WEBVTT

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 I'm so thankful to be back, and I hope you've come this morning to hear the Word of God and to submit yourself to it.

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 We've been worshiping through song and through music, but just a reminder that we really believe here that you also worship God by listening to His Word and by heeding to what it says and being encouraged by it and obedient to it.

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 And I'm worshiping along with you. We are here for this and not for any other reason to make ourselves known or to make anything else known but Jesus known.

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 And so just join me again just in a word of prayer.

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 Father, we love you. We thank you for the chance to gather this morning.

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 We thank you for the redemption that we have in Jesus, and I pray that you would fight off all distractions and things like what we might eat later or who we might hang out with later,

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 what we might do after this is over, but you would allow us to be all here, Lord, and to hear your Word and that you would be lifted up.

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 In Christ's name, amen.

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 So we're returning to the book of Acts this morning.

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 We find ourselves in chapter 8, so go ahead and turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 8.

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 And in case you're new on the scene, and just sort of a reminder, I'm not going to give you a big overview of Acts,

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 but just to remember that this is like the second book that Luke wrote.

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 We have the Gospel of Luke, and then he wrote this as an account of the early history of the church and the Acts of the Apostles.

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 And so Christ has resurrected.

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 He has commissioned His disciples to go out and to make disciples.

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 And then they literally watch Him ascend into heaven, and He empowers them to go out and to plant the church.

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 The Holy Spirit comes.

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 And so the apostles have been preaching the Gospel, making disciples in Jerusalem for the most part,

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 in just the area of Jerusalem.

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 So the Gospel hasn't quite gone out of the city yet in some ways,

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 other than some others that have might have taken it out there.

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 And two weeks ago, we looked at the martyrdom of Stephen, the first martyr of the church.

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 Nathan preached on that.

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 And just as a quick recap, he was arrested by the Jewish council for preaching the Gospel

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 and for doing miracles in the name of Jesus.

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 And so they bring him in front of this very intimidating council,

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 and they ask him to basically give an account for what he's doing,

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 whereon Stephen goes on to give this incredible explanation and exposition of the Old Testament.

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 Like he walks literally through the Old Testament

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 and says that the message that he wants them to see was all these Old Testament prophets

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 and messengers from God, they were pointing to the Messiah,

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 the Messiah that you just killed.

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 And you're no different than the people who killed the prophets.

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 You've ignored them, you've put them aside, and you're just as guilty.

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 You've killed the Messiah.

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 And then he offers them no repentance.

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 It's just almost like an act of judgment.

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 And then they're outraged.

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 Obviously, they're very, very angry.

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 And without even obeying the law of the day,

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 they drag Stephen out and they stone him to death.

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 And so, just interesting, the stoning that takes place,

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 where we read it just in the previous chapter,

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 that he was put to death.

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 It's a very vivid word.

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 It's a medical word that means like destruction.

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 It reveals that like Stephen just wasn't killed quietly,

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 it means that he was literally destroyed by these men.

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 It wasn't an easy death, in other words.

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 And very vivid word.

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 It was horrific.

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 It was utterly terrible as the stones fell on him

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 and pretty much just mangled him to the ground.

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 And he was the first martyr.

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 And if you remember the very beginning of the book of Acts,

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 when Jesus is commissioning his disciples,

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 he says,

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 You will be my witnesses.

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 You will be my witnesses.

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 And just as a reminder,

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 the word witness that he uses is the word martyr,

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 which means martyr.

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 Like, you will be my martyrs,

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 is what Jesus tells them.

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 You will go out.

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 You will die.

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 You will be persecuted and executed and imprisoned for my namesake.

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 So how would you like to get that commission?

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 Many of us in our flesh would probably run from that.

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 But they saw it as an honor to carry the name of Jesus.

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 So Stephen became the first witness, really, in the church.

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 And this execution, this martyrdom kind of sparks a large-scale persecution from the Jews in Jerusalem,

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 from the leading Jews in Jerusalem.

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 And it lasts for the next four chapters in the book of Acts.

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 It's not necessarily from Rome.

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 It's from the Jews.

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 And so it just carries on.

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 Stephen was the first.

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 And so it goes on.

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 And if we read,

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 starting in our text today,

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 in chapter 8,

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 we're just going to go verses 1 through 25.

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 So just follow along.

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 This is just a story.

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 So this is easy just to follow.

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 And starting in verse 1 of chapter 8,

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 it says,

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 So just so you know,

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 this word,

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 devout men,

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 it probably doesn't refer to other believers.

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 It refers to probably,

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 this is a term used for pious Jews,

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 that probably spells that a lot of the Jews,

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 some Jews there probably thought that the death and the execution of Stephen was wrong and unjust.

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 And so they took Stephen's body away to bury it.

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 In verse 3,

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 But Saul was ravaging the church and entering house after house.

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 He dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

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 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

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 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.

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 And the crowds with one accord pay attention to what was being said by Philip.

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 And when they heard him,

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 they saw the signs that he did.

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 For unclean spirits crying out with a loud voice came out of many who had them.

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 And many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

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 So there was much joy in that city.

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 But there was a man named Simon who was previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria,

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 saying that he himself was somebody great.

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 They all paid attention to him for the least to the greatest,

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 saying,

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 This man is the power of God that is called great.

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 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.

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 But when they believed Philip,

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 as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ,

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 they were baptized,

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 they were baptized,

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 both men and women.

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 Even Simon himself believed.

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 And after being baptized,

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 he continued with Philip.

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 And seeing signs and great miracles performed,

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 he was amazed.

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 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God,

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 they sent Peter and John,

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 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

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 For he had not yet fallen on any of them,

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 but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

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 Then they laid their hands on them,

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 and they received the Holy Spirit.

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 Now when Simon saw the Spirit had been given throughout the laying on of hands of the apostles' hands,

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 he offered them money,

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 saying,

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 Give me this power also,

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 so that anyone whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.

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 But Peter said to him,

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 May your silver perish with you,

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 because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money.

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 You have neither part nor lot in this matter,

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 for your heart is not in the right before God.

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 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours,

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 and pray that the Lord, if possible,

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 the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

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 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness,

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 and in the bond of iniquity.

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 And Simon answered,

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 Pray for me to the Lord,

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 that none of what you have said may come upon me.

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 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord,

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 they returned to Jerusalem,

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 preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

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 And that's our text today.

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 And so, hopefully,

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 we will be able to pull some good things out of this,

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 and to apply to our lives today.

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 But this persecution that started,

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 it eventually ended up spreading the gospel.

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 And that's what we have to see here.

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 So we're going to kind of take a bird's eye view,

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 and see the big picture is that persecution started,

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 and because of that, the gospel moved out beyond Jerusalem.

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 And then, it zooms in closer to the life of Philip,

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 who wasn't an apostle, but a deacon,

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 one of the deacons chosen in the previous chapters and acts,

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 like Stephen was.

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 And he was the first one, actually,

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 in the scripture to be called an evangelist.

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 In chapter 21, he's called Philip an evangelist.

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 So as the persecution arose in Jerusalem,

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 the gospel was taken out.

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 So, to the Samaritans,

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 and then later on in this chapter,

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 that Nathan will get to eventually,

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 an Ethiopian.

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 So one of the first African converts.

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 So praise God.

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 And so that's what we're working with.

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 So there's four things that we're going to look at today

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 in the text.

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 But the first one, number one,

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 is that God uses persecution

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 to spread the gospel.

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 And you see that in the first four verses

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 of this chapter.

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 So what do you think at this point?

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 If persecution started

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 and you were being arrested,

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 beaten, thrown in prison

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 for the sake of Christ,

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 what would you do?

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 Would you panic and say,

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 oh man, our religious freedom

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 has been taken away,

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 so we better be quiet

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 and not talk about Jesus anymore.

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 We better lay low

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 and hopefully not be recognized

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 by the authorities.

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 What would be your reaction?

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 Well, that didn't silence him.

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 This didn't stop it.

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 It actually fueled it.

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 And so we see that

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 in the verses

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 they were scattered

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 and they went about preaching the word.

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 So, really cool.

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 I've always said this

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 to a lot of the college students,

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 but I think that so many of us

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 feel we use the term

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 of the generation

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 that I don't really like,

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 but the word awkward.

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 It's like a most overkill word

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 in our language today.

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 So, just try to use that

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 in a good way.

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 But, a lot of us think

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 that it's awkward

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 to share the gospel

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 because it's become a method

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 or a gimmick

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 and you've divorced it

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 from your real life.

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 It's not just something

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 that flows out of your life.

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 It's something that

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 you pull apart

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 and say,

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 I've got to do this method

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 or this gimmick.

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 It's not a natural outflow

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 of your language

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 and your life.

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 But this implies,

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 the Greek here,

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 is the idea

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 that they went gossiping

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 the good news.

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 Just happening

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 in the natural way

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 that conversations unfold.

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 So, a small little narrative.

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 There's this man

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 and he shows up

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 in Galilee, for example.

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 And, like,

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 everyone knows everybody

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 and he comes up and says,

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 hey, why are you here?

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 We don't recognize you.

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 And he says,

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 I've come from Jerusalem

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 with my family.

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 Did you hear about

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 what happened in Jerusalem?

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 I know there's a lot of stuff

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 going on about Jesus of Nazareth

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 and that he might be alive

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 and all that.

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 And then the man says,

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 well, he actually is alive.

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 He's been seen.

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 And Stephen was killed,

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 one of our brothers.

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 And this has started

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 a persecution.

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 So, if it was up to me,

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 I would have just stayed

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 and died with Stephen.

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 But I had to think about

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 my wife and my children.

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 And so we fled

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 and now we're here.

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 So, you're willing

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 to die for this?

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 You actually believe this?

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 And yes, I am.

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 And here's why I believe that.

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 And so,

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 this is just the natural way

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 the conversation unfolds.

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 They went about gossiping

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 the good news of Christ

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 in just natural ways.

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 So,

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 question for us.

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 Why didn't Operation

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 Search and Destroy

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 Christians succeed?

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 Plenty of other movements

00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:32.659
 throughout history

00:13:32.659 --> 00:13:34.059
 have gotten a lot of hype

00:13:34.059 --> 00:13:34.819
 and a lot of startup,

00:13:34.939 --> 00:13:35.620
 but then they died.

00:13:36.580 --> 00:13:37.360
 Many, many,

00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:38.120
 actually.

00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:39.680
 And so,

00:13:39.820 --> 00:13:40.700
 why not this?

00:13:40.759 --> 00:13:41.759
 Why did this little group

00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:43.060
 of followers

00:13:43.060 --> 00:13:44.180
 from a dead carpenter

00:13:44.180 --> 00:13:45.100
 from Galilee,

00:13:45.980 --> 00:13:47.240
 why did it not die out?

00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:49.340
 Because

00:13:49.340 --> 00:13:51.259
 God,

00:13:51.419 --> 00:13:52.460
 it's God's mission

00:13:52.460 --> 00:13:53.379
 to take Christ

00:13:53.379 --> 00:13:53.919
 to the ends

00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:55.220
 of the earth.

00:13:55.779 --> 00:13:56.840
 It's God's mission

00:13:56.840 --> 00:13:58.159
 to take the gospel

00:13:58.159 --> 00:13:59.659
 to all the nations.

00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:00.519
 This isn't a mission

00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:01.100
 of man.

00:14:01.180 --> 00:14:01.720
 It's a mission

00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:02.940
 of God.

00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:03.620
 As it said,

00:14:03.700 --> 00:14:04.879
 as the rabbi

00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:05.539
 pointed out

00:14:05.539 --> 00:14:06.600
 in Acts 5,

00:14:07.580 --> 00:14:08.320
 as they were talking

00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:09.080
 about what to do

00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:09.939
 with all these Christians,

00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:10.559
 he says,

00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:12.340
 in the present age,

00:14:12.700 --> 00:14:14.000
 I tell you,

00:14:14.100 --> 00:14:15.320
 keep away from these men

00:14:15.320 --> 00:14:16.240
 and let them alone.

00:14:16.899 --> 00:14:18.240
 For if this is a plan

00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:20.779
 or undertaking of man,

00:14:20.820 --> 00:14:21.620
 it will fail.

00:14:22.500 --> 00:14:24.460
 But if it is of God,

00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:25.580
 you will not be able

00:14:25.580 --> 00:14:26.539
 to overthrow them.

00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:28.620
 You might even be found

00:14:28.620 --> 00:14:29.720
 opposing God.

00:14:30.539 --> 00:14:31.480
 This idea that

00:14:31.480 --> 00:14:33.279
 if man started this,

00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:33.840
 it will fail.

00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:34.840
 But if God started it,

00:14:34.920 --> 00:14:35.540
 you won't be able

00:14:35.540 --> 00:14:36.139
 to stop it.

00:14:36.580 --> 00:14:37.420
 And you might even

00:14:37.420 --> 00:14:38.680
 be found opposing God.

00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:40.700
 Robert Coleman

00:14:40.700 --> 00:14:42.980
 wrote the classic book,

00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:44.960
 Master Plan of Evangelism.

00:14:45.060 --> 00:14:45.879
 Listen to what he wrote.

00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:47.240
 He said,

00:14:47.320 --> 00:14:47.840
 World evangelism

00:14:48.580 --> 00:14:50.000
 is the divinely ordered

00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:51.280
 goal for us all.

00:14:52.259 --> 00:14:53.920
 Not only is it attainable,

00:14:54.180 --> 00:14:54.960
 it is inevitable.

00:14:55.820 --> 00:14:56.300
 Whether or not

00:14:56.300 --> 00:14:56.960
 we believe it,

00:14:57.019 --> 00:14:58.120
 one day the gospel

00:14:58.120 --> 00:14:58.720
 of the kingdom

00:14:58.720 --> 00:14:59.740
 will be heard

00:14:59.740 --> 00:15:00.780
 to the ends

00:15:00.780 --> 00:15:01.320
 of the earth.

00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:03.160
 The God of the universe

00:15:03.160 --> 00:15:04.540
 will not be defeated

00:15:04.540 --> 00:15:05.580
 in his purpose.

00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:07.160
 Any activity

00:15:07.160 --> 00:15:08.060
 not in step

00:15:08.060 --> 00:15:09.220
 with God's design

00:15:09.220 --> 00:15:10.040
 for humanity

00:15:10.040 --> 00:15:11.300
 is destined

00:15:11.300 --> 00:15:13.840
 to futility.

00:15:14.660 --> 00:15:16.140
 The sooner we realize this

00:15:16.140 --> 00:15:17.000
 and align our way

00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:17.460
 with his,

00:15:17.560 --> 00:15:18.000
 the sooner

00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:19.560
 we will be relevant

00:15:19.560 --> 00:15:20.520
 to eternity.

00:15:21.160 --> 00:15:21.700
 He's saying

00:15:21.700 --> 00:15:22.520
 it is inevitable.

00:15:22.800 --> 00:15:23.800
 God's mission

00:15:23.800 --> 00:15:24.820
 will accomplish

00:15:24.820 --> 00:15:26.040
 what it set out to do

00:15:26.039 --> 00:15:27.599
 and it won't be stopped.

00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:29.579
 So our suffering

00:15:29.579 --> 00:15:30.319
 is inevitable

00:15:30.319 --> 00:15:31.219
 to reach the world

00:15:31.219 --> 00:15:31.919
 but our mission

00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:33.039
 is unstoppable.

00:15:34.379 --> 00:15:34.959
 I want to just,

00:15:35.199 --> 00:15:36.799
 there's several examples

00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:37.219
 today.

00:15:38.059 --> 00:15:38.899
 In 1985,

00:15:39.299 --> 00:15:40.219
 there was a Bulgarian

00:15:40.219 --> 00:15:40.740
 pastor,

00:15:41.659 --> 00:15:43.019
 Horacio Kosevic.

00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:44.779
 He was arrested

00:15:44.779 --> 00:15:45.259
 for preaching

00:15:45.259 --> 00:15:45.740
 the gospel

00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:46.219
 in his church.

00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:47.219
 I understand Romania

00:15:47.219 --> 00:15:48.599
 is under the control

00:15:48.599 --> 00:15:49.419
 of communist Russia

00:15:49.419 --> 00:15:49.980
 at the time

00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:51.399
 and communism

00:15:51.399 --> 00:15:52.500
 is seeking to put out

00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:53.459
 the gospel flame.

00:15:53.460 --> 00:15:55.060
 So he was in prison

00:15:55.060 --> 00:15:56.340
 for just about a year

00:15:56.340 --> 00:15:58.040
 and while he was there,

00:15:58.740 --> 00:15:59.700
 he shared Christ

00:15:59.700 --> 00:16:00.680
 with the other prisoners,

00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:02.200
 he shared Christ

00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:03.280
 with his interrogators

00:16:03.280 --> 00:16:04.040
 and his torturers

00:16:04.040 --> 00:16:06.360
 and many came to believe

00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:06.840
 in Christ

00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:07.780
 while he was in prison.

00:16:08.780 --> 00:16:09.420
 And this is something

00:16:09.420 --> 00:16:10.040
 that he said,

00:16:10.519 --> 00:16:12.040
 both prisoners

00:16:12.040 --> 00:16:13.000
 and jailers

00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:14.200
 asked many questions

00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:15.740
 and it turned out

00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:17.340
 that we had more

00:16:17.340 --> 00:16:18.320
 fruitful ministry

00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:19.220
 there in prison

00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:20.940
 than we ever could have had

00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:21.680
 inside a church.

00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:23.759
 God was better served

00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:24.639
 by our presence

00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:25.379
 in the prison

00:16:25.379 --> 00:16:26.839
 than if we had been free.

00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:28.979
 And that's just

00:16:28.979 --> 00:16:29.859
 how God works.

00:16:30.099 --> 00:16:31.299
 He works

00:16:31.299 --> 00:16:32.599
 through persecution

00:16:32.599 --> 00:16:33.699
 to accomplish

00:16:33.699 --> 00:16:34.259
 his will

00:16:34.259 --> 00:16:35.459
 and it's something

00:16:35.459 --> 00:16:36.399
 that can't be stopped.

00:16:37.319 --> 00:16:37.679
 So,

00:16:37.839 --> 00:16:38.899
 the message here,

00:16:39.019 --> 00:16:39.279
 okay,

00:16:39.459 --> 00:16:40.259
 is not just

00:16:40.259 --> 00:16:40.779
 that God

00:16:40.779 --> 00:16:42.099
 often turns

00:16:42.099 --> 00:16:43.799
 our setbacks

00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:44.620
 into victories.

00:16:45.239 --> 00:16:45.859
 The message

00:16:45.859 --> 00:16:46.620
 for us

00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:47.899
 also

00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:49.120
 is that sometimes

00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.840
 our freedom,

00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:52.560
 our safety,

00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:53.399
 our comfort,

00:16:53.539 --> 00:16:54.320
 our prosperity

00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:56.139
 can often

00:16:56.139 --> 00:16:57.399
 cause tremendous

00:16:57.399 --> 00:16:58.720
 sluggishness

00:16:58.720 --> 00:16:59.480
 and apathy

00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:01.139
 to the gospel mission.

00:17:02.419 --> 00:17:02.940
 Obviously,

00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:04.200
 I'm not ungrateful

00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:05.099
 for the liberty

00:17:05.099 --> 00:17:05.740
 and the freedom

00:17:05.740 --> 00:17:06.259
 we have.

00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:07.259
 Most of you

00:17:07.259 --> 00:17:07.759
 know me,

00:17:07.819 --> 00:17:08.200
 know I have

00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:08.839
 a family

00:17:08.839 --> 00:17:09.619
 that have shed

00:17:09.619 --> 00:17:10.619
 blood for this country

00:17:10.619 --> 00:17:12.380
 and many friends

00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:13.039
 that are today,

00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:13.880
 so I'm grateful

00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:15.099
 to live where we live

00:17:15.099 --> 00:17:16.500
 and to have

00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:17.559
 the religious liberty

00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:18.019
 we do.

00:17:19.139 --> 00:17:20.779
 But at the same time,

00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:22.019
 often,

00:17:22.659 --> 00:17:23.839
 a lot of the stuff

00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:24.579
 that we think,

00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.000
 like prosperity,

00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:26.679
 wealth,

00:17:27.940 --> 00:17:28.980
 we think those things

00:17:28.980 --> 00:17:29.819
 will kind of speed

00:17:29.819 --> 00:17:30.759
 the gospel mission.

00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:32.720
 And sometimes it does,

00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:33.740
 but more than often

00:17:33.740 --> 00:17:34.319
 it doesn't.

00:17:34.419 --> 00:17:34.980
 It actually,

00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:36.460
 the very thing we think

00:17:36.460 --> 00:17:37.059
 will help it

00:17:37.059 --> 00:17:38.220
 ends up creating

00:17:38.220 --> 00:17:38.899
 lethargy

00:17:38.899 --> 00:17:39.480
 and weakness

00:17:39.480 --> 00:17:40.299
 and apathy

00:17:40.299 --> 00:17:41.539
 and a preoccupation

00:17:41.539 --> 00:17:42.919
 with our comfort

00:17:42.919 --> 00:17:43.740
 and our ease

00:17:43.740 --> 00:17:45.279
 rather than

00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:46.159
 going and taking

00:17:46.159 --> 00:17:47.139
 the gospel forward.

00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:48.859
 So millions

00:17:48.859 --> 00:17:49.480
 of our brothers

00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:49.919
 and sisters

00:17:49.919 --> 00:17:50.440
 around the world

00:17:50.440 --> 00:17:51.659
 still suffer like this.

00:17:52.639 --> 00:17:53.679
 Just open your eyes.

00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:53.919
 Like,

00:17:53.940 --> 00:17:54.460
 it's everywhere.

00:17:54.779 --> 00:17:55.339
 North Korea,

00:17:56.139 --> 00:17:56.419
 China,

00:17:56.579 --> 00:17:57.139
 North Africa,

00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:57.899
 Middle East,

00:17:58.079 --> 00:17:58.359
 India,

00:17:58.519 --> 00:17:58.960
 Pakistan.

00:17:59.179 --> 00:18:00.220
 Just open your eyes.

00:18:00.379 --> 00:18:00.460
 Like,

00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:01.799
 these are places

00:18:01.799 --> 00:18:02.759
 where even today

00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:03.599
 they're being killed

00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:04.179
 in prison,

00:18:05.099 --> 00:18:05.639
 persecuted

00:18:05.639 --> 00:18:07.839
 by their family,

00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:08.619
 by their neighbors.

00:18:09.419 --> 00:18:10.220
 And this isn't

00:18:10.220 --> 00:18:11.799
 impersonal to me either.

00:18:12.779 --> 00:18:13.480
 A lot of my,

00:18:13.619 --> 00:18:14.720
 I have a few friends

00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:16.100
 that are in some

00:18:16.100 --> 00:18:17.079
 very hard places

00:18:17.079 --> 00:18:17.640
 right now.

00:18:18.900 --> 00:18:19.579
 My friend,

00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:20.019
 also,

00:18:20.180 --> 00:18:20.779
 who some of you

00:18:20.779 --> 00:18:21.200
 have met,

00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:22.380
 he's from Kyrgyzstan.

00:18:23.259 --> 00:18:23.500
 He's,

00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:25.240
 I won't tell you

00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:26.039
 where he is right now,

00:18:26.120 --> 00:18:26.620
 but I'll just tell you

00:18:26.620 --> 00:18:27.420
 he's in Central Asia,

00:18:27.579 --> 00:18:28.240
 so figure out

00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:28.740
 where he is.

00:18:30.860 --> 00:18:31.220
 But,

00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:32.440
 he came here

00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:33.220
 many years ago

00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:33.779
 and he spoke to

00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:34.360
 a large group

00:18:34.360 --> 00:18:35.220
 of college students

00:18:35.220 --> 00:18:36.440
 right here

00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:37.039
 and he said,

00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:38.259
 you know,

00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:39.039
 here in America

00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:39.839
 when you become

00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:40.259
 a Christian,

00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:41.140
 you walk an aisle,

00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:42.579
 you pray a prayer,

00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:44.700
 you take a seat

00:18:44.700 --> 00:18:45.480
 and you just

00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:46.319
 attend things.

00:18:46.940 --> 00:18:47.339
 He said,

00:18:47.379 --> 00:18:48.259
 it's very easy.

00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:49.839
 He said,

00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:50.720
 but in Asia,

00:18:51.579 --> 00:18:52.319
 if you're going

00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:53.180
 to become a Christian

00:18:53.180 --> 00:18:53.640
 first,

00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:54.539
 you're going to be

00:18:54.539 --> 00:18:55.819
 kicked out

00:18:55.819 --> 00:18:56.440
 of your family,

00:18:56.619 --> 00:18:57.700
 you'll be ostracized

00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:58.460
 by your family,

00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:00.140
 your community

00:19:00.140 --> 00:19:01.420
 will also turn you out

00:19:01.420 --> 00:19:02.339
 and not take you in,

00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:04.000
 and the government

00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:04.720
 will either

00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:05.759
 imprison you

00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:06.920
 or kill you

00:19:06.920 --> 00:19:07.839
 or not allow you

00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:08.279
 to work.

00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:09.720
 And he's like,

00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:10.920
 when someone says

00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:11.480
 that they believe

00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:11.900
 in Jesus

00:19:11.900 --> 00:19:12.500
 and they want

00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:13.319
 to follow Jesus,

00:19:13.860 --> 00:19:14.960
 if they go through

00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:15.600
 all of that

00:19:15.600 --> 00:19:16.079
 and they're still

00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:16.920
 trusting in Jesus,

00:19:17.059 --> 00:19:17.559
 we know that

00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:18.360
 they're a real Christian.

00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:20.400
 That's like what he said.

00:19:21.360 --> 00:19:22.039
 And that was just

00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:24.180
 convicting to me.

00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:25.500
 Never sell the gospel

00:19:25.500 --> 00:19:27.480
 cheaply to anyone

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:29.259
 because it's costing

00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:30.620
 many people their lives

00:19:30.620 --> 00:19:31.759
 as it did in this time

00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:33.480
 like Stephen and others.

00:19:34.600 --> 00:19:34.880
 So,

00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:37.000
 for example,

00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:38.680
 this is a quote

00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:39.640
 by Charles Spurgeon

00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:40.240
 and one that's like

00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:41.100
 been in my head

00:19:41.100 --> 00:19:42.060
 for years and years.

00:19:42.940 --> 00:19:43.620
 But he said,

00:19:44.620 --> 00:19:45.420
 for the Christian,

00:19:46.500 --> 00:19:48.060
 prosperity is much harder

00:19:48.060 --> 00:19:49.080
 to bear

00:19:49.080 --> 00:19:50.000
 than adversity.

00:19:51.140 --> 00:19:51.960
 Many a man

00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:52.620
 will pass through

00:19:52.620 --> 00:19:53.720
 trouble and trial

00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:54.680
 and praise God

00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:55.240
 under it,

00:19:56.040 --> 00:19:56.400
 who,

00:19:56.640 --> 00:19:57.380
 when he who is

00:19:57.380 --> 00:19:58.400
 tried with no trouble,

00:19:59.360 --> 00:20:00.520
 will forget his God,

00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:02.500
 decline in grace,

00:20:02.660 --> 00:20:03.580
 and grow almost

00:20:03.580 --> 00:20:04.280
 a worldling.

00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:05.860
 Believe me,

00:20:05.859 --> 00:20:07.979
 there is no such trial,

00:20:08.579 --> 00:20:09.779
 no greater trial

00:20:09.779 --> 00:20:11.599
 than no trial.

00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:13.619
 And so,

00:20:14.719 --> 00:20:15.519
 prosperity,

00:20:16.579 --> 00:20:16.980
 you know,

00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:17.740
 we want to be thankful

00:20:17.740 --> 00:20:18.119
 for it,

00:20:18.139 --> 00:20:18.699
 but if we're not

00:20:18.699 --> 00:20:19.559
 using it for the

00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:20.480
 advancement of the gospel

00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:22.000
 and not being

00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:23.359
 graciously thankful for it

00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:24.779
 and using it for God's cause

00:20:24.779 --> 00:20:25.899
 and we make it an idol,

00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:26.879
 we put it on the throne,

00:20:27.879 --> 00:20:29.059
 God will deal with us.

00:20:30.719 --> 00:20:31.159
 So,

00:20:31.379 --> 00:20:33.059
 we possess so much

00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:33.799
 in this country

00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:34.519
 that has dulled

00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:35.099
 our senses

00:20:35.099 --> 00:20:36.859
 to the things of God.

00:20:37.639 --> 00:20:38.859
 In this Disneyland,

00:20:39.139 --> 00:20:39.399
 literally,

00:20:39.539 --> 00:20:40.719
 of a country sometimes,

00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:42.679
 Satan has Christians

00:20:42.679 --> 00:20:43.439
 focused on

00:20:43.439 --> 00:20:44.179
 what they can't take

00:20:44.179 --> 00:20:45.039
 out of this world

00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:46.859
 instead of Christ

00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:47.599
 being enough

00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:48.279
 and storing up

00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:49.240
 treasures for eternity.

00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:50.819
 So,

00:20:50.879 --> 00:20:51.579
 though persecution

00:20:51.579 --> 00:20:52.339
 can have harmful

00:20:52.339 --> 00:20:53.379
 physical effects,

00:20:53.959 --> 00:20:55.279
 it's just a well-known fact

00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:56.079
 that prosperity

00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:56.779
 tends to,

00:20:56.859 --> 00:20:57.479
 throughout the history,

00:20:57.919 --> 00:20:59.019
 slow down the mission

00:20:59.019 --> 00:20:59.479
 of Christ

00:20:59.479 --> 00:21:00.639
 instead of speeding it up.

00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:02.199
 So,

00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:03.279
 let's not be that way.

00:21:04.679 --> 00:21:05.119
 So,

00:21:05.179 --> 00:21:05.639
 the point

00:21:05.639 --> 00:21:06.819
 is not that we should

00:21:06.819 --> 00:21:07.579
 just seek out

00:21:07.579 --> 00:21:09.159
 physical persecution,

00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:09.859
 but the point

00:21:09.859 --> 00:21:10.740
 is that we should

00:21:10.740 --> 00:21:11.879
 just be very careful

00:21:11.879 --> 00:21:13.539
 and wary

00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:14.439
 of how we use

00:21:14.439 --> 00:21:14.819
 the wealth

00:21:14.819 --> 00:21:15.700
 that God has given us

00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:16.419
 to not allow it

00:21:16.419 --> 00:21:17.339
 to control us,

00:21:17.919 --> 00:21:18.480
 but for us

00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.319
 to control it

00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:20.919
 for the glory of God.

00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:22.700
 So,

00:21:23.179 --> 00:21:24.319
 that's the first one.

00:21:24.379 --> 00:21:25.059
 It's persecution

00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:27.220
 spreads,

00:21:27.779 --> 00:21:28.179
 right,

00:21:28.220 --> 00:21:28.759
 and the gospel

00:21:28.759 --> 00:21:29.480
 goes out.

00:21:30.099 --> 00:21:30.220
 So,

00:21:30.279 --> 00:21:31.259
 God uses persecution

00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:32.139
 to spread the gospel,

00:21:32.259 --> 00:21:32.679
 number one.

00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:33.259
 Number two,

00:21:34.539 --> 00:21:35.220
 the gospel

00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:37.059
 can save

00:21:37.059 --> 00:21:38.600
 persecutors.

00:21:39.640 --> 00:21:40.380
 This is verse

00:21:40.380 --> 00:21:41.120
 one and three.

00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:42.500
 We see that

00:21:42.500 --> 00:21:43.380
 Saul was there,

00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:44.299
 and most all of us

00:21:44.299 --> 00:21:45.079
 know who this is,

00:21:45.740 --> 00:21:46.740
 and he was approving.

00:21:46.860 --> 00:21:47.360
 He was like,

00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:47.860
 yes,

00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:48.579
 do this,

00:21:48.700 --> 00:21:49.500
 kill this guy,

00:21:50.339 --> 00:21:51.100
 silence him.

00:21:52.059 --> 00:21:52.900
 And then later on,

00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:54.180
 he was ravaging the church,

00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:54.839
 entering house,

00:21:54.940 --> 00:21:55.839
 dragging people off,

00:21:55.940 --> 00:21:56.720
 committing them to prison.

00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:58.720
 This is Saul of Tarsus.

00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:58.940
 So,

00:21:58.980 --> 00:21:59.460
 in the midst

00:21:59.460 --> 00:22:00.400
 of this persecution,

00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.640
 we get a brief glimpse

00:22:01.640 --> 00:22:02.740
 of the man

00:22:02.740 --> 00:22:03.400
 who would

00:22:03.400 --> 00:22:05.519
 become the apostle Paul.

00:22:06.560 --> 00:22:07.500
 Saul of Tarsus,

00:22:07.580 --> 00:22:08.160
 one of the most

00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:09.160
 religious elite

00:22:09.160 --> 00:22:09.759
 of the day.

00:22:11.140 --> 00:22:13.000
 He was educated

00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:13.840
 under the best,

00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:14.800
 and he knew it all,

00:22:15.060 --> 00:22:17.080
 and he was a Pharisee,

00:22:17.840 --> 00:22:19.600
 the most religious zeal,

00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:22.600
 but he was wrong.

00:22:23.380 --> 00:22:24.120
 Just because you're

00:22:24.120 --> 00:22:24.920
 religiously zeal,

00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:25.820
 it doesn't mean you're right.

00:22:26.900 --> 00:22:27.860
 And it says here

00:22:27.860 --> 00:22:29.000
 that he was ravaging

00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:29.779
 the church.

00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:31.500
 And this is an idea

00:22:31.500 --> 00:22:32.079
 of havoc.

00:22:32.220 --> 00:22:33.019
 It literally means

00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:34.359
 to exercise brutal,

00:22:34.940 --> 00:22:36.099
 sadistic cruelty,

00:22:36.660 --> 00:22:37.500
 is what this means.

00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:38.559
 It wasn't like he was like,

00:22:38.859 --> 00:22:39.259
 come on,

00:22:39.299 --> 00:22:39.799
 you Christians.

00:22:40.019 --> 00:22:41.359
 He was literally

00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:43.640
 brutalizing these people.

00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.279
 It's also used

00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:46.359
 in ancient Greek literature

00:22:46.359 --> 00:22:47.440
 of a wild boar

00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:49.359
 being on a rampage

00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:51.400
 and ravaging a vineyard,

00:22:52.059 --> 00:22:53.339
 and the idea of an animal

00:22:53.339 --> 00:22:54.319
 savagely tearing

00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:55.140
 somebody apart.

00:22:55.259 --> 00:22:56.019
 That's what this language

00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:56.740
 is used for.

00:22:57.420 --> 00:22:58.140
 This is what Saul

00:22:58.140 --> 00:22:58.740
 is doing.

00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:00.140
 And the church.

00:23:01.059 --> 00:23:02.019
 The same word is here.

00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:03.420
 So he was a scary man.

00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:04.240
 He could say that he

00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:05.799
 literally tore the church apart.

00:23:06.700 --> 00:23:07.720
 Not a man you'd want

00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:08.160
 to encounter.

00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:10.799
 Yet, we know

00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:12.720
 that as Saul

00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:13.960
 set out to annihilate

00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:15.119
 the church,

00:23:15.259 --> 00:23:16.339
 to annihilate the Savior

00:23:16.339 --> 00:23:17.079
 that he hates,

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:19.299
 he ends up meeting Jesus

00:23:19.299 --> 00:23:20.539
 on the Damascus road,

00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:23.400
 and he's graciously saved

00:23:23.400 --> 00:23:24.259
 by the very man

00:23:24.259 --> 00:23:25.240
 he set out to destroy,

00:23:25.339 --> 00:23:25.559
 right?

00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:28.059
 And after these great

00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:28.759
 acts of evil,

00:23:28.839 --> 00:23:29.759
 as we've always seen,

00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:31.259
 free and willful

00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:31.960
 acts of evil,

00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:33.299
 God uses to serve

00:23:33.299 --> 00:23:34.000
 his purpose

00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:34.980
 every time.

00:23:35.819 --> 00:23:37.200
 And this is a great example.

00:23:38.179 --> 00:23:39.419
 So Christ saved this man

00:23:39.419 --> 00:23:40.039
 and made him

00:23:40.039 --> 00:23:41.460
 to be the Apostle Paul.

00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:42.980
 Made him a lover

00:23:42.980 --> 00:23:44.720
 of men.

00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:46.700
 A lover of Christ.

00:23:47.399 --> 00:23:47.940
 One of the most

00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:49.279
 radical conversions ever.

00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:51.539
 So, just briefly,

00:23:51.720 --> 00:23:52.539
 hold your hand here,

00:23:52.639 --> 00:23:53.779
 but look at 1 Timothy

00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:54.359
 real quick.

00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:57.399
 This story is coming up soon,

00:23:57.480 --> 00:23:58.019
 so I don't want to spend

00:23:58.019 --> 00:23:58.839
 too much time on it,

00:23:58.899 --> 00:24:00.619
 but in Acts 1 Timothy,

00:24:00.740 --> 00:24:01.379
 chapter 1.

00:24:05.139 --> 00:24:06.379
 Before I read this,

00:24:08.019 --> 00:24:09.759
 1 Timothy, chapter 1,

00:24:09.819 --> 00:24:10.440
 verse 12.

00:24:11.379 --> 00:24:12.319
 Before I read this,

00:24:12.359 --> 00:24:13.160
 I just want to ask you

00:24:13.160 --> 00:24:14.420
 a question.

00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:16.559
 Do you feel like,

00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:18.659
 I know there's people

00:24:18.659 --> 00:24:19.319
 here who do,

00:24:19.899 --> 00:24:20.700
 because in a room

00:24:20.700 --> 00:24:21.299
 this size,

00:24:21.940 --> 00:24:23.279
 there is no way

00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:24.440
 at all

00:24:24.440 --> 00:24:26.359
 that Christ

00:24:26.359 --> 00:24:27.039
 could save me

00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:27.599
 and forgive me

00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:28.339
 for the things

00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:29.460
 I have done

00:24:29.460 --> 00:24:30.039
 in my life.

00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:31.940
 I have felt

00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:32.700
 that way before.

00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:34.919
 I would be ashamed

00:24:34.919 --> 00:24:35.740
 even if people

00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:36.679
 knew what I have done.

00:24:37.679 --> 00:24:38.960
 And the fact that

00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:40.099
 this person

00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:40.919
 can just take away

00:24:40.919 --> 00:24:41.399
 my sin,

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:41.980
 that's just an

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:42.720
 overwhelming thought.

00:24:42.779 --> 00:24:43.399
 I just don't think

00:24:43.399 --> 00:24:44.000
 it's possible.

00:24:44.740 --> 00:24:45.659
 Well, this man

00:24:45.660 --> 00:24:46.580
 we're reading about

00:24:46.580 --> 00:24:47.980
 literally was going out

00:24:47.980 --> 00:24:48.820
 and ripping Christians

00:24:48.820 --> 00:24:51.140
 apart and hated Jesus.

00:24:52.100 --> 00:24:52.700
 And yet,

00:24:52.920 --> 00:24:54.080
 he found mercy

00:24:54.080 --> 00:24:54.680
 in Christ.

00:24:55.980 --> 00:24:57.620
 1 Timothy 1, 12.

00:24:57.700 --> 00:24:58.080
 Read this.

00:24:58.120 --> 00:24:58.720
 This is Paul,

00:24:58.880 --> 00:24:59.560
 the very man we read

00:24:59.560 --> 00:25:00.460
 about writing this

00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:01.120
 years later

00:25:01.120 --> 00:25:02.640
 after he was converted.

00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:03.160
 He says,

00:25:03.600 --> 00:25:04.420
 I thank him

00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:05.779
 who has given me strength,

00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:07.200
 Christ Jesus,

00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:07.880
 our Lord,

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:08.980
 because he judged me

00:25:08.980 --> 00:25:09.500
 faithful,

00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:10.940
 appointing me

00:25:10.940 --> 00:25:11.840
 to his service.

00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:13.180
 Though formerly,

00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:13.720
 listen to this,

00:25:13.720 --> 00:25:14.799
 I was a blasphemer

00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:15.860
 and persecutor

00:25:15.860 --> 00:25:17.019
 and an insolent

00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:17.500
 opponent.

00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:19.539
 But I received mercy

00:25:19.539 --> 00:25:20.460
 because I acted

00:25:20.460 --> 00:25:21.940
 ignorantly in unbelief.

00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:23.259
 And the grace

00:25:23.259 --> 00:25:23.860
 of our Lord

00:25:23.860 --> 00:25:24.960
 overflowed for me

00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:26.519
 with the faith

00:25:26.519 --> 00:25:27.039
 and love

00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:28.220
 that are in Christ Jesus.

00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:29.920
 Here it is.

00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:32.299
 The saying is trustworthy

00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:33.220
 and deserving

00:25:33.220 --> 00:25:34.460
 of full acceptance

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:36.079
 that Christ Jesus

00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:37.180
 came into the world

00:25:37.180 --> 00:25:38.240
 to save sinners

00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:39.660
 of whom I

00:25:39.660 --> 00:25:40.720
 am the foremost.

00:25:41.720 --> 00:25:42.819
 But I received mercy

00:25:42.819 --> 00:25:43.599
 for this reason

00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:44.399
 that in me

00:25:44.399 --> 00:25:45.379
 as the foremost,

00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:46.779
 Jesus Christ

00:25:46.779 --> 00:25:47.519
 might display

00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:48.740
 his perfect patience

00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:50.179
 as an example

00:25:50.179 --> 00:25:51.339
 to those who believe

00:25:51.339 --> 00:25:51.779
 in him

00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:53.059
 to eternal life.

00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:53.399
 You hear that?

00:25:53.460 --> 00:25:53.659
 He's like,

00:25:53.700 --> 00:25:54.759
 Jesus saved me

00:25:54.759 --> 00:25:56.200
 so that in the future

00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:57.559
 people like here today

00:25:57.559 --> 00:25:58.399
 can look at Paul

00:25:58.399 --> 00:25:58.839
 and be like,

00:25:59.240 --> 00:26:00.839
 if God has the grace

00:26:00.839 --> 00:26:01.619
 and power to save

00:26:01.619 --> 00:26:02.539
 a man like that,

00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:05.139
 I can also be saved.

00:26:05.619 --> 00:26:06.299
 That's what this

00:26:06.299 --> 00:26:07.240
 is saying.

00:26:07.819 --> 00:26:09.019
 To the king of ages,

00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:09.559
 immortal,

00:26:09.819 --> 00:26:10.279
 invisible,

00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:12.019
 the only God

00:26:12.019 --> 00:26:13.259
 be honor and glory

00:26:13.259 --> 00:26:14.339
 forever and ever.

00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:15.539
 Amen.

00:26:15.859 --> 00:26:16.339
 So listen,

00:26:16.460 --> 00:26:16.960
 there's no matter

00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:17.859
 what you've done,

00:26:19.079 --> 00:26:19.839
 you're not beyond

00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:20.639
 the tidal wave

00:26:20.639 --> 00:26:21.519
 of God's grace

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:23.639
 to overtake you today.

00:26:24.379 --> 00:26:24.859
 In Isaiah,

00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:25.259
 it says,

00:26:25.379 --> 00:26:25.639
 Behold,

00:26:25.740 --> 00:26:26.579
 the Lord's hand

00:26:26.579 --> 00:26:27.460
 is not shortened

00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:29.099
 that he cannot save

00:26:29.099 --> 00:26:30.319
 or his ear so dull

00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:31.200
 that he cannot hear.

00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.480
 God can do it.

00:26:33.440 --> 00:26:33.660
 Alright?

00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:34.799
 So throw yourself

00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:35.579
 at Christ.

00:26:36.119 --> 00:26:36.700
 Come to him.

00:26:36.700 --> 00:26:38.220
 Alright?

00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:40.180
 Number three,

00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:42.720
 moving through

00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:43.240
 number two,

00:26:43.340 --> 00:26:43.880
 number three,

00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:45.900
 the gospel can save

00:26:45.900 --> 00:26:46.779
 outcasts.

00:26:47.480 --> 00:26:48.580
 The gospel can save

00:26:48.580 --> 00:26:49.880
 outcasts.

00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:50.759
 And we see this

00:26:50.759 --> 00:26:52.680
 when Philip takes

00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:53.519
 the gospel

00:26:53.519 --> 00:26:54.480
 to the Samaritans,

00:26:55.120 --> 00:26:55.819
 even just down

00:26:55.819 --> 00:26:56.580
 in verses five

00:26:56.580 --> 00:26:57.120
 through eight.

00:26:57.940 --> 00:26:58.319
 So,

00:26:59.180 --> 00:26:59.940
 most of you

00:26:59.940 --> 00:27:00.779
 Bible people

00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.039
 out here,

00:27:01.100 --> 00:27:02.100
 you know the Samaritans

00:27:02.100 --> 00:27:02.360
 are,

00:27:02.440 --> 00:27:02.960
 so I won't give you

00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:03.360
 a long,

00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:04.819
 boring history lesson

00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:05.539
 on how they became

00:27:05.539 --> 00:27:06.220
 Samaritans,

00:27:06.220 --> 00:27:07.720
 but just so you know,

00:27:07.799 --> 00:27:08.240
 they were like

00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:09.299
 half-breed Jews

00:27:09.299 --> 00:27:10.579
 because hundreds

00:27:10.579 --> 00:27:11.360
 of years before

00:27:11.360 --> 00:27:12.079
 when the Assyrians

00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:14.160
 conquered this area,

00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:16.600
 they put Gentiles

00:27:16.600 --> 00:27:17.420
 there who began

00:27:17.420 --> 00:27:18.220
 to intermarry

00:27:18.220 --> 00:27:20.279
 and mix with

00:27:20.279 --> 00:27:20.880
 the remaining

00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:22.000
 Jewish population

00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:22.559
 that was there.

00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:23.500
 And so,

00:27:23.860 --> 00:27:24.880
 Jews looked at them

00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:26.480
 as half-breeds,

00:27:26.579 --> 00:27:27.140
 unclean,

00:27:27.220 --> 00:27:27.640
 we don't want to

00:27:27.640 --> 00:27:28.480
 associate with them,

00:27:28.980 --> 00:27:30.000
 we don't like them,

00:27:30.660 --> 00:27:31.200
 and so,

00:27:31.779 --> 00:27:32.400
 they had their own

00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:33.059
 little form,

00:27:33.059 --> 00:27:33.519
 I guess,

00:27:33.620 --> 00:27:34.880
 of like Judaism,

00:27:35.079 --> 00:27:35.519
 they had their own

00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:35.880
 temple,

00:27:36.220 --> 00:27:37.400
 that they worshipped

00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:37.660
 that,

00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:38.240
 but it wasn't

00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:39.180
 really the truth,

00:27:39.259 --> 00:27:39.720
 it was sort of

00:27:39.720 --> 00:27:41.360
 a mix of a lot

00:27:41.360 --> 00:27:42.039
 of different things,

00:27:42.100 --> 00:27:42.680
 it really wasn't

00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:43.220
 the worship

00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:44.299
 of the real God.

00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:45.740
 And so,

00:27:46.059 --> 00:27:47.019
 Jews who hated

00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:47.460
 them,

00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:48.420
 right,

00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:49.279
 Philip goes

00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:50.660
 and he brings

00:27:50.660 --> 00:27:51.579
 the gospel to them,

00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:52.839
 the Samaritans,

00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:53.819
 the outcasts

00:27:53.819 --> 00:27:55.380
 of their society,

00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:55.759
 really,

00:27:56.660 --> 00:27:57.299
 and he followed

00:27:57.299 --> 00:27:57.779
 the footsteps

00:27:57.779 --> 00:27:58.339
 of Jesus,

00:27:58.440 --> 00:27:58.600
 really,

00:27:58.680 --> 00:27:59.079
 because Jesus

00:27:59.079 --> 00:27:59.940
 was also the one

00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:00.779
 who brought the gospel

00:28:00.779 --> 00:28:02.039
 to these people

00:28:02.039 --> 00:28:02.700
 in himself.

00:28:02.700 --> 00:28:04.440
 and what happens,

00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:04.920
 you see there,

00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:06.019
 there was much joy

00:28:06.019 --> 00:28:06.819
 in that city

00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:07.380
 because of what

00:28:07.380 --> 00:28:07.759
 happened.

00:28:08.580 --> 00:28:08.980
 So,

00:28:09.160 --> 00:28:10.140
 that shows us

00:28:10.140 --> 00:28:10.480
 that no matter

00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:11.200
 who you are,

00:28:11.840 --> 00:28:12.400
 if you feel

00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:13.319
 ostracized,

00:28:13.380 --> 00:28:13.700
 if you feel

00:28:13.700 --> 00:28:14.299
 outcast,

00:28:14.380 --> 00:28:16.039
 Christ is also

00:28:16.039 --> 00:28:16.779
 there for you,

00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:18.019
 to bring you

00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:18.700
 into the people

00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:19.160
 of God.

00:28:20.620 --> 00:28:21.140
 And so,

00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:21.960
 a brief note

00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:23.120
 inside of this,

00:28:23.779 --> 00:28:24.860
 because it's in our text,

00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:25.980
 but it's not the main

00:28:25.980 --> 00:28:26.420
 focus,

00:28:27.240 --> 00:28:28.759
 what's going on here

00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:29.519
 when it says,

00:28:30.100 --> 00:28:30.320
 you know,

00:28:30.340 --> 00:28:31.200
 they believe

00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:31.860
 and they are baptized,

00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:33.140
 but they didn't receive

00:28:33.140 --> 00:28:34.140
 the Holy Spirit yet,

00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.600
 because that seems

00:28:35.600 --> 00:28:36.380
 to be inconsistent

00:28:36.380 --> 00:28:37.279
 with what we believe

00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:38.140
 about baptism.

00:28:39.120 --> 00:28:39.840
 We believe here

00:28:39.840 --> 00:28:40.380
 that like when

00:28:40.380 --> 00:28:41.000
 the Holy Spirit

00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:43.180
 comes and regenerates

00:28:43.180 --> 00:28:43.400
 you,

00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.180
 causes you to be

00:28:44.180 --> 00:28:44.880
 born again,

00:28:45.560 --> 00:28:46.539
 when you hear the gospel

00:28:46.539 --> 00:28:47.240
 that he takes up

00:28:47.240 --> 00:28:48.120
 residence in you,

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:49.380
 so,

00:28:49.580 --> 00:28:50.180
 which Nathan

00:28:50.180 --> 00:28:51.360
 will be speaking

00:28:51.360 --> 00:28:52.460
 about pretty soon

00:28:52.460 --> 00:28:53.800
 in the next part

00:28:53.800 --> 00:28:54.320
 of our chapter.

00:28:55.160 --> 00:28:55.600
 So,

00:28:55.700 --> 00:28:56.400
 why did this happen?

00:28:57.340 --> 00:28:57.640
 Well,

00:28:58.560 --> 00:28:59.420
 this seems to be

00:28:59.420 --> 00:29:00.720
 a very unique case

00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:01.660
 in the early church

00:29:01.660 --> 00:29:02.960
 where God,

00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:03.840
 in his wisdom,

00:29:04.700 --> 00:29:05.700
 chose to withhold

00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:06.880
 the giving of the Spirit

00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:08.800
 until the apostles arrived,

00:29:09.380 --> 00:29:10.500
 so that there could be

00:29:10.500 --> 00:29:11.900
 unity between the Jewish

00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:12.880
 church in Jerusalem

00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:13.980
 and the Samaritans.

00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:15.220
 And,

00:29:15.340 --> 00:29:16.240
 why though?

00:29:16.320 --> 00:29:16.480
 Like,

00:29:16.519 --> 00:29:17.300
 why is that important?

00:29:18.220 --> 00:29:19.600
 If this hadn't happened,

00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:21.240
 the Samaritans

00:29:21.240 --> 00:29:22.060
 might have continued

00:29:22.060 --> 00:29:23.039
 to think that they

00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:23.700
 were operating

00:29:23.700 --> 00:29:25.259
 spiritually apart from

00:29:25.259 --> 00:29:26.740
 the Jews in Jerusalem.

00:29:27.879 --> 00:29:28.279
 Or,

00:29:28.420 --> 00:29:29.379
 the believers in Jerusalem

00:29:29.379 --> 00:29:30.220
 might have not really

00:29:30.220 --> 00:29:30.920
 accepted them

00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:31.839
 as brothers and sisters

00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:32.180
 either.

00:29:33.099 --> 00:29:33.539
 So,

00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:34.640
 the Spirit had fallen

00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:35.720
 immediately when they

00:29:35.720 --> 00:29:36.420
 received Christ.

00:29:36.539 --> 00:29:37.099
 There had been no

00:29:37.099 --> 00:29:38.259
 connection between the two.

00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:39.740
 And so,

00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:41.539
 by the coming of

00:29:41.539 --> 00:29:42.359
 Peter and John

00:29:42.359 --> 00:29:43.720
 and the giving

00:29:43.720 --> 00:29:44.359
 of the Spirit,

00:29:45.220 --> 00:29:46.259
 the Jewish believers

00:29:46.259 --> 00:29:46.859
 are linked

00:29:46.859 --> 00:29:48.500
 with the Samaritan

00:29:48.500 --> 00:29:48.940
 believers.

00:29:48.940 --> 00:29:49.059
 believers.

00:29:49.620 --> 00:29:49.759
 So,

00:29:49.799 --> 00:29:50.240
 now there's not

00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:51.180
 two separate churches

00:29:51.180 --> 00:29:52.019
 but one church,

00:29:52.100 --> 00:29:52.680
 one covenant

00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:54.559
 member family

00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:55.259
 all together,

00:29:55.799 --> 00:29:56.860
 Jew and Gentile.

00:29:57.340 --> 00:29:57.640
 So,

00:29:57.720 --> 00:29:58.400
 that division

00:29:58.400 --> 00:29:59.080
 and that hatred

00:29:59.080 --> 00:29:59.680
 was healed

00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:00.580
 because of the gospel.

00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:01.600
 But,

00:30:01.640 --> 00:30:02.700
 it also established

00:30:02.700 --> 00:30:04.059
 the apostolic authority

00:30:04.059 --> 00:30:04.960
 of Peter and John

00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:06.019
 as the apostles.

00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:07.120
 They came

00:30:07.120 --> 00:30:08.000
 and they did this.

00:30:08.100 --> 00:30:08.779
 Jesus gave them

00:30:08.779 --> 00:30:09.360
 that authority

00:30:09.360 --> 00:30:10.759
 to do that.

00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:11.820
 So,

00:30:11.880 --> 00:30:12.420
 this healed

00:30:12.420 --> 00:30:13.059
 that division

00:30:13.059 --> 00:30:13.680
 that was there

00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:14.120
 so there wasn't

00:30:14.120 --> 00:30:15.160
 two separate things

00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:16.480
 going on.

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:17.660
 So,

00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:18.819
 come talk to me

00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:19.559
 later more about that

00:30:19.559 --> 00:30:20.019
 if you want to know more

00:30:20.019 --> 00:30:20.720
 but we'll stop there

00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:21.579
 just to keep moving

00:30:21.579 --> 00:30:22.539
 forward.

00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:23.700
 So,

00:30:23.799 --> 00:30:24.519
 last thing,

00:30:25.240 --> 00:30:26.019
 number four,

00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:28.140
 the gospel

00:30:28.140 --> 00:30:29.700
 can be misunderstood

00:30:29.700 --> 00:30:32.200
 as it goes forward.

00:30:32.299 --> 00:30:32.420
 So,

00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:33.360
 this is verse 9

00:30:33.360 --> 00:30:33.880
 through 11,

00:30:34.420 --> 00:30:35.759
 18 through 24.

00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:37.240
 We get a picture

00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:37.779
 of this man

00:30:37.779 --> 00:30:38.539
 called Simon,

00:30:38.680 --> 00:30:39.180
 the magician

00:30:39.180 --> 00:30:40.660
 and he was called

00:30:40.660 --> 00:30:41.440
 the great one

00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:42.279
 and he was amazed

00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:42.880
 by the people

00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:43.500
 of Samaria.

00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:45.259
 He's just the word

00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:46.339
 sorcery here

00:30:46.339 --> 00:30:46.839
 which means

00:30:46.839 --> 00:30:47.639
 just magic

00:30:47.639 --> 00:30:49.480
 and it's just

00:30:49.480 --> 00:30:50.419
 sort of a religion

00:30:50.419 --> 00:30:51.019
 that came from

00:30:51.019 --> 00:30:51.799
 the Medo-Persian

00:30:51.799 --> 00:30:52.240
 empire,

00:30:52.959 --> 00:30:53.659
 sort of a combination

00:30:53.659 --> 00:30:54.619
 of astrology,

00:30:55.240 --> 00:30:55.699
 horoscope,

00:30:56.519 --> 00:30:57.379
 science mixed

00:30:57.379 --> 00:30:58.279
 with,

00:30:58.439 --> 00:30:59.240
 you know,

00:30:59.319 --> 00:31:00.819
 just superstition,

00:31:01.639 --> 00:31:02.139
 spells,

00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:02.619
 charms,

00:31:02.779 --> 00:31:03.480
 incantations.

00:31:03.679 --> 00:31:03.799
 Like,

00:31:03.859 --> 00:31:04.359
 if he had had

00:31:04.359 --> 00:31:05.539
 a 1-800 number

00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:06.039
 back then,

00:31:06.099 --> 00:31:06.419
 he would have

00:31:06.419 --> 00:31:07.199
 been the guy

00:31:07.199 --> 00:31:08.299
 to call.

00:31:09.220 --> 00:31:09.659
 So,

00:31:10.199 --> 00:31:11.220
 it seems like

00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:12.159
 he believed.

00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:13.339
 It says he believed.

00:31:14.159 --> 00:31:14.359
 Right?

00:31:15.139 --> 00:31:16.219
 Then later on,

00:31:16.359 --> 00:31:17.059
 Peter gives this

00:31:17.059 --> 00:31:17.939
 huge indictment

00:31:17.939 --> 00:31:18.500
 against him.

00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:20.059
 Peter responds

00:31:20.059 --> 00:31:20.759
 to him by saying,

00:31:20.879 --> 00:31:20.959
 like,

00:31:21.019 --> 00:31:21.759
 may your silver

00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:23.439
 perish with you.

00:31:24.279 --> 00:31:24.759
 It's almost

00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:25.859
 as if he's saying

00:31:25.859 --> 00:31:27.919
 to hell with you

00:31:27.919 --> 00:31:28.659
 and your silver

00:31:28.659 --> 00:31:30.859
 because you thought

00:31:30.859 --> 00:31:31.579
 you could obtain

00:31:31.579 --> 00:31:32.079
 the grace,

00:31:32.219 --> 00:31:32.919
 the gift of God

00:31:32.919 --> 00:31:33.459
 with money.

00:31:34.399 --> 00:31:34.679
 So,

00:31:34.679 --> 00:31:35.579
 Simon mistook

00:31:35.579 --> 00:31:36.119
 Jesus

00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:38.019
 as a bill of goods,

00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:39.079
 a cheap commodity

00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:39.959
 that he could add

00:31:39.959 --> 00:31:40.759
 the tricks

00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:42.259
 to his repertoire

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:43.119
 that he had

00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:44.019
 already.

00:31:44.759 --> 00:31:45.779
 You can't buy

00:31:45.779 --> 00:31:46.740
 the grace of God.

00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:48.839
 You have to come

00:31:48.839 --> 00:31:50.160
 and lay down

00:31:50.160 --> 00:31:50.879
 all your pride

00:31:50.879 --> 00:31:51.440
 and all the stuff

00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:51.819
 that you think

00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:52.440
 you can do

00:31:52.440 --> 00:31:53.259
 to impress God.

00:31:53.319 --> 00:31:54.240
 You have to lay it down

00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:55.940
 and come to God

00:31:55.940 --> 00:31:56.720
 in God's way,

00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.279
 which is only

00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:57.960
 through Christ,

00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:59.299
 by grace,

00:32:00.019 --> 00:32:00.720
 through faith.

00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:01.940
 So,

00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:02.559
 he was only

00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:03.099
 obsessed

00:32:03.099 --> 00:32:03.980
 with the supernatural.

00:32:04.180 --> 00:32:04.500
 He thought this

00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:05.160
 would be a cool way

00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:06.480
 for him to add

00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:07.019
 some tricks

00:32:07.019 --> 00:32:08.240
 to the show

00:32:08.240 --> 00:32:08.960
 he put on.

00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:11.200
 Peter says,

00:32:11.279 --> 00:32:11.799
 you have no,

00:32:11.900 --> 00:32:12.620
 you neither part

00:32:12.620 --> 00:32:13.299
 nor lot

00:32:13.299 --> 00:32:14.120
 in this matter

00:32:14.120 --> 00:32:15.319
 for your heart

00:32:15.319 --> 00:32:16.079
 is not right

00:32:16.079 --> 00:32:17.519
 before God.

00:32:18.200 --> 00:32:19.360
 You have no share

00:32:19.360 --> 00:32:19.900
 in this.

00:32:20.660 --> 00:32:21.200
 Your heart

00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:21.720
 is crooked.

00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:22.840
 So,

00:32:22.900 --> 00:32:23.440
 then he calls

00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:23.660
 him,

00:32:24.039 --> 00:32:24.380
 repent,

00:32:25.160 --> 00:32:25.460
 right?

00:32:25.600 --> 00:32:26.460
 Repent of this

00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:27.000
 wickedness.

00:32:27.740 --> 00:32:28.140
 Maybe,

00:32:28.579 --> 00:32:29.120
 perhaps,

00:32:29.880 --> 00:32:30.640
 God may forgive

00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:30.960
 you.

00:32:32.340 --> 00:32:32.799
 And so,

00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:33.420
 repent,

00:32:33.579 --> 00:32:34.799
 we are familiar

00:32:34.799 --> 00:32:35.519
 with this term,

00:32:36.579 --> 00:32:37.799
 to turn away

00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:38.419
 from your sin,

00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:38.839
 to change

00:32:38.839 --> 00:32:39.480
 the thinking

00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:40.740
 about why

00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:41.200
 you do what

00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:41.659
 you do.

00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:43.180
 It's not just

00:32:43.180 --> 00:32:43.980
 changing your

00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:44.399
 actions,

00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:45.240
 so follow me

00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:45.700
 on this.

00:32:46.339 --> 00:32:47.119
 It's not just

00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:48.440
 changing your

00:32:48.440 --> 00:32:48.759
 thinking,

00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:49.680
 it's just changing

00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:50.379
 your feelings

00:32:50.379 --> 00:32:51.079
 towards that

00:32:51.079 --> 00:32:51.960
 action as well.

00:32:52.919 --> 00:32:53.200
 So,

00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:53.680
 example,

00:32:54.759 --> 00:32:55.379
 it's not just

00:32:55.379 --> 00:32:55.700
 saying,

00:32:55.819 --> 00:32:56.579
 stop acting

00:32:56.579 --> 00:32:57.139
 prideful,

00:32:57.879 --> 00:32:58.440
 it's saying,

00:32:58.559 --> 00:32:59.359
 hate your pride,

00:33:00.259 --> 00:33:00.940
 because not only

00:33:00.940 --> 00:33:01.559
 does it destroy

00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:02.180
 you and hurt

00:33:02.180 --> 00:33:02.500
 others,

00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:03.180
 but it dishonors

00:33:03.180 --> 00:33:03.559
 God.

00:33:04.680 --> 00:33:04.839
 So,

00:33:04.879 --> 00:33:05.319
 it's not just,

00:33:05.419 --> 00:33:05.519
 okay,

00:33:05.559 --> 00:33:05.960
 I need to come

00:33:05.960 --> 00:33:06.599
 across like I'm

00:33:06.599 --> 00:33:07.240
 not prideful,

00:33:07.240 --> 00:33:07.680
 you need to

00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:08.640
 hate and despise

00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:09.220
 your pride,

00:33:09.700 --> 00:33:10.519
 because it

00:33:10.519 --> 00:33:11.160
 dishonors the

00:33:11.160 --> 00:33:11.660
 Lord and it

00:33:11.660 --> 00:33:12.059
 hurts other

00:33:12.059 --> 00:33:12.400
 people.

00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:13.380
 That's what

00:33:13.380 --> 00:33:13.720
 he's saying,

00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:14.059
 repent,

00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:14.720
 turn away

00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:15.059
 from your

00:33:15.059 --> 00:33:15.380
 sin,

00:33:16.279 --> 00:33:17.120
 you're rotten,

00:33:17.339 --> 00:33:17.839
 you're twisted,

00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:18.680
 you're enslaved,

00:33:18.759 --> 00:33:19.160
 that's what

00:33:19.160 --> 00:33:20.160
 Peter tells

00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:20.339
 him.

00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:21.799
 And so,

00:33:22.059 --> 00:33:22.720
 then he says,

00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:22.900
 well,

00:33:23.039 --> 00:33:23.460
 may none of

00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:24.079
 this happen

00:33:24.079 --> 00:33:24.400
 to me,

00:33:24.880 --> 00:33:25.200
 we don't

00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:25.579
 really know

00:33:25.579 --> 00:33:25.960
 what happened

00:33:25.960 --> 00:33:26.299
 to him,

00:33:26.460 --> 00:33:26.720
 but,

00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:28.500
 just an

00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:28.920
 example,

00:33:29.579 --> 00:33:30.039
 that there

00:33:30.039 --> 00:33:30.660
 is in the

00:33:30.660 --> 00:33:30.960
 scripture,

00:33:31.279 --> 00:33:31.900
 a believing

00:33:31.900 --> 00:33:32.440
 that is not

00:33:32.440 --> 00:33:33.059
 real believing,

00:33:33.720 --> 00:33:34.539
 a faith that

00:33:34.539 --> 00:33:35.220
 is not real

00:33:35.220 --> 00:33:35.660
 faith.

00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:38.299
 we see in

00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:38.940
 Luke 18,

00:33:39.079 --> 00:33:39.660
 or Luke 8,

00:33:40.259 --> 00:33:41.299
 that is sort

00:33:41.299 --> 00:33:41.819
 of a picture of

00:33:41.819 --> 00:33:42.519
 the parable of the

00:33:42.519 --> 00:33:43.120
 soils where the

00:33:43.120 --> 00:33:44.059
 gospel goes out,

00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:45.259
 and Jesus says,

00:33:45.819 --> 00:33:46.660
 the ones on the

00:33:46.660 --> 00:33:48.359
 rock are those

00:33:48.359 --> 00:33:48.759
 who when they

00:33:48.759 --> 00:33:49.559
 heard the word,

00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:51.140
 receive it with joy,

00:33:51.700 --> 00:33:52.839
 but then they have

00:33:52.839 --> 00:33:53.339
 no root,

00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:54.880
 they believe for a

00:33:54.880 --> 00:33:55.440
 little while,

00:33:55.880 --> 00:33:56.640
 and in time of

00:33:56.640 --> 00:33:57.079
 temptation,

00:33:57.259 --> 00:33:57.960
 they fall away.

00:33:58.620 --> 00:33:59.660
 So it seems like

00:33:59.660 --> 00:34:00.160
 something good is

00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:00.620
 going on,

00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:01.319
 but then when trials

00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:01.640
 come,

00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:02.440
 temptation come,

00:34:02.799 --> 00:34:03.759
 they fall away,

00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:04.599
 it's not real.

00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:06.140
 So is your

00:34:06.140 --> 00:34:07.000
 faith in Christ

00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:07.440
 real?

00:34:08.219 --> 00:34:08.940
 Are you sure

00:34:08.940 --> 00:34:09.179
 of it?

00:34:09.219 --> 00:34:09.860
 Are you trusting

00:34:09.860 --> 00:34:10.320
 Christ,

00:34:10.440 --> 00:34:11.179
 loving Christ?

00:34:12.260 --> 00:34:13.199
 So in conclusion,

00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:14.619
 here's just a few

00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:15.019
 things,

00:34:15.079 --> 00:34:15.880
 like there is a

00:34:15.880 --> 00:34:17.480
 very strong

00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:17.960
 warning,

00:34:18.780 --> 00:34:19.579
 scattered throughout

00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:20.480
 the Old Testament

00:34:20.480 --> 00:34:21.699
 and New Testament,

00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:23.300
 that there are a

00:34:23.300 --> 00:34:24.139
 lot of people who

00:34:24.139 --> 00:34:25.139
 think that they are

00:34:25.139 --> 00:34:26.059
 right with God,

00:34:26.739 --> 00:34:27.440
 and they're not.

00:34:28.440 --> 00:34:29.219
 There are people who

00:34:29.219 --> 00:34:29.940
 genuinely think they

00:34:29.940 --> 00:34:30.579
 have Christ,

00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:31.300
 and they don't.

00:34:31.420 --> 00:34:32.239
 Jesus said that on

00:34:32.239 --> 00:34:32.980
 the judgment day,

00:34:32.980 --> 00:34:34.400
 many people are

00:34:34.400 --> 00:34:34.880
 going to come to

00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:35.420
 him and say,

00:34:35.960 --> 00:34:36.599
 Lord, Lord,

00:34:36.659 --> 00:34:37.539
 we did this in

00:34:37.539 --> 00:34:37.860
 your name,

00:34:37.900 --> 00:34:38.659
 we did this for

00:34:38.659 --> 00:34:38.940
 you,

00:34:39.320 --> 00:34:40.139
 and he will say,

00:34:40.219 --> 00:34:41.139
 I will declare to

00:34:41.139 --> 00:34:41.340
 them,

00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:42.340
 depart from me,

00:34:42.980 --> 00:34:43.659
 you worker of

00:34:43.659 --> 00:34:44.119
 lawlessness,

00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:45.519
 I never knew you.

00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:47.740
 Very scary words.

00:34:48.840 --> 00:34:49.740
 So how can you be

00:34:49.740 --> 00:34:50.099
 sure,

00:34:50.240 --> 00:34:51.300
 you can be sure,

00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:53.360
 that your faith is

00:34:53.360 --> 00:34:54.340
 real in Christ.

00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:56.340
 Luke's warning here

00:34:56.340 --> 00:34:57.099
 is that there is a

00:34:57.099 --> 00:34:57.920
 faith that is not

00:34:57.920 --> 00:34:58.340
 saved.

00:34:58.440 --> 00:34:59.219
 Make sure you don't

00:34:59.219 --> 00:34:59.960
 have that faith,

00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:00.400
 that you have the

00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:01.039
 real faith.

00:35:01.740 --> 00:35:02.639
 Come to Jesus on

00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:03.259
 his terms,

00:35:03.359 --> 00:35:04.239
 not your terms,

00:35:05.339 --> 00:35:06.119
 for your heart is

00:35:06.119 --> 00:35:06.779
 not right before

00:35:06.779 --> 00:35:07.139
 God.

00:35:08.719 --> 00:35:09.039
 Right?

00:35:09.960 --> 00:35:10.659
 Make sure your

00:35:10.659 --> 00:35:11.400
 faith is real,

00:35:11.500 --> 00:35:12.219
 and stop playing

00:35:12.219 --> 00:35:13.099
 games with God.

00:35:13.859 --> 00:35:14.539
 Repent of your

00:35:14.539 --> 00:35:14.859
 sin,

00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:15.699
 change the way you

00:35:15.699 --> 00:35:16.460
 think about these

00:35:16.460 --> 00:35:16.819
 things,

00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:18.659
 and submit to God.

00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:20.579
 You can't buy this

00:35:20.579 --> 00:35:21.159
 with money,

00:35:21.259 --> 00:35:22.119
 you can't buy this

00:35:22.119 --> 00:35:23.039
 by good works.

00:35:24.059 --> 00:35:25.420
 It's the free

00:35:25.420 --> 00:35:26.519
 grace of God.

00:35:27.379 --> 00:35:28.400
 This is a free

00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:29.339
 offer of salvation

00:35:29.339 --> 00:35:29.859
 in Christ,

00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:30.420
 and the last thing

00:35:30.420 --> 00:35:31.079
 we're going to look at,

00:35:31.079 --> 00:35:32.619
 just turn to Isaiah

00:35:32.619 --> 00:35:33.860
 55 real quick.

00:35:35.219 --> 00:35:36.420
 If Simon had read

00:35:36.420 --> 00:35:37.119
 this, it might

00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:37.739
 have helped him,

00:35:38.299 --> 00:35:39.940
 but Isaiah 55,

00:35:40.840 --> 00:35:41.799
 the very opposite

00:35:41.799 --> 00:35:43.539
 of buying the

00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:44.319
 grace of God,

00:35:45.759 --> 00:35:46.599
 there's a picture

00:35:46.599 --> 00:35:46.980
 here.

00:35:47.779 --> 00:35:50.639
 A call to repent

00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:51.480
 of our sins,

00:35:52.119 --> 00:35:52.739
 renounce it,

00:35:52.819 --> 00:35:53.619
 and turn to God,

00:35:53.719 --> 00:35:54.579
 and to lay down

00:35:54.579 --> 00:35:55.119
 your sin,

00:35:55.199 --> 00:35:55.840
 and lay hold

00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:57.120
 of Christ.

00:35:58.160 --> 00:35:59.300
 Isaiah 55,

00:35:59.400 --> 00:36:00.039
 verse 1,

00:36:00.880 --> 00:36:01.680
 this is an invitation

00:36:01.680 --> 00:36:02.280
 from God.

00:36:02.420 --> 00:36:02.780
 Come,

00:36:03.460 --> 00:36:04.620
 everyone who thirsts,

00:36:04.660 --> 00:36:05.559
 come to the waters,

00:36:05.700 --> 00:36:06.680
 and he who has no

00:36:06.680 --> 00:36:07.019
 money,

00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:07.880
 come,

00:36:08.100 --> 00:36:08.620
 buy,

00:36:09.120 --> 00:36:09.400
 eat.

00:36:10.200 --> 00:36:10.620
 Come,

00:36:10.740 --> 00:36:11.700
 buy wine and milk

00:36:11.700 --> 00:36:12.539
 without money

00:36:12.539 --> 00:36:13.620
 and without price.

00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:15.660
 Why do you spend

00:36:15.660 --> 00:36:16.600
 your money for that

00:36:16.600 --> 00:36:17.519
 which is not bread,

00:36:18.180 --> 00:36:19.400
 and your labor for that

00:36:19.400 --> 00:36:20.680
 which does not satisfy?

00:36:21.740 --> 00:36:22.680
 Listen diligently

00:36:22.679 --> 00:36:24.139
 to me,

00:36:24.219 --> 00:36:25.219
 and eat what is good.

00:36:26.039 --> 00:36:26.879
 Delight yourselves

00:36:26.879 --> 00:36:27.779
 in rich food.

00:36:28.539 --> 00:36:29.579
 Incline your ear,

00:36:31.099 --> 00:36:31.799
 come to me.

00:36:32.460 --> 00:36:32.899
 Hear,

00:36:33.480 --> 00:36:34.059
 that your soul

00:36:34.059 --> 00:36:34.659
 may live.

00:36:34.779 --> 00:36:35.779
 Jump down to verse 6.

00:36:36.500 --> 00:36:37.279
 Seek the Lord

00:36:37.279 --> 00:36:38.659
 while he may be found.

00:36:39.399 --> 00:36:40.279
 Call upon him

00:36:40.279 --> 00:36:41.019
 while he is near.

00:36:41.219 --> 00:36:41.799
 Let the wicked

00:36:41.799 --> 00:36:42.919
 forsake his way,

00:36:43.379 --> 00:36:44.199
 and the unrighteous

00:36:44.199 --> 00:36:45.119
 man his thoughts.

00:36:45.799 --> 00:36:46.579
 Let him return

00:36:46.579 --> 00:36:47.319
 to the Lord.

00:36:47.719 --> 00:36:48.319
 Listen to this.

00:36:48.319 --> 00:36:49.759
 So that he may

00:36:49.759 --> 00:36:50.879
 have compassion on him,

00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:52.460
 and to our God,

00:36:52.460 --> 00:36:53.539
 for he will abundantly

00:36:53.539 --> 00:36:53.940
 part.

00:36:54.039 --> 00:36:55.000
 God is ready.

00:36:55.480 --> 00:36:55.760
 Come,

00:36:56.340 --> 00:36:56.659
 eat,

00:36:56.860 --> 00:36:57.639
 buy for free

00:36:57.639 --> 00:36:58.920
 from God.

00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:00.699
 Come to Christ.

00:37:00.800 --> 00:37:01.519
 You're not coming to me.

00:37:01.599 --> 00:37:02.880
 I have no supernatural power.

00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.539
 You're coming to Christ.

00:37:05.400 --> 00:37:06.760
 I'm only a messenger

00:37:06.760 --> 00:37:07.519
 to tell you

00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:08.320
 that God loves you,

00:37:08.440 --> 00:37:09.360
 Christ died for you,

00:37:09.940 --> 00:37:10.760
 and that he will forgive you

00:37:10.760 --> 00:37:11.599
 and receive you now.

00:37:12.579 --> 00:37:12.960
 And so,

00:37:13.619 --> 00:37:14.980
 the last comfort

00:37:14.980 --> 00:37:16.619
 that we can look at

00:37:16.619 --> 00:37:17.059
 from this

00:37:17.059 --> 00:37:17.740
 for those of us

00:37:17.740 --> 00:37:18.500
 who are in Christ

00:37:18.500 --> 00:37:19.000
 is that

00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:20.179
 our mission

00:37:20.179 --> 00:37:21.240
 to the world

00:37:21.239 --> 00:37:22.539
 is literally

00:37:22.539 --> 00:37:23.139
 unstoppable

00:37:23.139 --> 00:37:23.759
 because it is

00:37:23.759 --> 00:37:24.739
 God's purpose

00:37:24.739 --> 00:37:26.159
 to take the gospel

00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:27.219
 to all the nations.

00:37:28.239 --> 00:37:29.079
 And just a story

00:37:29.079 --> 00:37:29.659
 that I can't,

00:37:30.439 --> 00:37:31.179
 I really think

00:37:31.179 --> 00:37:31.579
 I'm just supposed

00:37:31.579 --> 00:37:32.279
 to put it in here.

00:37:32.339 --> 00:37:32.779
 I was kind of

00:37:32.779 --> 00:37:33.979
 holding it in my hand

00:37:33.979 --> 00:37:34.699
 lightly earlier.

00:37:35.659 --> 00:37:36.599
 But also,

00:37:36.699 --> 00:37:38.000
 during the communist regime,

00:37:38.139 --> 00:37:38.759
 there was a man

00:37:38.759 --> 00:37:40.339
 named Joseph Son,

00:37:40.459 --> 00:37:42.139
 another Romanian pastor.

00:37:42.879 --> 00:37:44.199
 I recommend this book.

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:45.479
 It's called

00:37:45.479 --> 00:37:46.039
 Suffering,

00:37:46.199 --> 00:37:46.699
 Martyrdom,

00:37:46.699 --> 00:37:47.699
 and the rewards

00:37:47.699 --> 00:37:48.199
 in heaven.

00:37:49.399 --> 00:37:49.779
 But,

00:37:50.839 --> 00:37:52.259
 he was being interrogated.

00:37:52.359 --> 00:37:52.919
 He was in prison

00:37:52.919 --> 00:37:53.899
 for a long time.

00:37:54.559 --> 00:37:55.119
 And he was doing

00:37:55.119 --> 00:37:55.919
 the same thing,

00:37:56.019 --> 00:37:56.379
 loving,

00:37:56.619 --> 00:37:57.279
 speaking Christ

00:37:57.279 --> 00:37:58.299
 to the interrogators.

00:37:58.960 --> 00:37:59.859
 And this is something

00:37:59.859 --> 00:38:00.539
 he wrote in the book.

00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:01.899
 He said,

00:38:01.960 --> 00:38:03.619
 during an early interrogation,

00:38:04.579 --> 00:38:05.719
 I had told an officer

00:38:05.719 --> 00:38:06.839
 who was threatening

00:38:06.839 --> 00:38:07.659
 to kill me,

00:38:08.779 --> 00:38:09.139
 Sir,

00:38:09.699 --> 00:38:10.599
 let me explain

00:38:10.599 --> 00:38:11.719
 how I see this issue.

00:38:12.480 --> 00:38:13.579
 Your supreme weapon

00:38:13.579 --> 00:38:14.179
 is killing.

00:38:15.019 --> 00:38:15.899
 My supreme weapon

00:38:15.900 --> 00:38:16.480
 is dying.

00:38:17.440 --> 00:38:18.420
 Here's how it works.

00:38:19.260 --> 00:38:20.440
 You know that my sermons

00:38:20.440 --> 00:38:21.059
 are on tape

00:38:21.059 --> 00:38:21.639
 and they have spread

00:38:21.639 --> 00:38:22.460
 all over the country.

00:38:22.880 --> 00:38:23.760
 And if you kill me,

00:38:23.800 --> 00:38:24.400
 those sermons

00:38:24.400 --> 00:38:25.160
 will be sprinkled

00:38:25.160 --> 00:38:25.840
 with my blood.

00:38:26.780 --> 00:38:27.840
 Everyone will know

00:38:27.840 --> 00:38:29.180
 I died for my preaching.

00:38:29.660 --> 00:38:30.420
 And everyone who has

00:38:30.420 --> 00:38:31.480
 a copy of that tape

00:38:31.480 --> 00:38:32.180
 will pick it up

00:38:32.180 --> 00:38:32.599
 and say,

00:38:32.700 --> 00:38:34.220
 I better listen to this again

00:38:34.220 --> 00:38:35.860
 because this man

00:38:35.860 --> 00:38:37.480
 sealed it with his very life.

00:38:38.300 --> 00:38:38.960
 So, Sir,

00:38:39.059 --> 00:38:39.700
 my sermons

00:38:39.700 --> 00:38:40.780
 will speak ten times

00:38:40.780 --> 00:38:42.280
 louder than before.

00:38:42.980 --> 00:38:44.460
 I will actually rejoice

00:38:44.460 --> 00:38:45.720
 in this supreme victory

00:38:45.719 --> 00:38:46.619
 if you kill me.

00:38:47.859 --> 00:38:49.019
 After I said this,

00:38:49.079 --> 00:38:49.759
 the interrogator

00:38:49.759 --> 00:38:50.439
 sent me home.

00:38:51.500 --> 00:38:52.379
 Another officer

00:38:52.379 --> 00:38:53.980
 who was interrogating

00:38:53.980 --> 00:38:55.199
 a pastor friend of mine

00:38:55.199 --> 00:38:56.039
 told him,

00:38:56.779 --> 00:38:58.079
 We know that Mr. Song

00:38:58.079 --> 00:38:59.319
 would love to be a martyr,

00:39:00.079 --> 00:39:01.439
 but we are not that foolish

00:39:01.439 --> 00:39:02.799
 as to fulfill his wish.

00:39:03.599 --> 00:39:05.039
 I stopped to consider

00:39:05.039 --> 00:39:05.699
 the meaning

00:39:05.699 --> 00:39:06.839
 of that statement.

00:39:07.539 --> 00:39:08.259
 I remembered how

00:39:08.259 --> 00:39:09.299
 for many years

00:39:09.299 --> 00:39:11.159
 I was afraid of dying.

00:39:11.159 --> 00:39:13.619
 I had kept a low profile

00:39:13.619 --> 00:39:15.659
 because I wanted

00:39:15.659 --> 00:39:17.079
 so badly to live

00:39:17.079 --> 00:39:18.960
 and I had wasted

00:39:18.960 --> 00:39:19.639
 my life

00:39:19.639 --> 00:39:20.420
 and inactivity.

00:39:21.460 --> 00:39:22.299
 But now

00:39:22.299 --> 00:39:23.460
 that I have placed

00:39:23.460 --> 00:39:24.639
 my life on the altar

00:39:24.639 --> 00:39:25.899
 and decided

00:39:25.899 --> 00:39:26.480
 I was ready

00:39:26.480 --> 00:39:27.099
 to die

00:39:27.099 --> 00:39:27.859
 for the gospel,

00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:29.379
 they were telling me

00:39:29.379 --> 00:39:29.679
 that I,

00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:31.339
 they would not kill me.

00:39:31.819 --> 00:39:32.699
 I could go wherever

00:39:32.699 --> 00:39:33.480
 I wanted in the country

00:39:33.480 --> 00:39:33.879
 and preach

00:39:33.879 --> 00:39:34.619
 wherever I wanted

00:39:34.619 --> 00:39:35.699
 knowing I was safe.

00:39:36.259 --> 00:39:37.420
 As long as I tried

00:39:37.420 --> 00:39:38.460
 to save my life,

00:39:38.460 --> 00:39:39.639
 I was losing it.

00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:41.519
 And now

00:39:41.519 --> 00:39:44.079
 I see dying

00:39:44.079 --> 00:39:44.800
 as gain.

00:39:45.619 --> 00:39:46.639
 You can't stop

00:39:46.639 --> 00:39:47.079
 a people

00:39:47.079 --> 00:39:48.000
 who believe that.

00:39:49.199 --> 00:39:50.360
 You let me live,

00:39:50.880 --> 00:39:51.780
 I'm going to preach

00:39:51.780 --> 00:39:52.500
 Christ everywhere.

00:39:53.500 --> 00:39:54.059
 Kill me?

00:39:54.720 --> 00:39:55.340
 That's what he says.

00:39:56.179 --> 00:39:56.740
 And the guy

00:39:56.740 --> 00:39:57.559
 obviously walked away

00:39:57.559 --> 00:39:58.159
 and set him free.

00:39:58.519 --> 00:39:58.720
 So,

00:39:59.340 --> 00:40:00.820
 this is God's mission

00:40:00.820 --> 00:40:02.500
 and that it's unstoppable

00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:03.539
 and we need to

00:40:03.539 --> 00:40:04.679
 throw ourselves into it.

00:40:05.380 --> 00:40:05.900
 We need to have

00:40:05.900 --> 00:40:07.079
 more confidence in this.

00:40:07.079 --> 00:40:08.619
 this is what

00:40:08.619 --> 00:40:09.739
 gives me courage

00:40:09.739 --> 00:40:10.960
 to go on the campus

00:40:10.960 --> 00:40:12.480
 to hard places

00:40:12.480 --> 00:40:13.259
 and talk to people

00:40:13.259 --> 00:40:14.559
 who are either hostile

00:40:14.559 --> 00:40:15.319
 or crazy

00:40:15.319 --> 00:40:16.699
 because it's God's mission.

00:40:16.779 --> 00:40:17.539
 What are they going to do?

00:40:17.759 --> 00:40:18.139
 Nothing.

00:40:18.340 --> 00:40:18.920
 They have nothing.

00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:20.639
 They speak wind, right?

00:40:21.319 --> 00:40:22.759
 This is the word of God.

00:40:23.960 --> 00:40:24.619
 Throw yourself

00:40:24.619 --> 00:40:25.679
 into the cause of God.

00:40:27.119 --> 00:40:28.019
 Let's pray together.

00:40:28.019 --> 00:40:28.079
 Let's pray together.