WEBVTT

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 Hi, everyone. So we're reading from Acts chapter 8 verses 1 to 25. I'll just give you a quick

00:00:08.179 --> 00:00:14.380
 overview of chapter 7 because it gets straight into 8. So Stephen was taken in front of the

00:00:14.380 --> 00:00:20.980
 Sanhedrin. He told them some hard truths and they didn't like it, so they stoned him and

00:00:20.980 --> 00:00:30.940
 killed him. And there was a young man named Saul. Chapter 8. And Saul approved of his execution.

00:00:32.259 --> 00:00:38.120
 And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem. And they were

00:00:38.120 --> 00:00:44.900
 all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried

00:00:44.899 --> 00:00:51.299
 Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church and entering house

00:00:51.299 --> 00:00:58.700
 after house. He dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now those who were

00:00:58.700 --> 00:01:04.159
 scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed

00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:10.120
 to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip

00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:17.020
 when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits crying out with a loud voice

00:01:17.020 --> 00:01:23.439
 came out of many who had them. And many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much

00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:31.060
 joy in that city. But there was a man named Simon who had previously practiced magic in the city and

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 amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him

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 from the least to the greatest, saying, 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 as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus

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 Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed. And after being baptized,

00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:06.659
 he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.

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

00:02:13.460 --> 00:02:19.099
 they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy

00:02:19.099 --> 00:02:24.740
 Spirit. For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the

00:02:24.740 --> 00:02:32.659
 Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that

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 the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying,

00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:43.819
 give me this power also so that anyone whom I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.

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 But Peter said to him, may your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift

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 of God with money. You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

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 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord. If possible, the intent of your

00:03:03.740 --> 00:03:10.060
 heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.

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 And Simon answered, pray for me to the Lord, that nothing 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, they returned to Jerusalem,

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 preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

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 Well, good morning, everyone.

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 Will you pray with me as we come to God's word? Let's pray.

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 Father, I pray that you'd teach

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 each one of us

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 more what it means

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 to rejoice

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 in the fact that our names are written in heaven.

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 And in Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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 Well, what makes somebody great?

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 Would you agree with me that in our culture, we believe someone's great mainly based on their

00:04:09.500 --> 00:04:11.340
 achievements, their results?

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 So if doctor,

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 da-da-da-da,

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 their qualifications,

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 their titles,

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 project,

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 manager,

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 head of

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 whatever,

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 we look at their money.

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 They've got more and more stuff.

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 Look how great they are.

00:04:35.639 --> 00:04:36.479
 We look at,

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 like,

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 I'm obviously getting old,

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 but I'm only mid-30s,

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 I think,

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 but the influences culture,

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 the fame,

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 the popularity,

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 they're great

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 because they're getting a following.

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 They're getting results.

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 I think we can even do it

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 as a parent.

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 Look at my children.

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 We look at position and power.

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 Aren't I great

00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:09.000
 in this position,

00:05:09.159 --> 00:05:09.799
 in this church?

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 I've already hinted at the fact that we

00:05:16.180 --> 00:05:18.180
 we can do it even in the church.

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 It's achievements.

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 Like,

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 I was thrown last week

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 when I had to admit publicly

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 that it was pretty obvious

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 that I forgot to print the bulletins.

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 Now,

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 you guys went home

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 and you couldn't care less,

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 I'm guessing,

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 but I cared

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 because it was just this public failure.

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 Who cares?

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 I know who cares.

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 Obviously,

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 I still care because I'm talking about it,

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 but

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 do you say,

00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:44.939
 like,

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 why?

00:05:46.180 --> 00:05:46.879
 do I care?

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 Because

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 that failure,

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 that sense of failure.

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 We're going to see in our passage today

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 that it is possible

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 to put on

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 all the church lifestyle,

00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:02.259
 put on all the church lingo,

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 you say all the things,

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 and still be thoroughly committed

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 to building up your own name,

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 your own sense of greatness.

00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:14.680
 I think we see that

00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:16.220
 in the story of Simon.

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 The movement of the early church,

00:06:21.379 --> 00:06:21.480
 like,

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 this is a matter of months

00:06:22.840 --> 00:06:24.180
 after Jesus died

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 and was raised.

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 The movement,

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 they had great achievements

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 up until this point.

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 The apostles were saying,

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 Jesus is risen,

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 he's ascended,

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 he is the king

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 that we've been waiting for.

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 In the last days,

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 the proof of that

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 is the spirit has come

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 on all God's people.

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 We've seen the success

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 of all the internal threats

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 to the church progressing

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 have been overcome.

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 The hypocritical religion

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 was stamped out.

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 The disunity in the church

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 was wonderfully changed,

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 common concern for one another

00:07:01.540 --> 00:07:03.020
 across cultural differences.

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 All these internal threats,

00:07:05.259 --> 00:07:06.199
 it was just success,

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 achievement,

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 and all these external threats

00:07:08.819 --> 00:07:10.280
 of the religious leaders.

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 The church kept growing.

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 More numbers.

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 They couldn't stop

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 the converts pouring in,

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 even among the priests.

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 And then we get

00:07:19.720 --> 00:07:21.080
 this huge failure,

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 apparent failure.

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 Like, is Jesus really enthroned

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 if Stephen is crushed by rocks?

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 What becomes of the spirit's

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 teaching and signs

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 through the apostles

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 now that they are in Jerusalem

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 and all the church is scattered?

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 What becomes of that?

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 All this success through apostles

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 and now the church is scattered.

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 What happens?

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 The joy in the church

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 was replaced by fear

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 of being put in prison

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 and great lamentation

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 for Stephen's death.

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 What are you doing, Lord?

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 Well, he told us in

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 chapter 1, verse 8,

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 you will be my witnesses

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 in Jerusalem

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 and in all Judea

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 and Samaria

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 and to the end

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 of the earth.

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 This scattering

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 that felt like God's curse

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 was his means

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 of blessing more people.

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 All his people,

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 we're told,

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 except for the apostles,

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 go into Judea

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 and Samaria.

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 And verse 4,

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 now those who were scattered

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 went about

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 preaching the word.

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 Instead of being filled

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 with fear

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 and just going,

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 I'm going to keep my head down,

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 I'm going to just live

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 a safe life,

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 all these believers

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 just spoke

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 about Jesus.

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 Instead of just the apostles

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 having authority

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 to proclaim the good news,

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 all who were scattered

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 preached.

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 All the believers

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 were gossiping the gospel.

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 And you can imagine

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 happening.

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 We're not told this,

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 but you can imagine,

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 why on earth

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 are you here in Samaria

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 of all places?

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 Why are you in Judea?

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 What's happened?

00:09:16.699 --> 00:09:18.000
 What a wonderful opportunity

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 to explain

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 why they've been

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 running for their lives.

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 Because

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 the Messiah has come.

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 They're all just

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 gossiping the gospel.

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 The word preached here,

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 don't imagine

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 what I'm doing now.

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 That's not the word

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 in the Greek.

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 It's a different word.

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 It's just,

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 they're just telling,

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 they're telling the good news.

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 It's the word we get

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 evangelised from.

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 So,

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 we see that it's not

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 just the clergy,

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 it's not just the apostles

00:09:50.860 --> 00:09:52.639
 declaring this good news anymore.

00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:54.580
 It was Stephen

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 and now Philip

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 and it's all God's people

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 who are declaring

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 this good news,

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 who have the authority

00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:01.580
 to speak this good news.

00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:01.840
 So,

00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:02.600
 can I just

00:10:02.600 --> 00:10:04.080
 encourage at this point,

00:10:04.180 --> 00:10:05.320
 invite people to church

00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:06.520
 to hear teaching.

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 Go for it,

00:10:07.540 --> 00:10:08.580
 do it.

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 But,

00:10:10.260 --> 00:10:11.200
 trust

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 that God has you

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 in the relationships,

00:10:15.580 --> 00:10:16.360
 in the situations

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 he wants you.

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 You are best placed,

00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:19.980
 not me,

00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:21.460
 you are best placed

00:10:21.460 --> 00:10:23.400
 to share

00:10:23.400 --> 00:10:26.040
 why you've got peace

00:10:26.040 --> 00:10:26.740
 and joy

00:10:26.740 --> 00:10:27.660
 and hope in Jesus.

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 I think we've got to trust

00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:31.379
 that you've got the authority

00:10:31.379 --> 00:10:32.259
 of God to speak.

00:10:37.259 --> 00:10:38.559
 Louisa's probably going to kill me

00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:39.120
 after church,

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 but

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 I love

00:10:41.079 --> 00:10:42.600
 the example,

00:10:43.299 --> 00:10:43.980
 I've been humbled

00:10:43.980 --> 00:10:45.039
 by Louisa's example

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 this week.

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 Even

00:10:45.860 --> 00:10:48.139
 sick in hospital

00:10:48.139 --> 00:10:49.980
 and she,

00:10:50.620 --> 00:10:51.659
 I'll just be

00:10:51.659 --> 00:10:53.899
 feeling rotten

00:10:53.899 --> 00:10:55.059
 in hospital,

00:10:55.199 --> 00:10:55.639
 but she was

00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:57.139
 seeing these ladies

00:10:57.139 --> 00:10:57.899
 she got to meet

00:10:57.899 --> 00:10:58.939
 and wanting to minister

00:10:58.939 --> 00:10:59.340
 to them.

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 I love that.

00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:01.720
 Even

00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:02.899
 in

00:11:02.899 --> 00:11:04.179
 hardship,

00:11:04.699 --> 00:11:05.340
 looking out

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 for how to share

00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:07.699
 the peace

00:11:07.699 --> 00:11:08.120
 and hope

00:11:08.120 --> 00:11:08.819
 that you've got.

00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:14.500
 When the Christian

00:11:14.500 --> 00:11:15.100
 missionaries

00:11:15.100 --> 00:11:15.759
 were kicked out

00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:16.419
 of China

00:11:16.419 --> 00:11:17.639
 in the middle

00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:18.580
 of the 20th century,

00:11:18.740 --> 00:11:19.480
 it just seemed

00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:20.379
 like the biggest

00:11:20.379 --> 00:11:21.220
 devastation

00:11:21.220 --> 00:11:22.399
 to China.

00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:23.980
 All the missionaries

00:11:23.980 --> 00:11:25.019
 were pushed out,

00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:26.519
 severe persecution,

00:11:27.860 --> 00:11:28.120
 but

00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:29.639
 it wasn't

00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:30.000
 lost.

00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:31.360
 The missionaries

00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:32.240
 went to surrounding

00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:32.720
 regions

00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:33.919
 and the believers

00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.240
 fledgling church

00:11:35.240 --> 00:11:35.519
 there,

00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:36.480
 they flourished.

00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:37.179
 They've gone

00:11:37.179 --> 00:11:37.720
 from strength

00:11:37.720 --> 00:11:38.159
 to strength.

00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:41.319
 This Jesus

00:11:41.319 --> 00:11:42.299
 is unstoppable.

00:11:42.299 --> 00:11:45.519
 He can

00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:46.339
 even use

00:11:46.339 --> 00:11:46.939
 failures,

00:11:47.219 --> 00:11:47.799
 defeats,

00:11:48.079 --> 00:11:48.439
 loss

00:11:48.439 --> 00:11:50.679
 to spread

00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:51.399
 his life-giving

00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:51.759
 word.

00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:53.599
 And so

00:11:53.599 --> 00:11:54.299
 Luke's focus

00:11:54.299 --> 00:11:54.679
 here

00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:55.819
 is on the

00:11:55.819 --> 00:11:56.399
 word of the

00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:57.159
 Lord keeps

00:11:57.159 --> 00:11:57.679
 going.

00:11:58.859 --> 00:11:59.240
 And we're

00:11:59.240 --> 00:11:59.839
 focusing on

00:11:59.839 --> 00:12:00.199
 Philip.

00:12:01.259 --> 00:12:01.779
 He's later

00:12:01.779 --> 00:12:02.339
 called an

00:12:02.339 --> 00:12:03.059
 evangelist.

00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:04.259
 We saw him

00:12:04.259 --> 00:12:04.799
 as a deacon,

00:12:04.959 --> 00:12:05.599
 he's later

00:12:05.599 --> 00:12:06.639
 an evangelist.

00:12:07.939 --> 00:12:08.620
 And his

00:12:08.620 --> 00:12:09.379
 message can be

00:12:09.379 --> 00:12:09.879
 summed up in

00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:11.120
 one word,

00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:12.039
 verse 5.

00:12:13.019 --> 00:12:13.179
 The

00:12:13.179 --> 00:12:13.659
 Christ.

00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:16.319
 That's his

00:12:16.319 --> 00:12:16.740
 message.

00:12:17.579 --> 00:12:18.459
 His signs

00:12:18.459 --> 00:12:19.179
 remind us

00:12:19.179 --> 00:12:19.620
 of Jesus.

00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:21.679
 Spiritual

00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:22.240
 oppression,

00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:22.979
 overcoming

00:12:22.979 --> 00:12:23.459
 Satan,

00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:24.059
 unclean

00:12:24.059 --> 00:12:24.579
 spirits are

00:12:24.579 --> 00:12:25.059
 driven out.

00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:26.259
 And physical

00:12:26.259 --> 00:12:26.679
 oppression,

00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:27.240
 paralyzed,

00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:28.579
 the lame

00:12:28.579 --> 00:12:29.139
 are healed.

00:12:30.839 --> 00:12:31.479
 It just

00:12:31.479 --> 00:12:32.039
 reminds us of

00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:32.659
 Jesus again,

00:12:32.719 --> 00:12:33.019
 doesn't it?

00:12:33.059 --> 00:12:34.000
 We saw Jesus

00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:35.019
 in the person

00:12:35.019 --> 00:12:36.039
 of Stephen

00:12:36.039 --> 00:12:36.659
 and now we're

00:12:36.659 --> 00:12:37.539
 seeing him

00:12:37.539 --> 00:12:37.959
 in Philip.

00:12:39.179 --> 00:12:40.079
 Jesus is the

00:12:40.079 --> 00:12:40.599
 hero of this

00:12:40.599 --> 00:12:40.919
 story,

00:12:41.019 --> 00:12:41.639
 working through

00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:41.959
 Philip.

00:12:42.299 --> 00:12:46.179
 In Jerusalem,

00:12:47.019 --> 00:12:47.719
 there's moral

00:12:47.719 --> 00:12:48.439
 outrage,

00:12:49.379 --> 00:12:50.059
 but in this

00:12:50.059 --> 00:12:50.299
 city,

00:12:50.419 --> 00:12:50.939
 there's joy.

00:12:53.979 --> 00:12:54.979
 Even in

00:12:54.979 --> 00:12:55.919
 dark days,

00:12:56.059 --> 00:12:56.659
 Jesus is

00:12:56.659 --> 00:12:57.319
 unstoppable.

00:12:57.579 --> 00:12:58.240
 His word is

00:12:58.240 --> 00:12:58.979
 continuing to

00:12:58.979 --> 00:12:59.500
 spread through

00:12:59.500 --> 00:13:00.479
 all the earth.

00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:01.139
 He's gathering

00:13:01.139 --> 00:13:02.000
 in his lost

00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:02.279
 sheep.

00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:05.519
 All Jesus

00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:06.299
 began to do,

00:13:06.579 --> 00:13:07.139
 he's continuing

00:13:07.139 --> 00:13:07.580
 to do.

00:13:11.460 --> 00:13:12.139
 Now this

00:13:12.139 --> 00:13:12.819
 spread of the

00:13:12.819 --> 00:13:13.439
 gospel was

00:13:13.439 --> 00:13:14.080
 even more

00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:14.779
 amazing when

00:13:14.779 --> 00:13:15.319
 we remember

00:13:15.319 --> 00:13:16.000
 who the

00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:16.539
 Samaritans

00:13:16.539 --> 00:13:16.819
 are.

00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:19.059
 Now Luke

00:13:19.059 --> 00:13:19.559
 says in

00:13:19.559 --> 00:13:20.120
 verse 5,

00:13:21.199 --> 00:13:21.879
 Philip went

00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:22.419
 down to the

00:13:22.419 --> 00:13:22.980
 city of

00:13:22.980 --> 00:13:23.580
 Samaria.

00:13:24.580 --> 00:13:25.019
 Now Luke,

00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:25.840
 he's known

00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:26.659
 for his very

00:13:26.659 --> 00:13:28.460
 precise historical

00:13:28.460 --> 00:13:29.159
 accuracy.

00:13:29.860 --> 00:13:30.439
 He's known for

00:13:30.439 --> 00:13:30.539
 it.

00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:30.960
 So much

00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:31.160
 of,

00:13:32.280 --> 00:13:32.560
 anyway,

00:13:32.620 --> 00:13:32.800
 I won't

00:13:32.800 --> 00:13:33.040
 go into

00:13:33.040 --> 00:13:33.340
 that now,

00:13:33.420 --> 00:13:34.280
 but there

00:13:34.280 --> 00:13:35.300
 wasn't a

00:13:35.300 --> 00:13:35.900
 place called

00:13:35.900 --> 00:13:36.340
 Samaria.

00:13:36.840 --> 00:13:38.120
 It was called

00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:38.840
 Sebaste.

00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:39.560
 I'm not sure how

00:13:39.560 --> 00:13:40.200
 to pronounce that

00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:41.620
 in his day.

00:13:41.680 --> 00:13:43.379
 So he seems to

00:13:43.379 --> 00:13:44.019
 want us to

00:13:44.019 --> 00:13:44.600
 remember their

00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:45.240
 historical,

00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:46.400
 who they were

00:13:46.400 --> 00:13:47.040
 historically.

00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:48.360
 It's a little

00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:48.860
 indicator.

00:13:51.899 --> 00:13:52.279
 Now you've

00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:52.740
 probably heard,

00:13:53.079 --> 00:13:54.079
 if you've

00:13:54.079 --> 00:13:54.500
 heard a bunch

00:13:54.500 --> 00:13:54.879
 of sermons

00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:55.240
 before,

00:13:55.339 --> 00:13:55.819
 you've heard

00:13:55.819 --> 00:13:56.719
 the hatred

00:13:56.719 --> 00:13:57.620
 between Jewish

00:13:57.620 --> 00:13:58.539
 and Samaritans.

00:13:58.699 --> 00:13:59.199
 So I just

00:13:59.199 --> 00:14:00.139
 want to go

00:14:00.139 --> 00:14:00.679
 back into

00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:02.179
 why they

00:14:02.179 --> 00:14:02.860
 hated each other.

00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:04.319
 Jews would

00:14:04.319 --> 00:14:05.179
 go all the

00:14:05.179 --> 00:14:05.779
 way around

00:14:05.779 --> 00:14:06.299
 Samaria,

00:14:07.139 --> 00:14:08.019
 walking around,

00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:09.120
 just to avoid

00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:10.480
 going into

00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:10.919
 unclean

00:14:10.919 --> 00:14:11.299
 territory.

00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:12.099
 Think of the

00:14:12.099 --> 00:14:12.679
 parable of the

00:14:12.679 --> 00:14:13.360
 Good Samaritan,

00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:14.599
 which is so

00:14:14.599 --> 00:14:14.980
 famous.

00:14:15.159 --> 00:14:15.799
 Why does that

00:14:15.799 --> 00:14:16.519
 parable work?

00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:18.559
 Because true

00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:20.000
 love crosses

00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:21.079
 even the barrier

00:14:21.079 --> 00:14:21.919
 between Jews

00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:22.759
 and Samaritans.

00:14:24.319 --> 00:14:24.939
 Whoever you

00:14:24.939 --> 00:14:25.519
 dislike,

00:14:27.339 --> 00:14:28.319
 this is a

00:14:28.319 --> 00:14:30.339
 true love

00:14:30.339 --> 00:14:30.779
 in Jesus

00:14:30.779 --> 00:14:31.539
 crosses those

00:14:31.539 --> 00:14:31.939
 barriers.

00:14:33.299 --> 00:14:34.120
 We learn

00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:34.519
 of their

00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:35.360
 origins back

00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:35.980
 in 1 Kings

00:14:35.980 --> 00:14:36.500
 12.

00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:38.459
 David's son

00:14:38.459 --> 00:14:38.959
 Solomon,

00:14:39.579 --> 00:14:40.059
 in the later

00:14:40.059 --> 00:14:40.599
 part of his

00:14:40.599 --> 00:14:40.939
 reign,

00:14:41.319 --> 00:14:41.899
 he starts

00:14:41.899 --> 00:14:43.039
 taxing the

00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:44.000
 northern tribes

00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:44.500
 heavily.

00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:46.299
 And then

00:14:46.299 --> 00:14:47.199
 Solomon's

00:14:47.199 --> 00:14:47.399
 son,

00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:48.039
 Rehoboam,

00:14:48.359 --> 00:14:48.919
 instead of

00:14:48.919 --> 00:14:49.639
 correcting the

00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:50.120
 injustice,

00:14:50.859 --> 00:14:51.399
 he doubles

00:14:51.399 --> 00:14:51.959
 down and

00:14:51.959 --> 00:14:52.539
 he tries to

00:14:52.539 --> 00:14:53.179
 use fear

00:14:53.179 --> 00:14:53.839
 to keep

00:14:53.839 --> 00:14:54.620
 them submissive.

00:14:55.339 --> 00:14:55.919
 But it

00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:56.419
 doesn't work.

00:14:57.199 --> 00:14:57.759
 They rebel.

00:14:58.259 --> 00:14:58.659
 The northern

00:14:58.659 --> 00:14:59.259
 tribes rebel

00:14:59.259 --> 00:14:59.579
 and they

00:14:59.579 --> 00:15:00.120
 break off.

00:15:00.539 --> 00:15:00.839
 And even

00:15:00.839 --> 00:15:01.259
 though God

00:15:01.259 --> 00:15:01.899
 had promised

00:15:01.899 --> 00:15:02.539
 that a son

00:15:02.539 --> 00:15:03.099
 of David

00:15:03.099 --> 00:15:03.799
 would be the

00:15:03.799 --> 00:15:04.419
 forever king

00:15:04.419 --> 00:15:04.759
 and bring

00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:05.240
 blessing,

00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:07.240
 the northern

00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:08.959
 tribes reject

00:15:08.959 --> 00:15:09.759
 David's line.

00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:12.740
 they set up

00:15:12.740 --> 00:15:13.100
 their own

00:15:13.100 --> 00:15:13.460
 king,

00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:14.419
 Jeroboam.

00:15:16.259 --> 00:15:17.000
 And instead

00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:17.360
 of going

00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:17.740
 back to

00:15:17.740 --> 00:15:18.259
 the temple

00:15:18.259 --> 00:15:18.939
 where God

00:15:18.939 --> 00:15:19.299
 had said,

00:15:19.500 --> 00:15:20.000
 meet me

00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:20.399
 here,

00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:22.799
 they set

00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:23.259
 up two

00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:23.720
 golden

00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:24.340
 calves

00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:26.879
 while claiming

00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:27.419
 to keep

00:15:27.419 --> 00:15:27.899
 worshipping

00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:28.340
 Yahweh.

00:15:29.439 --> 00:15:29.759
 And then

00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:30.340
 they create

00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:31.019
 their false

00:15:31.019 --> 00:15:31.700
 temple on

00:15:31.700 --> 00:15:31.960
 Mount

00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:32.899
 Gerizim.

00:15:35.000 --> 00:15:35.319
 And so

00:15:35.319 --> 00:15:35.759
 the Lord

00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:36.580
 judges them

00:15:36.580 --> 00:15:38.179
 through the

00:15:38.179 --> 00:15:38.779
 Assyrian

00:15:38.779 --> 00:15:39.340
 empire.

00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:41.159
 taking some

00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:41.879
 into exile.

00:15:42.840 --> 00:15:43.939
 And the

00:15:43.939 --> 00:15:44.340
 Assyrians

00:15:44.340 --> 00:15:45.200
 also brought

00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:45.700
 people from

00:15:45.700 --> 00:15:46.259
 other nations

00:15:46.259 --> 00:15:46.679
 to come

00:15:46.679 --> 00:15:47.159
 live in

00:15:47.159 --> 00:15:47.860
 Samaria so

00:15:47.860 --> 00:15:48.179
 that they

00:15:48.179 --> 00:15:48.679
 would learn

00:15:48.679 --> 00:15:49.360
 their customs.

00:15:50.580 --> 00:15:50.980
 They're

00:15:50.980 --> 00:15:51.879
 mixed up in

00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:52.279
 the religion

00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:52.600
 of the

00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:52.899
 world.

00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:55.799
 So they

00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:56.799
 reject David's

00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:57.059
 king.

00:15:57.840 --> 00:15:58.500
 They build

00:15:58.500 --> 00:15:59.600
 false temple

00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:00.419
 with false

00:16:00.419 --> 00:16:01.399
 worship and

00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:01.679
 they're

00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:02.519
 intermingling

00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:03.200
 worship of

00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:03.860
 Yahweh with

00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:04.259
 just the

00:16:04.259 --> 00:16:04.860
 customs of

00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:05.220
 the world.

00:16:05.319 --> 00:16:05.759
 Really they're

00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:06.200
 worshipping

00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:07.419
 what the

00:16:07.419 --> 00:16:07.919
 world does.

00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:09.699
 they reject

00:16:09.699 --> 00:16:10.079
 God's

00:16:10.079 --> 00:16:10.459
 prophets.

00:16:10.939 --> 00:16:11.299
 They only

00:16:11.299 --> 00:16:11.879
 believe the

00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:12.500
 first five

00:16:12.500 --> 00:16:12.939
 books of

00:16:12.939 --> 00:16:13.219
 the Old

00:16:13.219 --> 00:16:14.259
 Testament that

00:16:14.259 --> 00:16:14.839
 Moses wrote

00:16:14.839 --> 00:16:15.099
 and they

00:16:15.099 --> 00:16:15.579
 reject the

00:16:15.579 --> 00:16:15.879
 rest.

00:16:20.459 --> 00:16:21.259
 Samaria was

00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:21.659
 the capital

00:16:21.659 --> 00:16:22.860
 city of

00:16:22.860 --> 00:16:23.360
 these northern

00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:23.819
 tribes.

00:16:24.539 --> 00:16:25.639
 How impossible

00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:27.479
 would it have

00:16:27.479 --> 00:16:28.120
 been for a

00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:28.860
 Samaritan to

00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:29.579
 walk into

00:16:29.579 --> 00:16:31.000
 Judea, into

00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:32.439
 Jerusalem, to

00:16:32.439 --> 00:16:33.480
 the temple and

00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:34.339
 believe that God

00:16:34.339 --> 00:16:35.360
 accepts them after

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:35.940
 all they've

00:16:35.940 --> 00:16:36.240
 done?

00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:37.840
 Rejected his

00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:38.700
 king, rejected

00:16:38.700 --> 00:16:39.539
 his word,

00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:41.700
 worshipping false

00:16:41.700 --> 00:16:42.159
 gods.

00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:44.480
 How could they

00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:46.720
 possibly worship

00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:47.779
 God shoulder to

00:16:47.779 --> 00:16:48.300
 shoulder with

00:16:48.300 --> 00:16:49.639
 Jews after all

00:16:49.639 --> 00:16:50.060
 they've done?

00:16:54.759 --> 00:16:55.800
 That's why it's so

00:16:55.800 --> 00:16:56.460
 amazing that

00:16:56.460 --> 00:16:58.220
 Philip, a Jew,

00:17:00.860 --> 00:17:03.220
 would come into

00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:06.500
 this place, this

00:17:06.500 --> 00:17:07.980
 unclean territory

00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:11.380
 and likely he

00:17:11.380 --> 00:17:12.160
 was touched, we're

00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:12.980
 not told this but

00:17:12.980 --> 00:17:15.620
 probably he was

00:17:15.620 --> 00:17:18.279
 touching those he

00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:18.799
 was healing.

00:17:21.299 --> 00:17:23.839
 How unlikely that

00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:24.759
 they would listen to

00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:25.559
 his message.

00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:27.319
 He's saying the

00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:27.980
 Christ.

00:17:27.980 --> 00:17:28.079
 Christ.

00:17:29.940 --> 00:17:31.319
 They had rejected

00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:32.099
 David's line.

00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:34.160
 How unlikely they

00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:34.880
 would believe his

00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:35.279
 message.

00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:36.720
 The son of David

00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:37.339
 has come.

00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:44.599
 But many believe.

00:17:45.980 --> 00:17:46.519
 Many are

00:17:46.519 --> 00:17:47.980
 baptised, bowing

00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:48.779
 the knee to

00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:49.400
 King Jesus.

00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:51.980
 That's what Jesus

00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:52.400
 does.

00:17:53.900 --> 00:17:54.539
 Humanly

00:17:54.539 --> 00:17:55.940
 impossible divides

00:17:55.940 --> 00:17:56.860
 he reconciles.

00:17:56.859 --> 00:17:58.379
 He reconciles the

00:17:58.379 --> 00:17:59.539
 northern tribes and

00:17:59.539 --> 00:17:59.939
 the southern.

00:18:05.379 --> 00:18:06.639
 I think that's

00:18:06.639 --> 00:18:08.019
 probably the likely

00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:09.179
 reason why the

00:18:09.179 --> 00:18:11.339
 Holy Spirit didn't

00:18:11.339 --> 00:18:12.379
 come on them right

00:18:12.379 --> 00:18:12.699
 away.

00:18:14.179 --> 00:18:16.139
 Luke, throughout

00:18:16.139 --> 00:18:17.879
 Acts, repentance,

00:18:18.299 --> 00:18:19.639
 faith and receiving

00:18:19.639 --> 00:18:20.759
 the Spirit go

00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:21.099
 together.

00:18:21.339 --> 00:18:22.199
 This is unusual.

00:18:22.819 --> 00:18:23.619
 And so Luke's saying

00:18:23.619 --> 00:18:24.299
 it's unusual.

00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:25.859
 It's not something we

00:18:25.859 --> 00:18:28.359
 should create a

00:18:28.359 --> 00:18:29.680
 church practice on

00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:32.139
 of needing a second

00:18:32.139 --> 00:18:32.980
 baptism or something

00:18:32.980 --> 00:18:33.460
 like that.

00:18:34.399 --> 00:18:35.559
 This is unusual.

00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:38.740
 And so I think the

00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:39.839
 most likely explanation

00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.359
 is God withheld his

00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:42.359
 Holy Spirit until the

00:18:42.359 --> 00:18:44.899
 apostles from the

00:18:44.899 --> 00:18:46.399
 south come and lay

00:18:46.399 --> 00:18:47.339
 their hands,

00:18:48.819 --> 00:18:49.659
 authorised, saying

00:18:49.659 --> 00:18:50.980
 there is true belief

00:18:50.980 --> 00:18:51.220
 here.

00:18:51.220 --> 00:18:53.660
 It's that picture of

00:18:53.660 --> 00:18:55.600
 reconciliation.

00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:02.960
 God himself testifying

00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:04.019
 by giving his Holy

00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:04.400
 Spirit.

00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:08.100
 This is what Ezekiel,

00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:09.740
 the prophet, said would

00:19:09.740 --> 00:19:10.579
 happen in the last

00:19:10.579 --> 00:19:11.059
 days.

00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:14.660
 Ezekiel 37, 21-27.

00:19:14.660 --> 00:19:17.980
 One king shall be king

00:19:17.980 --> 00:19:18.640
 over them all.

00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:20.820
 And they shall no

00:19:20.820 --> 00:19:21.759
 longer be two nations

00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:22.800
 and no longer divided

00:19:22.800 --> 00:19:24.060
 into two kingdoms.

00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:25.759
 They shall not defile

00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:26.900
 themselves anymore with

00:19:26.900 --> 00:19:27.759
 their idols and their

00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:29.340
 detestable things or with

00:19:29.340 --> 00:19:30.440
 any of their transgressions,

00:19:30.500 --> 00:19:31.960
 but I will save them from

00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:33.940
 all the backslidings in

00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:35.660
 which they have sinned and

00:19:35.660 --> 00:19:36.640
 will cleanse them.

00:19:37.140 --> 00:19:38.240
 And they shall be my

00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:39.560
 people and I will be their

00:19:39.560 --> 00:19:39.940
 God.

00:19:40.360 --> 00:19:42.200
 My servant David shall be

00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:43.880
 king over them and they

00:19:43.880 --> 00:19:45.260
 shall all have one

00:19:45.260 --> 00:19:46.340
 shepherd.

00:19:49.840 --> 00:19:51.360
 They had no way back to

00:19:51.360 --> 00:19:52.340
 the temple in Jerusalem

00:19:52.340 --> 00:19:54.520
 so the temple came to

00:19:54.520 --> 00:19:54.740
 them.

00:19:57.940 --> 00:19:59.140
 Jesus is the true

00:19:59.140 --> 00:19:59.700
 temple.

00:20:00.080 --> 00:20:01.160
 He washes them clean.

00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:04.840
 He's reuniting his

00:20:04.840 --> 00:20:05.240
 people.

00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:08.620
 One kingdom, one

00:20:08.620 --> 00:20:10.400
 sanctuary of the Spirit.

00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:14.140
 We're in the last days.

00:20:15.940 --> 00:20:17.240
 That's the effect Jesus

00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:17.560
 has.

00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:19.560
 That's the fruit of faith

00:20:19.560 --> 00:20:20.019
 in Jesus.

00:20:20.180 --> 00:20:20.960
 It's reconciliation.

00:20:23.300 --> 00:20:24.660
 How much our world needs

00:20:24.660 --> 00:20:24.820
 it.

00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:30.460
 And then we come to this

00:20:30.460 --> 00:20:31.180
 man, Simon.

00:20:34.420 --> 00:20:36.380
 Who is this Simon

00:20:36.380 --> 00:20:36.800
 character?

00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:38.600
 Why does Luke spend so

00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:39.240
 long on him?

00:20:39.539 --> 00:20:41.980
 He spends, we get to

00:20:41.980 --> 00:20:43.139
 know him well.

00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:44.799
 Why does Luke want us to

00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:45.339
 know Simon?

00:20:47.579 --> 00:20:48.579
 Well, we're told in

00:20:48.579 --> 00:20:50.000
 verses 9 to 13 he

00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:50.980
 practiced magic.

00:20:52.879 --> 00:20:54.459
 Now, hopefully it's

00:20:54.459 --> 00:20:54.980
 pretty obvious.

00:20:55.500 --> 00:20:56.819
 We shouldn't picture what

00:20:56.819 --> 00:20:58.000
 we think is magic of

00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:00.279
 illusions that we know

00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:02.299
 are illusions and magic

00:21:02.299 --> 00:21:02.659
 tricks.

00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:06.759
 This researcher, David

00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:09.019
 Horne, has researched

00:21:09.019 --> 00:21:10.519
 magic in Greco-Roman

00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:10.940
 society.

00:21:11.100 --> 00:21:12.240
 He says magic was about

00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:13.880
 managing supernatural

00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:15.259
 powers in such a way

00:21:15.259 --> 00:21:16.519
 that results are

00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:18.259
 virtually guaranteed.

00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:21.460
 So it's saying the

00:21:21.460 --> 00:21:22.060
 right things.

00:21:22.300 --> 00:21:23.279
 It's doing the right

00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:23.880
 processes.

00:21:24.340 --> 00:21:26.019
 It's paying the right

00:21:26.019 --> 00:21:26.340
 sum.

00:21:26.560 --> 00:21:28.460
 It was getting

00:21:28.460 --> 00:21:29.880
 guaranteed results.

00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:33.720
 David Horne also says

00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:34.680
 that people didn't use

00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:35.460
 magic all the time.

00:21:35.560 --> 00:21:36.320
 They used it when the

00:21:36.320 --> 00:21:37.780
 normal religious rituals

00:21:37.780 --> 00:21:38.980
 couldn't deal with a

00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:39.920
 person's situation.

00:21:40.340 --> 00:21:41.300
 If you need protection,

00:21:41.700 --> 00:21:42.880
 you need healing, you

00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:44.380
 need success for something

00:21:44.380 --> 00:21:45.380
 you want to do, you want

00:21:45.380 --> 00:21:46.660
 harm for your opponents,

00:21:47.600 --> 00:21:48.660
 if the normal institution

00:21:48.660 --> 00:21:51.100
 couldn't help, people

00:21:51.100 --> 00:21:53.240
 turn to magic for

00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:53.680
 results.

00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:58.860
 Now, I can't resonate

00:21:58.860 --> 00:22:00.600
 very well with that

00:22:00.600 --> 00:22:01.019
 worldview.

00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:03.480
 I don't think in our

00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:05.799
 materialistic, what you

00:22:05.799 --> 00:22:06.660
 see is what is.

00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:08.160
 We can't resonate

00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:09.259
 easily.

00:22:11.140 --> 00:22:13.259
 But isn't the desire for

00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:15.279
 guaranteed results easy to

00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:15.940
 resonate with?

00:22:16.539 --> 00:22:18.480
 Like, don't worry about how

00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:19.200
 you get the results.

00:22:19.340 --> 00:22:20.299
 The means doesn't matter.

00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:22.539
 Like, do a deal with the

00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:23.480
 devil if you need to.

00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:24.519
 The means doesn't matter.

00:22:24.740 --> 00:22:25.720
 Results are all that

00:22:25.720 --> 00:22:25.940
 matter.

00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:27.820
 That feels very relevant

00:22:27.820 --> 00:22:31.160
 today in our culture.

00:22:32.140 --> 00:22:34.759
 And I'm just, doesn't it

00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:37.980
 trouble you that the power

00:22:37.980 --> 00:22:39.980
 Simon thinks he's got with

00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:45.420
 money is so related to this

00:22:45.420 --> 00:22:46.180
 idea of magic?

00:22:46.340 --> 00:22:47.400
 I think we've got more in

00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:50.140
 common with Simon than we

00:22:50.140 --> 00:22:51.960
 might first think.

00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:57.660
 Simon was the go-to guy.

00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:02.019
 Verse 10, they all paid

00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:03.759
 attention to him from the

00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:04.980
 least to the greatest.

00:23:06.820 --> 00:23:09.000
 He's the go-to guy.

00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:10.539
 Verse 11, it's emphasized

00:23:10.539 --> 00:23:12.400
 again, they all paid attention

00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:15.740
 to him because for a long time

00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:17.720
 he had amazed them with his

00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:18.019
 magic.

00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:26.220
 Who we give our attention to is a

00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:27.160
 moral choice.

00:23:31.160 --> 00:23:33.359
 Because who we choose to give our

00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:35.160
 attention to shows what we really

00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:36.079
 value in life.

00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:40.699
 I think we're told about Simon

00:23:40.699 --> 00:23:43.699
 because Simon, he represents what the

00:23:43.699 --> 00:23:44.679
 Samaritans value.

00:23:46.359 --> 00:23:47.500
 They praise him.

00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:49.480
 He is at the top of their society.

00:23:51.240 --> 00:23:52.839
 They call him great.

00:23:53.419 --> 00:23:54.439
 Power of God.

00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:57.720
 So I think Simon represents their

00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:58.160
 worldview.

00:23:58.660 --> 00:24:01.920
 Power, control of a supernatural

00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:04.580
 world to give guaranteed results.

00:24:04.579 --> 00:24:13.259
 So I can see at least three main reasons

00:24:13.259 --> 00:24:15.119
 Luke wants us to get to know Simon.

00:24:16.159 --> 00:24:18.079
 The first, a bit of a secondary reason

00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:21.139
 is I think to distinguish that the

00:24:21.139 --> 00:24:24.259
 miracles Philip was doing were very

00:24:24.259 --> 00:24:25.059
 different from magic.

00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:26.720
 Very different.

00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:31.440
 The early church and Jesus himself was

00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:32.259
 accused of that.

00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:37.720
 So I think partly it's to just distinguish

00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:40.920
 what was going on through the apostles

00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:43.059
 from what Simon was doing.

00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:47.079
 Two other reasons I think.

00:24:47.819 --> 00:24:51.480
 The second is Simon is a backdrop, he's a

00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:54.880
 foil to see the genuine conversion of so

00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:55.779
 many in Samaria.

00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:00.079
 They once paid attention to Simon but we're

00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:03.660
 now told with one accord they pay attention

00:25:03.660 --> 00:25:04.279
 to Philip.

00:25:05.420 --> 00:25:06.740
 There's been a change.

00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:11.420
 Verse 11 to verse 12 makes that clearer.

00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:15.539
 They paid attention to Simon, verse 12, but

00:25:15.539 --> 00:25:18.620
 when they believed Philip as he preached good

00:25:18.620 --> 00:25:20.740
 news about the kingdom of God in the name of

00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:23.339
 Jesus Christ, they were baptised.

00:25:23.339 --> 00:25:30.819
 So when Peter and John came down and prayed for the

00:25:30.819 --> 00:25:33.679
 converts to give them the Holy Spirit but the

00:25:33.679 --> 00:25:39.099
 apostles reject Simon, we can be confident that the

00:25:39.099 --> 00:25:41.399
 apostles really saw genuine faith.

00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:47.500
 They turned from what they once lived for and really did

00:25:47.500 --> 00:25:51.420
 turn and pay attention to Jesus.

00:25:54.460 --> 00:25:57.279
 So Simon being the focal point of their old life, he's a

00:25:57.279 --> 00:25:59.500
 backdrop to true conversion.

00:25:59.859 --> 00:26:05.539
 This is a genuine movement of God going on, turning away from

00:26:05.539 --> 00:26:06.799
 idols to the living God.

00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:13.460
 I think the third reason we're told about Simon and the one I want

00:26:13.460 --> 00:26:20.659
 to focus on is that Simon was a massive threat to this newly

00:26:20.659 --> 00:26:21.519
 formed church.

00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:28.039
 Verse 13, he believed.

00:26:28.039 --> 00:26:36.019
 Now, what we make of that, he must have accepted at some

00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:38.399
 intellectual level the claims of the gospel.

00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:39.220
 He believed.

00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:40.579
 He was baptised.

00:26:41.700 --> 00:26:42.220
 He's in.

00:26:42.440 --> 00:26:43.700
 He's in this movement.

00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:46.399
 And he followed Philip around.

00:26:49.779 --> 00:26:55.039
 But his actions later exposed that his heart had not changed.

00:26:55.039 --> 00:27:04.079
 He seems to have tried to add Jesus onto his unchanged Samaritan

00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:05.740
 worldview.

00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:11.240
 And he had a very big position in society.

00:27:12.180 --> 00:27:15.180
 He's probably like the famous Christians we talk about going,

00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:18.119
 isn't it great that so-and-so is a believer?

00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:20.740
 He had huge influence.

00:27:21.079 --> 00:27:22.779
 He's inside the church apparently.

00:27:22.779 --> 00:27:27.000
 Secondly, he could have led others to a superficial faith.

00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:31.420
 I think it's a threat to this new movement.

00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:35.500
 So remember their worldview.

00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:41.819
 Power, control over supernatural world to give guaranteed results

00:27:41.819 --> 00:27:43.899
 to be someone great.

00:27:43.900 --> 00:27:49.240
 We see this in his offer to give money to the apostles.

00:27:49.900 --> 00:27:52.200
 Verse 18 and 19, he wants the power.

00:27:53.300 --> 00:27:54.740
 Give me this power.

00:27:57.240 --> 00:27:59.720
 To control the Holy Spirit.

00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:05.200
 To control God.

00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:10.279
 To give guaranteed results that when I lay hands,

00:28:11.539 --> 00:28:12.880
 they get guaranteed results.

00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:13.559
 They get the spirit.

00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:17.759
 And we can presume, based off what we're told about him earlier,

00:28:18.460 --> 00:28:19.319
 he wants to be great.

00:28:22.779 --> 00:28:24.500
 He wants to be seen as great again.

00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:32.019
 The greats we saw in Jerusalem, in the council,

00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:34.940
 they rejected Jesus to keep their power.

00:28:35.779 --> 00:28:42.480
 Now Simon in Samaria, he accepts Jesus to keep his power.

00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:54.519
 But Jesus thwarts this threat to superficial religion.

00:28:57.099 --> 00:29:03.019
 Peter responds basically to hell with you and your money.

00:29:03.019 --> 00:29:09.319
 It's strong language here.

00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:14.099
 Your heart is not right with God.

00:29:16.779 --> 00:29:18.579
 His baptism did him no good.

00:29:21.240 --> 00:29:22.940
 Peter was calling him to repent.

00:29:26.139 --> 00:29:28.500
 See how enslaved you still are.

00:29:30.359 --> 00:29:31.460
 Ask for forgiveness.

00:29:31.460 --> 00:29:34.500
 And when you ask, don't think you're doing magic,

00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:35.640
 saying the right words.

00:29:36.180 --> 00:29:38.259
 If possible, you be forgiven.

00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:44.500
 Be brought to your knees, Simon.

00:29:47.940 --> 00:29:51.120
 Realising God has to come and save you.

00:29:56.299 --> 00:30:00.740
 So Jesus, through his apostles, stops this internal threat.

00:30:01.460 --> 00:30:03.400
 By unmasking this.

00:30:04.819 --> 00:30:06.759
 Treating Jesus as useful.

00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:10.880
 It's insincere.

00:30:13.660 --> 00:30:14.819
 Insincere belief.

00:30:14.819 --> 00:30:26.519
 So what would Luke, what does Luke want us to learn from Simon?

00:30:29.399 --> 00:30:31.099
 What are we meant to be learning from this?

00:30:31.179 --> 00:30:39.980
 I doubt, I doubt any of us are guilty of the exact sin he tried to do.

00:30:39.980 --> 00:30:41.220
 I've never tried to offer money.

00:30:41.220 --> 00:30:45.559
 I've never tried to offer money to have the ability to give the spirit.

00:30:45.559 --> 00:30:49.659
 So I don't think it's the particulars we should be focusing on.

00:30:49.740 --> 00:30:51.480
 But we do share this in common with Simon.

00:30:52.839 --> 00:31:01.460
 The gospel of the free gift of God must first destroy our attempts to be great by what we can offer.

00:31:01.460 --> 00:31:17.420
 Despite all the public appearances of being in the church, Simon's commitment to self, his commitment to power, to control, to be someone great, had to be destroyed.

00:31:17.420 --> 00:31:23.200
 Salvation is a gift of God.

00:31:24.620 --> 00:31:32.800
 Believing it's a gift must be devastating news before it's wonderful.

00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:48.000
 It had to devastate those back in Jerusalem, like the Pharisees in the parable, who prayed, I thank you that I'm not like other people that I give and I do and I pray and I try, etc., etc.

00:31:48.839 --> 00:31:49.700
 I'm someone great.

00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:52.259
 It's got to destroy that.

00:31:53.079 --> 00:31:55.240
 The free gift of God destroys that.

00:31:56.619 --> 00:31:59.740
 It's also got to destroy the culture in Samaria.

00:31:59.740 --> 00:32:03.279
 It's got to devastate the boasting.

00:32:03.859 --> 00:32:07.460
 I can control what I can achieve.

00:32:07.620 --> 00:32:08.720
 I am someone great.

00:32:11.079 --> 00:32:14.880
 That's what the free gift of God in the message of Jesus does.

00:32:14.980 --> 00:32:19.240
 It destroys all cultures, not just one or two cultures.

00:32:19.579 --> 00:32:24.240
 It's got to first devastate before its wonderful news.

00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:39.960
 A farmer in Connecticut in the US where I was born, Nathan Cole lived a long time before me, but lived in the Great Awakening in the 18th century.

00:32:41.059 --> 00:32:43.779
 He was listening to the powerful preacher George Whitefield.

00:32:44.339 --> 00:32:49.319
 Here's his response after hearing the gospel from George Whitefield.

00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:54.679
 My hearing him preach gave me a heart wound.

00:32:56.919 --> 00:33:02.139
 By God's blessing, my old foundation was broken up.

00:33:03.919 --> 00:33:06.960
 And I saw that my righteousness could not save me.

00:33:06.960 --> 00:33:13.019
 It's what the free gift of God has to do to each one of us.

00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:15.640
 It's got to break up that foundation.

00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:21.180
 You can't add Jesus onto your life.

00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:23.059
 He must destroy your foundation.

00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:29.039
 Only then can you receive God's embrace of you.

00:33:29.160 --> 00:33:30.440
 It's a totally free gift.

00:33:30.440 --> 00:33:37.519
 And brothers and sisters, don't we have more of that foundation to be broken up?

00:33:45.420 --> 00:33:52.380
 And the freeness of this gift, I think it also gives us insight into how Jesus reconciles people.

00:33:52.380 --> 00:34:06.200
 Because both the Jewish and the Samaritan idea of greatness, by what you can offer God, is demolished.

00:34:07.720 --> 00:34:15.760
 The very thing that gives you that sense of superiority is just bulldozed.

00:34:19.340 --> 00:34:21.539
 Jesus had to give his life to save Philip.

00:34:22.380 --> 00:34:24.300
 From his sense of moral achievement.

00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:27.680
 And he had to give his life to save the people in Samaria.

00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:31.480
 Who trusted in control, power.

00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:36.880
 We all share the same gift.

00:34:39.720 --> 00:34:43.380
 Not one of us, not one culture, has offered anything to earn it.

00:34:43.380 --> 00:34:57.280
 Finally, I think the freeness of this gift shows how great our God is.

00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:03.119
 David Bott isn't great.

00:35:04.780 --> 00:35:08.340
 Simon's name isn't great.

00:35:08.340 --> 00:35:11.900
 People who have rejected his king.

00:35:11.900 --> 00:35:14.500
 And rejected his word.

00:35:15.300 --> 00:35:20.360
 And preferred the control and the praise of people trying to prove to be someone great.

00:35:21.900 --> 00:35:24.340
 That God would provide a way back.

00:35:26.760 --> 00:35:28.539
 That he would give his son.

00:35:29.700 --> 00:35:31.559
 He would give his Holy Spirit.

00:35:31.559 --> 00:35:36.179
 That he would give life forever in his kingdom.

00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:44.099
 That he would give his people to send into our lives to tell us this wonderful news.

00:35:44.360 --> 00:35:45.719
 It's just gift.

00:35:45.719 --> 00:35:50.839
 All is a gift.

00:35:50.839 --> 00:35:54.659
 His name alone is great.

00:35:55.579 --> 00:36:01.799
 And when we believe that, the more we believe that, that's when peace and joy enters our heart.

00:36:03.739 --> 00:36:06.059
 When Jesus Christ's name is great.

00:36:06.059 --> 00:36:12.440
 That's when peace and joy will enter this church more and more.

00:36:13.900 --> 00:36:14.920
 It's not our name.

00:36:15.139 --> 00:36:17.759
 It's Jesus' name that is great.

00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:21.900
 And don't we want that peace and joy in our city?

00:36:23.420 --> 00:36:27.179
 And the promise is that peace and joy will be in all the world.

00:36:28.619 --> 00:36:30.039
 Fully and forever one day.

00:36:30.139 --> 00:36:30.900
 We're going to be singing.

00:36:31.940 --> 00:36:33.039
 With one accord.

00:36:33.039 --> 00:36:36.980
 And it won't be my name.

00:36:37.059 --> 00:36:37.920
 It won't be your name.

00:36:38.659 --> 00:36:39.880
 It won't be our name.

00:36:40.099 --> 00:36:40.599
 Grace and joy.

00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:42.480
 It'll be his name alone we're singing.

00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:49.980
 Will you pray with me?

00:36:54.699 --> 00:36:57.199
 Father, thank you for the times that you

00:36:57.199 --> 00:37:04.339
 frustrate our plans to be seen as someone

00:37:04.339 --> 00:37:08.659
 wonderful, someone great

00:37:08.659 --> 00:37:11.259
 because of whatever we're trusting in.

00:37:11.480 --> 00:37:13.460
 Thank you for the way you frustrate that

00:37:13.460 --> 00:37:15.179
 so that we can

00:37:15.179 --> 00:37:17.659
 come to you

00:37:17.659 --> 00:37:19.799
 and receive the peace and joy

00:37:19.799 --> 00:37:20.599
 that is found

00:37:20.599 --> 00:37:23.239
 in just celebrating

00:37:23.239 --> 00:37:24.839
 your free gift

00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:26.740
 of knowing you

00:37:26.740 --> 00:37:28.800
 of being part of your people

00:37:28.800 --> 00:37:29.640
 of the promise

00:37:29.640 --> 00:37:31.420
 of eternal life.

00:37:34.320 --> 00:37:36.200
 Lord, I pray that you'd break up

00:37:36.200 --> 00:37:37.760
 our foundations

00:37:37.760 --> 00:37:39.180
 that we're still clinging to

00:37:39.180 --> 00:37:39.860
 more and more

00:37:39.860 --> 00:37:41.559
 help us trust you

00:37:41.559 --> 00:37:42.720
 when you do break that up.

00:37:43.660 --> 00:37:45.220
 And I pray that you would lead us

00:37:45.220 --> 00:37:47.260
 to rejoice more

00:37:47.260 --> 00:37:49.140
 in the name of Jesus

00:37:49.140 --> 00:37:50.660
 and that because of him

00:37:50.660 --> 00:37:52.760
 our names are written in heaven.

00:37:52.760 --> 00:37:54.800
 In his name I pray.

00:37:55.060 --> 00:37:55.300
 Amen.