WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.680 Take your copy of God's Word and join me in Psalm 111. 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:15.839 We are now halfway through a series of sermons, which is a phrase I don't even like saying, series of sermons. 00:00:17.420 --> 00:00:25.199 But all the same, halfway through a series of sermons expressing our need to build a resilient church culture. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:35.740 We live in days of growing soft totalitarianism, particularly concerning anthropology, how we came to be, why we exist. 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:45.920 And we believe that we're going to find ourselves increasingly uncomfortable holding to biblical standards of sexuality, gender, gender roles, etc. 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:57.439 Now to hear me, soft totalitarianism should be held up and compared to hard totalitarianism, which would be things like communist Russia, the USSR. 00:00:57.439 --> 00:01:05.539 We are not suggesting this morning that we are going to find ourselves in the gulags of Canada. 00:01:08.980 --> 00:01:11.079 Although I wouldn't want to be sent there right now. 00:01:11.319 --> 00:01:19.219 But rather that socially it will get more and more difficult to hold to biblical standards. 00:01:19.219 --> 00:01:29.319 If you're new to this study, I believe you'll be well served by going to our website, finding the recordings of the three previous sermons, and taking some time to consider that. 00:01:29.400 --> 00:01:33.659 We did an overview sermon to begin with where I try to flesh this out a bit more. 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:40.159 But each week I've begun with three prerequisite statements, and I think that they bear repeating each week that we do this. 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:48.780 So, once again, before we proceed any further, as a general practice, we preach expositional sermons. 00:01:49.259 --> 00:01:54.019 And even beyond that, our favorite type of preaching is verse-by-verse exposition. 00:01:54.299 --> 00:01:59.400 I look forward in the fall to beginning the book of Romans with you once again. 00:02:00.359 --> 00:02:07.259 So, that means that we typically, right, we open up to a text, and the point or points of the text is the point or points of the sermon. 00:02:07.259 --> 00:02:10.120 We exegete it. We let it speak to us out of the text. 00:02:10.740 --> 00:02:19.579 The opposite of that is eisegesis, reading into a text what you think that it means, and we run a risk of doing that as we preach topically. 00:02:20.099 --> 00:02:24.240 The labor is to not do that, but we run a risk of doing it. 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:35.379 And so, I just want to say, great concern for this, even as I'm the one preaching, be discerning as people preach topically to you. 00:02:36.759 --> 00:02:38.659 Secondly, we're not trying to be alarmists. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:51.359 But we believe, your elders believe, that it's proper for us to be thinking about and to preparing ourselves for greater challenges that we think are coming for the church. 00:02:51.740 --> 00:02:58.180 We care about this because we love you very much, and because we care about the glory of our God. 00:02:58.180 --> 00:03:04.700 And thirdly, six total weeks is not nearly enough time to be talking about this. 00:03:04.699 --> 00:03:09.659 And I know that I swim in different waters than you, where my brain is all week long. 00:03:09.739 --> 00:03:11.979 It's different than where your brain is. 00:03:12.060 --> 00:03:20.359 You'll leave here and begin thinking about tomorrow having to teach or sell insurance or build houses or whatever that may be. 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:26.300 But I think it's going to be important for us to continue to talk about these types of things together. 00:03:26.500 --> 00:03:28.520 So, I want to encourage you to ask questions. 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:30.060 Push at me. 00:03:30.180 --> 00:03:32.520 I'd love to hear your thoughts about anything that I say. 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:37.960 That we might be better together as a church for the glory of our God. 00:03:39.180 --> 00:03:41.420 So, how do we build a resilient church culture? 00:03:42.140 --> 00:03:45.680 One that's going to stand against the rising tide of self-totitarianism. 00:03:46.060 --> 00:03:46.939 It's going to have to be built. 00:03:47.040 --> 00:03:47.900 It's not just going to happen. 00:03:47.980 --> 00:03:50.560 We're going to have to put practices in place and be deliberate about it. 00:03:51.180 --> 00:03:54.320 It's going to have to be a strong thing that we do together, right? 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:56.800 This tide is going to be a destructive tide. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:03:57.800 We're going to have to stand. 00:03:58.140 --> 00:04:00.060 We're going to have to link arms together. 00:04:00.060 --> 00:04:07.240 I think of the SEAL training where they all lay down in the ocean with their arms linked together and just get washed over by waves. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:11.300 But we're going to stand and we're going to take those waves on together. 00:04:12.180 --> 00:04:13.580 It's going to have to be cultural, right? 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:17.620 It's going to have to seep into everything we are as a church. 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:24.720 And this morning, we're going to consider the third of the five things that we believe that we need to be working on. 00:04:25.300 --> 00:04:30.000 We've already talked of our need to define and hold to the clear mission. 00:04:30.060 --> 00:04:31.240 of the church. 00:04:31.319 --> 00:04:33.180 That was number one, clear mission. 00:04:33.740 --> 00:04:38.439 And we've also talked about our need to do robust theology, right? 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:49.279 Knowing what God has commanded and what he has promised and carefully doing the work of theological triage in order to maintain unity in the church 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:54.100 for the sake of standing firm on matters of first importance. 00:04:54.100 --> 00:05:01.980 Today, we are going to consider the church's need to work on knowing accurate histories. 00:05:03.320 --> 00:05:09.580 This is the one, honestly, that I've most trembled at and with my level of preparation still tremble at. 00:05:09.579 --> 00:05:14.759 That's the one I think most difficult to make a direct argument from the scripture on. 00:05:14.759 --> 00:05:17.740 So as I talk about being discerning, I'm just repeating it again. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:26.599 Please be discerning as we consider the need we believe to work on accurate histories. 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:32.520 So, Psalm 111, verses 2 through 4. 00:05:34.020 --> 00:05:39.340 Before I read it, beloved, let me remind you that this is God's word to us written for his glory and our good. 00:05:39.339 --> 00:05:45.759 And so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands. 00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:47.799 Verse 2. 00:05:48.979 --> 00:05:54.639 Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. 00:05:55.620 --> 00:06:01.419 Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. 00:06:02.559 --> 00:06:05.899 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered. 00:06:05.899 --> 00:06:09.819 The Lord, the Lord, is gracious and merciful. 00:06:11.099 --> 00:06:16.419 So you see in just these few verses, Psalm 111, right? 00:06:16.859 --> 00:06:18.139 An exhortation, right? 00:06:18.259 --> 00:06:21.839 That if we are those who delight in God, we will delight in his works. 00:06:22.099 --> 00:06:28.000 And therefore, we're being told here that we ought to study them and remember them. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:34.039 Because it's in them that our God displays himself as gracious and as merciful. 00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:40.240 There are many in our age who want us to just forget the past. 00:06:41.060 --> 00:06:45.160 They say that everything valuable is found in everything new. 00:06:45.960 --> 00:06:48.180 Newness equals rightness. 00:06:49.100 --> 00:06:55.080 We are to always be progressing, always casting off the old ways for the sake of better ways. 00:06:55.079 --> 00:07:03.819 Others would have us fixate on the particularly positive or particularly negative aspects of history. 00:07:04.459 --> 00:07:10.019 They either always want us acting in response to some evil committed as if we committed the evil ourselves, 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:15.159 or working to preserve some good as if it was never mixed up with any error. 00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:26.960 Others still would have us altogether ignore the past because who has time to do the careful work of really knowing our history and learning anything from it? 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:31.960 I suggest to you that none of these are the way forward. 00:07:32.780 --> 00:07:35.460 None of them will help us to build a resilient church culture, 00:07:35.459 --> 00:07:45.539 but rather, we should actively pursue knowing, interpreting, understanding, and teaching accurate histories. 00:07:46.979 --> 00:07:51.939 The word that we use for history comes from a Greek word which means to know. 00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:58.959 The Greek word for a historian means wise man or knowledgeable man. 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:03.159 So if we are to navigate a troubled age, 00:08:03.659 --> 00:08:10.099 perhaps there is something to be learned from those who have navigated troubled times before us. 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:15.560 The preacher of the book of Ecclesiastes states in chapter 1 and verse 9, 00:08:16.719 --> 00:08:18.979 What has been is what will be, 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:21.899 and what has been done is what will be done, 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:25.779 and there is nothing new under the sun. 00:08:25.779 --> 00:08:31.419 Just because we might experience something to be new doesn't mean that it's new. 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:36.679 Patterns repeat themselves over and over and over again. 00:08:37.959 --> 00:08:39.399 And so history will serve us. 00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:42.899 It will help us to see how we have arrived where we are. 00:08:43.439 --> 00:08:49.480 Help us to value what we should value and discard that which needs discarding. 00:08:50.439 --> 00:08:52.459 Proverbs 19 and verse 2 says, 00:08:52.459 --> 00:08:55.159 Desire without knowledge is not good, 00:08:55.159 --> 00:09:00.879 And whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way. 00:09:02.120 --> 00:09:06.459 So we need to know who has gone before and how we got here. 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:11.480 It's going to help us to see more clearly the way to go forward. 00:09:11.480 --> 00:09:15.180 A quotation accredited to a number of men, 00:09:15.300 --> 00:09:17.620 including the Irish statesman Edmund Burke, 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:20.360 Spanish philosopher George Santayana, 00:09:20.800 --> 00:09:23.720 and my favorite in this lineup, 00:09:23.980 --> 00:09:24.879 Winston Churchill, 00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:27.519 goes something like this, 00:09:28.139 --> 00:09:28.440 quote, 00:09:29.320 --> 00:09:31.600 Those that fail to learn from history are, 00:09:32.060 --> 00:09:32.720 you all know it, right? 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:35.240 Doomed to repeat it, end quote. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:36.000 That's right. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:42.100 I believe that a careful study of history will all at once embolden us to stand for the truth, 00:09:42.179 --> 00:09:43.559 as many before us have, 00:09:44.139 --> 00:09:45.139 and humble us, 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:50.679 as our troubled days are minor compared to the troubles of those preceding us. 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:54.000 We feel a bit uncomfortable. 00:09:55.720 --> 00:09:59.320 Those who have gone before us experienced much more. 00:09:59.320 --> 00:10:03.460 Now, I say we will need to be actively pursuing, 00:10:03.980 --> 00:10:05.500 knowing, interpreting, understanding, 00:10:05.640 --> 00:10:07.160 and teaching accurate histories, 00:10:07.379 --> 00:10:11.240 because I want to emphasize that I'm not merely contending 00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:14.980 for the careful reading of a good world history textbook. 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:20.420 Histories, multiple avenues of history. 00:10:21.260 --> 00:10:24.500 I am contending for the careful reading of a good world history textbook. 00:10:24.940 --> 00:10:27.100 So to be clear, that is good. 00:10:27.100 --> 00:10:29.700 But not just that. 00:10:30.800 --> 00:10:33.639 We will need to know, interpret, understand, 00:10:33.860 --> 00:10:35.320 and teach world history, 00:10:36.040 --> 00:10:37.920 and national histories, 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:39.920 and state histories, 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:41.480 and local histories, 00:10:41.860 --> 00:10:43.920 and, most importantly, 00:10:45.040 --> 00:10:45.800 church histories. 00:10:46.420 --> 00:10:48.360 We're going to really know who we are 00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:50.000 and the context in which we live 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:51.519 and know how to stand in it. 00:10:51.899 --> 00:10:54.580 We're going to have to do all of these things. 00:10:54.580 --> 00:10:58.639 We will need to have knowledge of how we arrived here, 00:10:58.820 --> 00:10:59.000 right? 00:10:59.160 --> 00:11:04.400 And especially at how God orchestrated the arrival. 00:11:05.500 --> 00:11:07.660 How is it that God is at work in the midst 00:11:07.660 --> 00:11:09.800 of all the affairs of mankind? 00:11:11.420 --> 00:11:13.720 I believe that the most important way that we can do this 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:15.280 is through the study of church history 00:11:15.280 --> 00:11:17.940 placed in the context of broader history, 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:18.400 right? 00:11:18.759 --> 00:11:23.440 To know the narrow in light of the broader history of the world. 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:26.960 Now, the Bible is not silent on this topic 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:28.740 as it pertains to knowing God 00:11:28.740 --> 00:11:33.240 and His interactions with and for His people. 00:11:33.740 --> 00:11:36.880 I already read to you Psalm 111, right? 00:11:37.040 --> 00:11:38.100 Great are the works of the Lord. 00:11:38.820 --> 00:11:40.160 Steady by all who delight in Him. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:42.680 Full of splendor and majesty is His work, 00:11:42.760 --> 00:11:45.340 and His righteousness endures forever. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:48.860 He has caused wondrous works to be remembered. 00:11:48.860 --> 00:11:52.899 The Lord is gracious and merciful. 00:11:53.980 --> 00:11:56.340 That is the Jewish history, 00:11:56.560 --> 00:11:59.080 and it is ours if we're in Christ, 00:11:59.340 --> 00:12:01.440 grafted in to Israel. 00:12:02.620 --> 00:12:06.159 Let's look together at a couple of other Old Testament examples. 00:12:06.419 --> 00:12:09.419 So we're going to Bible drill for just a moment here. 00:12:09.560 --> 00:12:12.480 A couple of texts, just three if I remember correctly. 00:12:13.180 --> 00:12:15.200 Firstly, Deuteronomy chapter 4. 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:17.259 So if you can turn with me to Deuteronomy chapter 4. 00:12:17.259 --> 00:12:40.939 We find in Deuteronomy a restatement of the law 00:12:40.939 --> 00:12:43.600 just before the people go into the promised land. 00:12:44.259 --> 00:12:46.419 Chapter 4, beginning in verse 9 and following. 00:12:47.259 --> 00:12:48.879 God instructs, 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:53.220 Only take care and keep your soul diligently, 00:12:53.220 --> 00:12:56.720 lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, 00:12:57.240 --> 00:13:00.639 and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. 00:13:01.299 --> 00:13:04.220 Make them known to your children and your children's children, 00:13:04.860 --> 00:13:07.559 how on the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:09.419 the Lord said to me, 00:13:10.019 --> 00:13:11.539 Gather the people to me, 00:13:11.740 --> 00:13:13.600 that I may let them hear my words, 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:15.039 so that they may learn to fear me 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:16.860 all the days that they live on the earth, 00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:19.159 and that they may teach their children so. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:22.319 And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, 00:13:22.740 --> 00:13:25.779 while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:29.360 wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:33.720 They're called to remember the thing that had happened, 00:13:33.800 --> 00:13:35.879 the thing they had witnessed when the Lord came down 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:38.639 and met with Moses on the mountain, 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:42.279 gave to him his law. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:45.419 They're to remember it for the sake of their souls, 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:47.399 for the sake of the souls of their children, 00:13:48.060 --> 00:13:50.159 and for their children's children, 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:52.940 their grandbabies as well. 00:13:52.940 --> 00:13:56.620 Another text, so turn with me to Psalm 78. 00:14:00.060 --> 00:14:01.380 Beginning in verse 1. 00:14:04.380 --> 00:14:05.360 The psalmist writes, 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:07.780 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching. 00:14:08.700 --> 00:14:11.340 Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:13.920 I will open my mouth in a parable. 00:14:14.040 --> 00:14:16.060 I will utter dark sayings from old, 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:18.500 things that we have heard and known 00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:20.940 that our fathers have told us. 00:14:21.020 --> 00:14:22.100 Right? There's the history. 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:25.740 Things that we have been told. 00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:28.540 We will not hide them from their children, 00:14:28.680 --> 00:14:30.259 but tell to the coming generation 00:14:30.259 --> 00:14:33.100 the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might, 00:14:33.420 --> 00:14:35.180 and the wonders that he has done. 00:14:35.920 --> 00:14:37.899 He established a testimony in Jacob 00:14:37.899 --> 00:14:39.540 and appointed a law in Israel, 00:14:39.940 --> 00:14:41.860 which he commanded to our fathers to teach, 00:14:41.940 --> 00:14:42.540 to their children, 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:44.899 that the next generation might know them, 00:14:45.060 --> 00:14:46.160 the children yet unborn, 00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:48.100 and arise and tell them to their children, 00:14:48.680 --> 00:14:50.600 so that they should set their hope in God 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:52.440 and not forget the works of God, 00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:53.980 but keep his commandments. 00:14:54.820 --> 00:14:56.399 And they should not be like their fathers, 00:14:56.519 --> 00:14:58.460 a stubborn and rebellious generation, 00:14:58.580 --> 00:15:01.000 a generation whose heart was not steadfast, 00:15:01.580 --> 00:15:04.580 whose spirit was not faithful to God. 00:15:04.820 --> 00:15:05.120 Right? 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:07.740 So we see again an instruction being given here. 00:15:07.799 --> 00:15:07.960 Right? 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:10.340 I'm going to tell you things that you need to turn 00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:11.560 and tell to others. 00:15:11.560 --> 00:15:11.899 Right? 00:15:11.940 --> 00:15:15.240 That there would be a generational faithfulness to God, 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:19.720 that they would know how it is that God has acted on their behalf. 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:22.060 And at the end of that text, 00:15:22.060 --> 00:15:24.980 so that they would learn how not to act. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:25.300 Right? 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:26.540 They would learn to keep the law, 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:30.279 and they would also learn that they should not be like their fathers, 00:15:30.500 --> 00:15:32.720 stubborn and rebellious, 00:15:32.779 --> 00:15:35.820 a generation whose heart was not steadfast, 00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:38.680 and they were not faithful to God. 00:15:39.100 --> 00:15:39.200 Right? 00:15:39.420 --> 00:15:40.759 So we see these Old Testament texts, 00:15:40.920 --> 00:15:46.320 this commendation to learning and knowing the history of the people of God, 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:49.780 particularly how God had acted on their behalf. 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:53.920 Let me give you a New Testament example of the same. 00:15:54.680 --> 00:15:56.060 1 Corinthians chapter 10. 00:15:56.740 --> 00:15:57.820 Let me ask you to join me there. 00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:03.540 You're not used to this. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:05.180 You're used to just camping in a text, aren't you? 00:16:14.760 --> 00:16:15.820 Beginning in verse 1, 00:16:15.820 --> 00:16:16.520 Paul writes, 00:16:16.680 --> 00:16:19.540 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, 00:16:19.660 --> 00:16:21.860 that our fathers were all under the cloud, 00:16:21.920 --> 00:16:24.480 and all passed through the sea. 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:24.740 Right? 00:16:24.780 --> 00:16:25.960 Here he is talking about the Exodus. 00:16:26.680 --> 00:16:30.140 And all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:32.460 and all ate the same spiritual food, 00:16:32.500 --> 00:16:35.100 and all drank the same spiritual drink. 00:16:35.800 --> 00:16:38.480 For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, 00:16:38.760 --> 00:16:40.620 and the rock was Christ. 00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:42.260 Nevertheless, 00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:43.880 with most of them, 00:16:44.260 --> 00:16:45.400 God was not pleased. 00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:47.700 For they were overthrown in the wilderness. 00:16:48.660 --> 00:16:51.900 Now these things took place as examples for us, 00:16:52.440 --> 00:16:54.640 that we might not desire evil as they did. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:57.920 Do not be idolaters as some of them were, 00:16:57.980 --> 00:16:58.600 as it is written, 00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:02.139 and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. 00:17:02.899 --> 00:17:05.920 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, 00:17:05.980 --> 00:17:09.059 and 23,000 fell in a single day. 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:14.180 We must not put Christ to the test as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 00:17:14.579 --> 00:17:18.319 nor grumble as some of them did and were destroyed by the destroyer. 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:22.059 Now these things happened to them as an example. 00:17:22.059 --> 00:17:28.899 But they were written down for our instruction on whom the end of the ages has come. 00:17:28.900 --> 00:17:30.040 So again, 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:30.820 you see here, 00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:32.500 an encouragement to remember the past, 00:17:32.560 --> 00:17:35.640 that we might learn something from it. 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:36.140 And so, 00:17:37.280 --> 00:17:38.380 we ought to know our Bibles. 00:17:39.080 --> 00:17:41.440 And this is no surprise to you, 00:17:41.540 --> 00:17:44.980 especially if you're accustomed to the teaching in this church. 00:17:44.980 --> 00:17:50.380 But I just want to carefully emphasize that we are to pay attention to the histories of the Bible 00:17:50.380 --> 00:17:55.519 to learn how our God has dealt righteous judgment to those who do not walk in His ways 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:59.160 and mercy and grace to those who do. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:03.160 This book is full of history, 00:18:03.160 --> 00:18:06.700 which is helpful and instructive to us. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:08.279 Now, 00:18:08.380 --> 00:18:10.120 I think at that point the case is simple. 00:18:10.220 --> 00:18:10.700 It's easy. 00:18:10.779 --> 00:18:11.539 I could say to you, 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:13.440 we ought to know Bible history. 00:18:13.579 --> 00:18:13.960 And y'all would go, 00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:14.519 absolutely. 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:15.759 We're on board with you. 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:19.200 I just read to you four texts that make that very point. 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:20.879 But then I want to say, 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:25.220 we ought to also go further out and beyond the canon. 00:18:26.059 --> 00:18:28.519 And we have to be careful as we do such a thing. 00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:33.700 But we ought to see how it is that God has worked since the canon was closed. 00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:38.980 How it is He's working amongst His people beyond the record of the Bible. 00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:41.740 This is an important thing. 00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:43.440 It's an important work for us to do. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:50.860 And how do we know as we look at history where God has moved and where God hasn't been moving, 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:53.680 particularly as it concerns the history of the church? 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:57.660 And we do so as it accords with the Bible. 00:18:57.660 --> 00:18:58.220 Right? 00:18:58.220 --> 00:19:03.480 We see movements of people who go out and do things biblically. 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:08.460 We can praise God for the way that God has worked amongst those people. 00:19:09.060 --> 00:19:11.500 It's a thing we ought to be about doing together. 00:19:11.500 --> 00:19:15.859 If you don't take up this endeavor yourself with your very limited amount of time, 00:19:16.359 --> 00:19:22.140 at very least notice how important we believe it is as our church gathers. 00:19:22.619 --> 00:19:24.160 So I'm not giving to you a new thing. 00:19:24.220 --> 00:19:26.980 So we're going to begin doing some history together. 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:29.559 We already do this quite a bit. 00:19:30.380 --> 00:19:31.960 You were handed a bulletin this morning. 00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:32.380 I hope. 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:33.000 Maybe you weren't. 00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:34.259 But there's a bulletin. 00:19:34.920 --> 00:19:37.000 And there's a quotation on that bulletin. 00:19:37.660 --> 00:19:41.860 And it is very rare that there's a contemporary quotation on the bulletin. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:43.640 It's not typical. 00:19:45.140 --> 00:19:46.279 But that's the case. 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:51.240 Usually, I'm seeking to draw you back to history. 00:19:51.660 --> 00:19:51.759 Right? 00:19:51.840 --> 00:19:56.400 To commend to you somebody that's worth reading and worth paying attention to. 00:19:56.579 --> 00:19:56.799 Right? 00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:01.159 Not perfect people, but people who walked faithfully with our God. 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:03.539 We are not alone in this faith. 00:20:03.659 --> 00:20:04.039 Praise God. 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:06.599 It's not just us in this room. 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:09.899 But we stand on the shoulders of giants. 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:14.180 I mourned the loss of R.C. Sproul. 00:20:14.879 --> 00:20:18.480 It was a very sad day when the world lost Dr. Sproul. 00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:21.960 But it opened up a ton of quotes for me for the bulletin, 00:20:21.960 --> 00:20:24.419 which is also a very nice thing to be able to do. 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:28.799 It's also why we use quotations in sermons. 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:32.659 I want you to know that I'm never quoting somebody old 00:20:32.659 --> 00:20:35.720 because I want to prove to you that I read old things. 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:36.659 That's not what I'm doing. 00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:40.700 I'm not trying to flex and say that I'm somehow smarter than you at all. 00:20:40.759 --> 00:20:44.319 I'm trying to connect you to a greater faith 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:46.700 than just the faith that we can observe. 00:20:47.180 --> 00:20:50.579 It is a faith that goes out and beyond us. 00:20:50.579 --> 00:20:52.839 So even if you never read a church history book, 00:20:53.099 --> 00:20:55.159 you can at least participate in that 00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:56.940 and learn some things and know some things 00:20:56.940 --> 00:21:01.200 and chase a couple rabbit trails from time to time. 00:21:02.080 --> 00:21:06.180 But I would commend to you the study of church history. 00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:09.240 And there's some really wonderful resources out there 00:21:09.240 --> 00:21:11.920 as you look at this and you hold it up to the Scripture. 00:21:13.100 --> 00:21:16.700 You think about how God has worked through the history of the church. 00:21:16.700 --> 00:21:20.140 This could be a very important thing for you to do. 00:21:20.140 --> 00:21:24.660 We must not think that every aspect of church history is commendable, 00:21:25.160 --> 00:21:26.740 but much of it is. 00:21:27.100 --> 00:21:28.180 Much of it is. 00:21:28.360 --> 00:21:32.800 God's people walking faithfully with their Lord. 00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:36.259 If we find ourselves holding a position 00:21:36.259 --> 00:21:38.500 not held by those who have walked before us, 00:21:39.220 --> 00:21:40.720 then there's a very good chance 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:43.400 that we need to rethink our position. 00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:45.980 How have faithful brothers and sisters 00:21:45.980 --> 00:21:51.160 walked through similar times before us? 00:21:52.360 --> 00:21:54.220 I'll commend to you a few things. 00:21:55.420 --> 00:21:57.880 First, a book called Pages from Church History 00:21:57.880 --> 00:22:00.120 by Stephen Nichols. 00:22:00.460 --> 00:22:01.580 It's a short one. 00:22:01.960 --> 00:22:03.500 It's 300-something pages. 00:22:04.120 --> 00:22:08.000 It gives you a quick introduction to church history. 00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:09.440 In addition to that, 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:12.240 he does a podcast called Five Minutes in Church History. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:14.700 So if you have any inclination in yourself 00:22:14.700 --> 00:22:16.120 to learn anything about church history, 00:22:16.299 --> 00:22:19.579 I can guarantee you have five minutes somewhere in your day 00:22:19.579 --> 00:22:20.539 where you're doing nothing. 00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:22.599 You might be moving from one place to another 00:22:22.599 --> 00:22:26.759 or brushing your teeth for some portion of that five minutes. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:28.980 Let him be your timer. 00:22:29.120 --> 00:22:30.120 Brush your teeth for five minutes. 00:22:30.740 --> 00:22:32.539 You can listen to five minutes in church history 00:22:32.539 --> 00:22:34.680 and have your soul encouraged 00:22:34.680 --> 00:22:36.859 by those who have gone before you. 00:22:37.980 --> 00:22:39.640 Another good book to commend to you, 00:22:39.640 --> 00:22:42.099 The Unquenchable Flame by Michael Reeves. 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:44.819 Which is about the Reformation. 00:22:46.120 --> 00:22:48.620 Why are we Protestants? 00:22:49.120 --> 00:22:52.180 That's an important question you ought to be able to answer. 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:54.420 We are Protestants. 00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:58.420 We are still protesting against the Roman Catholic Church. 00:22:58.579 --> 00:22:58.859 Why? 00:22:58.980 --> 00:23:01.819 What's the issue at hand in this case? 00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:04.759 It's the gospel itself. 00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:07.859 Salvation by grace alone, 00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:09.460 through faith alone, 00:23:10.140 --> 00:23:11.019 in Christ alone. 00:23:11.539 --> 00:23:13.500 To understand that we don't add anything 00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:14.900 to the equation of our salvation, 00:23:15.099 --> 00:23:17.339 but that God saves us by his power 00:23:17.339 --> 00:23:19.759 and keeps us by his power. 00:23:20.500 --> 00:23:22.819 It's expressed in faith, 00:23:23.140 --> 00:23:25.759 but we are saved by God. 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:26.319 God. 00:23:28.140 --> 00:23:30.500 I was shocked just a number of years ago 00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:34.379 at the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, 00:23:34.539 --> 00:23:37.819 of the day that Luther nailed the 95 Theses 00:23:37.819 --> 00:23:39.779 to the door of the Wittenberg Church. 00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:43.819 How much ecumenicalism started going on in those days. 00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:46.039 Like we needed to restore the relationship 00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:47.559 between the Protestant Church 00:23:47.559 --> 00:23:48.859 and the Roman Catholic Church. 00:23:48.859 --> 00:23:50.279 And I say no. 00:23:50.419 --> 00:23:52.539 It's a day to double down, right? 00:23:52.619 --> 00:23:54.000 To say no, no, no. 00:23:54.379 --> 00:23:57.979 Justification by faith alone. 00:23:58.859 --> 00:24:00.279 Do you know why you're a Protestant? 00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:02.859 Is it just because you were born into a house of a Protestant? 00:24:03.219 --> 00:24:05.339 Or because you believe what the Scripture teaches 00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:06.979 about our salvation? 00:24:08.299 --> 00:24:11.359 If you want to read something more thick, 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:12.199 more dense, 00:24:12.959 --> 00:24:16.099 2,000 Years of Christ's Power by Nick Needham. 00:24:16.179 --> 00:24:17.259 It's a four-volume set. 00:24:17.259 --> 00:24:20.579 It's a wonderful, wonderful, helpful read. 00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:23.240 We need to be studying church history. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:25.160 We need to tap into the past. 00:24:25.500 --> 00:24:27.799 We need to know that we are not new at this. 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:31.259 We need to be encouraged to not be innovators, right? 00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:34.220 But to see how faithful people have walked in obedience 00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:37.420 to the text throughout the centuries. 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:41.240 We also need to know the errors of the past. 00:24:42.099 --> 00:24:44.960 It is helpful if you study the old confessions 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:48.680 to know why those were issues at all to begin with. 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:53.180 It'll help you recognize error in our day. 00:24:53.779 --> 00:24:56.380 Let me just give you a couple of quick examples. 00:24:57.600 --> 00:24:59.680 If you were familiar with Arianism 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:02.220 and the great error and heresy that that was, 00:25:02.340 --> 00:25:04.360 perhaps you wouldn't be so drawn in 00:25:04.360 --> 00:25:08.900 to read or watch a book or movie like The Shack. 00:25:08.900 --> 00:25:11.300 You would have heard about it 00:25:11.300 --> 00:25:12.480 and heard what was being said about it 00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:12.800 and we'd go, 00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:14.140 hmm, this sounds a lot like Arianism. 00:25:14.620 --> 00:25:17.420 I maybe need to be careful about this type of media. 00:25:19.660 --> 00:25:20.019 Or, 00:25:21.019 --> 00:25:21.800 Marcionism 00:25:21.800 --> 00:25:25.220 may prevent us from suggesting 00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:27.040 that we need to unhitch our faith 00:25:27.040 --> 00:25:27.900 from the Old Testament. 00:25:27.900 --> 00:25:30.300 Or, 00:25:30.300 --> 00:25:31.220 Pelagianism 00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:33.640 might help us 00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:35.620 give a more careful articulation 00:25:35.620 --> 00:25:37.060 concerning the nature 00:25:37.060 --> 00:25:38.900 of free will. 00:25:40.080 --> 00:25:41.580 These matters have been debated 00:25:41.580 --> 00:25:43.360 biblically in history 00:25:43.360 --> 00:25:44.980 and can be helpful 00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:46.540 to us. 00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:49.200 I'll say just as a side note, 00:25:49.400 --> 00:25:50.560 I think that all of us 00:25:50.560 --> 00:25:52.720 are arrogant beyond belief 00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:54.259 if we think that we're more intelligent 00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:55.759 than the people who have gone before us. 00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:58.680 Just about everybody 00:25:58.680 --> 00:25:59.680 I pick up and read 00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:01.160 who has gone before me 00:26:01.160 --> 00:26:03.599 is much, much smarter than me 00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:04.859 and I have much to learn 00:26:04.859 --> 00:26:06.400 from them. 00:26:07.339 --> 00:26:08.500 Maybe we'd all be a little bit smarter 00:26:08.500 --> 00:26:09.279 if we'd get off Twitter. 00:26:12.059 --> 00:26:13.400 Also, read biography. 00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:16.700 The Lord has shaped me, 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:17.539 I think, 00:26:17.619 --> 00:26:18.500 through the reading of biography 00:26:18.500 --> 00:26:21.039 than any other book I've read 00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:22.279 apart from the Scripture. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:23.339 So, 00:26:23.619 --> 00:26:24.240 hold that up, 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:25.180 hold that primary, 00:26:25.180 --> 00:26:26.299 but if beyond the Bible 00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:27.279 you're going to read something, 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:29.500 I would really commend to you 00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:32.160 the reading of biography. 00:26:33.400 --> 00:26:35.840 A wonderful biography 00:26:35.840 --> 00:26:36.519 to commend to you. 00:26:36.580 --> 00:26:37.600 It's actually an autobiography. 00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:38.140 It's put out by 00:26:38.140 --> 00:26:39.080 the Banner of Truth Trust, 00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:40.480 John G. Payton, 00:26:40.560 --> 00:26:41.360 the frontier missionary 00:26:41.360 --> 00:26:43.060 to the New Hebrides. 00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:45.720 I read this biography 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:48.299 in preparation for a men's retreat 00:26:48.299 --> 00:26:49.500 that we started doing. 00:26:49.779 --> 00:26:50.140 This is, 00:26:50.440 --> 00:26:51.480 we're entering into our 00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:53.080 14th year, I think, 00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:53.619 of doing it, 00:26:53.699 --> 00:26:54.619 and we always do 00:26:54.619 --> 00:26:55.839 a biographical sketch. 00:26:56.539 --> 00:26:57.899 So, I led the charge in that, 00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:58.619 and I knew nothing 00:26:58.619 --> 00:26:59.619 about John G. Payton. 00:27:00.059 --> 00:27:00.659 I thought he sounded 00:27:00.659 --> 00:27:01.319 kind of cool. 00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:02.980 He went to some islands, 00:27:03.099 --> 00:27:05.139 an island chain of cannibals 00:27:05.139 --> 00:27:06.799 as a frontier missionary. 00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:07.240 And so, 00:27:07.339 --> 00:27:08.019 I picked it up, 00:27:08.139 --> 00:27:08.579 and I thought, 00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:09.859 this will embolden 00:27:09.859 --> 00:27:10.859 the men of our church 00:27:10.859 --> 00:27:12.339 to contend for the faith. 00:27:13.179 --> 00:27:14.059 And God did that 00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:14.919 very thing in me. 00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:17.019 He worked in my heart 00:27:17.019 --> 00:27:19.440 a greater firmness 00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:21.720 to stand for the truth. 00:27:22.560 --> 00:27:23.080 We'll read to you 00:27:23.080 --> 00:27:24.759 a brief quote out of that. 00:27:24.860 --> 00:27:26.360 This is Payton himself 00:27:26.360 --> 00:27:28.960 writing about how 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:31.100 resistant the church was 00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:32.660 to send him to such a place. 00:27:33.620 --> 00:27:34.200 So, he wrote, 00:27:34.340 --> 00:27:34.640 quote, 00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:49.660 John Payton replied 00:27:49.660 --> 00:27:50.520 to this man, 00:27:51.180 --> 00:27:51.500 quote, 00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:53.259 Mr. Dixon, 00:27:53.800 --> 00:27:54.860 you are advanced 00:27:54.860 --> 00:27:55.700 in years now, 00:27:55.820 --> 00:27:56.900 and your own prospect 00:27:56.900 --> 00:27:58.120 is soon to be laid 00:27:58.120 --> 00:27:59.020 in the grave. 00:27:59.380 --> 00:28:00.380 I just love that fullness. 00:28:01.420 --> 00:28:02.560 There to be eaten 00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:03.399 by worms. 00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:05.539 I confess to you 00:28:05.539 --> 00:28:07.019 that I can live and die 00:28:07.019 --> 00:28:08.200 serving and honoring 00:28:08.200 --> 00:28:08.899 the Lord Jesus. 00:28:09.159 --> 00:28:10.440 It will make no difference 00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:10.919 to me 00:28:10.919 --> 00:28:12.119 whether I am eaten 00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:12.879 by cannibals 00:28:12.879 --> 00:28:14.179 or by worms. 00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:16.019 And in the great day, 00:28:16.099 --> 00:28:17.159 my resurrection body 00:28:17.159 --> 00:28:18.099 will rise 00:28:18.099 --> 00:28:19.179 as fair as yours 00:28:19.179 --> 00:28:19.879 in the likeness 00:28:19.879 --> 00:28:21.339 of our risen Redeemer. 00:28:22.359 --> 00:28:22.839 Right? 00:28:23.879 --> 00:28:24.619 How good. 00:28:25.079 --> 00:28:25.240 Right? 00:28:27.679 --> 00:28:29.819 He encouraged the man 00:28:29.819 --> 00:28:30.419 who was telling him 00:28:30.419 --> 00:28:31.279 not to go do missions. 00:28:31.480 --> 00:28:31.659 Right? 00:28:31.660 --> 00:28:33.019 If we could just be faithful 00:28:33.019 --> 00:28:33.740 to our Lord, 00:28:34.360 --> 00:28:36.320 our bodies will be raised 00:28:36.320 --> 00:28:38.120 fair in the likeness 00:28:38.120 --> 00:28:39.920 of our risen Redeemer, 00:28:40.019 --> 00:28:41.279 whether eaten by worms 00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:43.580 or by cannibals. 00:28:44.800 --> 00:28:46.080 Another wonderful biography 00:28:46.080 --> 00:28:46.860 I commend to you 00:28:46.860 --> 00:28:47.660 is the biography 00:28:47.660 --> 00:28:49.620 of George Mueller 00:28:49.620 --> 00:28:50.620 called George Mueller 00:28:50.620 --> 00:28:51.320 of Bristol 00:28:51.320 --> 00:28:52.440 by A.T. Pearson. 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:53.180 It's put out 00:28:53.180 --> 00:28:54.940 by Kregel Publications. 00:28:55.300 --> 00:28:56.440 It's the best one. 00:28:57.259 --> 00:28:58.820 It's the definitive one, 00:28:59.540 --> 00:29:00.040 I will say. 00:29:00.039 --> 00:29:01.839 And God used this biography 00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:02.460 in a lot of ways. 00:29:02.579 --> 00:29:04.220 My father handed it to me. 00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:05.539 I don't remember 00:29:05.539 --> 00:29:06.460 what we were talking about 00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:06.940 at the time, 00:29:07.019 --> 00:29:08.019 but something in the Bible. 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:09.480 And my dad said, 00:29:09.559 --> 00:29:10.460 I think you're ready 00:29:10.460 --> 00:29:11.180 to read Mueller. 00:29:11.579 --> 00:29:12.220 And I went, 00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:14.059 what? 00:29:14.399 --> 00:29:16.119 And he handed it to me. 00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:18.440 And praise God, 00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:19.399 at least in some measure, 00:29:19.500 --> 00:29:21.039 I was ready to read Mueller. 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:21.480 And I said, 00:29:21.480 --> 00:29:21.680 Mueller, 00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:24.039 many of you have heard me 00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:25.200 talk about my belief 00:29:25.200 --> 00:29:26.359 in the sufficiency 00:29:26.359 --> 00:29:27.000 of the Bible 00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:29.399 and saying how that doctrine 00:29:29.399 --> 00:29:30.519 has got concreted 00:29:30.519 --> 00:29:31.180 in my heart. 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:32.379 It's not going anywhere. 00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:33.579 I believe that the Bible 00:29:33.579 --> 00:29:34.319 is sufficient 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:35.440 for life and godliness, 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:36.039 that we don't need 00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:36.960 to look outside of it 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:38.200 for direction. 00:29:39.960 --> 00:29:42.519 And I will say it 00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:43.059 after that, 00:29:43.099 --> 00:29:43.740 I don't really know 00:29:43.740 --> 00:29:45.399 how that happened, 00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:47.000 like what was going on exactly. 00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:48.759 In thinking this week, 00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:49.339 I can remember 00:29:49.339 --> 00:29:50.460 at least this biography 00:29:50.460 --> 00:29:52.500 was part of that working 00:29:52.500 --> 00:29:54.299 in two ways. 00:29:54.339 --> 00:29:54.759 I'm going to read you 00:29:54.759 --> 00:29:55.200 one quote 00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:55.680 and then tell you 00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:56.119 something else 00:29:56.119 --> 00:29:56.579 that happened 00:29:56.579 --> 00:29:58.660 in George Mueller's life. 00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:00.900 He says this. 00:30:01.180 --> 00:30:02.759 So he goes to a place 00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:05.099 named Tainmouth, 00:30:05.319 --> 00:30:06.319 I hope I'm pronouncing 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:06.819 that correctly, 00:30:07.180 --> 00:30:07.819 in England, 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:09.500 because he's sick. 00:30:09.900 --> 00:30:10.879 And he says this, 00:30:11.299 --> 00:30:11.740 a quote, 00:30:12.119 --> 00:30:13.059 Before this period, 00:30:13.259 --> 00:30:14.220 I had been much opposed 00:30:14.220 --> 00:30:15.579 to the doctrines of election, 00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:17.140 particular redemption, 00:30:17.379 --> 00:30:18.740 and final persevering grace 00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:20.319 so much so that, 00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:22.539 a few days after my arrival 00:30:22.539 --> 00:30:23.240 to Tainmouth, 00:30:23.660 --> 00:30:24.599 I called election 00:30:24.599 --> 00:30:25.720 a devilish doctrine. 00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:27.380 I knew nothing 00:30:27.380 --> 00:30:28.180 about the choice 00:30:28.180 --> 00:30:28.880 of God's people 00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:29.980 and did not believe 00:30:29.980 --> 00:30:31.079 that the child of God, 00:30:31.180 --> 00:30:32.339 when once made so, 00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:34.099 was safe forever. 00:30:35.299 --> 00:30:36.859 But now I was brought 00:30:36.859 --> 00:30:37.500 to examine 00:30:37.500 --> 00:30:38.779 these precious truths 00:30:38.779 --> 00:30:41.220 by the word of God. 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:42.519 End quote. 00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:45.019 He made a practice 00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:45.880 of going through 00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:47.380 the entirety of the Bible 00:30:47.380 --> 00:30:48.380 when there was 00:30:48.380 --> 00:30:50.100 an issue that vexed him. 00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:50.700 When he wasn't sure 00:30:50.700 --> 00:30:51.360 what to think 00:30:51.360 --> 00:30:52.440 about a particular issue, 00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:53.400 he would read 00:30:53.400 --> 00:30:54.080 the entirety 00:30:54.080 --> 00:30:54.840 of the scripture 00:30:54.840 --> 00:30:56.040 with that issue 00:30:56.040 --> 00:30:57.240 in mind. 00:30:58.080 --> 00:30:58.940 Another example 00:30:58.940 --> 00:30:59.560 of this, 00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:00.600 again, 00:31:00.620 --> 00:31:01.180 if you're a guest, 00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:02.800 we are Credo Baptists 00:31:02.800 --> 00:31:03.260 here. 00:31:04.680 --> 00:31:05.880 He spoke boldly 00:31:05.880 --> 00:31:06.580 in a Bible study 00:31:06.580 --> 00:31:07.660 about his belief 00:31:07.660 --> 00:31:08.580 in paedo-baptism, 00:31:08.760 --> 00:31:10.060 the baptism of infants, 00:31:10.059 --> 00:31:11.220 and afterwards 00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:13.240 an old woman said, 00:31:13.839 --> 00:31:14.279 Mr. Mueller, 00:31:14.399 --> 00:31:15.319 have you ever searched 00:31:15.319 --> 00:31:15.779 the scripture 00:31:15.779 --> 00:31:16.779 on this matter? 00:31:17.619 --> 00:31:18.460 And he responded 00:31:18.460 --> 00:31:19.200 to her honestly, 00:31:20.159 --> 00:31:21.059 no, I've not. 00:31:21.679 --> 00:31:22.559 And she said, 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:23.419 well, then I don't think 00:31:23.419 --> 00:31:24.179 you should speak again 00:31:24.179 --> 00:31:25.460 on it until you have. 00:31:27.940 --> 00:31:28.839 And so he did. 00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:29.700 And he read 00:31:29.700 --> 00:31:30.279 the entirety 00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:30.859 of the Bible 00:31:30.859 --> 00:31:33.319 with a particular doctrine 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:34.279 of baptism 00:31:34.279 --> 00:31:36.119 in mind. 00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:37.919 And I'm grateful 00:31:37.919 --> 00:31:38.819 to say that he became 00:31:38.819 --> 00:31:39.399 a Credo Baptist. 00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:44.039 Let me also commend 00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:44.959 to you a broader book. 00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:45.639 I think that you'll be 00:31:45.639 --> 00:31:46.279 served by 00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:47.559 21 Servants 00:31:47.559 --> 00:31:48.379 of Sovereign Joy 00:31:48.379 --> 00:31:50.419 by John Piper. 00:31:50.759 --> 00:31:51.099 It's put out 00:31:51.099 --> 00:31:51.839 by Crossway. 00:31:52.399 --> 00:31:52.839 Short, 00:31:53.199 --> 00:31:53.659 condensed, 00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:55.139 very Piperian 00:31:55.139 --> 00:31:56.639 biographies. 00:31:57.379 --> 00:31:58.259 21 of them 00:31:58.259 --> 00:31:59.379 will serve 00:31:59.379 --> 00:32:01.639 your soul. 00:32:02.939 --> 00:32:03.739 So it's good 00:32:03.739 --> 00:32:04.279 for us, 00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:04.719 right? 00:32:04.879 --> 00:32:05.659 It's good for us 00:32:05.660 --> 00:32:06.540 to think about 00:32:06.540 --> 00:32:07.100 the past, 00:32:07.200 --> 00:32:07.940 to be informed 00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:08.759 by the past, 00:32:09.240 --> 00:32:10.340 both to learn 00:32:10.340 --> 00:32:11.480 from its mistakes, 00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:12.140 right? 00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:13.019 And then to stand 00:32:13.019 --> 00:32:13.519 on the shoulders 00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:15.140 of its successes, 00:32:15.779 --> 00:32:17.180 to see the ways 00:32:17.180 --> 00:32:18.160 in which God 00:32:18.160 --> 00:32:20.060 has been at work. 00:32:20.940 --> 00:32:22.460 I have wrongly said 00:32:22.460 --> 00:32:23.160 in the past 00:32:23.160 --> 00:32:24.300 that the church 00:32:24.300 --> 00:32:25.700 always thrives 00:32:25.700 --> 00:32:26.720 in persecution. 00:32:28.140 --> 00:32:28.820 But if we're 00:32:28.820 --> 00:32:29.420 better students 00:32:29.420 --> 00:32:29.980 of history, 00:32:30.460 --> 00:32:30.900 we'll know 00:32:30.900 --> 00:32:32.080 that that's not true. 00:32:32.940 --> 00:32:33.320 The church 00:32:33.320 --> 00:32:34.320 has not always 00:32:34.320 --> 00:32:35.279 thrived 00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:35.700 in the middle 00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:37.059 of persecution. 00:32:37.279 --> 00:32:38.200 It often does. 00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:39.319 The church, 00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:40.019 capital C, 00:32:40.119 --> 00:32:40.500 global, 00:32:40.700 --> 00:32:41.460 will always 00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:42.139 go forward, 00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:42.519 right? 00:32:42.619 --> 00:32:43.480 Nothing will 00:32:43.480 --> 00:32:44.059 prevail 00:32:44.059 --> 00:32:45.680 against it. 00:32:46.299 --> 00:32:47.639 But locally, 00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:48.500 it has not 00:32:48.500 --> 00:32:49.500 always. 00:32:50.139 --> 00:32:50.819 You read the history 00:32:50.819 --> 00:32:51.879 of the Christian church 00:32:51.879 --> 00:32:52.539 in Japan, 00:32:53.460 --> 00:32:54.879 altogether stamped out. 00:32:55.879 --> 00:32:57.139 We need to learn, 00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:58.259 what were those people 00:32:58.259 --> 00:32:59.899 not doing 00:32:59.900 --> 00:33:00.860 or doing 00:33:00.860 --> 00:33:00.860 00:33:00.860 --> 00:33:01.740 well 00:33:01.740 --> 00:33:03.180 to preserve 00:33:03.180 --> 00:33:04.400 their ability 00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:05.600 to stand 00:33:05.600 --> 00:33:06.259 in the face 00:33:06.259 --> 00:33:07.600 of such 00:33:07.600 --> 00:33:08.360 opposition. 00:33:09.360 --> 00:33:10.080 So we're going 00:33:10.080 --> 00:33:10.460 to have to have 00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.580 a clear mission, 00:33:11.780 --> 00:33:12.120 we're going to have 00:33:12.120 --> 00:33:13.440 to do robust theology, 00:33:13.900 --> 00:33:14.320 and we're going 00:33:14.320 --> 00:33:15.500 to have to pick up 00:33:15.500 --> 00:33:16.320 accurate 00:33:16.320 --> 00:33:17.519 histories 00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:19.340 to run this over, 00:33:19.500 --> 00:33:20.160 to do it again 00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:20.680 and again, 00:33:20.860 --> 00:33:21.800 to think about it 00:33:21.800 --> 00:33:22.200 carefully, 00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:23.100 and apply it 00:33:23.100 --> 00:33:23.700 with wisdom 00:33:23.700 --> 00:33:25.100 in our day. 00:33:25.099 --> 00:33:27.199 So let me read 00:33:27.199 --> 00:33:27.639 in closing 00:33:27.639 --> 00:33:28.379 once again, 00:33:28.519 --> 00:33:29.319 Psalm 111, 00:33:29.439 --> 00:33:31.019 just verse 2. 00:33:31.939 --> 00:33:33.199 Great are the works 00:33:33.199 --> 00:33:34.299 of the Lord, 00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:36.500 studied by all 00:33:36.500 --> 00:33:37.319 who delight 00:33:37.319 --> 00:33:38.179 in them. 00:33:38.980 --> 00:33:39.799 Let's pray together.