and associations.

00:44:49.800 --> 00:44:51.480
 Things dangerous

00:44:51.480 --> 00:44:52.880
 to a monarchy.

00:44:53.820 --> 00:44:54.440
 Close quote.

00:44:55.280 --> 00:44:56.320
 Now, let me wrap up

00:44:56.320 --> 00:44:57.360
 this bird's eye view thing

00:44:57.360 --> 00:44:58.519
 and show you from Scripture

00:44:58.519 --> 00:44:59.559
 why I've said

00:44:59.559 --> 00:45:00.019
 what I've said.

00:45:00.140 --> 00:45:02.579
 Turn to John chapter 11

00:45:02.579 --> 00:45:03.500
 for me.

00:45:04.140 --> 00:45:04.920
 This is a text

00:45:04.920 --> 00:45:05.900
 that Pastor Vodibach

00:45:05.900 --> 00:45:06.840
 pointed out for me

00:45:06.840 --> 00:45:08.180
 and we'll show you

00:45:08.180 --> 00:45:09.940
 how all of this history

00:45:09.940 --> 00:45:10.660
 comes together

00:45:10.660 --> 00:45:12.579
 in our text

00:45:12.579 --> 00:45:13.579
 in Acts chapter 5

00:45:13.579 --> 00:45:14.340
 this morning.

00:45:17.180 --> 00:45:18.480
 John chapter 11.

00:45:18.480 --> 00:45:26.579
 This is right after

00:45:26.579 --> 00:45:28.119
 the raising of Lazarus

00:45:28.119 --> 00:45:29.199
 and look at

00:45:29.199 --> 00:45:31.079
 verse 45

00:45:31.079 --> 00:45:32.179
 verses 45

00:45:32.179 --> 00:45:32.960
 through 48.

00:45:34.039 --> 00:45:34.519
 So,

00:45:34.639 --> 00:45:35.420
 John chapter 11

00:45:35.420 --> 00:45:36.900
 starting in verse 45

00:45:36.900 --> 00:45:37.400
 we read

00:45:37.400 --> 00:45:38.760
 Many of the Jews

00:45:38.760 --> 00:45:39.199
 therefore

00:45:39.199 --> 00:45:40.059
 who had come

00:45:40.059 --> 00:45:40.760
 with Mary

00:45:40.760 --> 00:45:42.000
 and had seen

00:45:42.000 --> 00:45:42.940
 what he did

00:45:42.940 --> 00:45:44.119
 believed in him.

00:45:44.760 --> 00:45:45.460
 But some of them

00:45:45.460 --> 00:45:46.780
 went to the Pharisees

00:45:46.780 --> 00:45:47.540
 and told them

00:45:47.540 --> 00:45:48.560
 what Jesus had done.

00:45:49.080 --> 00:45:50.240
 So the chief priests

00:45:50.240 --> 00:45:51.380
 and the Pharisees

00:45:51.380 --> 00:45:52.560
 gathered the council

00:45:52.560 --> 00:45:53.300
 and said

00:45:53.300 --> 00:45:54.360
 what are we to do?

00:45:54.900 --> 00:45:55.519
 For this man

00:45:55.519 --> 00:45:56.840
 performs many signs.

00:45:57.260 --> 00:45:58.060
 If we let him

00:45:58.060 --> 00:45:59.060
 go on like this

00:45:59.060 --> 00:46:00.280
 everyone will believe

00:46:00.280 --> 00:46:00.680
 in him

00:46:00.680 --> 00:46:02.440
 and the Romans

00:46:02.440 --> 00:46:03.180
 will come

00:46:03.180 --> 00:46:04.000
 and take away

00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:05.180
 both our place

00:46:05.180 --> 00:46:06.800
 and our nation.

00:46:07.760 --> 00:46:08.580
 Do you see that?

00:46:09.519 --> 00:46:10.040
 Jesus

00:46:10.040 --> 00:46:11.880
 and then the apostles

00:46:11.880 --> 00:46:13.280
 were preaching

00:46:13.280 --> 00:46:13.780
 Christianity

00:46:14.420 --> 00:46:16.019
 a new religion

00:46:16.019 --> 00:46:16.980
 that was not

00:46:16.980 --> 00:46:18.019
 sanctioned

00:46:18.019 --> 00:46:18.759
 and officially

00:46:18.759 --> 00:46:19.320
 brought in

00:46:19.320 --> 00:46:20.039
 by Rome.

00:46:21.320 --> 00:46:22.000
 And because Rome

00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:22.980
 saw new religions

00:46:22.980 --> 00:46:24.280
 as the rise of unions

00:46:24.280 --> 00:46:25.719
 bound by oaths

00:46:25.719 --> 00:46:26.559
 and confederacies

00:46:26.559 --> 00:46:27.360
 and associations

00:46:27.360 --> 00:46:28.340
 things dangerous

00:46:28.340 --> 00:46:29.099
 to a monarchy

00:46:29.099 --> 00:46:30.800
 the great Sanhedrin

00:46:30.800 --> 00:46:31.860
 wealthy

00:46:31.860 --> 00:46:33.159
 and power hungry

00:46:33.159 --> 00:46:34.320
 was scared

00:46:34.320 --> 00:46:35.400
 that the preaching

00:46:35.400 --> 00:46:36.460
 of a new religion

00:46:36.460 --> 00:46:37.360
 would bring about

00:46:37.360 --> 00:46:37.820
 the wrath

00:46:37.820 --> 00:46:38.860
 not of God

00:46:38.860 --> 00:46:40.400
 but of the Roman Empire

00:46:40.400 --> 00:46:42.840
 and take their power

00:46:42.840 --> 00:46:43.539
 and wealth

00:46:43.539 --> 00:46:44.199
 away from them.

00:46:44.199 --> 00:46:44.739
 Brothers

00:46:44.739 --> 00:46:46.119
 the love of money

00:46:46.119 --> 00:46:47.319
 is a root

00:46:47.319 --> 00:46:48.980
 of all kinds

00:46:48.980 --> 00:46:49.519
 of evil

00:46:49.519 --> 00:46:50.659
 but the root

00:46:50.659 --> 00:46:52.299
 of all kinds

00:46:52.299 --> 00:46:53.079
 of evil

00:46:53.079 --> 00:46:54.019
 including the root

00:46:54.019 --> 00:46:54.899
 of persecution

00:46:54.899 --> 00:46:56.439
 is idolatry

00:46:56.439 --> 00:46:58.099
 a violation

00:46:58.099 --> 00:46:59.000
 of the first

00:46:59.000 --> 00:47:00.219
 and second commandments.

00:47:01.419 --> 00:47:01.939
 The apostles

00:47:01.939 --> 00:47:02.960
 here were preaching

00:47:02.960 --> 00:47:04.739
 against the Sanhedrin

00:47:04.739 --> 00:47:05.099
 sin

00:47:05.099 --> 00:47:07.019
 so you now have

00:47:07.019 --> 00:47:07.659
 I hope

00:47:07.659 --> 00:47:08.099
 you now have

00:47:08.099 --> 00:47:08.819
 a better picture

00:47:08.819 --> 00:47:09.739
 of what they were

00:47:09.739 --> 00:47:10.599
 standing up against.

00:47:11.099 --> 00:47:11.919
 They all knew

00:47:11.920 --> 00:47:12.740
 the Roman stance

00:47:12.740 --> 00:47:13.880
 on their religion

00:47:13.880 --> 00:47:14.680
 very well.

00:47:15.159 --> 00:47:15.619
 The apostles

00:47:15.619 --> 00:47:16.340
 likely knew

00:47:16.340 --> 00:47:16.840
 very well

00:47:16.840 --> 00:47:17.500
 that this was

00:47:17.500 --> 00:47:17.980
 what they were

00:47:17.980 --> 00:47:19.099
 standing up against.

00:47:20.019 --> 00:47:20.940
 They knew the risk.

00:47:21.400 --> 00:47:21.780
 These men

00:47:21.780 --> 00:47:22.480
 had crucified

00:47:22.480 --> 00:47:23.079
 their Lord

00:47:23.079 --> 00:47:23.880
 out of their own

00:47:23.880 --> 00:47:24.880
 greed and idolatry

00:47:24.880 --> 00:47:26.159
 and even so much

00:47:26.159 --> 00:47:26.680
 blood

00:47:26.680 --> 00:47:27.760
 had been spilled

00:47:27.760 --> 00:47:27.760


00:47:27.760 --> 00:47:28.639
 in the very ground

00:47:28.639 --> 00:47:29.360
 upon which they

00:47:29.360 --> 00:47:30.380
 stood to be tried

00:47:30.380 --> 00:47:32.740
 yet they trusted

00:47:32.740 --> 00:47:33.980
 and were obedient

00:47:33.980 --> 00:47:35.760
 and they preached

00:47:35.760 --> 00:47:36.200
 the truth

00:47:36.200 --> 00:47:36.800
 in love

00:47:36.800 --> 00:47:37.519
 and they put

00:47:37.519 --> 00:47:38.300
 the mirror

00:47:38.300 --> 00:47:39.400
 of God's law

00:47:39.400 --> 00:47:40.059
 in front

00:47:40.059 --> 00:47:40.660
 of the court's

00:47:40.660 --> 00:47:40.940
 face

00:47:40.940 --> 00:47:41.720
 and called

00:47:41.720 --> 00:47:42.619
 them out

00:47:42.619 --> 00:47:43.440
 on their sin.

00:47:46.340 --> 00:47:47.320
 Peter says

00:47:47.320 --> 00:47:48.059
 Jesus

00:47:48.059 --> 00:47:49.740
 whom you killed

00:47:49.740 --> 00:47:51.519
 and the Sanhedrin

00:47:51.519 --> 00:47:52.480
 hiding their guilt

00:47:52.480 --> 00:47:52.920
 say

00:47:52.920 --> 00:47:54.340
 you intend

00:47:54.340 --> 00:47:55.059
 to bring

00:47:55.059 --> 00:47:55.680
 this man's

00:47:55.680 --> 00:47:56.039
 blood

00:47:56.039 --> 00:47:57.079
 upon us.

00:47:57.760 --> 00:47:58.760
 For those of you

00:47:58.760 --> 00:47:59.340
 who don't know

00:47:59.340 --> 00:47:59.940
 I used to be

00:47:59.940 --> 00:48:00.900
 a police

00:48:00.900 --> 00:48:01.579
 canine officer

00:48:01.579 --> 00:48:03.099
 I had an awesome

00:48:03.099 --> 00:48:04.180
 mean looking

00:48:04.180 --> 00:48:04.720
 beautiful

00:48:04.720 --> 00:48:05.400
 German shepherd

00:48:05.400 --> 00:48:07.619
 and when we

00:48:07.619 --> 00:48:08.680
 did bite training

00:48:08.679 --> 00:48:10.440
 we always

00:48:10.440 --> 00:48:11.440
 trained the dogs

00:48:11.440 --> 00:48:12.719
 that if the

00:48:12.719 --> 00:48:13.299
 handler was

00:48:13.299 --> 00:48:13.819
 attacked

00:48:13.819 --> 00:48:15.000
 they were to

00:48:15.000 --> 00:48:15.960
 attack back

00:48:15.960 --> 00:48:17.259
 and that without

00:48:17.259 --> 00:48:18.359
 even the need

00:48:18.359 --> 00:48:19.480
 of a command

00:48:19.480 --> 00:48:20.239
 to bite

00:48:20.239 --> 00:48:21.460
 that's how they

00:48:21.460 --> 00:48:22.079
 were trained

00:48:22.079 --> 00:48:23.059
 it was partly

00:48:23.059 --> 00:48:24.159
 out of instinct

00:48:24.159 --> 00:48:25.500
 if the dog

00:48:25.500 --> 00:48:26.279
 sees his master

00:48:26.279 --> 00:48:26.679
 attacked

00:48:26.679 --> 00:48:27.619
 he will attack

00:48:27.619 --> 00:48:28.219
 the attacker

00:48:28.219 --> 00:48:29.339
 and that's kind

00:48:29.339 --> 00:48:29.940
 of what we see

00:48:29.940 --> 00:48:30.799
 with persecution

00:48:30.799 --> 00:48:34.319
 because

00:48:34.319 --> 00:48:35.579
 unregenerate

00:48:35.579 --> 00:48:36.039
 people

00:48:36.039 --> 00:48:37.759
 are slaves

00:48:37.760 --> 00:48:38.640
 to their

00:48:38.640 --> 00:48:39.100
 sin

00:48:39.100 --> 00:48:40.760
 their sin

00:48:40.760 --> 00:48:41.640
 is their

00:48:41.640 --> 00:48:42.200
 master

00:48:42.200 --> 00:48:43.740
 and just

00:48:43.740 --> 00:48:44.460
 like if you

00:48:44.460 --> 00:48:45.120
 mess with a

00:48:45.120 --> 00:48:45.960
 dog's master

00:48:45.960 --> 00:48:46.660
 you are likely

00:48:46.660 --> 00:48:47.460
 to get bit

00:48:47.460 --> 00:48:48.520
 if you mess

00:48:48.520 --> 00:48:49.120
 with someone's

00:48:49.120 --> 00:48:49.380
 sin

00:48:49.380 --> 00:48:50.640
 you are likely

00:48:50.640 --> 00:48:51.340
 to be

00:48:51.340 --> 00:48:51.880
 persecuted

00:48:51.880 --> 00:48:53.700
 and so that

00:48:53.700 --> 00:48:54.140
 brothers and

00:48:54.140 --> 00:48:54.360
 sisters

00:48:54.360 --> 00:48:55.420
 is the root

00:48:55.420 --> 00:48:55.920
 cause

00:48:55.920 --> 00:48:56.940
 of persecution

00:48:56.940 --> 00:48:58.260
 and the apostles

00:48:58.260 --> 00:48:59.220
 were obedient

00:48:59.220 --> 00:49:00.640
 godliness

00:49:00.640 --> 00:49:02.100
 was manifested

00:49:02.100 --> 00:49:02.960
 in that obedience

00:49:02.960 --> 00:49:04.120
 and persecution

00:49:04.120 --> 00:49:05.040
 necessarily

00:49:05.040 --> 00:49:05.620
 followed

00:49:05.619 --> 00:49:07.139
 for persecution

00:49:07.139 --> 00:49:08.599
 was birthed

00:49:08.599 --> 00:49:08.980
 out of an

00:49:08.980 --> 00:49:09.639
 idolatrous

00:49:09.639 --> 00:49:10.179
 heart

00:49:10.179 --> 00:49:11.279
 enslaved to

00:49:11.279 --> 00:49:11.579
 sin

00:49:11.579 --> 00:49:12.940
 and nothing

00:49:12.940 --> 00:49:13.880
 has changed

00:49:13.880 --> 00:49:14.599
 almost 2,000

00:49:14.599 --> 00:49:15.119
 years later

00:49:15.119 --> 00:49:18.799
 if you preach

00:49:18.799 --> 00:49:19.359
 the gospel

00:49:19.359 --> 00:49:20.699
 people may still

00:49:20.699 --> 00:49:21.519
 want to kill you

00:49:21.519 --> 00:49:22.699
 and while they

00:49:22.699 --> 00:49:23.500
 don't have the fear

00:49:23.500 --> 00:49:24.179
 of losing everything

00:49:24.179 --> 00:49:25.079
 to the roman empire

00:49:25.079 --> 00:49:26.420
 they do fear the

00:49:26.420 --> 00:49:26.859
 police

00:49:26.859 --> 00:49:27.880
 and losing

00:49:27.880 --> 00:49:28.400
 everything

00:49:28.400 --> 00:49:28.940
 by going to

00:49:28.940 --> 00:49:29.219
 prison

00:49:29.219 --> 00:49:32.440
 but what has

00:49:32.440 --> 00:49:32.900
 changed

00:49:32.900 --> 00:49:33.480
 is in the

00:49:33.480 --> 00:49:34.219
 political realm

00:49:34.219 --> 00:49:35.659
 the lord has

00:49:35.659 --> 00:49:36.279
 made our

00:49:36.279 --> 00:49:36.939
 field

00:49:36.939 --> 00:49:38.059
 so much

00:49:38.059 --> 00:49:38.399
 easier

00:49:38.399 --> 00:49:38.899
 to labor

00:49:38.899 --> 00:49:39.199
 in

00:49:39.199 --> 00:49:39.980
 he has

00:49:39.980 --> 00:49:40.459
 provided

00:49:40.459 --> 00:49:41.259
 so much

00:49:41.259 --> 00:49:41.719
 protection

00:49:41.719 --> 00:49:43.459
 for his

00:49:43.459 --> 00:49:44.000
 workers

00:49:44.000 --> 00:49:44.739
 in the

00:49:44.739 --> 00:49:45.399
 institution

00:49:45.399 --> 00:49:45.919
 of our

00:49:45.919 --> 00:49:46.279
 government

00:49:46.279 --> 00:49:47.519
 we can't

00:49:47.519 --> 00:49:48.259
 be flogged

00:49:48.259 --> 00:49:49.039
 or killed

00:49:49.039 --> 00:49:49.819
 for preaching

00:49:49.819 --> 00:49:51.000
 according to

00:49:51.000 --> 00:49:51.379
 the law

00:49:51.379 --> 00:49:52.819
 and we even

00:49:52.819 --> 00:49:53.359
 have the law

00:49:53.359 --> 00:49:53.819
 on our side

00:49:53.819 --> 00:49:54.259
 when it comes

00:49:54.259 --> 00:49:54.719
 to preaching

00:49:54.719 --> 00:49:55.299
 in our

00:49:55.299 --> 00:49:55.839
 right to

00:49:55.839 --> 00:49:56.199
 freedom

00:49:56.199 --> 00:49:56.759
 of speech

00:49:56.759 --> 00:49:57.759
 so our

00:49:57.759 --> 00:49:58.599
 field is

00:49:58.599 --> 00:49:59.419
 easier to

00:49:59.419 --> 00:50:00.019
 labor in

00:50:00.019 --> 00:50:00.639
 yet the

00:50:00.639 --> 00:50:01.079
 lord's

00:50:01.079 --> 00:50:01.379
 words

00:50:01.379 --> 00:50:02.099
 still ring

00:50:02.099 --> 00:50:02.559
 true

00:50:02.559 --> 00:50:03.679
 that the

00:50:03.679 --> 00:50:04.340
 harvest is

00:50:04.340 --> 00:50:04.900
 plentiful

00:50:04.900 --> 00:50:05.619
 but the

00:50:05.619 --> 00:50:06.119
 laborers

00:50:06.119 --> 00:50:06.559
 are few

00:50:06.559 --> 00:50:07.779
 now

00:50:07.779 --> 00:50:08.380
 kind of

00:50:08.380 --> 00:50:08.539
 out of

00:50:08.539 --> 00:50:08.759
 time

00:50:08.759 --> 00:50:09.299
 out of

00:50:09.299 --> 00:50:09.539
 time

00:50:09.539 --> 00:50:09.779
 so i

00:50:09.779 --> 00:50:10.039
 will leave

00:50:10.039 --> 00:50:10.279
 you with

00:50:10.279 --> 00:50:10.579
 this

00:50:10.579 --> 00:50:11.480
 i urge

00:50:11.480 --> 00:50:12.219
 all of

00:50:12.219 --> 00:50:12.440
 you

00:50:12.440 --> 00:50:13.860
 to examine

00:50:13.860 --> 00:50:14.519
 your hearts

00:50:14.519 --> 00:50:15.779
 we should

00:50:15.779 --> 00:50:16.460
 be bold

00:50:16.460 --> 00:50:16.779
 in our

00:50:16.779 --> 00:50:17.219
 proclamation

00:50:17.219 --> 00:50:17.980
 of the gospel

00:50:17.980 --> 00:50:19.279
 for our

00:50:19.279 --> 00:50:20.179
 field to

00:50:20.179 --> 00:50:20.920
 labor in

00:50:20.920 --> 00:50:21.920
 it's not a

00:50:21.920 --> 00:50:22.759
 particularly

00:50:22.759 --> 00:50:24.019
 painstakingly

00:50:24.019 --> 00:50:24.719
 arduous one

00:50:24.719 --> 00:50:25.139
 to labor

00:50:25.139 --> 00:50:25.400
 in

00:50:25.400 --> 00:50:26.940
 i agree

00:50:26.940 --> 00:50:27.279
 with what

00:50:27.279 --> 00:50:27.519
 nathan

00:50:27.519 --> 00:50:28.139
 said that

00:50:28.139 --> 00:50:28.500
 at the

00:50:28.500 --> 00:50:29.219
 very least

00:50:29.219 --> 00:50:29.539
 we should

00:50:29.539 --> 00:50:30.460
 be experiencing

00:50:30.460 --> 00:50:31.159
 persecution

00:50:31.159 --> 00:50:31.920
 in the

00:50:31.920 --> 00:50:32.539
 form of

00:50:32.539 --> 00:50:33.260
 persecution

00:50:33.260 --> 00:50:33.820
 of our

00:50:33.820 --> 00:50:34.179
 ego

00:50:34.179 --> 00:50:36.720
 but i

00:50:36.720 --> 00:50:37.139
 think nathan

00:50:37.139 --> 00:50:37.539
 would also

00:50:37.539 --> 00:50:38.159
 agree with

00:50:38.159 --> 00:50:38.619
 me that

00:50:38.619 --> 00:50:39.639
 your ego

00:50:39.639 --> 00:50:40.579
 should not

00:50:40.579 --> 00:50:42.000
 be primarily

00:50:42.000 --> 00:50:43.000
 persecuted by

00:50:43.000 --> 00:50:44.079
 others but

00:50:44.079 --> 00:50:44.760
 should be

00:50:44.760 --> 00:50:46.039
 primarily first

00:50:46.039 --> 00:50:46.780
 and foremost

00:50:46.780 --> 00:50:48.460
 persecuted by

00:50:48.460 --> 00:50:49.039
 yourselves

00:50:49.039 --> 00:50:51.320
 as you renew

00:50:51.320 --> 00:50:52.059
 your minds

00:50:52.059 --> 00:50:53.159
 as you die

00:50:53.159 --> 00:50:53.820
 to yourself

00:50:53.820 --> 00:50:54.659
 as you pick

00:50:54.659 --> 00:50:55.220
 up your cross

00:50:55.220 --> 00:50:56.400
 daily to

00:50:56.400 --> 00:50:57.000
 follow him

00:50:57.000 --> 00:50:59.240
 every one of

00:50:59.240 --> 00:50:59.940
 us christians

00:50:59.940 --> 00:51:00.579
 is called

00:51:00.579 --> 00:51:01.260
 to live

00:51:01.260 --> 00:51:02.059
 godly

00:51:02.059 --> 00:51:02.519
 lives

00:51:02.519 --> 00:51:03.740
 and to

00:51:03.740 --> 00:51:04.460
 boldly

00:51:04.460 --> 00:51:05.179
 proclaim

00:51:05.179 --> 00:51:06.700
 that which

00:51:06.700 --> 00:51:07.860
 we which

00:51:07.860 --> 00:51:08.240
 we have

00:51:08.240 --> 00:51:08.980
 been entrusted

00:51:08.980 --> 00:51:10.019
 with and

00:51:10.019 --> 00:51:10.780
 made ambassadors

00:51:10.780 --> 00:51:12.200
 of and if

00:51:12.200 --> 00:51:13.039
 we are obedient

00:51:13.039 --> 00:51:14.019
 to this call

00:51:14.019 --> 00:51:15.720
 then persecution

00:51:15.720 --> 00:51:17.139
 will in some

00:51:17.139 --> 00:51:17.940
 way necessarily

00:51:17.940 --> 00:51:19.420
 follow but do

00:51:19.420 --> 00:51:20.099
 understand that

00:51:20.099 --> 00:51:21.380
 persecution is

00:51:21.380 --> 00:51:22.280
 not the goal it

00:51:22.280 --> 00:51:23.039
 is simply a

00:51:23.039 --> 00:51:24.220
 byproduct of

00:51:24.220 --> 00:51:24.840
 godliness

00:51:24.840 --> 00:51:27.320
 may we all

00:51:27.320 --> 00:51:28.640
 be found

00:51:28.640 --> 00:51:29.740
 worthy to

00:51:29.740 --> 00:51:31.059
 suffer for

00:51:31.059 --> 00:51:31.740
 him who

00:51:31.740 --> 00:51:32.780
 suffered all

00:51:32.780 --> 00:51:33.600
 on our

00:51:33.600 --> 00:51:34.240
 behalf and

00:51:34.240 --> 00:51:35.620
 may we all

00:51:35.620 --> 00:51:36.580
 live our

00:51:36.580 --> 00:51:37.360
 lives without

00:51:37.360 --> 00:51:38.420
 wasting them

00:51:38.420 --> 00:51:39.760
 that is my

00:51:39.760 --> 00:51:40.300
 prayer this

00:51:40.300 --> 00:51:40.780
 morning and

00:51:40.780 --> 00:51:41.460
 i close with

00:51:41.460 --> 00:51:42.019
 this quote

00:51:42.019 --> 00:51:43.220
 from john

00:51:43.220 --> 00:51:44.019
 jawit

00:51:44.019 --> 00:51:44.980
 a british

00:51:44.980 --> 00:51:45.580
 preacher from

00:51:45.580 --> 00:51:45.880
 the early

00:51:45.880 --> 00:51:46.660
 1900s

00:51:46.659 --> 00:51:47.759
 he says

00:51:47.759 --> 00:51:49.779
 it is

00:51:49.779 --> 00:51:50.879
 possible to

00:51:50.879 --> 00:51:52.239
 evade a

00:51:52.239 --> 00:51:53.179
 multitude of

00:51:53.179 --> 00:51:54.739
 sorrows by

00:51:54.739 --> 00:51:55.339
 the cultivation

00:51:55.339 --> 00:51:56.139
 of an

00:51:56.139 --> 00:51:56.799
 insignificant

00:51:56.799 --> 00:51:57.500
 life

00:51:57.500 --> 00:52:01.219
 indeed if

00:52:01.219 --> 00:52:01.699
 it be a

00:52:01.699 --> 00:52:02.440
 man's ambition

00:52:02.440 --> 00:52:03.539
 to avoid the

00:52:03.539 --> 00:52:04.079
 troubles of

00:52:04.079 --> 00:52:05.179
 life the

00:52:05.179 --> 00:52:06.039
 recipe is

00:52:06.039 --> 00:52:06.579
 perfectly

00:52:06.579 --> 00:52:07.119
 simple

00:52:07.119 --> 00:52:11.059
 let him

00:52:11.059 --> 00:52:11.739
 shed his

00:52:11.739 --> 00:52:12.619
 ambitions in

00:52:12.619 --> 00:52:13.380
 every direction

00:52:13.380 --> 00:52:14.819
 let him cut

00:52:14.819 --> 00:52:15.719
 the wings of

00:52:15.719 --> 00:52:17.139
 every soaring

00:52:17.139 --> 00:52:18.699
 purpose and

00:52:18.699 --> 00:52:19.099
 let him

00:52:19.099 --> 00:52:19.880
 assiduously

00:52:19.880 --> 00:52:21.480
 cultivate a

00:52:21.480 --> 00:52:22.239
 little life

00:52:22.239 --> 00:52:23.279
 with the

00:52:23.279 --> 00:52:23.859
 fewest

00:52:23.859 --> 00:52:24.819
 correspondences

00:52:24.819 --> 00:52:26.199
 and relations

00:52:26.199 --> 00:52:28.059
 by this means

00:52:28.059 --> 00:52:28.500
 a whole

00:52:28.500 --> 00:52:30.019
 continent of

00:52:30.019 --> 00:52:31.380
 afflictions will

00:52:31.380 --> 00:52:32.819
 be escaped and

00:52:32.819 --> 00:52:33.539
 will remain

00:52:33.539 --> 00:52:34.199
 unknown

00:52:34.199 --> 00:52:36.879
 but if we

00:52:36.879 --> 00:52:37.539
 follow the

00:52:37.539 --> 00:52:38.019
 way of

00:52:38.019 --> 00:52:39.279
 sacrificial life

00:52:39.279 --> 00:52:39.839
 and service

00:52:39.839 --> 00:52:41.199
 it may bring

00:52:41.199 --> 00:52:42.159
 us into a

00:52:42.159 --> 00:52:43.019
 fiery furnace

00:52:43.019 --> 00:52:43.839
 of suffering

00:52:43.839 --> 00:52:45.519
 but in the

00:52:45.519 --> 00:52:46.319
 midst of the

00:52:46.319 --> 00:52:47.299
 fire there

00:52:47.299 --> 00:52:48.419
 shall be one

00:52:48.419 --> 00:52:49.619
 like unto

00:52:49.619 --> 00:52:50.819
 the son of

00:52:50.819 --> 00:52:51.179
 God

00:52:51.179 --> 00:52:52.579
 let's pray