WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.780 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. It is wonderful 00:00:16.780 --> 00:00:20.780 that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either 00:00:20.780 --> 00:00:24.920 by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:31.520 for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself? 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:37.939 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really, 00:00:38.179 --> 00:00:42.579 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible, 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:48.760 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will 00:00:48.760 --> 00:00:54.560 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:59.340 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't 00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:04.540 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with 00:01:04.540 --> 00:01:07.780 the types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless. 00:01:11.780 --> 00:01:14.820 Standing, let's bow our heads in prayer for a moment. 00:01:14.819 --> 00:01:27.559 Father, we know from your Word that evil spirits often gather even in times when Christians gather 00:01:27.559 --> 00:01:35.319 in worship. And we know, Father, that at different times in our week and in our day, and maybe even in 00:01:35.319 --> 00:01:46.780 a very powerful way, Father, these evil spirits speak slander and lies to us and entice us and tempt us 00:01:46.780 --> 00:01:56.259 and belittle us and harm us. So Father, I stand before you with no power in or of myself, but I am your 00:01:56.259 --> 00:02:02.780 child by adoption and grace. And Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask that any demons that are present to 00:02:02.780 --> 00:02:09.640 us and those online, that Father, I ask in the name of Jesus that you would bind and silence those 00:02:09.640 --> 00:02:15.699 demons and take them far from this place, never to return. And that, Father, none of us would be left 00:02:15.699 --> 00:02:22.099 empty, but that your Holy Spirit might move within us and among us with might and power and deep 00:02:22.099 --> 00:02:28.099 conviction, that your Son's hand of grace would be upon us, and that your Holy Word and your Holy 00:02:28.099 --> 00:02:35.519 Gospel would enter very deeply into us, so that we might be free to love you and to worthily magnify 00:02:35.519 --> 00:02:41.219 your Holy Name. And we ask these things in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. 00:02:42.180 --> 00:02:47.939 Please be seated. For some of you may be present or online. I might have shocked you with that prayer 00:02:47.939 --> 00:02:57.560 a little bit, but I prayed the prayer, both because it's a good prayer to pray, and also because our 00:02:57.560 --> 00:03:05.280 scripture text is going to talk about topics like this. In fact, our scripture text today is going to 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:17.879 look at two great enmities, ancient enmities that are dealt with by the gospel. And so, if you 00:03:17.879 --> 00:03:23.519 would help me and help yourselves, if you open your Bibles, we're going to look at Acts chapter 8, 00:03:24.079 --> 00:03:31.039 beginning at the first verse, Acts chapter 8, the first verse, as we continue our way through the 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:37.599 book of Acts. Now, just before I start reading this, two things of context. We haven't looked at Acts for 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:44.439 a couple of weeks now. The first is, this is an eyewitness-based history of the first 30 years, 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:51.300 approximately, of the Jesus movement that started after the death and resurrection and ascension of 00:03:51.300 --> 00:03:57.800 Jesus. And it's an eyewitness history, eyewitness-based history, written when many eyewitnesses 00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:03.800 were still alive. And so, one of the things which is remarkable about this book is that it withstood 00:04:03.800 --> 00:04:07.960 whatever challenges there would have been from eyewitnesses. It means we can have a high degree 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:16.620 of confidence in it. And the second thing is that immediately before this, we were told the story 00:04:16.620 --> 00:04:23.920 of Stephen, the very first person who was killed for being a Christian. And that's what immediately 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:33.000 goes just before it. And just to sort of catch you up on it, just went on right before this is at the end 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:38.600 of, you know, how Stephen was stoned to death. And as Stephen is being stoned to death, the people doing 00:04:38.600 --> 00:04:44.399 the stoning bring their cloaks and robes and leave them with a young man by the name of Saul, 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:51.439 who most people nowadays know by his Greek name. Saul would have been his Hebrew name or Jewish name, 00:04:51.480 --> 00:04:57.420 and Paul would have been his Greek name or Roman name. And the language implies that one of the guys 00:04:57.420 --> 00:05:03.280 organizing the stoning was this guy, Paul. And that's then how this chapter we're beginning, 00:05:03.720 --> 00:05:09.439 takes right on from that. This is what it says in verse one. And Saul, whom we know as Paul, 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:15.020 and who we know eventually wrote a large part of the New Testament, that's the person that we're 00:05:15.020 --> 00:05:22.600 talking about, Paul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution 00:05:22.600 --> 00:05:29.660 against the church in Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and 00:05:29.660 --> 00:05:37.320 Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:45.600 But Saul was ravaging the church and entering house after house. He dragged off men and women 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:52.260 and committed them to prison. Now, just two things about this. We're going to talk about Saul more 00:05:52.259 --> 00:05:56.860 later. We're going to read about his conversion a couple of chapters after this. In fact, 00:05:57.300 --> 00:06:05.099 the very next chapter is how this man goes from being such a hater and a murderer to becoming a 00:06:05.099 --> 00:06:12.199 Christian. And we know from other places in the book of Acts that this ravaging include killing people. 00:06:13.079 --> 00:06:19.420 Paul laments in his letters and later on the Acts that he was responsible for killing men and women 00:06:19.420 --> 00:06:28.100 in the coming out of his great hatred of these Christians. And there's another thing which is 00:06:28.100 --> 00:06:35.620 important for the rest of the book of Acts and very important for us. I don't know if anybody here 00:06:35.620 --> 00:06:43.980 is Jewish. If you are, welcome. If you're watching, welcome. But we only became Christians because 00:06:43.980 --> 00:06:49.759 somebody told us about Christ. And somebody told them and somebody told them and somebody told them 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:54.040 and somebody told them. And you go all the way back and you get back to the early apostles. 00:06:55.280 --> 00:07:00.180 And some of those people who told people who told people had to be what we now call missionaries. 00:07:01.400 --> 00:07:07.240 There's been this profound missionary expansion of the church. And one of the things in this story, 00:07:07.340 --> 00:07:11.740 this little brief introduction, which is very significant, and it's probably something that we don't 00:07:11.740 --> 00:07:18.439 reflect upon enough in our own lives. What Paul did and the other people involved in this was an evil. 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:25.040 And nowhere in the Bible is that evil diminished. They say, oh, you know, it wasn't that bad. 00:07:25.579 --> 00:07:29.340 And in no ways do they say, well, because something good came out of it, it's not that. No, no, no, no. 00:07:29.340 --> 00:07:35.220 What they did was horrific and wrong. And there's never any moral confusion around that. 00:07:35.220 --> 00:07:43.800 But God used this evil act, which was designed to try to stop Christianity from growing. 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:52.600 And God used that to grow the Christian movement. God used the evil for good purposes. 00:07:53.660 --> 00:07:58.220 In fact, what had happened is that when Jesus had ascended, if you go back and read the story, 00:07:58.220 --> 00:08:05.260 he said, listen, you guys, you need to go. Of course, you have to tell people about me in Jerusalem. 00:08:05.260 --> 00:08:09.360 But then after that, you need to go to Judea. And then after that, you need to go to Samaria. 00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:12.400 And then after that, you have to go to every single people group in the world. 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:18.480 And here a year or so after this, they're all still in Jerusalem. They haven't been moving. 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:28.580 And so God uses this terrible evil to scatter the church. Look again at what it says here. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:38.879 And they were all scattered throughout the regions. All probably just is a bit of a hyperbole, 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:43.080 but it means many, many, many, many Christians scattered to Judea and Samaria. 00:08:43.300 --> 00:08:47.960 And what happened when they went scattered? They got scattered. Well, that explained in verse 4. 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:54.759 Now, those who were scattered went about preaching the word. And that's a bit of an unfortunate word. 00:08:55.360 --> 00:09:02.600 Really what they say, it's the first place in the, not the first place, it's one of the places in the book of Acts where, 00:09:03.940 --> 00:09:06.899 well, basically what it means literally is they went gospeling. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:13.259 They just went gospeling. They shared the gospel as they went. Just ordinary people. 00:09:13.259 --> 00:09:20.299 You know, this is very important as well. It wasn't as if the apostles sat down and came up with a grand strategy 00:09:20.299 --> 00:09:26.559 and did fundraising and got prayer partners and organized mission teams and trained them. 00:09:26.679 --> 00:09:32.600 No, no. They just all went. And in a sense, what happens is it's organic, what we would now call organic growth. 00:09:32.600 --> 00:09:40.580 These people flee, but rather than fleeing and being terrified about telling anybody about Jesus and what he had done for them, 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:46.500 how he, the life he lived, the miracles he performed, the brilliance of his teaching, 00:09:46.920 --> 00:09:51.960 the genius of his teaching, his death upon the cross, his resurrection, his ascension, the Holy Spirit, 00:09:52.259 --> 00:09:54.899 rather than being silent about that, they told people about it. 00:09:54.899 --> 00:09:58.759 That's what they did. Just ordinary people like you and me. 00:10:00.059 --> 00:10:07.299 And now what Luke, the writer of this eyewitness-based history does, is he gives one particular example, 00:10:07.439 --> 00:10:09.899 and he does this particular example. 00:10:11.199 --> 00:10:15.079 I'm going to talk about one type of ancient enmity, which is also discussed here, 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:20.480 but because it deals with another very, very, very important ancient enmity, 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:26.379 and something that happens in this forever changes the nature of the church and the Christian movement. 00:10:26.899 --> 00:10:28.600 Well, what is it? Let's look at verse 5. 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:35.539 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 00:10:38.100 --> 00:10:43.440 And the crowds, with one accord, paid attention to what was being said by Philip 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:47.000 when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:50.960 For even spirits, crying out with a loud voice, 00:10:51.179 --> 00:10:54.899 for, sorry, for unclean spirits or evil spirits or demons, 00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:58.759 crying out with a loud voice came out of many who had them, 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:02.139 and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:04.379 So there was much joy in that city. 00:11:04.500 --> 00:11:06.220 Now just sort of pause here for a second. 00:11:08.200 --> 00:11:12.039 The word sign is an easy word for us to be a bit confused about. 00:11:12.039 --> 00:11:16.199 If you talk to many people, many secular people, they'll say, 00:11:16.299 --> 00:11:18.980 you know, I took it as a bit of a sign that I should do this, you know. 00:11:19.439 --> 00:11:23.419 I'd been thinking about what to do, and then I was walking down the street, 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:27.139 and I bumped into a person, and they started talking to me about, you know, this university. 00:11:27.199 --> 00:11:29.639 I took it as a sign that that's the university I should be going to. 00:11:30.059 --> 00:11:33.179 Or, you know, I was trying to figure out what to do about my investments, 00:11:33.339 --> 00:11:37.759 and then I came upon this article, and I took that as a sign that that's how I, 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:40.799 you know, that's where I should put my money, and that's why it's been so successful. 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:45.000 So many people in our culture still talk about signs, 00:11:45.179 --> 00:11:47.299 and it's a very ancient type of idea. 00:11:47.740 --> 00:11:53.799 And really what our secular friends and neighbors are referring to are omens. 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:56.299 That's a very old word, that there's some omen, 00:11:56.819 --> 00:12:00.179 some communication that gives them a direction that they should go. 00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:06.439 Many Christians inadvertently talk like pagans looking for omens, 00:12:06.440 --> 00:12:11.600 and the Bible never promises Christians omens to give them direction like that, 00:12:11.680 --> 00:12:13.400 at least not in that particular sense. 00:12:14.100 --> 00:12:17.480 But what Luke is talking about here are miracles, 00:12:18.560 --> 00:12:24.360 and he's emphasizing something which is very important for us as Canadians to get our minds around, 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:27.520 because we Canadians have developed into a type of people 00:12:27.520 --> 00:12:30.980 where we have boxes inside of our mind, 00:12:31.380 --> 00:12:35.420 and the boxes are sort of different areas of thinking or believing, 00:12:35.419 --> 00:12:37.459 and they don't communicate with each other. 00:12:39.459 --> 00:12:43.879 And there's been other times in history where human beings have been like that, 00:12:43.959 --> 00:12:47.240 but there's been times, especially under the influence of Christianity, 00:12:47.459 --> 00:12:48.719 where it's not like that, 00:12:48.779 --> 00:12:51.659 where you want to have just one mind, so to speak, 00:12:51.719 --> 00:12:52.699 one way of thinking. 00:12:53.620 --> 00:12:54.819 And so what it's saying is, 00:12:54.979 --> 00:12:56.000 because if you think about it, 00:12:56.019 --> 00:12:57.199 and I've talked about this before, 00:12:57.219 --> 00:12:58.539 I'm not going to talk about it very much. 00:12:58.539 --> 00:13:01.799 Like, if Jesus really did rise from the dead, 00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:03.759 that's a miracle, and it's also a sign. 00:13:04.500 --> 00:13:05.919 It points to something. 00:13:06.079 --> 00:13:07.039 It has meaning. 00:13:07.539 --> 00:13:09.839 And to my friends who are watching, 00:13:10.019 --> 00:13:11.079 or those of you who are here, 00:13:11.199 --> 00:13:13.500 it means that Islam's not true. 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:16.740 It means that Buddhism isn't true. 00:13:17.799 --> 00:13:19.379 It means that Hinduism isn't true. 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:22.519 It means that what most of us are taught, 00:13:22.980 --> 00:13:26.439 and what our culture primarily tries to talk about, 00:13:26.539 --> 00:13:29.820 which is that basically there's just a type of secular world 00:13:29.820 --> 00:13:31.860 where there's just matter and energy and people 00:13:31.860 --> 00:13:33.019 that you can touch and feel, 00:13:33.139 --> 00:13:34.580 that that's wrong. 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:35.899 It's incomplete. 00:13:37.799 --> 00:13:42.360 Islam and Buddhism and Hinduism are incomplete in significant ways. 00:13:42.460 --> 00:13:44.299 Native spirituality is not true. 00:13:44.299 --> 00:13:46.620 Well, why? 00:13:46.740 --> 00:13:48.219 Well, because if that actually happened, 00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:50.279 it's not just sort of like you have a little box here 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:52.740 for religious stuff or, you know, that type of stuff. 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:54.759 You have another box here for how you do science, 00:13:54.819 --> 00:13:56.259 and then you have another box over here 00:13:56.259 --> 00:13:57.359 about how you do finances, 00:13:57.500 --> 00:13:59.319 and another box over here, another box over here, 00:13:59.339 --> 00:14:00.399 and how you think about politics, 00:14:00.459 --> 00:14:01.459 and they're all separate boxes, 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:03.059 and they never talk to each other. 00:14:03.599 --> 00:14:05.459 That's to live an unexamined life. 00:14:08.099 --> 00:14:09.839 If these miracles have happened, 00:14:09.839 --> 00:14:11.099 it points to something. 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:12.439 There's a particular meaning. 00:14:14.299 --> 00:14:16.240 And we're going to talk about that a little bit more in a moment. 00:14:16.359 --> 00:14:19.879 And that's why Luke and some of the different Bible writers, 00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:21.579 sometimes they'll use the word for miracle, 00:14:21.699 --> 00:14:23.479 but other times they'll use the word sign 00:14:23.479 --> 00:14:24.639 to refer to the miracle. 00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:27.879 Now, let's continue, 00:14:28.019 --> 00:14:30.459 because we're all in the middle of this story, 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:33.179 and I've just said there's much joy in that place, right? 00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:35.620 Philip has come. 00:14:35.719 --> 00:14:36.919 He's telling, gospling. 00:14:37.179 --> 00:14:38.639 He's telling people about Jesus. 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:41.779 And as he's telling people about Jesus, 00:14:42.059 --> 00:14:44.340 he's also dealing with unclean spirits 00:14:44.340 --> 00:14:47.620 that have been oppressing or even possessing human beings, 00:14:47.939 --> 00:14:50.059 and he prays and casts them out. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:53.100 And he's also been doing works of healing. 00:14:54.059 --> 00:14:54.720 In verse 9, 00:14:55.220 --> 00:14:56.980 but there was a man named Simon 00:14:56.980 --> 00:15:00.580 who had previously practiced magic in the city 00:15:00.580 --> 00:15:02.480 and amazed the people of Samaria, 00:15:03.080 --> 00:15:05.960 saying that he himself was somebody great. 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:08.440 They all paid attention to him 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:09.720 from the least to the greatest, 00:15:09.940 --> 00:15:10.180 saying, 00:15:10.740 --> 00:15:13.500 this man is the power of God that is called great. 00:15:14.100 --> 00:15:15.800 And they paid attention to him 00:15:15.800 --> 00:15:17.540 because for a long time 00:15:17.540 --> 00:15:19.340 he had amazed them with his magic. 00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:22.420 But when they believed Philip 00:15:22.420 --> 00:15:24.200 as he preached the good news 00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:25.440 about the kingdom of God 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:26.620 in the name of Jesus Christ, 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:27.580 they were baptized, 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:30.620 both men and women. 00:15:31.420 --> 00:15:32.800 Now, just sort of pause here. 00:15:32.800 --> 00:15:35.860 And the word magic is an unfortunate word. 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:38.040 It's very literal. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:41.220 But it's not like what you go, 00:15:41.300 --> 00:15:42.440 if you go to Las Vegas, 00:15:42.540 --> 00:15:43.800 I've never been to Las Vegas, 00:15:44.040 --> 00:15:45.200 but if you go to Las Vegas, 00:15:45.300 --> 00:15:46.879 I take it that there's lots of people 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:47.940 who do magic shows. 00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:49.660 In fact, actually, 00:15:50.060 --> 00:15:51.500 you'll notice that the stage 00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:53.259 is set up a bit different than it was last. 00:15:53.320 --> 00:15:54.320 It's completely empty. 00:15:54.800 --> 00:15:56.379 Last week there was some curtains 00:15:56.379 --> 00:15:57.940 about halfway through the stage. 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:00.520 That was because for the last week, 00:16:00.580 --> 00:16:01.880 you know, for a week and a half, 00:16:01.960 --> 00:16:03.120 there were magic shows 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:04.700 every evening here 00:16:04.700 --> 00:16:05.600 at the Ottawa Little Theatre. 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:06.560 In fact, last week, 00:16:07.180 --> 00:16:08.680 I met the magician, 00:16:09.260 --> 00:16:10.880 saw his gadgets 00:16:10.880 --> 00:16:12.440 that were all sort of stacked up 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:13.160 all around there. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:14.500 And they do magic shows, right? 00:16:14.540 --> 00:16:15.380 Try to, you know, 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:16.460 cut people in half 00:16:16.460 --> 00:16:17.620 and all that type of stuff. 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:20.120 That's not what's meant here. 00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:24.460 What's meant is sorcery. 00:16:26.560 --> 00:16:27.279 Sorcery. 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:30.399 What's meant is dealing 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:33.600 with supernatural or spiritual beings 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:38.399 to affect things that we see and touch, 00:16:38.659 --> 00:16:39.779 to affect human beings 00:16:39.779 --> 00:16:40.980 and affect events. 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:45.480 It's curses and supposed blessings, 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:47.039 but it's not curses and blessings 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:48.340 as Christians understand them. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:51.139 It's by Philip had an ability 00:16:51.139 --> 00:16:53.480 to deal with supernatural 00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:55.320 or spiritual beings. 00:16:57.639 --> 00:16:59.240 Now, just, we're going to, 00:16:59.899 --> 00:17:01.980 let's just park here for a second. 00:17:02.139 --> 00:17:03.279 So the first thing I want to say 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:04.000 is that I know that 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:05.339 in a Canadian context, 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:07.299 I don't know where you all are 00:17:07.299 --> 00:17:10.019 in terms of being a Christian or not, 00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:11.279 and I don't know, 00:17:11.380 --> 00:17:12.740 especially for those of you who are online, 00:17:12.740 --> 00:17:16.380 there's two different fundamental ways 00:17:16.380 --> 00:17:17.900 that Canadians look at this. 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:21.079 There's a very significant number 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:23.220 of Canadians who basically just say, 00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:25.799 la, la, la, la, la, 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:26.720 yeah, yeah, yeah, 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:27.819 angels, demons, 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:29.059 blah, blah, blah, blah, 00:17:29.059 --> 00:17:31.079 that's just all mystical gobbledygook. 00:17:31.160 --> 00:17:32.000 It doesn't exist. 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:33.720 We believe in science. 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:34.839 We believe in reason 00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:35.759 and stuff like that. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.839 It's just complete nonsense. 00:17:38.220 --> 00:17:40.019 So what I'm going to say next, 00:17:40.019 --> 00:17:42.639 and you can send me an email if you want. 00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:45.240 Well, maybe in the weeks ahead, 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:47.440 I'll talk to you about this. 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:49.599 I'm not talking to you right now. 00:17:50.440 --> 00:17:51.879 I'm going to talk to that other 00:17:51.879 --> 00:17:54.720 very significant part of Canadian population 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:57.740 that does believe that there are, 00:17:57.859 --> 00:18:00.400 in fact, spiritual or supernatural beings, 00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:03.039 which is a very, very significant number 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:09.019 of Canadians who believe in casting spells, 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:12.599 are okay with a seance, 00:18:13.879 --> 00:18:19.119 believe there's ways to use talismans 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:21.259 to ward off curses 00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:23.279 or attacks by evil spirits, 00:18:23.899 --> 00:18:25.740 or to use crystals 00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:28.259 to channel spiritual powers, 00:18:28.440 --> 00:18:29.519 supernatural powers, 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:31.099 and there's a large number of Canadians 00:18:31.099 --> 00:18:32.559 who are like that. 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:35.660 One of my great failures 00:18:35.660 --> 00:18:36.720 in sharing, 00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:40.139 trying to talk about Jesus with people, 00:18:40.139 --> 00:18:41.680 and if by chance he's watching, 00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:43.059 I give a shout out to you. 00:18:45.139 --> 00:18:46.720 There's this fellow that I had 00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:48.119 for three months or so, 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:48.759 four months, 00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:51.019 I had very deep conversations with him 00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:52.139 about the Christian faith, 00:18:52.900 --> 00:18:54.960 and this fellow had grown up 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:57.240 in a completely atheistic culture. 00:18:57.240 --> 00:18:59.539 He'd grown up on the other side 00:18:59.539 --> 00:19:00.460 of the Iron Curtain, 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:05.500 and he had a PhD in nuclear energy, 00:19:06.120 --> 00:19:08.539 and he was very, very good friends 00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:10.460 with another person in the coffee shop 00:19:10.460 --> 00:19:12.799 who was a very, very Christopher Hitchens 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:13.700 type of atheist, 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:15.039 very public, 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:17.740 and I'd had lots of conversations with him, 00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:19.000 and the two of them were good friends. 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:20.700 So I actually, 00:19:21.420 --> 00:19:22.960 for the first three months, 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:24.099 I talked to this fellow, 00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:25.120 we'll call him Bob, 00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:26.299 as if he was an atheist. 00:19:26.299 --> 00:19:26.919 I mean, why not? 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:28.759 He grew up in a communist country, 00:19:29.180 --> 00:19:30.899 he had a PhD in nuclear physics, 00:19:31.099 --> 00:19:32.759 and it looked like he was great friends 00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:34.039 with this Christopher Hitchens, 00:19:34.279 --> 00:19:35.700 Richard Dawkins type atheist, 00:19:36.299 --> 00:19:37.779 and so I would be talking to him 00:19:37.779 --> 00:19:38.359 about things, 00:19:38.500 --> 00:19:39.599 and our conversations 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:41.200 were always sort of convoluted, 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:42.319 and then one day, 00:19:42.379 --> 00:19:43.339 it dawned on me, 00:19:43.819 --> 00:19:45.059 and I asked him directly, 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:46.680 he said, 00:19:47.240 --> 00:19:48.379 no, no, I'm not an atheist. 00:19:49.139 --> 00:19:50.859 I grew up with all that stuff, 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:51.899 and it's bankrupt. 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:54.299 It's completely wrong. 00:19:54.299 --> 00:19:57.139 I've completely and utterly rejected it. 00:19:58.279 --> 00:19:59.000 And I went, oh. 00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:01.259 In fact, he really believed 00:20:01.259 --> 00:20:03.419 in all sorts of spiritual beings. 00:20:03.779 --> 00:20:05.039 I've been trying to talk to him 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:06.200 thinking it was this, 00:20:06.299 --> 00:20:06.960 but he was actually 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:08.299 completely and utterly different. 00:20:09.659 --> 00:20:10.799 And in a sense, 00:20:10.919 --> 00:20:12.460 I don't want to make that mistake here. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:13.899 I know that there are Canadians 00:20:13.899 --> 00:20:16.899 who believe in all of these types of things. 00:20:16.900 --> 00:20:21.320 So just a couple of things. 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:25.320 And by the way, 00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:25.980 one of the reasons, 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:28.080 and I could see this with my friend, 00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:29.560 and I think it's one of the reasons 00:20:29.560 --> 00:20:34.220 that people start to investigate 00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:39.140 supernatural powers and spiritual beings, 00:20:39.140 --> 00:20:42.380 that many people sense 00:20:42.380 --> 00:20:43.980 the meaninglessness 00:20:43.980 --> 00:20:46.720 of a purely secular world. 00:20:48.600 --> 00:20:50.160 And many people, I think, 00:20:51.020 --> 00:20:52.500 feel a type of loneliness. 00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:56.640 They don't want to inhabit a world 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:59.080 where there's just human beings 00:20:59.080 --> 00:21:00.320 that you can see and touch. 00:21:02.060 --> 00:21:03.040 They like the idea 00:21:03.040 --> 00:21:04.140 that there might be aliens 00:21:04.140 --> 00:21:05.400 that we might someday meet. 00:21:05.500 --> 00:21:06.480 They like the idea 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:07.900 that there could be angels 00:21:07.900 --> 00:21:09.259 or good spirits 00:21:09.259 --> 00:21:10.240 that could help them. 00:21:11.180 --> 00:21:12.500 They like the idea 00:21:12.500 --> 00:21:13.360 that there's a type 00:21:13.360 --> 00:21:14.860 of a thickness to reality 00:21:14.860 --> 00:21:16.860 rather than just this thin gruel 00:21:16.860 --> 00:21:18.380 of thinking that all that exists 00:21:18.380 --> 00:21:20.579 is what we can touch and feel. 00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:21.539 And they like that. 00:21:21.620 --> 00:21:22.599 They long for it. 00:21:24.099 --> 00:21:25.160 And one of the things 00:21:25.160 --> 00:21:26.140 that you see here 00:21:26.140 --> 00:21:28.539 is that the gospel 00:21:28.539 --> 00:21:30.599 very humbly presents the idea 00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:33.140 that your longing 00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:34.400 for something more 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:36.099 is a good longing. 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:40.319 but it's ultimately 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:41.620 a longing for God, 00:21:42.059 --> 00:21:43.160 for the triune God, 00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:43.960 for your creator. 00:21:45.259 --> 00:21:46.140 And once you come 00:21:46.140 --> 00:21:46.819 to the creator 00:21:46.819 --> 00:21:48.259 and are reconciled to him, 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:49.480 you realize that, in fact, 00:21:49.980 --> 00:21:51.500 the world is more 00:21:51.500 --> 00:21:52.500 than matter and energy. 00:21:52.660 --> 00:21:53.299 There is a God 00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:54.380 who hears your prayers 00:21:54.380 --> 00:21:55.980 and you can pray to him. 00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:57.680 And you can pray to him 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.059 about both the really big things 00:21:59.059 --> 00:21:59.500 in your life 00:21:59.500 --> 00:22:00.900 and the very, very small things 00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:01.500 in your life. 00:22:02.059 --> 00:22:02.920 And there is a God 00:22:02.920 --> 00:22:04.099 who actually hears you. 00:22:04.220 --> 00:22:05.319 And there are angels 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:06.039 that intervene, 00:22:06.039 --> 00:22:07.000 but there's also, 00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:07.480 in fact, 00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:11.039 hostile spiritual beings, 00:22:11.399 --> 00:22:12.200 which we Christians 00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:12.980 call demons. 00:22:15.079 --> 00:22:17.379 When Christ is your, 00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:18.539 when the message 00:22:18.539 --> 00:22:19.920 that Christ is your savior 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:21.720 is proclaimed, 00:22:22.379 --> 00:22:24.240 it's not the case 00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:25.440 that more people 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:28.399 start to interact 00:22:28.399 --> 00:22:29.779 with the spirit world. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:30.740 In fact, 00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:31.659 you see in this story 00:22:31.659 --> 00:22:32.940 it's the complete opposite. 00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:35.500 as Jesus is proclaimed 00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:37.680 as savior and Lord, 00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:38.660 as he's proclaimed 00:22:38.660 --> 00:22:39.700 from having, 00:22:40.220 --> 00:22:41.980 being able to perform miracles 00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:42.779 and that even though 00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:43.840 he performed miracles 00:22:43.840 --> 00:22:45.799 and he could have avoided 00:22:45.799 --> 00:22:46.960 dying on the cross, 00:22:47.220 --> 00:22:48.980 it means for certain 00:22:48.980 --> 00:22:50.380 that when he died on the cross, 00:22:50.460 --> 00:22:51.259 he died on the cross 00:22:51.259 --> 00:22:53.180 purely because he loved you. 00:22:53.900 --> 00:22:55.680 People can put two and two together. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:57.000 If Jesus was able 00:22:57.000 --> 00:22:58.620 to calm the storm 00:22:58.620 --> 00:23:00.220 and do that, 00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:01.660 then surely he could make it 00:23:01.660 --> 00:23:02.480 that the soldiers 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:03.680 couldn't put him on a cross. 00:23:03.840 --> 00:23:04.880 So he had to have died 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:06.160 voluntarily on the cross 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:07.180 purely and utterly 00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:08.500 because he loves you. 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:10.519 And when he rises from the dead, 00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:11.360 then you know 00:23:11.360 --> 00:23:12.279 there has to be, 00:23:12.420 --> 00:23:12.640 in fact, 00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:13.660 a God that exists 00:23:13.660 --> 00:23:15.220 and you listen to why 00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:16.400 Jesus said he was doing 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:17.140 what he was doing 00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:18.460 and what he was all about 00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:19.140 and you realize 00:23:19.140 --> 00:23:20.480 that Jesus has come 00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:21.680 from the creator 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:22.460 of all things 00:23:22.460 --> 00:23:23.240 and the sustainer 00:23:23.240 --> 00:23:23.779 of all things 00:23:23.779 --> 00:23:25.059 on a rescue mission 00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:26.460 to rescue you 00:23:26.460 --> 00:23:28.460 because God loves you. 00:23:29.259 --> 00:23:30.359 He's for you. 00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:32.920 He wants you to know him. 00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:34.900 He wants you to know him 00:23:34.900 --> 00:23:35.940 and all the freedom 00:23:35.940 --> 00:23:36.740 that he brings. 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:38.960 And so when the gospel 00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:39.819 is proclaimed, 00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:41.779 it's not that more people 00:23:41.779 --> 00:23:42.779 want to have dealings 00:23:42.779 --> 00:23:43.240 with whatever 00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:44.440 the spiritual world is. 00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:45.539 They come to understand 00:23:45.539 --> 00:23:46.420 that there is a devil, 00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:47.279 that there are demons. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:48.519 And as the gospel 00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:49.140 is proclaimed, 00:23:49.259 --> 00:23:50.099 people are delivered 00:23:50.099 --> 00:23:51.920 from demonic oppression 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:53.140 and possession. 00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:54.380 and influence. 00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:56.900 That's what the gospel does. 00:23:57.519 --> 00:23:59.180 Christ has defeated Satan. 00:23:59.620 --> 00:24:00.960 His doom is certain. 00:24:01.740 --> 00:24:02.880 He still has power, 00:24:03.059 --> 00:24:03.880 but his doom 00:24:03.880 --> 00:24:05.799 is absolutely certain. 00:24:07.019 --> 00:24:08.319 This is the first 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:09.240 of the ancient hostilities 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:11.099 which is talked about 00:24:11.099 --> 00:24:11.960 in this story. 00:24:13.539 --> 00:24:15.259 That ever from the time 00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:18.559 of the Garden of Eden, 00:24:19.620 --> 00:24:22.700 there are unseen powers 00:24:22.700 --> 00:24:23.799 and forces 00:24:23.799 --> 00:24:25.360 and beings 00:24:25.360 --> 00:24:28.259 who hate human beings. 00:24:29.980 --> 00:24:31.279 And it is foolish 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:32.799 for human beings 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:34.279 to think that they can deal 00:24:34.279 --> 00:24:35.420 with such beings 00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:37.900 and tame them. 00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:41.460 these evil spirits 00:24:41.460 --> 00:24:42.280 will appear 00:24:42.280 --> 00:24:43.820 as light, 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:45.400 as white, 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:47.140 like white magic 00:24:47.140 --> 00:24:49.280 versus dark magic, 00:24:49.400 --> 00:24:50.100 black magic, 00:24:51.140 --> 00:24:52.240 good magic. 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:53.840 They'll appear that way, 00:24:54.220 --> 00:24:55.240 but what's happening 00:24:55.240 --> 00:24:57.320 is that we aren't, 00:24:57.640 --> 00:24:58.380 no human being 00:24:58.380 --> 00:24:58.900 is actually taming 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:00.240 these beings. 00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:01.480 No human being 00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:02.160 can do that. 00:25:02.900 --> 00:25:04.480 These evil spiritual beings 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:05.839 are taming you, 00:25:07.940 --> 00:25:08.940 oppressing you, 00:25:11.500 --> 00:25:14.559 making you 00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:15.860 hate yourself 00:25:15.860 --> 00:25:17.140 and harm yourself 00:25:17.140 --> 00:25:20.200 and hate others 00:25:20.200 --> 00:25:21.900 and break up your family 00:25:21.900 --> 00:25:23.160 and see the world 00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:24.240 as a dark place. 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:27.319 and the light of Christ 00:25:27.319 --> 00:25:28.180 and the love of Christ 00:25:28.180 --> 00:25:29.220 and the goodness of Christ 00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:30.259 and the mercy of Christ 00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:31.220 and the truth of Christ 00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:32.160 comes into your life 00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:32.859 to deliver you 00:25:32.859 --> 00:25:34.019 from all of that 00:25:34.019 --> 00:25:36.740 because Christ is for you. 00:25:36.740 --> 00:25:48.140 And so there's this 00:25:48.140 --> 00:25:49.039 ancient hostility 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:49.660 which we need 00:25:49.660 --> 00:25:50.559 to be aware of. 00:25:51.579 --> 00:25:52.180 By the way, 00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:54.339 just as a bit of an aside 00:25:54.339 --> 00:25:54.799 on it, 00:25:56.380 --> 00:25:56.559 you know, 00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:57.180 C.S. Lewis 00:25:57.180 --> 00:25:58.440 talked about how 00:25:58.440 --> 00:25:59.519 there's two extremes. 00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:00.799 It's a very wise way 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:01.620 of talking about it. 00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:03.400 There are Christians 00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:04.740 who see demons everywhere 00:26:04.740 --> 00:26:06.859 and they talk about 00:26:06.859 --> 00:26:08.000 like the demon of smoking 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:08.579 and all that 00:26:08.579 --> 00:26:09.779 and they talk about 00:26:09.779 --> 00:26:10.819 demons too much. 00:26:12.059 --> 00:26:12.859 They actually end up 00:26:12.859 --> 00:26:13.359 almost having 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:14.680 a type of paganist, 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:16.059 pagan understanding 00:26:16.059 --> 00:26:16.700 of the world. 00:26:17.460 --> 00:26:18.579 The other extreme, 00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:19.799 which is the one 00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:20.539 that most of us 00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:21.960 are probably tempted to, 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:23.720 is to never think 00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:25.180 of there ever being 00:26:25.180 --> 00:26:26.519 anything demonic 00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:28.500 affecting our lives 00:26:28.500 --> 00:26:29.779 or the lives of others. 00:26:30.819 --> 00:26:31.880 And that's also 00:26:31.880 --> 00:26:33.359 an improper extreme. 00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:35.500 we live as if 00:26:35.500 --> 00:26:36.679 we're rationalists 00:26:36.679 --> 00:26:38.000 or naturalists 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:39.219 or technocrats. 00:26:40.939 --> 00:26:41.879 And I just want 00:26:41.879 --> 00:26:42.839 to encourage you 00:26:42.839 --> 00:26:44.139 to pray for me 00:26:44.139 --> 00:26:45.519 and us to pray 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:46.199 for each other 00:26:46.199 --> 00:26:47.839 that the Lord 00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:48.399 would give us 00:26:48.399 --> 00:26:49.479 a discernment. 00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:50.139 Sometimes what 00:26:50.139 --> 00:26:51.179 we're dealing with 00:26:51.179 --> 00:26:51.740 in our life 00:26:51.740 --> 00:26:52.959 is in fact 00:26:52.959 --> 00:26:54.439 a type of demonic attack. 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:56.159 Sometimes what we're 00:26:56.159 --> 00:26:56.699 dealing with 00:26:56.699 --> 00:26:57.619 in high places 00:26:57.619 --> 00:26:58.479 or low places 00:26:58.479 --> 00:26:59.759 or in work situations 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:01.219 or in cultural situations 00:27:01.219 --> 00:27:01.859 is in fact 00:27:01.859 --> 00:27:03.219 a type of demonic attack. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:05.079 And we need 00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:05.679 to be willing 00:27:05.679 --> 00:27:06.859 to be seen 00:27:06.859 --> 00:27:07.579 as being 00:27:07.579 --> 00:27:12.159 ignorant fundamentalists, 00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:15.259 knuckle-dragging 00:27:15.259 --> 00:27:16.819 charismatics, 00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:18.719 and pray into it. 00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:21.579 the devil will create 00:27:21.579 --> 00:27:22.500 all sorts of 00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:23.220 odd ways 00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:23.900 for us to think 00:27:23.900 --> 00:27:24.880 about ourselves 00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:25.500 so that we won't 00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:26.039 want to actually 00:27:26.039 --> 00:27:26.799 just do something 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:27.900 simple like this 00:27:27.900 --> 00:27:29.240 as to pray 00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:29.779 that in the name 00:27:29.779 --> 00:27:30.279 of Jesus 00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:31.440 whatever spiritual 00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:32.240 beings, 00:27:32.759 --> 00:27:33.100 demons, 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:34.200 are involved 00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:36.200 that we ask 00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:37.019 the Father 00:27:37.019 --> 00:27:37.440 in the name 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:37.880 of Jesus 00:27:37.880 --> 00:27:38.640 to bind them 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:39.519 and cast them out 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:41.579 and that the power 00:27:41.579 --> 00:27:41.980 of Christ 00:27:41.980 --> 00:27:42.759 will come instead. 00:27:42.759 --> 00:27:45.819 be a fool 00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:46.460 for Christ. 00:27:48.220 --> 00:27:49.039 It doesn't necessarily 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:49.660 mean you have to do it 00:27:49.660 --> 00:27:50.079 in public. 00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:50.700 It means maybe 00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:51.839 in your private prayers 00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:53.079 that that's how 00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:54.099 you not only 00:27:54.099 --> 00:27:54.700 have to ask 00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:55.579 the Father 00:27:55.579 --> 00:27:56.200 for wisdom 00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:57.160 about what to say 00:27:57.160 --> 00:27:58.960 but you need 00:27:58.960 --> 00:27:59.700 to pray into it. 00:28:01.779 --> 00:28:02.440 Now there's 00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:03.279 a very, 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:03.720 very 00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:04.980 other 00:28:04.980 --> 00:28:06.039 big thing 00:28:06.039 --> 00:28:06.859 which is going on 00:28:06.859 --> 00:28:07.519 which I haven't 00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:08.019 talked about 00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:08.819 because I want 00:28:08.819 --> 00:28:09.579 to get to the point 00:28:09.579 --> 00:28:10.119 that makes it 00:28:10.119 --> 00:28:10.959 very obvious 00:28:10.959 --> 00:28:13.359 and that's what 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:14.199 it comes up here 00:28:14.199 --> 00:28:14.899 a little bit later. 00:28:15.059 --> 00:28:15.259 Let's, 00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:15.619 I think, 00:28:15.699 --> 00:28:16.119 I can't remember 00:28:16.119 --> 00:28:16.859 where I left off 00:28:16.859 --> 00:28:17.259 in reading. 00:28:18.179 --> 00:28:19.299 Let's read verse 11 00:28:19.299 --> 00:28:20.219 and they paid attention 00:28:20.219 --> 00:28:20.819 to him, 00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:21.979 that Simon, 00:28:22.159 --> 00:28:22.819 for a long time 00:28:22.819 --> 00:28:23.619 because he amazed 00:28:23.619 --> 00:28:25.019 them with his magic 00:28:25.019 --> 00:28:26.699 but when they believed 00:28:26.699 --> 00:28:27.759 Philip as he preached 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:28.359 the good news 00:28:28.359 --> 00:28:29.019 about the kingdom 00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:29.439 of God 00:28:29.439 --> 00:28:29.799 in the name 00:28:29.799 --> 00:28:30.539 of Jesus Christ 00:28:30.539 --> 00:28:31.399 they were baptized 00:28:31.399 --> 00:28:32.299 both men and women. 00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:34.819 Even Simon himself 00:28:34.819 --> 00:28:35.559 believed 00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:37.159 and after being baptized 00:28:37.159 --> 00:28:38.779 he continued 00:28:38.779 --> 00:28:39.599 with Philip 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:41.099 and seeing 00:28:41.099 --> 00:28:41.699 the signs 00:28:41.699 --> 00:28:42.619 and miracles 00:28:42.619 --> 00:28:43.339 performed 00:28:43.339 --> 00:28:44.319 he was amazed. 00:28:44.859 --> 00:28:45.699 See here we see 00:28:45.699 --> 00:28:46.419 that the power 00:28:46.419 --> 00:28:46.859 of the true 00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:47.480 and living God 00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:47.959 is greater 00:28:47.959 --> 00:28:50.719 than any demon 00:28:50.719 --> 00:28:51.500 than the devil 00:28:51.500 --> 00:28:52.019 himself. 00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:53.079 Philip, 00:28:53.179 --> 00:28:53.879 a purveyor, 00:28:54.740 --> 00:28:56.819 one who frequented 00:28:56.819 --> 00:28:57.399 the company 00:28:57.399 --> 00:28:58.019 of demons 00:28:58.019 --> 00:28:58.879 and amazed 00:28:58.879 --> 00:28:59.299 people 00:28:59.299 --> 00:29:01.799 is completely 00:29:01.799 --> 00:29:02.639 gobstruck, 00:29:02.959 --> 00:29:03.399 amazed 00:29:03.399 --> 00:29:04.319 when he sees 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:05.000 the Holy Spirit 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:05.719 move and work. 00:29:06.919 --> 00:29:07.659 Verse 14, 00:29:07.660 --> 00:29:08.920 Now, 00:29:09.120 --> 00:29:09.920 when the apostles 00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:10.540 of Jerusalem 00:29:10.540 --> 00:29:11.860 heard that Samaria 00:29:11.860 --> 00:29:12.540 had received 00:29:12.540 --> 00:29:13.340 the word of God 00:29:13.340 --> 00:29:14.640 they sent to them 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:15.500 Peter and John 00:29:15.500 --> 00:29:16.320 who came down 00:29:16.320 --> 00:29:17.160 and prayed for them 00:29:17.160 --> 00:29:17.720 that they might 00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:18.960 receive the Holy Spirit 00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:20.759 for he had not, 00:29:20.840 --> 00:29:21.860 that is the Holy Spirit 00:29:21.860 --> 00:29:22.940 had not yet fallen 00:29:22.940 --> 00:29:24.000 on any of them 00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:25.640 but they had only 00:29:25.640 --> 00:29:26.360 been baptized 00:29:26.360 --> 00:29:27.580 in the name 00:29:27.580 --> 00:29:28.460 of the Lord Jesus. 00:29:29.340 --> 00:29:30.040 Then they, 00:29:30.180 --> 00:29:31.519 that is Peter and John, 00:29:31.940 --> 00:29:33.019 laid their hands 00:29:33.019 --> 00:29:33.700 on them 00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:35.460 and they received 00:29:35.460 --> 00:29:36.559 the Holy Spirit. 00:29:37.940 --> 00:29:38.140 Now, 00:29:38.180 --> 00:29:39.039 when Simon saw 00:29:39.039 --> 00:29:39.980 that the Holy Spirit 00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:40.440 had been given 00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:41.039 through the lay 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:41.539 in honor of the 00:29:41.539 --> 00:29:42.200 apostles' hand 00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:43.000 he offered the money 00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:43.799 and we'll just sort 00:29:43.799 --> 00:29:44.480 of pause there. 00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:45.740 So this is a very 00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:46.779 puzzling text 00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:48.559 and even with, 00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:50.019 if those of us 00:29:50.019 --> 00:29:50.460 who are, 00:29:51.220 --> 00:29:52.200 I'm not going to talk 00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:52.920 about how there's 00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:53.920 two different groups 00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:55.900 within the Christian world 00:29:55.900 --> 00:29:56.900 that take this text 00:29:56.900 --> 00:29:57.539 and build a lot 00:29:57.539 --> 00:29:58.400 of doctrine on it. 00:29:58.940 --> 00:29:59.519 I'm going to say 00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:00.340 they're both wrong. 00:30:01.519 --> 00:30:02.100 That's not what 00:30:02.100 --> 00:30:02.940 the text is saying. 00:30:03.700 --> 00:30:04.920 But even if you read 00:30:04.920 --> 00:30:05.580 the book of Acts, 00:30:05.620 --> 00:30:06.700 it's a very odd text. 00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.360 If you go back 00:30:07.360 --> 00:30:09.240 and read Acts chapter 2, 00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:10.299 the very, very first 00:30:10.299 --> 00:30:12.160 Christian sermon 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:13.180 on the day of Pentecost, 00:30:13.900 --> 00:30:15.440 Peter says that if you, 00:30:16.519 --> 00:30:16.759 you know, 00:30:16.779 --> 00:30:17.460 what's just happened, 00:30:17.580 --> 00:30:18.279 are we all speaking 00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:19.200 all these languages 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:20.019 and all of these things, 00:30:20.080 --> 00:30:20.759 it's all because 00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:22.200 Joel has been fulfilled 00:30:22.200 --> 00:30:23.960 and the Holy Spirit 00:30:23.960 --> 00:30:24.900 has fallen upon us 00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:25.440 and that's why 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.360 these things are happening. 00:30:26.980 --> 00:30:28.740 And then Peter says 00:30:28.740 --> 00:30:29.059 at the end, 00:30:29.100 --> 00:30:29.880 if you give your life 00:30:29.880 --> 00:30:30.559 to Christ, 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:32.120 you also will receive 00:30:32.120 --> 00:30:32.860 the Holy Spirit. 00:30:32.859 --> 00:30:33.759 So here we have 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:34.740 a whole pile of believers. 00:30:35.179 --> 00:30:36.039 They've given their life 00:30:36.039 --> 00:30:36.639 to Christ. 00:30:36.859 --> 00:30:37.919 They've been baptized. 00:30:38.519 --> 00:30:39.719 And somehow or another, 00:30:39.719 --> 00:30:40.719 there is this perception 00:30:40.719 --> 00:30:41.699 they haven't received 00:30:41.699 --> 00:30:42.459 the Holy Spirit. 00:30:42.599 --> 00:30:43.159 So what on earth 00:30:43.159 --> 00:30:43.879 is going on? 00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:44.979 Now, 00:30:45.379 --> 00:30:46.699 I think 00:30:46.699 --> 00:30:48.059 the way to understand 00:30:48.059 --> 00:30:48.599 that is this, 00:30:48.639 --> 00:30:49.399 and this is the second 00:30:49.399 --> 00:30:50.199 great enmity 00:30:50.199 --> 00:30:51.759 that's in the text. 00:30:53.519 --> 00:30:54.139 You see, 00:30:54.279 --> 00:30:55.079 if the gospel 00:30:55.079 --> 00:30:55.699 is going to go 00:30:55.699 --> 00:30:56.839 to the ends of the earth, 00:30:57.199 --> 00:30:57.939 that means, 00:30:58.079 --> 00:30:58.959 and to every single 00:30:58.959 --> 00:30:59.779 people group 00:30:59.779 --> 00:31:00.859 on the planet, 00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:01.740 it means it's going 00:31:01.740 --> 00:31:02.959 to go to people groups, 00:31:03.639 --> 00:31:05.819 let's just be honest, 00:31:06.500 --> 00:31:07.719 that we hate and detest. 00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:11.759 I know you're good Canadians 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:12.619 and we don't hate 00:31:12.619 --> 00:31:13.419 or detest anybody, 00:31:13.619 --> 00:31:13.939 but yeah, 00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:15.079 blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, 00:31:15.079 --> 00:31:16.259 you're just not being honest. 00:31:18.179 --> 00:31:18.579 Okay, 00:31:18.699 --> 00:31:19.500 all I have to say 00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:20.119 for those of you 00:31:20.119 --> 00:31:20.939 who spend all your time 00:31:20.939 --> 00:31:21.919 watching the CBC, 00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:22.599 you've got to go 00:31:22.599 --> 00:31:23.359 to people who wear 00:31:23.359 --> 00:31:24.399 MAGA hats. 00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:26.080 Okay? 00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:27.400 You know, 00:31:27.460 --> 00:31:27.920 for those of you 00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:29.100 who like watching MAGA hats, 00:31:29.180 --> 00:31:29.860 you've got to go 00:31:29.860 --> 00:31:31.500 and you've got to go 00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:32.460 to people who have 00:31:32.460 --> 00:31:33.880 really multicolored hair 00:31:33.880 --> 00:31:34.780 and lots of things 00:31:34.780 --> 00:31:35.620 and are very, very pretty. 00:31:35.780 --> 00:31:36.300 You have to share 00:31:36.300 --> 00:31:37.120 the gospel with them, 00:31:37.220 --> 00:31:37.460 okay? 00:31:37.900 --> 00:31:38.500 And it doesn't matter. 00:31:38.560 --> 00:31:39.860 You can just multiply things. 00:31:40.060 --> 00:31:40.519 I've had, 00:31:40.920 --> 00:31:41.200 you know, 00:31:41.360 --> 00:31:42.360 we've had a multicultural 00:31:42.360 --> 00:31:43.960 congregation downtown 00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:45.019 for quite a few years 00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:46.160 and I've talked to people. 00:31:46.300 --> 00:31:46.940 I remember talking 00:31:46.940 --> 00:31:47.480 to one woman 00:31:47.480 --> 00:31:49.080 and I said, 00:31:49.160 --> 00:31:49.720 there's only this other 00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:50.540 person's Romanian 00:31:50.540 --> 00:31:51.740 and she's asked his name 00:31:51.740 --> 00:31:52.580 and when it turned out 00:31:52.580 --> 00:31:53.900 he was Russian-Romanian, 00:31:53.900 --> 00:31:54.580 you could just see 00:31:54.580 --> 00:31:55.900 her whole body tense up 00:31:55.900 --> 00:31:56.400 that she didn't want 00:31:56.400 --> 00:31:57.100 to talk to him. 00:31:58.080 --> 00:31:59.200 I remember talking 00:31:59.200 --> 00:31:59.920 to this one couple 00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:00.840 who were Czech 00:32:00.840 --> 00:32:01.360 and I said, 00:32:01.400 --> 00:32:01.460 oh, 00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:02.660 there's this other person 00:32:02.660 --> 00:32:03.700 from Czechoslovakia 00:32:03.700 --> 00:32:05.120 and they asked their name 00:32:05.120 --> 00:32:05.420 and they said, 00:32:05.480 --> 00:32:05.540 oh, 00:32:05.560 --> 00:32:06.180 they're Slovak 00:32:06.180 --> 00:32:06.620 and they, 00:32:06.900 --> 00:32:08.080 you could just see 00:32:08.080 --> 00:32:09.440 they all tensed up. 00:32:09.740 --> 00:32:10.480 The Czechs don't like 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:11.080 the Slovaks 00:32:11.080 --> 00:32:11.860 and vice versa. 00:32:12.080 --> 00:32:12.200 You know, 00:32:12.280 --> 00:32:12.720 West Germans 00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:13.560 don't like East Germans. 00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:13.960 I mean, 00:32:14.060 --> 00:32:14.980 there's just this, 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:16.480 in the case of 00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:17.460 what's going on here 00:32:17.460 --> 00:32:19.019 between Samaria 00:32:19.019 --> 00:32:20.720 and Jewish people 00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:21.240 in Jerusalem, 00:32:22.420 --> 00:32:23.380 there's two different 00:32:23.380 --> 00:32:24.020 ways to count it. 00:32:24.080 --> 00:32:24.860 One way to count it 00:32:24.860 --> 00:32:27.040 is a thousand years 00:32:27.040 --> 00:32:28.120 of enmity. 00:32:29.360 --> 00:32:31.900 One thousand years 00:32:31.900 --> 00:32:32.660 of enmity. 00:32:34.200 --> 00:32:35.400 And that thousand 00:32:35.400 --> 00:32:36.380 comes because, 00:32:36.520 --> 00:32:36.760 you know, 00:32:36.800 --> 00:32:37.480 the United States 00:32:37.480 --> 00:32:39.680 are friends to the south. 00:32:39.780 --> 00:32:40.940 They had a big civil war. 00:32:41.440 --> 00:32:41.660 Many, 00:32:41.760 --> 00:32:42.600 many people died. 00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:43.360 It ended up, 00:32:43.420 --> 00:32:43.500 though, 00:32:43.540 --> 00:32:44.120 that the country 00:32:44.120 --> 00:32:44.680 was united. 00:32:44.820 --> 00:32:45.500 The North won. 00:32:45.500 --> 00:32:46.960 The country was united 00:32:46.960 --> 00:32:50.539 under the North. 00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:52.220 And the United States 00:32:52.220 --> 00:32:53.460 is just one country today. 00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:55.440 But what happened 00:32:55.440 --> 00:32:57.819 is just after Solomon died, 00:32:57.940 --> 00:32:59.259 there was a civil war 00:32:59.259 --> 00:33:01.460 in what was Israel. 00:33:02.099 --> 00:33:02.819 And that war 00:33:02.819 --> 00:33:04.359 never came, 00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:04.759 like, 00:33:04.900 --> 00:33:06.039 that never came to an end. 00:33:06.180 --> 00:33:06.579 They never, 00:33:06.900 --> 00:33:07.900 the two groups 00:33:07.900 --> 00:33:08.700 never merged 00:33:08.700 --> 00:33:09.500 into one country. 00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:12.000 And for 300 years, 00:33:12.099 --> 00:33:13.240 there was frequent warfare 00:33:13.240 --> 00:33:14.140 between the north 00:33:14.140 --> 00:33:14.779 and the south. 00:33:15.720 --> 00:33:16.220 And then, 00:33:16.620 --> 00:33:18.279 in the 700 BCs, 00:33:18.420 --> 00:33:19.500 the northern kingdom 00:33:19.500 --> 00:33:20.480 was taken over 00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:21.319 by Assyria. 00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:23.700 And what the Assyrians did, 00:33:23.980 --> 00:33:25.480 which is a very common thing 00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:26.240 throughout history, 00:33:26.940 --> 00:33:28.400 is they took a whole pile 00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:29.180 of the Jewish people 00:33:29.180 --> 00:33:30.460 and they scattered them around 00:33:30.460 --> 00:33:31.940 throughout the Assyrian Empire. 00:33:32.440 --> 00:33:33.359 And they brought people 00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:34.180 from other places 00:33:34.180 --> 00:33:34.900 that they'd conquered 00:33:34.900 --> 00:33:35.819 and they put them there 00:33:35.819 --> 00:33:36.759 in the northern kingdom. 00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:38.299 So now you had a mixture 00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:39.779 of pagans and Jews 00:33:39.779 --> 00:33:41.140 living in what used to be 00:33:41.140 --> 00:33:42.480 the northern part of Israel. 00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:44.360 And they intermarried 00:33:44.360 --> 00:33:45.299 and their religions 00:33:45.299 --> 00:33:46.779 became intermingled. 00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:49.539 And so there's 700 years 00:33:49.539 --> 00:33:51.620 where the southern kingdom, 00:33:51.839 --> 00:33:52.279 Jerusalem, 00:33:52.900 --> 00:33:54.140 viewed these other people, 00:33:54.220 --> 00:33:55.579 now called Samaritans, 00:33:55.680 --> 00:33:58.019 as being half-Jewish, 00:33:58.480 --> 00:33:59.220 pagans, 00:33:59.579 --> 00:34:01.240 everything that they despised. 00:34:01.360 --> 00:34:04.000 And there were 700 years 00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:05.720 of hostility. 00:34:05.720 --> 00:34:12.300 I don't know how many of you 00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:12.960 have ever had to go 00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:13.880 to marriage counseling. 00:34:14.920 --> 00:34:15.599 One of the things 00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:16.139 they talk about 00:34:16.139 --> 00:34:17.340 in marriage counseling is, 00:34:18.119 --> 00:34:20.019 so you know, 00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:21.320 the man and the woman, 00:34:21.460 --> 00:34:21.940 they come into 00:34:21.940 --> 00:34:22.760 the marriage counseling 00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:24.840 and maybe not visible 00:34:24.840 --> 00:34:25.720 to the other person, 00:34:25.780 --> 00:34:26.460 they come pulling 00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:27.940 a whole pile of resentments 00:34:27.940 --> 00:34:29.860 about the other person. 00:34:29.860 --> 00:34:32.440 One person I heard 00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:33.140 use the analogy, 00:34:33.260 --> 00:34:34.000 it's as if they're pulling 00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:34.920 a little red wagon 00:34:34.920 --> 00:34:36.400 stacked up with resentments. 00:34:36.820 --> 00:34:37.660 And you both come 00:34:37.660 --> 00:34:38.220 to the session 00:34:38.220 --> 00:34:39.480 pulling your little wagons 00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:40.260 of resentments 00:34:40.260 --> 00:34:41.440 piled high. 00:34:42.360 --> 00:34:43.240 Well, imagine if you had 00:34:43.240 --> 00:34:44.900 700 years of resentments. 00:34:47.460 --> 00:34:49.140 So the real danger was 00:34:49.140 --> 00:34:52.039 that these Samaritans 00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:53.480 would become Christians 00:34:53.480 --> 00:34:55.519 and they would become 00:34:55.519 --> 00:34:56.619 Samaritan Christians, 00:34:57.719 --> 00:34:58.619 that from that point 00:34:58.619 --> 00:34:59.300 in time on, 00:34:59.380 --> 00:34:59.740 there would be 00:34:59.740 --> 00:35:00.619 Samaritan Christians 00:35:00.619 --> 00:35:01.639 and Jewish Christians. 00:35:03.260 --> 00:35:04.119 Separate churches, 00:35:04.360 --> 00:35:05.639 that dividing wall 00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:07.360 of hostility and estrangement 00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:08.639 between Samaritans 00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:11.079 and between the Jewish people 00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:12.300 would not be removed. 00:35:12.659 --> 00:35:12.880 In fact, 00:35:12.900 --> 00:35:13.900 it could even grow on, 00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:15.260 it might still be there today 00:35:15.260 --> 00:35:15.820 amongst those 00:35:15.820 --> 00:35:16.460 who are Christians. 00:35:18.240 --> 00:35:19.679 So I think what happened 00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:23.460 is that God did not want 00:35:23.460 --> 00:35:24.380 that to happen. 00:35:26.740 --> 00:35:26.980 I mean, 00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:27.940 we might loosely talk 00:35:27.940 --> 00:35:29.099 about Canadian Christians 00:35:29.099 --> 00:35:30.679 and Nigerian Christians 00:35:30.679 --> 00:35:32.119 or Indonesian Christians, 00:35:32.119 --> 00:35:33.480 but we don't really mean it 00:35:33.480 --> 00:35:35.119 in any type of serious way. 00:35:35.240 --> 00:35:35.840 If we do, 00:35:35.920 --> 00:35:37.019 it's a serious error. 00:35:37.159 --> 00:35:38.860 There's no hyphenated Christians. 00:35:39.619 --> 00:35:40.820 There's just Christians. 00:35:42.840 --> 00:35:43.900 That's all there is. 00:35:44.039 --> 00:35:44.920 There's just Christians. 00:35:48.380 --> 00:35:49.840 And so what God did, 00:35:50.019 --> 00:35:50.679 somehow or another, 00:35:50.860 --> 00:35:52.159 Philip had a discernment. 00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:53.519 Our charismatic friends 00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:54.139 would call it maybe 00:35:54.139 --> 00:35:55.119 a word of knowledge, 00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:57.159 that these Samaritans 00:35:57.159 --> 00:35:58.739 hadn't received the Holy Spirit. 00:35:58.879 --> 00:36:00.079 We're not told how Philip 00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:01.299 came to that conclusion, 00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:02.059 but he tested. 00:36:02.199 --> 00:36:03.059 He wanted to test it. 00:36:03.559 --> 00:36:05.179 So Peter and John come down. 00:36:05.259 --> 00:36:06.019 They do an examination. 00:36:06.239 --> 00:36:08.119 They also come to this perception, 00:36:08.379 --> 00:36:08.940 somehow or another, 00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:09.759 that the Holy Spirit 00:36:09.759 --> 00:36:10.480 hasn't fallen. 00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:11.920 And Peter and John 00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:13.379 are the two leading apostles. 00:36:14.159 --> 00:36:15.239 And so they pray. 00:36:16.119 --> 00:36:17.119 And as they pray, 00:36:17.199 --> 00:36:17.980 the Holy Spirit 00:36:17.980 --> 00:36:19.920 falls upon the Samaritans. 00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:22.519 And the Bible doesn't say 00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:23.659 how they know that. 00:36:23.780 --> 00:36:24.480 They just say, 00:36:24.599 --> 00:36:25.460 the Bible just says, 00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:26.619 if you go back and look at the text, 00:36:26.700 --> 00:36:27.700 that they see something. 00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:29.139 Now here, 00:36:29.780 --> 00:36:31.700 I'm just going to speculate. 00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:32.880 Okay? 00:36:33.019 --> 00:36:33.740 It's not the Bible. 00:36:33.820 --> 00:36:34.940 It's just George speculating. 00:36:35.860 --> 00:36:36.800 If you go back 00:36:36.800 --> 00:36:37.980 and you read the first book 00:36:37.980 --> 00:36:38.860 that Luke wrote 00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:40.139 called the Gospel of Luke, 00:36:40.260 --> 00:36:41.780 there's a scene in there 00:36:41.780 --> 00:36:43.760 where John is one of two people, 00:36:43.760 --> 00:36:45.800 but probably with the support 00:36:45.800 --> 00:36:46.740 of all the apostles, 00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:48.840 a Samaritan village 00:36:48.840 --> 00:36:52.420 has treated Jesus badly. 00:36:53.600 --> 00:36:54.680 So John says, 00:36:54.860 --> 00:36:56.360 and his brother says to Jesus, 00:36:56.700 --> 00:36:58.660 can we call down fire from heaven 00:36:58.660 --> 00:37:00.100 and have this place destroyed? 00:37:00.700 --> 00:37:01.760 And Jesus says, no. 00:37:03.300 --> 00:37:04.020 I don't know. 00:37:04.140 --> 00:37:05.280 This is my speculation. 00:37:06.260 --> 00:37:06.400 You know, 00:37:06.440 --> 00:37:07.440 in the day of Pentecost, 00:37:08.340 --> 00:37:09.300 one of the signs 00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:10.560 that the Holy Spirit had fallen 00:37:10.559 --> 00:37:12.360 was that tongues of fire 00:37:12.360 --> 00:37:13.639 came and fell 00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:14.719 on everybody in the room. 00:37:15.719 --> 00:37:16.619 And I wonder 00:37:16.619 --> 00:37:17.779 if what they saw 00:37:17.779 --> 00:37:19.420 was that John 00:37:19.420 --> 00:37:21.279 finally got to call down fire 00:37:21.279 --> 00:37:21.840 from heaven. 00:37:23.219 --> 00:37:25.259 But it wasn't fire of destruction. 00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:26.880 It was the fire 00:37:26.880 --> 00:37:27.679 of the Holy Spirit. 00:37:29.279 --> 00:37:30.119 And they had 00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:31.659 incontrovertible proof 00:37:31.659 --> 00:37:34.179 that the same Holy Spirit 00:37:34.179 --> 00:37:34.900 that fell 00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:36.599 because they were believers 00:37:36.599 --> 00:37:37.940 in Jesus in Jerusalem, 00:37:38.759 --> 00:37:40.380 the same Holy Spirit 00:37:40.380 --> 00:37:41.180 that came upon 00:37:41.180 --> 00:37:42.500 every Jewish Christian. 00:37:43.340 --> 00:37:44.119 It's exactly 00:37:44.119 --> 00:37:45.740 the same Holy Spirit 00:37:45.740 --> 00:37:46.440 that falls 00:37:46.440 --> 00:37:47.880 when the same gospel 00:37:47.880 --> 00:37:49.519 is preached to Samaritans. 00:37:50.039 --> 00:37:50.840 And you're going to see 00:37:50.840 --> 00:37:51.920 something very similar 00:37:51.920 --> 00:37:52.640 when the next 00:37:52.640 --> 00:37:53.599 great estrangement 00:37:53.599 --> 00:37:54.880 happens in chapter 10 00:37:54.880 --> 00:37:56.059 when the gospel comes 00:37:56.059 --> 00:37:57.559 to the first pagans 00:37:57.559 --> 00:37:58.039 to believe. 00:37:58.160 --> 00:37:58.660 And you're going to see 00:37:58.660 --> 00:38:00.140 something very similar there. 00:38:00.579 --> 00:38:02.039 It has to have an apostle 00:38:02.039 --> 00:38:03.320 and there's something 00:38:03.320 --> 00:38:04.119 that makes it 00:38:04.119 --> 00:38:05.820 clear 00:38:05.820 --> 00:38:08.420 that these ancient divisions 00:38:08.420 --> 00:38:09.680 in the gospel 00:38:09.680 --> 00:38:10.800 have come to an end. 00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:11.740 You see, 00:38:11.820 --> 00:38:12.940 there's one creator. 00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:16.079 There is one creator. 00:38:16.220 --> 00:38:17.059 One triune God 00:38:17.059 --> 00:38:18.139 has created all things, 00:38:18.200 --> 00:38:19.220 including human beings. 00:38:19.340 --> 00:38:20.740 And when human beings fell, 00:38:21.280 --> 00:38:22.860 we needed God to save us. 00:38:22.940 --> 00:38:24.119 And God does save us. 00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:25.159 He sends his son. 00:38:25.159 --> 00:38:26.800 He sends one savior 00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:28.000 to one humanity. 00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:29.340 And that means 00:38:29.340 --> 00:38:30.980 there's only one gospel. 00:38:31.119 --> 00:38:32.400 There's not a Muslim gospel, 00:38:32.519 --> 00:38:33.400 a Buddhist gospel, 00:38:33.539 --> 00:38:34.559 an African gospel, 00:38:34.659 --> 00:38:35.659 a Canadian gospel, 00:38:35.659 --> 00:38:36.839 a European gospel, 00:38:36.920 --> 00:38:37.879 and Chinese gospel. 00:38:38.059 --> 00:38:39.359 There's just one savior 00:38:39.359 --> 00:38:40.739 and just one gospel. 00:38:41.079 --> 00:38:43.039 And when we hear that gospel 00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:44.420 and receive Jesus 00:38:44.420 --> 00:38:45.759 as our savior, 00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:47.739 he puts us into one kingdom. 00:38:49.619 --> 00:38:50.619 One kingdom. 00:38:51.879 --> 00:38:53.379 There's not gay Christians 00:38:53.379 --> 00:38:54.239 and straight Christians. 00:38:54.399 --> 00:38:55.339 There's just Christians. 00:38:56.879 --> 00:38:58.299 When I was organizing 00:38:58.299 --> 00:38:59.759 a Dig and Delve event 00:38:59.759 --> 00:39:00.440 and apologetics 00:39:00.440 --> 00:39:01.219 about this issue 00:39:01.219 --> 00:39:02.199 and somebody said to me, 00:39:02.239 --> 00:39:02.879 well, what do you call 00:39:02.879 --> 00:39:03.519 a gay Christian 00:39:03.519 --> 00:39:04.119 if you don't call him 00:39:04.119 --> 00:39:04.679 a gay Christian? 00:39:04.679 --> 00:39:06.039 And I said I call him my brother. 00:39:07.480 --> 00:39:08.679 That's what I call him. 00:39:09.059 --> 00:39:09.759 My brother. 00:39:10.319 --> 00:39:11.739 He's my brother in Christ. 00:39:13.579 --> 00:39:14.899 There's only one gospel. 00:39:17.759 --> 00:39:19.259 And it's for every single 00:39:19.259 --> 00:39:21.339 people group on the planet. 00:39:22.719 --> 00:39:23.759 So one of the things, 00:39:23.980 --> 00:39:24.839 if the first thing, 00:39:24.919 --> 00:39:25.639 just in closing, 00:39:25.859 --> 00:39:26.899 is that I think we need 00:39:26.899 --> 00:39:28.159 to be aware of the fact 00:39:28.159 --> 00:39:28.940 that sometimes 00:39:28.940 --> 00:39:32.019 the devil can't be converted 00:39:32.019 --> 00:39:34.739 in the mystery of God's providence, 00:39:34.820 --> 00:39:35.860 at some point in time, 00:39:35.980 --> 00:39:37.139 the angels that fell, 00:39:37.320 --> 00:39:38.619 there's no turning back for them. 00:39:38.699 --> 00:39:39.860 Now there's an ancient enmity 00:39:39.860 --> 00:39:40.679 and we are involved 00:39:40.679 --> 00:39:42.280 in a spiritual war against them. 00:39:43.400 --> 00:39:45.099 But there's no equivalent war 00:39:45.099 --> 00:39:46.019 for human beings. 00:39:46.019 --> 00:39:48.800 And we need to, 00:39:48.940 --> 00:39:49.119 I think, 00:39:49.159 --> 00:39:49.880 have the discipline 00:39:49.880 --> 00:39:51.400 of praying for our rivals, 00:39:51.619 --> 00:39:52.559 our persecutors, 00:39:52.780 --> 00:39:53.920 the people we don't like. 00:39:55.860 --> 00:39:57.000 If you are a very, 00:39:57.079 --> 00:39:58.400 very committed follower 00:39:58.400 --> 00:39:59.380 of Donald Trump, 00:39:59.639 --> 00:40:00.480 you need to pray 00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:01.559 for people you know 00:40:01.559 --> 00:40:02.440 who are very, 00:40:02.539 --> 00:40:03.360 very, very different 00:40:03.360 --> 00:40:04.440 from you politically 00:40:04.440 --> 00:40:05.719 and vice versa. 00:40:07.559 --> 00:40:09.480 Like it's good for your soul 00:40:09.480 --> 00:40:11.639 to pray for their conversion. 00:40:11.639 --> 00:40:14.219 I just want to close 00:40:14.219 --> 00:40:14.940 with one thought. 00:40:16.079 --> 00:40:17.239 I think it's very Christian 00:40:17.239 --> 00:40:19.159 that we should pray 00:40:19.159 --> 00:40:20.379 that Hamas 00:40:20.379 --> 00:40:21.940 will be defeated 00:40:21.940 --> 00:40:23.279 soon. 00:40:24.400 --> 00:40:25.400 I also think 00:40:25.400 --> 00:40:26.159 it's very important 00:40:26.159 --> 00:40:26.920 that we pray 00:40:26.920 --> 00:40:28.039 that people 00:40:28.039 --> 00:40:29.519 who are members of Hamas 00:40:29.519 --> 00:40:31.219 come to a saving faith 00:40:31.219 --> 00:40:32.679 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:40:33.339 --> 00:40:34.480 And those are not 00:40:34.480 --> 00:40:35.879 contradictory things to pray. 00:40:36.679 --> 00:40:37.379 They are both 00:40:37.379 --> 00:40:38.539 Christian ways 00:40:38.539 --> 00:40:39.480 of praying. 00:40:40.299 --> 00:40:41.359 You have to deal 00:40:41.360 --> 00:40:41.860 with evil, 00:40:42.380 --> 00:40:43.960 but you also have to pray 00:40:43.960 --> 00:40:44.720 that for those 00:40:44.720 --> 00:40:45.360 who are consumed 00:40:45.360 --> 00:40:45.880 with evil, 00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:47.260 that they will come 00:40:47.260 --> 00:40:48.660 to a saving faith 00:40:48.660 --> 00:40:50.099 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:40:50.300 --> 00:40:51.320 I invite you to stand. 00:40:55.880 --> 00:40:57.140 Bow our heads in prayer. 00:41:01.880 --> 00:41:02.860 Father, we give you 00:41:02.860 --> 00:41:03.780 thanks and praise 00:41:03.780 --> 00:41:06.539 that for those of us 00:41:06.539 --> 00:41:07.260 who are Christians 00:41:07.260 --> 00:41:09.539 here or watching online 00:41:09.539 --> 00:41:10.260 or downstream, 00:41:10.260 --> 00:41:11.800 Father, we give you 00:41:11.800 --> 00:41:12.580 thanks and praise 00:41:12.580 --> 00:41:13.500 that somebody shared 00:41:13.500 --> 00:41:14.560 the gospel with us 00:41:14.560 --> 00:41:17.120 and that your Holy Spirit 00:41:17.120 --> 00:41:17.980 moved in our heart 00:41:17.980 --> 00:41:18.960 that we said yes 00:41:18.960 --> 00:41:20.160 to this good news 00:41:20.160 --> 00:41:22.300 and that Jesus 00:41:22.300 --> 00:41:23.360 became our Savior 00:41:23.360 --> 00:41:25.740 and he also became 00:41:25.740 --> 00:41:26.200 our Lord. 00:41:26.980 --> 00:41:28.040 We ask, Father, 00:41:28.140 --> 00:41:29.380 that you grant us 00:41:29.380 --> 00:41:30.060 opportunities 00:41:30.060 --> 00:41:30.800 and courage 00:41:30.800 --> 00:41:31.380 to share 00:41:31.380 --> 00:41:32.220 and bear witness 00:41:32.220 --> 00:41:33.440 to Jesus to others. 00:41:34.360 --> 00:41:35.000 And, Lord, 00:41:35.200 --> 00:41:36.420 you know our hearts. 00:41:36.420 --> 00:41:37.880 You know we might pretend 00:41:37.880 --> 00:41:38.740 that there aren't people 00:41:38.740 --> 00:41:39.579 who are our rivals 00:41:39.579 --> 00:41:40.400 or our enemies 00:41:40.400 --> 00:41:42.079 or who have hurt us 00:41:42.079 --> 00:41:42.639 or that we are 00:41:42.639 --> 00:41:43.539 prejudiced against, 00:41:43.700 --> 00:41:44.039 but, Father, 00:41:44.139 --> 00:41:45.400 you know that's not true 00:41:45.400 --> 00:41:46.180 within us. 00:41:47.260 --> 00:41:47.840 And so, Father, 00:41:47.900 --> 00:41:49.159 we ask that on one hand 00:41:49.159 --> 00:41:50.680 you both gently convict us 00:41:50.680 --> 00:41:52.360 of the truth 00:41:52.360 --> 00:41:53.180 about ourselves, 00:41:53.720 --> 00:41:55.380 but that you would help us 00:41:55.380 --> 00:41:57.119 to pray not only 00:41:57.119 --> 00:41:58.079 that our tormentors 00:41:58.079 --> 00:41:59.000 or persecutors 00:41:59.000 --> 00:42:01.099 would stop it, Father. 00:42:01.099 --> 00:42:02.079 We know that you want us 00:42:02.079 --> 00:42:02.880 to pray for that. 00:42:02.880 --> 00:42:04.940 But help us, Father, 00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:06.119 to pray for their conversion. 00:42:08.380 --> 00:42:09.039 And, Father, 00:42:09.119 --> 00:42:10.220 we pray right now. 00:42:10.320 --> 00:42:11.019 We ask, Father, 00:42:11.099 --> 00:42:12.039 for the swift defeat 00:42:12.039 --> 00:42:12.660 of Amas. 00:42:13.539 --> 00:42:14.680 And we ask, Father, 00:42:14.780 --> 00:42:16.640 that many who are caught up 00:42:16.640 --> 00:42:17.720 with that ideology, 00:42:17.960 --> 00:42:19.380 that they would repent of it, 00:42:19.500 --> 00:42:20.840 that they would put their faith 00:42:20.840 --> 00:42:22.960 in the Lord Jesus Christ 00:42:22.960 --> 00:42:24.860 as their Savior and Lord. 00:42:25.019 --> 00:42:25.660 And we ask that 00:42:25.660 --> 00:42:27.320 not just for those 00:42:27.320 --> 00:42:28.920 who are followers of Amas, 00:42:28.960 --> 00:42:29.940 but for all involved 00:42:29.940 --> 00:42:30.660 in that conflict, 00:42:30.820 --> 00:42:32.200 for the Jewish people 00:42:32.199 --> 00:42:33.639 and Muslims 00:42:33.639 --> 00:42:34.480 who aren't members 00:42:34.480 --> 00:42:35.379 of Amas. 00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:36.099 Father, we pray 00:42:36.099 --> 00:42:36.859 that many of them 00:42:36.859 --> 00:42:38.239 will come to a saving faith 00:42:38.239 --> 00:42:39.379 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:42:40.839 --> 00:42:42.199 And we ask all these things 00:42:42.199 --> 00:42:43.099 in the name of Jesus, 00:42:43.259 --> 00:42:43.799 your Son, 00:42:44.219 --> 00:42:44.819 and our Savior. 00:42:45.960 --> 00:42:46.339 Amen. 00:43:02.199 --> 00:43:03.199 Amen.