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

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 that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either

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 by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray

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 for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself?

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 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really,

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 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible,

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 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will

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 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a

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 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't

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 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the

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 types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless.

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 And you must bow our heads in prayer. Father,

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 we give you thanks and praise that even before we were born, you loved us, and that there has never

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 been a point in time in our lives that you have not loved us. We thank and praise you that you,

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 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons, one God, are the God. You are the God of love,

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 of true, deep, eternal, universe-creating, salvation-giving love. And we ask, Father,

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 as we open your word this morning, you know the anxieties and the fears of our hearts. You know the

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 things which are troubling us. And we ask that your Holy Spirit would bring your word and your love,

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 the person of Christ, deep into our hearts to form us and to comfort us. And we ask these things

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 in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. Please be seated.

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 Once again, oh, I guess we don't have many of them left. They've all been taken. Oh yeah,

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 there are a few of these left if you want a scripture journal with the Book of Acts in it. There's some

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 there if you'd like one for your own personal use. We're all familiar with the phrase, in fact,

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 probably some of us have said it to other people sometimes, and probably some of us have had it

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 said to us, it's not all about you. It's not all about you. Maybe if we don't say it to somebody,

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 we think, you know, the problem with them is they think it's all about them, but it's not all about

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 them. We think that. And, you know, that's, it's true. And a lot of times it's very needed. But,

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 and there's a big but, one of the times when people say it to us, this is what we think.

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 Well, I might agree that it's not all about me, but you seem to think it's all about you.

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 You, you're just saying it's not all about you to, to me, but inwardly I think you still think it's,

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 it's all about you. And that's a problem. And sometimes as well, when people say this,

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 or when we hear it, and I'm not saying there's never any truth in it. In fact,

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 the point of my sermon is, in fact, that there's a very profound truth that it's not all about you,

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 but it doesn't have these other features which make it very problematic,

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 is that often it's said in such a way that it makes it sound as if the valid needs that you have

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 and that I have, that my valid needs, my valid desires, and the justice that I think is required

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 is going to be denied to me. And so we have some problems with that phrase and how it's used.

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 The Bible text that we're going to look at today actually has a lot of wisdom about this whole

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 situation. It's not about you. And some of the problems we have with either saying it,

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 believing it, receiving it, the inconsistencies, all of that, there's actually great wisdom in the

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 Bible about this. So if you would take your Bibles with me, we're preaching through the book of Acts,

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 and today we're at Acts chapter 16, and we're going to be beginning at verse 11. Acts 16,

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 beginning at verse 11. If you're using these, it's on page 94.

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 And just in terms of the context of the story, Paul and this man by the name of Silas,

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 and a man by the name of Timothy, and later on there's going to be two books in the Bible named

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 after him called 1 and 2 Timothy, and Luke. And later on Luke is going to write a gospel,

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 and in fact this book, the book of Acts. And the four of them at least, they're on a missionary

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 journey in what we now call of Turkey. And it's as if they've come from this way,

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 doing their second, this is the second missionary journey for Paul, and they come to this situation

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 where the Holy Spirit says no, they want to go this way, and the Holy Spirit says no, and then they

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 think of going this way, but the Holy Spirit says no. And that's sort of interesting enough,

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 and the Bible doesn't tell you how they know that it's no, but it's interesting enough that that happens.

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 But what is actually even more profound is that they walk for 400 miles, that's 640 kilometers,

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 walking, constantly getting a no to go that way, and a no to go that way. It's almost as if they're

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 the sheep and God is herding them down the road. They're not going to go back, they've already been

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 there. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. They keep going, and finally at the end, they have a vision, Paul has a vision,

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 and one of the things we then discover is that all along the line, there's been, it's not just been this

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 one guy making these absolute decisions, but the four of them have been talking and thinking and praying

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 about it, and they come to the conclusion after the vision that God is calling them to listen to the vision,

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 to go to Macedonia, and they go. And that's now where our story continues. Verse 11.

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 So setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis,

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 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony,

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 we remained in this city some days. Now, okay, I'm odd. Odd things amuse me, and I think they're cool.

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 This is really cool. You know why it's really cool? When these four dudes step off of the boat

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 onto the dock, the first Christians have entered the continent of Europe.

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 That is cool.

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 They don't come with armies.

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 Just four guys.

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 Now, Roman Empire, it's one of the things that's really neat that it's even recorded,

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 because you see, for Romans, they didn't know about continents. It was just all part of the Roman Empire.

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 From a Roman perspective at that historical time, from Luke's point of view,

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 they were just going from one province to another.

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 But now we know that this is the very first Christians to come to the continent of Europe,

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 and Europe is the first continent that would be massively evangelized.

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 And it starts with this.

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 I think that's cool.

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 Well, there's something else which happens which is just as cool.

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 And if you're thinking, rolling your eyes,

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 yeah, George, you're really lame.

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 Lame things amuse you. That's fine.

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 I own that, okay?

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 But look at what happens in verse 13.

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 And on the Sabbath day, we went outside the gate to the riverside,

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 where we supposed there was a place of prayer.

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 And we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

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 And just sort of pause.

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 What this is telling us is that there weren't ten Jewish men in the city,

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 or if there were ten Jewish men,

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 there weren't ten Jewish men who cared a hoot about being Jewish.

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 So there's not enough people to form a synagogue,

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 but there's a group of women, maybe the odd men,

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 but it just looks like it's only women.

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 And they're gathering to pray.

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 And it continues, verse 14.

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 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia,

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 from the city of Thyatira,

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 a seller of purple goods,

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 who was a worshiper of God.

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 And what that means is that she's a pagan,

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 but she's heard about the God of Israel,

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 what we would call the Old Testament,

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 our Jewish friends, the Tanakh.

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 And she now wants to start living her life

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 according to what we call the Old Testament.

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 And she wants to worship the God of Israel.

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 But she hasn't officially become Jewish.

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 So one of the people listening was a worshiper of God.

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 And then here's this really, really neat phrase.

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 The Lord opened her heart

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 to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

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 I'm going to return to that in a moment.

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 And after she was baptized,

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 so the Lord opens her heart

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 and she becomes a Christian.

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 So Paul speaks.

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 She's listening.

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 And God does something silently

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 in the very center of her

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 to open up the very center of her

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 to receive the message about Jesus

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 and to become a Christian.

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 Verse 15.

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 After she was baptized

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 and her whole household as well,

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 she urged us saying,

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 if you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord,

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 come to my house and stay.

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 And she prevailed upon us.

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 Now, here's what's really cool.

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 Lydia is the first European Christian.

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 You know what else is cool about that?

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 The scholarly research

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 leads to the conclusion

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 that not only is she a pagan,

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 who's now become a Christian,

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 she's a former slave,

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 who has become a Christian,

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 and she's a single mom,

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 who's become a Christian,

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 because in Roman law,

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 to enter into contracts without a man,

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 you need to be a woman

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 who's had four children.

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 So because she is a business owner

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 and hence has to enter into business deals,

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 she's probably a single mom.

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 So she's a former pagan,

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 a former slave.

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 She's a single mom,

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 and she's an entrepreneur,

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 and she is the first European Christian.

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 I think that's really cool.

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 We know her name.

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 And here's a point.

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 Actually, first,

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 if you could put point number one,

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 Claire, that would be very helpful.

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 Here's the overarching,

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 sort of the big point.

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 There's a second big point,

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 which I'm just going to leave

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 as sort of a reveal at the end.

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 But it's this,

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 as we're looking at this text,

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 the true God.

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 See, that's what we Christians are claiming.

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 This is the true God revealing himself.

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 And we're going to look at a story

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 where the true God can shake the planet,

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 unlock shackles,

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 remove demons,

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 and open your heart

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 to believe in the Lord Jesus

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 and to be saved.

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 That's the big message of the text,

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 one of the big messages of the text.

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 The true God can shake the planet,

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 unlock shackles,

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 remove demons,

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 and open your heart

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 to believe in the Lord Jesus

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 to be saved.

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 And the sub-point from this,

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 just before we go any further,

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 is this.

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 If you could put up 1A,

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 that would be helpful, Claire.

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 1A.

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 The Lord who loves you

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 asks you to speak to others about Jesus.

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 And he asks you to speak

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 knowing that he will open hearts.

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 The Lord who loves you

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 asks you to speak to others about Jesus

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 knowing that he will open hearts.

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 You see, that's what a text,

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 the text doesn't say,

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 boy, Paul gave the most unbelievable speech.

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 He told 10 jokes

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 that they're still talking about today,

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 years later.

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 He gave this analogy

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 and a metaphor

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 that brought tears to people's eyes.

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 He was just on fire.

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 His rhetoric,

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 he was just fantastic.

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 He was awesome.

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 He doesn't say anything like that.

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 He spoke.

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 But actually, later on in the,

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 if you go and look at his letters,

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 you'll see that one of the complaints

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 that people make about him,

00:12:23.720 --> 00:12:24.580
 you know what one of the complaints

00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:26.040
 that people make about Paul was?

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 That he wasn't very good at speaking.

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 I'm not making that up.

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 You know, a guy,

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 he's not very good at rhetoric,

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 hasn't been trained,

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 he's untaught.

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 What a doofus.

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 So it's not his rhetoric,

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 but he just shares.

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 This is really encouraging to us.

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 Just tell people about Jesus.

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 It's God's job to open hearts.

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 Don't intentionally do a sucky job,

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 but just,

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 God knows you're weak.

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 He knows I'm weak.

00:12:56.139 --> 00:12:57.379
 Well, what happens?

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 Well, something actually very dramatic happens,

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 and before we go any further,

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 the next bit of the story

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 is going to talk about a demon.

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 And, you know,

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 our country is divided

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 into two classes of people,

00:13:11.339 --> 00:13:11.879
 fundamentally.

00:13:12.740 --> 00:13:13.779
 Well, I guess there's three types.

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 There's one type

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 that never think about anything

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 that they can't eat,

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 drink,

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 or, you know,

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 make more money,

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 or they're just consumed,

00:13:20.579 --> 00:13:21.779
 like, you know,

00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:22.959
 with what's going on next.

00:13:23.059 --> 00:13:24.220
 But apart from that,

00:13:24.299 --> 00:13:25.600
 most people in our country

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 either just find

00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:27.620
 the whole idea of demons

00:13:27.620 --> 00:13:30.120
 existing completely impossible.

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 It's something they would treat with scorn.

00:13:33.339 --> 00:13:34.199
 It would be something

00:13:34.199 --> 00:13:35.220
 that if you were to say

00:13:35.220 --> 00:13:36.100
 you believed in them,

00:13:36.259 --> 00:13:36.879
 they, it would,

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 even if they didn't say it to your face,

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 they'd believe that it shows

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 that you're an ignorant,

00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:42.480
 foolish,

00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:44.700
 uneducated person.

00:13:45.800 --> 00:13:46.539
 And on the other hand,

00:13:46.580 --> 00:13:47.159
 there's many people

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 in our culture

00:13:47.779 --> 00:13:48.700
 who lean in

00:13:48.700 --> 00:13:49.879
 when you hear about demons

00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:51.440
 or angels

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 or telling of fortunes.

00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:54.940
 They're very curious about this.

00:13:55.019 --> 00:13:56.240
 They have a fascination with it,

00:13:56.259 --> 00:13:57.019
 and they definitely believe

00:13:57.019 --> 00:13:57.779
 that it happens.

00:13:58.680 --> 00:13:59.659
 I'm not going to argue

00:13:59.659 --> 00:14:00.580
 for the text.

00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:02.120
 I'm just going to tell you

00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:03.860
 that part of the text

00:14:03.860 --> 00:14:05.300
 is that the Christian faith

00:14:05.300 --> 00:14:05.879
 does believe

00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:07.379
 that angels and demons exist.

00:14:08.340 --> 00:14:09.259
 And as we're going to see,

00:14:09.460 --> 00:14:10.759
 Christians believe

00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:12.000
 because we've been taught

00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:13.279
 ultimately by Jesus

00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:14.399
 that demons can,

00:14:14.580 --> 00:14:14.779
 in fact,

00:14:14.860 --> 00:14:16.039
 influence human beings,

00:14:16.419 --> 00:14:17.200
 can oppress them

00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:18.059
 and harass them.

00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:19.679
 And the text

00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:20.320
 that we're reading,

00:14:20.580 --> 00:14:21.320
 I'm not going to go

00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:22.139
 into it very much,

00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:23.000
 but one of the things

00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:24.539
 which is very true

00:14:24.539 --> 00:14:25.139
 of this text

00:14:25.139 --> 00:14:26.440
 in all of the book of Acts

00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:28.720
 is that Luke

00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:30.220
 gets the titles right.

00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:31.080
 So later on,

00:14:31.100 --> 00:14:31.659
 it's going to talk,

00:14:31.700 --> 00:14:32.299
 I don't know if it uses

00:14:32.299 --> 00:14:32.879
 in our version

00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:34.019
 the word like police people

00:14:34.019 --> 00:14:35.200
 or officers or whatever,

00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:37.139
 but in the original language,

00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:38.759
 he uses the right name

00:14:38.759 --> 00:14:40.440
 for who would be doing that

00:14:40.440 --> 00:14:41.640
 in that context.

00:14:41.760 --> 00:14:42.540
 They use agora.

00:14:42.740 --> 00:14:44.240
 They use the right titles

00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:44.900
 of officials.

00:14:45.140 --> 00:14:45.700
 They use the right,

00:14:45.800 --> 00:14:46.960
 he uses the right titles

00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:47.840
 for magistrates

00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:48.620
 and for cops.

00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:49.860
 Everything he does,

00:14:49.980 --> 00:14:51.400
 he does it completely accurate

00:14:51.400 --> 00:14:52.900
 for that context.

00:14:53.040 --> 00:14:54.260
 So it's an historical account

00:14:54.260 --> 00:14:55.480
 and the Luke's claim

00:14:55.480 --> 00:14:56.920
 is this is what actually happened.

00:14:58.280 --> 00:15:00.320
 And so we Christians

00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:02.480
 believe that these things are real.

00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:03.820
 And if you want,

00:15:04.640 --> 00:15:05.420
 give me a call,

00:15:05.660 --> 00:15:06.460
 I'll buy you a coffee,

00:15:06.580 --> 00:15:07.520
 I can give you some reasons

00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:08.819
 why it's reasonable to believe

00:15:08.819 --> 00:15:10.220
 and important to believe

00:15:10.220 --> 00:15:12.159
 that demons actually exist.

00:15:12.500 --> 00:15:13.860
 But let's see what this story does.

00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:14.980
 It's going to talk about demons

00:15:14.980 --> 00:15:16.279
 and here's what happens next.

00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:18.519
 It's verse 16.

00:15:19.980 --> 00:15:20.899
 As we were going

00:15:20.899 --> 00:15:21.939
 to the place of prayer,

00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:23.240
 that's so a little bit later,

00:15:23.460 --> 00:15:24.539
 doesn't say it's a week

00:15:24.539 --> 00:15:25.179
 or two weeks

00:15:25.179 --> 00:15:25.799
 or three weeks

00:15:25.799 --> 00:15:26.159
 or whatever,

00:15:26.299 --> 00:15:27.179
 but sometime later,

00:15:27.659 --> 00:15:28.259
 we were going

00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:29.199
 to the place of prayer.

00:15:29.939 --> 00:15:30.579
 We were met

00:15:30.579 --> 00:15:32.139
 by a slave girl,

00:15:32.860 --> 00:15:33.600
 a young girl

00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:34.699
 who's a slave,

00:15:34.700 --> 00:15:36.480
 who had a spirit of divination

00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:39.060
 and brought her owners

00:15:39.060 --> 00:15:41.500
 much gain by fortune telling.

00:15:42.460 --> 00:15:43.360
 Now this text actually

00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:45.160
 is quite remarkably accurate.

00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:46.420
 Some of the other versions

00:15:46.420 --> 00:15:48.259
 to try to help us

00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:49.160
 to understand it better

00:15:49.160 --> 00:15:50.300
 aren't quite as accurate

00:15:50.300 --> 00:15:50.980
 as this text

00:15:50.980 --> 00:15:51.800
 is quite accurate.

00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:52.920
 The one thing

00:15:52.920 --> 00:15:53.759
 they don't say is,

00:15:53.820 --> 00:15:54.360
 and I don't know

00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:55.460
 why they said I don't say it.

00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:56.320
 I was saying to my wife

00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:56.720
 the other day,

00:15:56.780 --> 00:15:57.660
 like it's way cooler

00:15:57.660 --> 00:15:58.800
 to you to be literal.

00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:00.740
 In the original language,

00:16:00.800 --> 00:16:01.240
 it doesn't say

00:16:01.240 --> 00:16:02.540
 she has a spirit of divination,

00:16:02.680 --> 00:16:03.680
 although that's what it means.

00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:05.939
 She has a python spirit.

00:16:07.719 --> 00:16:08.359
 That's actually

00:16:08.359 --> 00:16:09.259
 what it says in the Greek.

00:16:09.379 --> 00:16:10.779
 She has a python spirit

00:16:10.779 --> 00:16:14.419
 or the spirit of the python

00:16:14.419 --> 00:16:15.859
 within her.

00:16:16.199 --> 00:16:17.659
 That's possessing her

00:16:17.659 --> 00:16:21.279
 and that spirit

00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:25.059
 uses her for fortune telling.

00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:26.919
 So just so you know,

00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:27.699
 a bit of an aside,

00:16:28.599 --> 00:16:29.399
 Christians believe

00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.079
 that no demon

00:16:31.079 --> 00:16:32.039
 knows the future.

00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:34.319
 The dead don't know

00:16:34.319 --> 00:16:34.899
 the future.

00:16:35.779 --> 00:16:37.039
 If you go to a seance

00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:37.939
 or some other type

00:16:37.939 --> 00:16:38.480
 of activity,

00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:39.779
 which you shouldn't go to,

00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:41.459
 it's opening yourself up

00:16:41.459 --> 00:16:42.279
 to demons,

00:16:42.980 --> 00:16:44.319
 and they will claim

00:16:44.319 --> 00:16:45.120
 that they can tell you

00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:45.539
 the future,

00:16:45.659 --> 00:16:47.039
 but they are always lying.

00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:48.740
 No demon can know

00:16:48.740 --> 00:16:49.299
 the future.

00:16:49.899 --> 00:16:50.719
 But it's just like

00:16:50.719 --> 00:16:51.740
 if you've done any reading

00:16:51.740 --> 00:16:53.439
 about how fortune tellers work.

00:16:53.599 --> 00:16:54.579
 Fortune tellers work

00:16:54.579 --> 00:16:56.259
 on preying on your anxiety

00:16:56.259 --> 00:16:58.159
 and your pride,

00:16:58.399 --> 00:16:58.899
 your ego.

00:16:59.620 --> 00:17:00.980
 And they use cues

00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:02.480
 to read what you're like

00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:03.580
 and they'll give

00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:05.119
 ambiguous enough things

00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:06.440
 that get you excited

00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:07.640
 and allow them to point

00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:09.339
 and confuse you

00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:09.819
 into thinking

00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:10.440
 that they're telling

00:17:10.440 --> 00:17:11.640
 something about the future

00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:13.420
 as if they have powers

00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:14.819
 or they're open to powers

00:17:14.819 --> 00:17:15.839
 that allow them to do that

00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:16.879
 and it's all lies.

00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:18.980
 And Christians should have

00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:19.960
 nothing to do with it.

00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:24.140
 But that's what's going on

00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:25.700
 and she's making piles of dough

00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:26.579
 for these owners.

00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:27.200
 Okay?

00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:28.200
 And it continues.

00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:28.960
 Verse 17.

00:17:29.840 --> 00:17:31.360
 So she followed Paul and us

00:17:31.360 --> 00:17:31.900
 crying out,

00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:33.120
 these men are servants

00:17:33.120 --> 00:17:34.980
 of the Most High God.

00:17:35.940 --> 00:17:36.500
 And by the way,

00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:37.319
 actually this is not

00:17:37.319 --> 00:17:38.160
 a good translation

00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:39.460
 in the Greek.

00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:40.480
 There's no the.

00:17:41.100 --> 00:17:42.100
 And so it's added

00:17:42.100 --> 00:17:43.299
 because it doesn't make sense

00:17:43.299 --> 00:17:43.620
 in English.

00:17:43.740 --> 00:17:45.000
 These men are servants

00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:46.700
 of Most High God.

00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:47.759
 That's actually what it says

00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:48.620
 in the original language

00:17:48.620 --> 00:17:49.920
 which is terrible English.

00:17:50.740 --> 00:17:51.120
 But you see,

00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:51.660
 one of the things

00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:54.019
 that the demon is saying

00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:55.200
 partial truths

00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:56.500
 and partial truths

00:17:56.500 --> 00:17:57.680
 are a way to say,

00:17:57.860 --> 00:17:59.000
 is a way of lying.

00:17:59.779 --> 00:18:00.840
 And she's going after,

00:18:00.980 --> 00:18:01.799
 shouting out very loud,

00:18:01.900 --> 00:18:02.799
 these men are servants

00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:03.740
 of the Most High God.

00:18:03.819 --> 00:18:04.360
 Those of you,

00:18:04.660 --> 00:18:04.900
 oh sorry,

00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:06.200
 who proclaims to you

00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:06.900
 and,

00:18:07.420 --> 00:18:07.779
 sorry, no,

00:18:07.819 --> 00:18:08.759
 it does say the Most High God.

00:18:08.779 --> 00:18:09.240
 I got that wrong.

00:18:09.360 --> 00:18:10.000
 It does say that.

00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:10.840
 These men are servants

00:18:10.840 --> 00:18:11.660
 of the Most High God

00:18:11.660 --> 00:18:12.920
 who proclaim to you

00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:13.740
 way of salvation.

00:18:13.860 --> 00:18:14.380
 There's no the

00:18:14.380 --> 00:18:15.579
 before way of salvation.

00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:17.319
 And those of you

00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:17.819
 who've read

00:18:17.819 --> 00:18:19.360
 the C.S. Lewis's

00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:20.859
 science fiction trilogy,

00:18:21.579 --> 00:18:23.559
 this is like Weston

00:18:23.559 --> 00:18:24.979
 dealing with Ransom

00:18:24.979 --> 00:18:26.339
 and keeping him awake

00:18:26.339 --> 00:18:27.359
 by speaking all the time.

00:18:27.419 --> 00:18:27.779
 Those of you

00:18:27.779 --> 00:18:28.299
 who haven't read it,

00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:29.399
 everybody should read

00:18:29.399 --> 00:18:30.500
 the science fiction books

00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:31.619
 by C.S. Lewis.

00:18:32.379 --> 00:18:32.719
 Anyway,

00:18:32.879 --> 00:18:33.500
 this verse 18,

00:18:33.579 --> 00:18:34.419
 and this she kept doing

00:18:34.419 --> 00:18:35.079
 for many days.

00:18:35.219 --> 00:18:35.459
 Paul,

00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:36.859
 having become greatly annoyed,

00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:37.240
 turned,

00:18:37.379 --> 00:18:38.079
 and look what he says,

00:18:38.139 --> 00:18:38.679
 it says here,

00:18:39.059 --> 00:18:39.559
 and he says,

00:18:39.699 --> 00:18:40.179
 not to her,

00:18:40.279 --> 00:18:41.000
 but to the spirit.

00:18:42.179 --> 00:18:43.419
 He speaks to the demon.

00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:45.740
 So he'd look at you

00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:46.500
 in the eyes,

00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:47.720
 but he's not speaking to you,

00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:48.700
 he's speaking to the demon.

00:18:49.600 --> 00:18:50.320
 And he says,

00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:51.120
 I command you

00:18:51.120 --> 00:18:52.320
 in the name of Jesus Christ

00:18:52.320 --> 00:18:53.080
 to come out of her.

00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:54.160
 And it came out

00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:55.039
 that very hour.

00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:56.600
 Now,

00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:57.860
 just sort of pause here.

00:18:58.300 --> 00:18:58.660
 Remember,

00:18:58.740 --> 00:18:59.420
 the big point

00:18:59.420 --> 00:19:00.660
 is that the true God

00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:01.660
 can shake the planet,

00:19:01.840 --> 00:19:02.720
 unlock shackles,

00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:03.539
 remove demons,

00:19:03.539 --> 00:19:04.600
 and open your heart

00:19:04.600 --> 00:19:06.000
 to believe in the Lord Jesus

00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:06.940
 and to be saved.

00:19:07.460 --> 00:19:08.360
 But here we see,

00:19:08.800 --> 00:19:09.980
 if you could put up 1B,

00:19:10.340 --> 00:19:10.480
 Claire,

00:19:10.560 --> 00:19:11.200
 that would be helpful.

00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:12.559
 The Lord who loves you

00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:14.559
 shows that you should

00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:15.600
 cast out demons

00:19:15.600 --> 00:19:16.799
 in the name of Jesus.

00:19:18.340 --> 00:19:20.059
 The Lord who loves you

00:19:20.059 --> 00:19:23.279
 shows that you

00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:24.660
 should cast out demons

00:19:24.660 --> 00:19:25.660
 in the name of Jesus.

00:19:26.740 --> 00:19:27.180
 Now,

00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:28.240
 why did Paul not do it

00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:28.900
 a bit earlier?

00:19:30.380 --> 00:19:30.819
 Well,

00:19:30.900 --> 00:19:31.700
 we're going to see why

00:19:31.700 --> 00:19:32.620
 probably in a moment

00:19:32.620 --> 00:19:33.640
 when we see what happens.

00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:34.600
 Look what happens.

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:36.460
 And by the way,

00:19:36.840 --> 00:19:38.819
 what's about to happen

00:19:38.819 --> 00:19:39.640
 is something

00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:40.519
 that we should pray

00:19:40.519 --> 00:19:42.099
 very, very, very deeply

00:19:42.099 --> 00:19:43.559
 does not happen

00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:44.319
 in Canada.

00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:45.599
 We all know

00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:46.279
 that on one level

00:19:46.279 --> 00:19:47.539
 it does happen in Canada,

00:19:47.859 --> 00:19:49.160
 but we should pray

00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:50.339
 that our country

00:19:50.339 --> 00:19:51.960
 moves away

00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:53.700
 from anything like this,

00:19:54.579 --> 00:19:55.440
 that we should move

00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:55.879
 to a,

00:19:56.019 --> 00:19:57.220
 that we should be praying

00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:58.240
 that our country

00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:01.480
 develops just laws

00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:03.619
 and those who enforce

00:20:03.619 --> 00:20:04.139
 the laws

00:20:04.139 --> 00:20:05.200
 not be corrupt.

00:20:05.619 --> 00:20:06.460
 We should pray

00:20:06.460 --> 00:20:07.160
 into that.

00:20:07.299 --> 00:20:08.039
 What we're going to see

00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:08.940
 here in the next bit

00:20:08.940 --> 00:20:10.299
 is how it is

00:20:10.299 --> 00:20:11.320
 in much of the world

00:20:11.320 --> 00:20:11.779
 and throughout

00:20:11.779 --> 00:20:12.640
 much of history.

00:20:13.460 --> 00:20:14.120
 Some of you

00:20:14.120 --> 00:20:15.460
 have come from countries

00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:16.640
 where what is being

00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:17.440
 described next

00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:19.180
 is a very normal occurrence.

00:20:19.900 --> 00:20:20.880
 Look what happens.

00:20:21.420 --> 00:20:22.160
 Verse 19.

00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:24.180
 And just,

00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:24.940
 by the way,

00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:25.640
 the implication

00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:26.559
 of the original language

00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:28.200
 is that this young girl

00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:29.400
 made lots of money

00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:30.140
 for these men.

00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:33.059
 Lots of money.

00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:35.240
 So these are rich,

00:20:35.379 --> 00:20:36.119
 powerful men

00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:38.000
 and they're citizens

00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:38.639
 of the city.

00:20:39.919 --> 00:20:40.960
 Paul and Silas

00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:41.839
 are outsiders.

00:20:43.919 --> 00:20:44.980
 They're outsiders.

00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:47.539
 So verse 19,

00:20:47.639 --> 00:20:48.559
 but when her owners

00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:49.539
 saw that their hope

00:20:49.539 --> 00:20:50.659
 of gain was gone,

00:20:51.339 --> 00:20:51.599
 and that's,

00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:51.879
 by the way,

00:20:51.899 --> 00:20:52.619
 a whole other thing.

00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.700
 It's really interesting

00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:54.099
 that,

00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:56.619
 so it's not as if

00:20:56.619 --> 00:20:57.599
 Jono and I,

00:20:57.720 --> 00:20:58.019
 I don't know,

00:20:58.179 --> 00:20:59.579
 Jono says he has a demon

00:20:59.579 --> 00:21:00.519
 and I say I'm going

00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:01.139
 to cast a demon

00:21:01.139 --> 00:21:01.579
 out of him,

00:21:01.579 --> 00:21:02.319
 but nobody sees

00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:02.879
 any difference

00:21:02.879 --> 00:21:04.079
 with Jono before or after.

00:21:04.179 --> 00:21:04.939
 Nobody sees anything.

00:21:05.339 --> 00:21:06.359
 But we just both have

00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:07.679
 a feeling that something's happened.

00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:08.879
 And maybe something has happened.

00:21:08.919 --> 00:21:09.359
 Not that you have

00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:09.919
 a demon brother,

00:21:10.279 --> 00:21:11.019
 but maybe something

00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:11.639
 has happened.

00:21:11.899 --> 00:21:12.480
 But one of the things

00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:13.559
 which is interesting here

00:21:13.559 --> 00:21:14.980
 is that everybody sees

00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:16.079
 that something has happened

00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:17.159
 and knows that something

00:21:17.159 --> 00:21:17.740
 has happened.

00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:19.299
 That in a sense,

00:21:19.419 --> 00:21:21.579
 the pagan slave owners

00:21:21.579 --> 00:21:23.099
 are bearing witness

00:21:23.099 --> 00:21:24.699
 that Paul has just

00:21:24.699 --> 00:21:25.639
 cast out a demon.

00:21:26.179 --> 00:21:26.960
 They don't describe

00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:27.539
 what's been seen,

00:21:27.619 --> 00:21:28.939
 but something's been seen.

00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:31.500
 Something's changed.

00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:33.419
 The one time

00:21:33.419 --> 00:21:34.159
 I've been involved

00:21:34.159 --> 00:21:35.639
 directly in an exorcism,

00:21:35.799 --> 00:21:36.699
 one of the changes

00:21:36.699 --> 00:21:37.839
 was that the person

00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:39.000
 had spoken

00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:40.299
 a radically different voice,

00:21:40.379 --> 00:21:41.359
 which went away.

00:21:42.379 --> 00:21:43.379
 But that doesn't always happen.

00:21:43.419 --> 00:21:44.279
 That's a whole other topic

00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:45.439
 of conversation.

00:21:46.939 --> 00:21:47.919
 Verse 19 again,

00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:48.679
 but when our owners

00:21:48.679 --> 00:21:49.559
 saw that their hope

00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:50.539
 of gain was gone,

00:21:50.699 --> 00:21:52.559
 they seized Paul and Silas

00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:53.220
 and dragged them

00:21:53.220 --> 00:21:53.919
 into the marketplace

00:21:53.919 --> 00:21:54.720
 before the rulers.

00:21:55.099 --> 00:21:55.419
 What?

00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:56.460
 They're not cops.

00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:59.860
 They didn't break any law

00:21:59.860 --> 00:22:02.779
 and they didn't do

00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:03.480
 a bad thing.

00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:05.640
 But the owners

00:22:05.640 --> 00:22:06.819
 take it upon themselves

00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:08.720
 to seize Paul and Silas,

00:22:08.840 --> 00:22:09.460
 drag them,

00:22:09.620 --> 00:22:10.920
 and the word for marketplace

00:22:10.920 --> 00:22:11.700
 there is agora,

00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:12.600
 so it's the center

00:22:12.600 --> 00:22:13.140
 of the city.

00:22:13.960 --> 00:22:14.740
 Verse 20,

00:22:15.120 --> 00:22:17.240
 it's where the court is,

00:22:17.299 --> 00:22:18.380
 the municipal offices,

00:22:18.840 --> 00:22:20.380
 the main temple,

00:22:20.380 --> 00:22:21.240
 it's the center

00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:21.800
 of the city

00:22:21.800 --> 00:22:22.840
 where decisions are made.

00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:23.680
 And that's where

00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:25.020
 they drag Paul and Silas.

00:22:25.140 --> 00:22:26.160
 And it's literally

00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:27.060
 dragged them.

00:22:28.040 --> 00:22:29.400
 They overpower

00:22:29.400 --> 00:22:30.500
 Paul and Silas

00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:31.580
 and are dragging them.

00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:32.400
 Paul and Silas

00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:33.600
 aren't going willingly.

00:22:34.260 --> 00:22:34.980
 In verse 20,

00:22:35.640 --> 00:22:37.060
 and when they had brought

00:22:37.060 --> 00:22:38.460
 Paul and Silas

00:22:38.460 --> 00:22:39.440
 to the magistrates,

00:22:39.760 --> 00:22:40.320
 they said,

00:22:40.820 --> 00:22:42.120
 these men are Jews

00:22:42.120 --> 00:22:44.160
 and they are disturbing

00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:45.100
 our city.

00:22:45.660 --> 00:22:47.080
 They advocate customs

00:22:47.080 --> 00:22:48.140
 that are not lawful

00:22:48.140 --> 00:22:49.540
 for us Romans

00:22:49.540 --> 00:22:51.120
 to accept

00:22:51.120 --> 00:22:54.320
 or practice.

00:22:55.280 --> 00:22:56.360
 The crowd joined

00:22:56.360 --> 00:22:57.220
 in attacking them.

00:22:57.700 --> 00:22:58.140
 And by the way,

00:22:58.180 --> 00:22:58.860
 here attacking them,

00:22:59.000 --> 00:22:59.759
 it's a crowd,

00:22:59.860 --> 00:23:00.700
 but it's not a mob.

00:23:01.380 --> 00:23:02.860
 And they're not attacking them

00:23:02.860 --> 00:23:03.900
 by punching them.

00:23:04.660 --> 00:23:05.880
 They're calling out

00:23:05.880 --> 00:23:06.940
 extra reasons

00:23:06.940 --> 00:23:10.060
 why these two Jewish men

00:23:10.060 --> 00:23:11.240
 should be punished.

00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:16.720
 The crowd joined

00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:17.440
 in attacking them

00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:18.259
 and the magistrates

00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:19.100
 tore the garments

00:23:19.100 --> 00:23:19.660
 off them.

00:23:20.779 --> 00:23:21.740
 The magistrates

00:23:21.740 --> 00:23:23.340
 tore the garments

00:23:23.340 --> 00:23:24.460
 off Paul and Silas,

00:23:25.620 --> 00:23:26.220
 leaving them,

00:23:26.920 --> 00:23:27.680
 if not naked,

00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:28.420
 next to naked,

00:23:28.840 --> 00:23:30.039
 and gave orders

00:23:30.039 --> 00:23:31.700
 to beat them

00:23:31.700 --> 00:23:32.160
 with rods.

00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:32.680
 That would have been

00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:33.240
 their equivalent

00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:33.900
 of police,

00:23:34.120 --> 00:23:34.640
 to beat them

00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:35.220
 with sticks.

00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:36.740
 And when

00:23:36.740 --> 00:23:37.940
 the officials,

00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:38.539
 in a sense,

00:23:38.600 --> 00:23:39.320
 had inflicted

00:23:39.320 --> 00:23:40.120
 many, many,

00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:41.019
 many, many blows,

00:23:41.100 --> 00:23:42.100
 the implication of many

00:23:42.100 --> 00:23:42.860
 is that you can

00:23:42.860 --> 00:23:43.559
 almost translate it

00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:44.400
 as many, many, many.

00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:46.200
 After they inflicted

00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:47.220
 many, many, many blows

00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:47.940
 upon them,

00:23:48.060 --> 00:23:48.700
 they threw them

00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:49.300
 into prison,

00:23:49.540 --> 00:23:50.620
 ordering the jailer

00:23:50.620 --> 00:23:51.759
 to keep them safely.

00:23:52.280 --> 00:23:52.680
 In other words,

00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:53.380
 don't let them go.

00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:54.340
 Not keep them safely

00:23:54.340 --> 00:23:55.100
 because, oh, no, no,

00:23:55.100 --> 00:23:55.620
 we don't want them,

00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:56.800
 we want them to be safe.

00:23:56.880 --> 00:23:58.000
 No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

00:23:58.380 --> 00:23:59.620
 Make sure they don't get away.

00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:01.780
 And having received this order,

00:24:01.880 --> 00:24:02.400
 verse 24,

00:24:02.540 --> 00:24:03.180
 they put them

00:24:03.180 --> 00:24:04.160
 into the inner prison

00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:05.759
 and fastened their feet

00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:06.460
 in the stocks.

00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:08.019
 Now, here's what's going on

00:24:08.019 --> 00:24:08.540
 in this text.

00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:09.100
 What I say,

00:24:09.180 --> 00:24:10.280
 this is the world, folks.

00:24:10.359 --> 00:24:11.220
 This is what we should pray.

00:24:11.879 --> 00:24:12.819
 I'm sure it's happened

00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:13.359
 in Canada,

00:24:13.940 --> 00:24:14.639
 and every time

00:24:14.639 --> 00:24:15.700
 it happens in Canada,

00:24:16.460 --> 00:24:17.740
 it's things like this,

00:24:17.940 --> 00:24:19.099
 an abuse of power,

00:24:19.539 --> 00:24:20.460
 they should be punished.

00:24:20.579 --> 00:24:21.139
 We should pray

00:24:21.139 --> 00:24:22.279
 that we have a society

00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:23.000
 of laws,

00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:24.180
 of just laws,

00:24:24.259 --> 00:24:24.899
 and of freedom

00:24:24.899 --> 00:24:25.579
 for people,

00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:26.779
 and of innocent

00:24:26.779 --> 00:24:28.339
 until declared guilty.

00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:29.519
 That's what we should be praying

00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.339
 for all of the time,

00:24:30.379 --> 00:24:31.379
 that we don't slide

00:24:31.379 --> 00:24:33.200
 into accusing people

00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:34.059
 and saying,

00:24:34.059 --> 00:24:35.079
 well, these people

00:24:35.079 --> 00:24:35.720
 are powerful

00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:36.500
 and respectable,

00:24:36.779 --> 00:24:37.799
 and these people

00:24:37.799 --> 00:24:38.619
 look like the type

00:24:38.619 --> 00:24:39.000
 of people

00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:40.139
 who do things wrong,

00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:41.420
 and these are powerful,

00:24:41.619 --> 00:24:42.460
 and these are weak,

00:24:42.680 --> 00:24:43.920
 and these are us,

00:24:44.180 --> 00:24:45.440
 and these are others,

00:24:45.779 --> 00:24:46.799
 and so if they say

00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:48.200
 bad things about the others,

00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:49.279
 well, what the heck?

00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:50.240
 Let's beat the others

00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:51.319
 and throw them in jail.

00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:52.740
 That's what's happening.

00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:54.519
 And we see here,

00:24:56.299 --> 00:24:56.920
 like, it's,

00:24:57.139 --> 00:24:58.500
 what happened in Amsterdam

00:24:58.500 --> 00:24:59.220
 the other night

00:24:59.220 --> 00:25:01.000
 is absolutely horrifying

00:25:01.000 --> 00:25:02.259
 and despicable.

00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:04.899
 Despicable.

00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:08.480
 And the French parliamentarian

00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:09.299
 who praised it

00:25:09.299 --> 00:25:11.440
 despicable.

00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:11.539
 Despicable.

00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:16.879
 But you can understand

00:25:16.879 --> 00:25:17.639
 a mob

00:25:17.639 --> 00:25:19.819
 getting caught up

00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:20.399
 in the moment.

00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:22.119
 What's harder

00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:24.440
 is cultured,

00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:26.759
 calm arguments

00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:28.859
 to hate Jewish people.

00:25:28.859 --> 00:25:33.059
 What is not acceptable

00:25:33.059 --> 00:25:36.240
 is mainstream media

00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:38.419
 when they have

00:25:38.419 --> 00:25:39.579
 anti-Semites

00:25:39.579 --> 00:25:40.939
 speaking calmly

00:25:40.939 --> 00:25:43.179
 to millions

00:25:43.179 --> 00:25:44.199
 and nobody

00:25:44.199 --> 00:25:44.899
 corrects them.

00:25:45.539 --> 00:25:46.339
 That's vastly

00:25:46.339 --> 00:25:46.919
 more evil.

00:25:51.919 --> 00:25:52.719
 And some of you

00:25:52.719 --> 00:25:53.059
 might say,

00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:53.299
 George,

00:25:53.339 --> 00:25:53.939
 you shouldn't talk

00:25:53.939 --> 00:25:54.339
 about that

00:25:54.339 --> 00:25:55.079
 from the pulpit.

00:25:55.319 --> 00:25:56.319
 This isn't politics,

00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:57.259
 this is morals.

00:25:57.259 --> 00:25:59.619
 I don't care

00:25:59.619 --> 00:26:00.379
 if they vote

00:26:00.379 --> 00:26:01.000
 conservative,

00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:01.599
 liberal,

00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:02.160
 NDP,

00:26:02.440 --> 00:26:02.839
 green,

00:26:03.259 --> 00:26:04.839
 or the rhinoceros party.

00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:06.079
 This is,

00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:07.379
 we have to speak

00:26:07.379 --> 00:26:08.279
 against these types

00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:08.980
 of things happening

00:26:08.980 --> 00:26:09.640
 in our culture.

00:26:10.579 --> 00:26:11.660
 So one of the reasons

00:26:11.660 --> 00:26:13.279
 probably that Paul and Silas

00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:14.339
 are slow at dealing things

00:26:14.339 --> 00:26:15.500
 is they can sense

00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:16.299
 the rampant,

00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:16.839
 amped anti-Semitism.

00:26:16.839 --> 00:26:17.439
 anti-Semitism.

00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:18.980
 And they can sense,

00:26:19.399 --> 00:26:19.720
 you know what,

00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:20.279
 it's been said

00:26:20.279 --> 00:26:21.059
 many, many times

00:26:21.059 --> 00:26:21.819
 by many people,

00:26:21.899 --> 00:26:22.759
 one of the first things

00:26:22.759 --> 00:26:23.819
 that tyrants want to do

00:26:23.819 --> 00:26:24.759
 is to wrap themselves

00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:25.659
 in the flag.

00:26:26.359 --> 00:26:27.359
 That's what these guys

00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:27.839
 are doing,

00:26:28.179 --> 00:26:28.959
 wrapping themselves

00:26:28.959 --> 00:26:29.740
 in the flag

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:31.099
 and promoting hatred.

00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:35.019
 So now here they are,

00:26:35.099 --> 00:26:35.819
 they're in jail.

00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:36.759
 And they're,

00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:38.099
 later on we're going

00:26:38.099 --> 00:26:38.599
 to find out

00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:39.079
 that they've been

00:26:39.079 --> 00:26:40.099
 so badly beaten

00:26:40.099 --> 00:26:41.379
 that there's open wounds.

00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:42.699
 And they're going

00:26:42.699 --> 00:26:44.059
 to be profoundly uncomfortable

00:26:44.059 --> 00:26:45.359
 because they can't move

00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:45.980
 because their feet

00:26:45.980 --> 00:26:46.740
 are in stocks.

00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:48.440
 And they're in a jail

00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:49.099
 which would not

00:26:49.099 --> 00:26:50.039
 be very clean.

00:26:50.859 --> 00:26:52.139
 And in those days

00:26:52.139 --> 00:26:53.000
 the only food

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:53.500
 that would come

00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:54.579
 would be if outsiders

00:26:54.579 --> 00:26:55.220
 brought food

00:26:55.220 --> 00:26:55.839
 into the jail

00:26:55.839 --> 00:26:56.899
 because there's no obligation

00:26:56.899 --> 00:26:57.639
 for the jailer

00:26:57.639 --> 00:26:58.419
 to give any food.

00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:00.539
 And what happens next?

00:27:00.599 --> 00:27:01.440
 Well it's very interesting,

00:27:01.579 --> 00:27:02.379
 verse 25.

00:27:03.980 --> 00:27:04.799
 And about midnight

00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:05.779
 Paul and Silas

00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:06.339
 were praying

00:27:06.339 --> 00:27:07.779
 and singing hymns to God

00:27:07.779 --> 00:27:08.460
 and the prisoners

00:27:08.460 --> 00:27:09.379
 were listening to them.

00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:10.700
 Now just pause.

00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:12.399
 This verse has caused

00:27:12.399 --> 00:27:13.299
 lots of anxiety

00:27:13.299 --> 00:27:13.980
 for Christians

00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:14.740
 throughout the years

00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:15.980
 and it shouldn't.

00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:18.140
 This makes Paul and Silas

00:27:18.140 --> 00:27:19.519
 sound like they were supermen.

00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:22.839
 And these blows

00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:24.039
 just bounce off them.

00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:24.759
 Now you know

00:27:24.759 --> 00:27:25.819
 maybe that's what went on.

00:27:25.900 --> 00:27:26.839
 Maybe the Holy Spirit

00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:27.860
 really anointed them

00:27:27.860 --> 00:27:29.140
 for unbelievable courage.

00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:29.440
 But you know

00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:30.440
 what it could also be?

00:27:32.339 --> 00:27:33.299
 Jason and I

00:27:33.299 --> 00:27:34.299
 are the ones

00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:34.839
 who are beaten.

00:27:36.140 --> 00:27:37.360
 And we're in the jail.

00:27:38.740 --> 00:27:40.019
 And you know

00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:41.380
 Jason is going like this

00:27:41.380 --> 00:27:42.140
 and I'm going like this

00:27:42.140 --> 00:27:42.900
 to see if we've,

00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:43.360
 you know,

00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:44.539
 some of the tooth we lost,

00:27:44.639 --> 00:27:45.319
 we've lost them

00:27:45.319 --> 00:27:45.959
 and maybe we're seeing

00:27:45.959 --> 00:27:46.500
 if we're going to lose

00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:47.039
 that tooth.

00:27:47.579 --> 00:27:48.879
 And we have open wounds

00:27:48.879 --> 00:27:50.679
 and our feet are in stock

00:27:50.679 --> 00:27:52.000
 and we're really uncomfortable

00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:53.000
 and we're really,

00:27:53.219 --> 00:27:53.679
 really hungry

00:27:53.679 --> 00:27:54.919
 and we're feeling ashamed

00:27:54.919 --> 00:27:56.099
 because we got stripped

00:27:56.099 --> 00:27:57.079
 and beaten in public.

00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:58.939
 And it starts to get dark

00:27:58.939 --> 00:28:00.039
 and I say to Jason,

00:28:00.119 --> 00:28:00.339
 I say,

00:28:00.399 --> 00:28:00.639
 brother,

00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:02.119
 can you sleep?

00:28:02.959 --> 00:28:04.119
 And Jason says to me,

00:28:04.139 --> 00:28:04.579
 no brother,

00:28:04.659 --> 00:28:05.479
 I can't sleep.

00:28:07.299 --> 00:28:08.000
 Are you really?

00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:08.279
 Yeah,

00:28:08.339 --> 00:28:09.079
 that's pretty sore.

00:28:09.079 --> 00:28:09.899
 I can't sleep.

00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:11.000
 I said,

00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:11.439
 you know what?

00:28:12.419 --> 00:28:13.439
 Why don't we pray?

00:28:13.740 --> 00:28:14.960
 We're not going to sleep anyway.

00:28:15.339 --> 00:28:16.039
 Why don't we pray

00:28:16.039 --> 00:28:16.939
 and sing some hymns

00:28:16.939 --> 00:28:17.799
 just to show them?

00:28:18.939 --> 00:28:19.339
 Amen.

00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:22.779
 Because we can't sleep anyway.

00:28:23.019 --> 00:28:24.159
 We've got our stupid feet

00:28:24.159 --> 00:28:25.079
 in these stalks.

00:28:25.139 --> 00:28:26.159
 We're all bleeding

00:28:26.159 --> 00:28:27.179
 and all of that.

00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:28.179
 So they sing

00:28:28.179 --> 00:28:28.919
 and they probably

00:28:28.919 --> 00:28:29.679
 are also praying

00:28:29.679 --> 00:28:30.399
 for the salvation

00:28:30.399 --> 00:28:31.059
 of the prisoners

00:28:31.059 --> 00:28:31.619
 in the jail

00:28:31.619 --> 00:28:32.259
 or the people

00:28:32.259 --> 00:28:32.899
 who beat them.

00:28:35.299 --> 00:28:35.519
 I mean,

00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:35.960
 on one level,

00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:36.660
 that's a supernatural

00:28:36.660 --> 00:28:37.819
 work of grace

00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:40.779
 that's possible for all,

00:28:41.019 --> 00:28:41.460
 that we pray

00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:42.480
 for our persecutors

00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:43.079
 and our haters.

00:28:44.380 --> 00:28:44.779
 Anyway,

00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:46.000
 verse 25 again,

00:28:46.100 --> 00:28:46.680
 about midnight,

00:28:46.940 --> 00:28:47.700
 after about midnight,

00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:48.440
 Paul and Silas

00:28:48.440 --> 00:28:48.880
 were praying

00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:49.920
 and singing hymns to God

00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:50.460
 and the prisoners

00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:51.380
 were listening to them

00:28:51.380 --> 00:28:52.539
 and suddenly

00:28:52.539 --> 00:28:53.620
 there was a great earthquake

00:28:53.620 --> 00:28:54.819
 so that the foundations

00:28:54.819 --> 00:28:55.440
 of the prison

00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:55.980
 were shaken.

00:28:57.500 --> 00:28:58.279
 And then there's

00:28:58.279 --> 00:28:59.059
 a separate thing.

00:28:59.240 --> 00:29:00.500
 Immediately all the doors

00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.039
 were opened

00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:02.779
 and everyone's bonds

00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:03.779
 were unfastened.

00:29:03.900 --> 00:29:04.460
 And once again,

00:29:04.539 --> 00:29:05.640
 we note that it's actually

00:29:05.640 --> 00:29:07.300
 quite a good translation here.

00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:08.560
 Unfastened.

00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:09.600
 Not shaken loose

00:29:09.600 --> 00:29:10.700
 but unfashioned.

00:29:11.960 --> 00:29:13.420
 And when the jailer woke

00:29:13.420 --> 00:29:14.940
 and saw that the prison doors

00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:15.480
 were open,

00:29:15.600 --> 00:29:17.140
 he drew his sword

00:29:17.140 --> 00:29:18.620
 and was about to kill himself

00:29:18.620 --> 00:29:21.160
 supposing that the prisoners

00:29:21.160 --> 00:29:21.900
 had escaped.

00:29:22.020 --> 00:29:22.860
 Now just pause here.

00:29:22.940 --> 00:29:24.759
 Why was he doing this?

00:29:25.380 --> 00:29:27.400
 So first of all,

00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:28.540
 there's a double miracle

00:29:28.540 --> 00:29:29.640
 that goes on here

00:29:29.640 --> 00:29:30.600
 and if there'd just been

00:29:30.600 --> 00:29:31.060
 an earthquake,

00:29:31.300 --> 00:29:31.780
 people could say,

00:29:31.860 --> 00:29:31.920
 well,

00:29:31.940 --> 00:29:32.640
 it's just a coincidence.

00:29:32.860 --> 00:29:34.060
 But there's both an earthquake

00:29:34.059 --> 00:29:36.059
 and at the same time

00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:37.059
 their shackles,

00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:38.440
 the doors open

00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:40.179
 and their shackles

00:29:40.179 --> 00:29:41.200
 are unfastened.

00:29:42.379 --> 00:29:43.519
 And the jailer,

00:29:43.779 --> 00:29:44.440
 woken up

00:29:44.440 --> 00:29:45.899
 by the earthquake,

00:29:46.119 --> 00:29:46.940
 goes out to see

00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:47.819
 what's going on.

00:29:48.399 --> 00:29:48.859
 And by the way,

00:29:48.899 --> 00:29:49.539
 the whole city

00:29:49.539 --> 00:29:50.480
 would have been affected

00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:51.299
 by this earthquake

00:29:51.299 --> 00:29:53.079
 and he sees the jail doors open.

00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:55.339
 Now, historically,

00:29:55.500 --> 00:29:56.460
 the jailer was either

00:29:56.460 --> 00:29:57.819
 one of two types of people.

00:29:57.919 --> 00:29:58.519
 He was either

00:29:58.519 --> 00:30:00.019
 a retired soldier

00:30:00.019 --> 00:30:01.700
 or more likely,

00:30:02.779 --> 00:30:03.619
 in those days,

00:30:03.819 --> 00:30:05.259
 cities could own slaves.

00:30:08.740 --> 00:30:10.400
 So he was actually

00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:12.720
 very likely to be a slave,

00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:14.460
 a senior slave

00:30:14.460 --> 00:30:16.799
 in the municipal government.

00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:18.799
 And later on,

00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:19.400
 when I'm going to talk

00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:20.180
 about his household,

00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:21.299
 the implication of that

00:30:21.299 --> 00:30:22.700
 is that he's a slave owner

00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:24.000
 who also owns slaves.

00:30:24.599 --> 00:30:26.160
 The whole ancient world

00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:27.800
 was unbelievably messed up.

00:30:28.680 --> 00:30:29.080
 Right?

00:30:29.400 --> 00:30:30.340
 You can be a slave

00:30:30.340 --> 00:30:31.120
 and own a slave.

00:30:31.480 --> 00:30:31.680
 You can,

00:30:31.880 --> 00:30:32.620
 and anyway,

00:30:33.300 --> 00:30:34.200
 but you see,

00:30:34.320 --> 00:30:35.600
 in the ancient world,

00:30:35.960 --> 00:30:37.759
 because he's a slave,

00:30:38.560 --> 00:30:39.200
 but even if he was

00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:40.000
 just a Roman soldier,

00:30:40.080 --> 00:30:41.519
 but if he was a slave,

00:30:42.060 --> 00:30:43.779
 if he lets these prisoners

00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:45.340
 go under his watch,

00:30:45.820 --> 00:30:47.580
 the punishment is

00:30:47.580 --> 00:30:49.440
 crucifixion.

00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:54.440
 And from all of the accounts

00:30:54.440 --> 00:30:55.440
 of the ancient world,

00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:56.320
 if you have a choice

00:30:56.320 --> 00:30:57.620
 of dying by crucifixion

00:30:57.620 --> 00:30:59.600
 or a cutting of a sword

00:30:59.600 --> 00:31:00.120
 in your body,

00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:01.080
 you're going to pick the sword.

00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:03.100
 You don't want to die

00:31:03.100 --> 00:31:04.019
 over many days

00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:06.539
 naked outside the city

00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:07.680
 with birds landing on.

00:31:07.840 --> 00:31:08.000
 You know,

00:31:08.019 --> 00:31:08.960
 I don't want to go any further.

00:31:09.340 --> 00:31:10.259
 It's gruesome.

00:31:12.820 --> 00:31:14.080
 But there's a surprise.

00:31:14.440 --> 00:31:15.180
 Look at what happens

00:31:15.180 --> 00:31:16.779
 in verse 28.

00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:18.680
 But Paul cried out

00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:19.519
 with a loud voice,

00:31:19.860 --> 00:31:20.820
 Do not harm yourself,

00:31:21.220 --> 00:31:22.299
 for we are all here.

00:31:22.299 --> 00:31:24.639
 And the jailer called

00:31:24.639 --> 00:31:25.200
 for lights

00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:25.859
 and rushed in

00:31:25.859 --> 00:31:27.139
 and trembling with fear,

00:31:27.299 --> 00:31:27.940
 he fell down

00:31:27.940 --> 00:31:29.180
 before Paul and Silas.

00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:30.379
 Then he brought them out

00:31:30.379 --> 00:31:30.819
 and said,

00:31:31.099 --> 00:31:32.919
 Here's this famous question.

00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:34.599
 Many, many people

00:31:34.599 --> 00:31:35.819
 are familiar with this text,

00:31:35.859 --> 00:31:36.779
 even if they can't remember

00:31:36.779 --> 00:31:37.419
 where it was.

00:31:37.859 --> 00:31:38.299
 Sirs,

00:31:38.619 --> 00:31:39.700
 what must I do

00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:40.460
 to be saved?

00:31:41.659 --> 00:31:42.480
 And they said,

00:31:42.859 --> 00:31:44.039
 Believe in the Lord Jesus

00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:45.220
 and you will be saved,

00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:46.480
 you and your household.

00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:48.819
 And then they spoke

00:31:48.819 --> 00:31:49.519
 the word of the Lord

00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:50.440
 to the jailer

00:31:50.440 --> 00:31:51.180
 and to all who were

00:31:51.180 --> 00:31:51.779
 in his house

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:52.539
 and he took them,

00:31:52.660 --> 00:31:53.420
 that is the jailer,

00:31:53.480 --> 00:31:54.720
 that same hour of the night

00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:55.900
 he washed their wounds

00:31:55.900 --> 00:31:59.000
 and he was baptized at once,

00:31:59.079 --> 00:32:00.259
 he and all his family.

00:32:00.900 --> 00:32:01.880
 Then he brought them

00:32:01.880 --> 00:32:02.960
 into his house

00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:04.440
 and set food before them

00:32:04.440 --> 00:32:05.360
 and he rejoiced along

00:32:05.360 --> 00:32:06.440
 with his entire household

00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:07.599
 that he had believed in God.

00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:09.160
 So here you can see

00:32:09.160 --> 00:32:10.779
 that the picture is

00:32:10.779 --> 00:32:12.380
 of the true God

00:32:12.380 --> 00:32:13.460
 is very big.

00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:14.140
 He's big enough

00:32:14.140 --> 00:32:15.440
 that he can shake the planet,

00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:17.080
 he can unlock shackles,

00:32:17.460 --> 00:32:18.580
 he can remove demons,

00:32:18.860 --> 00:32:20.480
 and he can open your heart

00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:21.720
 to believe in the Lord Jesus

00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:23.080
 and be saved.

00:32:23.860 --> 00:32:25.039
 Now here's the question.

00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:28.059
 And some of you

00:32:28.059 --> 00:32:28.620
 might be wondering,

00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:28.920
 George,

00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:30.360
 why did you begin by saying

00:32:30.360 --> 00:32:31.160
 what you said

00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:31.900
 at the beginning of the sermon?

00:32:32.120 --> 00:32:33.039
 Some of you can't remember,

00:32:33.140 --> 00:32:33.720
 that's fine.

00:32:35.860 --> 00:32:37.460
 If God is able

00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:38.759
 to shake the planet

00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:40.779
 and open hearts

00:32:40.779 --> 00:32:42.279
 and cast out demons,

00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:43.559
 why did he allow

00:32:43.559 --> 00:32:44.519
 Paul and Silas

00:32:44.519 --> 00:32:45.140
 to be beaten?

00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:52.900
 Why did he allow it?

00:32:55.900 --> 00:32:56.980
 Well, part of the answer

00:32:56.980 --> 00:32:57.640
 is this.

00:33:00.140 --> 00:33:00.539
 Paul,

00:33:00.740 --> 00:33:02.380
 it's not all about you.

00:33:05.539 --> 00:33:06.799
 It's not all about you.

00:33:09.799 --> 00:33:10.700
 If you could put up

00:33:10.700 --> 00:33:11.440
 point 1c,

00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:12.299
 that would be helpful.

00:33:12.299 --> 00:33:14.500
 the Lord who loves you

00:33:14.500 --> 00:33:15.639
 reassures you

00:33:15.639 --> 00:33:16.220
 that you are not

00:33:16.220 --> 00:33:16.839
 the center,

00:33:17.259 --> 00:33:18.180
 that he is.

00:33:18.339 --> 00:33:19.159
 It's not all about you,

00:33:19.220 --> 00:33:19.659
 it's about him.

00:33:20.059 --> 00:33:20.480
 You know one of the things

00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:21.099
 that's really cool?

00:33:22.460 --> 00:33:23.599
 This probably happened

00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:24.460
 in the year 49.

00:33:26.259 --> 00:33:27.960
 We're in the year 2024.

00:33:28.819 --> 00:33:29.659
 There's still Christians

00:33:29.659 --> 00:33:30.359
 in Philippi.

00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:34.980
 There's still Christians

00:33:34.980 --> 00:33:35.680
 in Philippi.

00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:39.340
 almost 2,000 years later.

00:33:44.140 --> 00:33:44.740
 You see,

00:33:45.140 --> 00:33:47.720
 one of the problems

00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:49.380
 with it's not all about you,

00:33:49.519 --> 00:33:50.420
 it's on one level

00:33:50.420 --> 00:33:51.560
 we all know intuitively

00:33:51.560 --> 00:33:53.440
 that that's very important advice.

00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:54.640
 Like in a family,

00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:56.000
 I need to know as a dad

00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:57.120
 that it's not all about me.

00:33:57.880 --> 00:33:58.200
 You know,

00:33:58.320 --> 00:33:59.480
 the pastor of the church,

00:33:59.480 --> 00:34:00.100
 I have to know

00:34:00.100 --> 00:34:01.299
 that it's not all about me.

00:34:02.039 --> 00:34:02.879
 Like some of the other

00:34:02.879 --> 00:34:04.339
 organizations I'm involved with,

00:34:04.379 --> 00:34:05.240
 it's not all about me.

00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:06.099
 I need to hear that.

00:34:06.180 --> 00:34:07.299
 I need to remember that.

00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:09.639
 And I need to know

00:34:09.639 --> 00:34:10.420
 how to understand.

00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:10.920
 But you see,

00:34:10.980 --> 00:34:11.679
 the problem is

00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:12.420
 is that other people

00:34:12.420 --> 00:34:13.820
 say that to me sometimes

00:34:13.820 --> 00:34:15.079
 in such a way

00:34:15.079 --> 00:34:16.440
 that they're implying

00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:16.920
 that it's really

00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:17.800
 all about them.

00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:19.380
 And if there's no,

00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:20.360
 like if all of that,

00:34:20.440 --> 00:34:21.360
 if we all do that,

00:34:21.440 --> 00:34:21.920
 then there's like,

00:34:22.099 --> 00:34:23.739
 we need something

00:34:23.739 --> 00:34:25.360
 that holds everything together.

00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:26.820
 We still need a center.

00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:28.559
 We need something,

00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:29.400
 someone,

00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:31.039
 that it is about.

00:34:33.639 --> 00:34:34.300
 And the thing

00:34:34.300 --> 00:34:35.139
 which is so wonderful

00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:35.980
 about the gospel

00:34:35.980 --> 00:34:37.260
 is that when Paul says,

00:34:37.400 --> 00:34:38.240
 when the Lord says

00:34:38.240 --> 00:34:39.079
 in a sense to Paul,

00:34:39.220 --> 00:34:39.360
 Paul,

00:34:39.460 --> 00:34:40.300
 it's not all about you.

00:34:41.760 --> 00:34:42.000
 Well,

00:34:42.019 --> 00:34:43.160
 who's saying that to him?

00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:44.840
 You know,

00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:46.400
 it's not as if God is just,

00:34:46.539 --> 00:34:46.700
 you know,

00:34:46.740 --> 00:34:48.039
 one of the problems we have

00:34:48.039 --> 00:34:49.240
 is like in many religions,

00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:50.780
 like God is so big

00:34:50.780 --> 00:34:52.440
 and a God who's so big

00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:53.559
 is just going to crush us.

00:34:53.960 --> 00:34:55.559
 And for all of the religions

00:34:55.559 --> 00:34:56.099
 of the world,

00:34:56.160 --> 00:34:56.539
 when they say

00:34:56.539 --> 00:34:57.360
 it's all about you,

00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:57.960
 that's something

00:34:57.960 --> 00:34:58.720
 which isn't actually

00:34:58.719 --> 00:34:59.379
 very hopeful

00:34:59.379 --> 00:35:00.119
 or reassuring.

00:35:00.539 --> 00:35:01.559
 The ancient gods

00:35:01.559 --> 00:35:02.679
 created human beings

00:35:02.679 --> 00:35:03.859
 to be their slaves.

00:35:04.779 --> 00:35:06.519
 Allah is so,

00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:07.119
 in a sense,

00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:08.459
 it's almost as a little bit

00:35:08.459 --> 00:35:09.859
 as if Allah is like

00:35:09.859 --> 00:35:10.579
 the Matrix

00:35:10.579 --> 00:35:12.319
 in the Matrix movies

00:35:12.319 --> 00:35:14.659
 because Allah doesn't actually

00:35:14.659 --> 00:35:15.419
 give the message

00:35:15.419 --> 00:35:17.079
 directly to Muhammad.

00:35:17.199 --> 00:35:17.819
 Did you know that?

00:35:19.619 --> 00:35:20.699
 Because he can't have

00:35:20.699 --> 00:35:21.639
 that direct contact

00:35:21.639 --> 00:35:22.579
 with a human being.

00:35:23.759 --> 00:35:25.019
 Allah gives the message

00:35:25.019 --> 00:35:25.839
 to an angel

00:35:25.839 --> 00:35:27.179
 who gives the message

00:35:27.179 --> 00:35:27.779
 to Muhammad.

00:35:29.199 --> 00:35:30.559
 And in a sense,

00:35:30.679 --> 00:35:30.799
 you know,

00:35:30.839 --> 00:35:31.199
 when you have

00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:32.519
 the religions of the East

00:35:32.519 --> 00:35:33.799
 and even when you have

00:35:33.799 --> 00:35:35.199
 in the religions of the East,

00:35:35.259 --> 00:35:36.039
 it's a different type

00:35:36.039 --> 00:35:37.079
 of the bigness of God,

00:35:37.159 --> 00:35:38.159
 but the bigness of God

00:35:38.159 --> 00:35:38.659
 is something

00:35:38.659 --> 00:35:39.960
 that's going to swallow you,

00:35:40.460 --> 00:35:41.679
 that you become part of

00:35:41.679 --> 00:35:42.719
 and you lose you.

00:35:43.440 --> 00:35:44.619
 So even in all

00:35:44.619 --> 00:35:45.379
 of those religions,

00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:45.940
 when they say

00:35:45.940 --> 00:35:46.779
 it's not all about you,

00:35:46.879 --> 00:35:47.659
 it's something

00:35:47.659 --> 00:35:48.419
 which ends up

00:35:48.419 --> 00:35:49.619
 crushing you

00:35:49.619 --> 00:35:50.799
 or denying you

00:35:50.799 --> 00:35:51.719
 or denigrating you.

00:35:51.719 --> 00:35:53.579
 But the same God

00:35:53.579 --> 00:35:54.419
 who is able

00:35:54.419 --> 00:35:55.839
 to shake the planets

00:35:55.839 --> 00:35:59.159
 comes as Emmanuel,

00:36:00.319 --> 00:36:01.519
 God with us

00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:02.399
 in the midst

00:36:02.399 --> 00:36:03.099
 of our mess,

00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:04.579
 the midst

00:36:04.579 --> 00:36:05.099
 of the muck

00:36:05.099 --> 00:36:05.799
 of your life,

00:36:06.659 --> 00:36:07.319
 the midst

00:36:07.319 --> 00:36:08.079
 of your wounds,

00:36:08.239 --> 00:36:08.539
 the midst

00:36:08.539 --> 00:36:09.339
 of your weakness,

00:36:09.939 --> 00:36:10.480
 and in love

00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:11.439
 he dies for you.

00:36:15.399 --> 00:36:15.719
 I mean,

00:36:15.799 --> 00:36:17.239
 one of the hopes

00:36:17.239 --> 00:36:18.399
 for my marriage

00:36:18.399 --> 00:36:18.839
 with Louise

00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:19.880
 is that I understand

00:36:19.880 --> 00:36:21.140
 it's not all about me,

00:36:21.400 --> 00:36:22.380
 that Louise understands

00:36:22.380 --> 00:36:23.400
 it's not all about her,

00:36:24.120 --> 00:36:25.120
 but we do know

00:36:25.120 --> 00:36:25.840
 that it's all about

00:36:25.840 --> 00:36:26.680
 the Lord.

00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:31.180
 Our hope as a church

00:36:31.180 --> 00:36:31.800
 is that it's not

00:36:31.800 --> 00:36:32.460
 all about me,

00:36:32.640 --> 00:36:33.300
 it's not all about

00:36:33.300 --> 00:36:33.780
 the council,

00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:34.559
 it's not all about

00:36:34.559 --> 00:36:35.720
 the Sunday school teachers,

00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:38.360
 but it's all about Christ.

00:36:39.519 --> 00:36:40.220
 There's a type

00:36:40.220 --> 00:36:41.360
 of both relativizing

00:36:41.360 --> 00:36:43.579
 and an arms around us.

00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:45.500
 Just a couple of truths

00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:47.200
 that follow from this,

00:36:47.280 --> 00:36:48.039
 just very briefly,

00:36:48.039 --> 00:36:48.940
 that the last one

00:36:48.940 --> 00:36:49.579
 is the big point,

00:36:49.659 --> 00:36:49.739
 right?

00:36:49.779 --> 00:36:51.059
 If the big point

00:36:51.059 --> 00:36:52.460
 is this is revealing God,

00:36:52.559 --> 00:36:53.179
 the true God

00:36:53.179 --> 00:36:54.039
 shakes the planet

00:36:54.039 --> 00:36:55.000
 and locks shackles,

00:36:55.139 --> 00:36:55.900
 removes demons,

00:36:56.460 --> 00:36:57.820
 and opens your heart

00:36:57.820 --> 00:36:58.579
 to believe in the Lord

00:36:58.579 --> 00:36:59.279
 Jesus Christ,

00:36:59.400 --> 00:37:00.539
 but if you could put up

00:37:00.539 --> 00:37:00.900
 one D,

00:37:00.960 --> 00:37:01.719
 that would be helpful.

00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:04.119
 Since God is big

00:37:04.119 --> 00:37:05.259
 and you are small,

00:37:06.039 --> 00:37:06.739
 your weakness

00:37:06.739 --> 00:37:07.920
 is not a bug,

00:37:08.259 --> 00:37:09.000
 but a feature.

00:37:09.759 --> 00:37:10.619
 You're all familiar

00:37:10.619 --> 00:37:11.219
 with the idea

00:37:11.219 --> 00:37:11.699
 of the bug,

00:37:11.779 --> 00:37:11.940
 right?

00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:12.239
 It's,

00:37:12.579 --> 00:37:12.820
 you know,

00:37:12.840 --> 00:37:13.440
 we have a couple

00:37:13.440 --> 00:37:14.199
 of computer-type

00:37:14.199 --> 00:37:14.860
 people here,

00:37:15.320 --> 00:37:16.420
 they'll fix the bugs,

00:37:16.599 --> 00:37:17.259
 things that aren't

00:37:17.260 --> 00:37:18.140
 supposed to be there.

00:37:19.840 --> 00:37:21.400
 But me being weak,

00:37:22.660 --> 00:37:23.900
 and a lot of my anxiety

00:37:23.900 --> 00:37:24.880
 comes about either,

00:37:25.160 --> 00:37:26.240
 because I'm wrestling

00:37:26.240 --> 00:37:26.940
 with wanting to be

00:37:26.940 --> 00:37:27.340
 the center,

00:37:27.480 --> 00:37:28.000
 but I'm not,

00:37:28.480 --> 00:37:29.060
 and I'm wrestling

00:37:29.060 --> 00:37:29.960
 with others who think

00:37:29.960 --> 00:37:30.580
 they're the center,

00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:32.040
 and I know they're not,

00:37:32.100 --> 00:37:32.660
 and I'm wrestling

00:37:32.660 --> 00:37:33.060
 with that,

00:37:33.220 --> 00:37:34.140
 and I also wrestle

00:37:34.140 --> 00:37:34.860
 with weakness.

00:37:36.320 --> 00:37:37.540
 But it's really helpful

00:37:37.540 --> 00:37:38.700
 to know that God is big

00:37:38.700 --> 00:37:39.640
 and I am small,

00:37:39.639 --> 00:37:41.639
 and that's not a bug

00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:43.019
 that I have to fix.

00:37:44.619 --> 00:37:46.279
 There's a brilliant text.

00:37:46.699 --> 00:37:48.039
 Paul says that it's something

00:37:48.039 --> 00:37:49.519
 that Jesus spoke to him,

00:37:49.599 --> 00:37:50.900
 so he says it's something

00:37:50.900 --> 00:37:52.139
 that came right from Jesus.

00:37:52.440 --> 00:37:53.739
 It's 2 Corinthians,

00:37:53.819 --> 00:37:54.759
 I don't have it on the screen,

00:37:54.879 --> 00:37:56.199
 2 Corinthians 12, 9.

00:37:56.440 --> 00:37:57.659
 Jesus says to Paul,

00:37:57.839 --> 00:37:59.099
 this is a little bit later,

00:37:59.099 --> 00:38:01.659
 My grace is sufficient for you,

00:38:02.199 --> 00:38:05.019
 for my power is made perfect

00:38:05.019 --> 00:38:06.179
 in weakness.

00:38:06.860 --> 00:38:08.579
 So here's the final point.

00:38:10.920 --> 00:38:12.839
 Paul, you know, by the way,

00:38:13.380 --> 00:38:14.659
 Paul's not going to be articulate

00:38:14.659 --> 00:38:16.500
 with the Philippian jailer

00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:18.619
 after having teeth missing potentially.

00:38:19.099 --> 00:38:20.420
 He's not already a good speaker

00:38:20.420 --> 00:38:21.139
 to begin with.

00:38:21.339 --> 00:38:22.079
 He's hungry.

00:38:22.500 --> 00:38:23.539
 He hasn't slept.

00:38:23.799 --> 00:38:24.539
 He's been beaten.

00:38:24.699 --> 00:38:25.519
 He has open wounds,

00:38:25.619 --> 00:38:26.779
 but he still shares the gospel

00:38:26.779 --> 00:38:28.159
 about Jesus to this other guy.

00:38:28.159 --> 00:38:29.480
 It's all in his weakness.

00:38:29.879 --> 00:38:31.019
 Here's the final point.

00:38:31.319 --> 00:38:31.940
 If you could put it up,

00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:32.399
 one E.

00:38:33.619 --> 00:38:34.219
 And by the way,

00:38:34.259 --> 00:38:35.219
 those of you who are familiar

00:38:35.219 --> 00:38:35.679
 with the book,

00:38:35.960 --> 00:38:37.299
 I think by Larry Ellison,

00:38:37.440 --> 00:38:39.299
 I've tweaked his title.

00:38:39.799 --> 00:38:40.619
 I've made it Christian.

00:38:41.259 --> 00:38:41.940
 In Christ,

00:38:42.579 --> 00:38:44.500
 you have all the weakness you need

00:38:44.500 --> 00:38:46.359
 for God to work through you.

00:38:51.759 --> 00:38:54.339
 I can't forgive,

00:38:54.480 --> 00:38:55.119
 I'm too weak.

00:38:55.619 --> 00:38:56.359
 In Christ,

00:38:56.359 --> 00:38:57.339
 you have all the weakness

00:38:57.340 --> 00:38:58.140
 you need for God

00:38:58.140 --> 00:38:58.940
 to work through you.

00:38:59.780 --> 00:39:01.019
 I can't tell other people

00:39:01.019 --> 00:39:01.559
 about Jesus.

00:39:01.740 --> 00:39:02.700
 My life is a mess.

00:39:03.900 --> 00:39:04.800
 In Christ,

00:39:05.120 --> 00:39:06.200
 you have all the weakness

00:39:06.200 --> 00:39:06.800
 you need

00:39:06.800 --> 00:39:08.320
 for God to work through you.

00:39:10.519 --> 00:39:11.960
 I'm terrible at praying,

00:39:13.059 --> 00:39:14.539
 and I'm not a very good Christian.

00:39:15.220 --> 00:39:15.980
 In Christ,

00:39:16.600 --> 00:39:17.740
 you have all the weakness

00:39:17.740 --> 00:39:18.300
 you need

00:39:18.300 --> 00:39:19.660
 for God to work through you.

00:39:19.659 --> 00:39:22.440
 I'm weak and poor,

00:39:22.480 --> 00:39:23.099
 I don't have any money

00:39:23.099 --> 00:39:24.219
 to give to the work of the Lord.

00:39:24.279 --> 00:39:25.199
 I can't be generous,

00:39:25.379 --> 00:39:25.859
 I have to wait

00:39:25.859 --> 00:39:26.440
 until I have money.

00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:26.879
 No,

00:39:27.339 --> 00:39:28.099
 in Christ,

00:39:28.579 --> 00:39:29.599
 you have all the weakness

00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:30.219
 you need

00:39:30.219 --> 00:39:32.079
 for God to work through you.

00:39:33.039 --> 00:39:34.119
 Because he is big.

00:39:35.859 --> 00:39:36.599
 Let's stand

00:39:36.599 --> 00:39:37.399
 and bow our heads

00:39:37.400 --> 00:39:37.800
 in prayer.

00:39:49.800 --> 00:39:50.240
 Father,

00:39:50.380 --> 00:39:51.039
 you know how

00:39:51.039 --> 00:39:52.380
 a lot of our life,

00:39:53.539 --> 00:39:54.420
 even as Christians,

00:39:54.680 --> 00:39:55.940
 is all about trying

00:39:55.940 --> 00:39:56.800
 to get stronger

00:39:56.800 --> 00:39:57.360
 and stronger

00:39:57.360 --> 00:39:57.840
 and better

00:39:57.840 --> 00:39:58.240
 and better

00:39:58.240 --> 00:39:58.780
 and shiny

00:39:58.780 --> 00:39:59.480
 and shinier

00:39:59.480 --> 00:40:00.260
 and more cleaned up

00:40:00.260 --> 00:40:01.119
 and more cleaned up

00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:03.239
 so that eventually

00:40:03.239 --> 00:40:04.279
 you'll pay some notice

00:40:04.279 --> 00:40:04.739
 to us

00:40:04.739 --> 00:40:05.400
 or that we can do

00:40:05.400 --> 00:40:06.099
 good things.

00:40:06.400 --> 00:40:07.480
 And you know,

00:40:08.219 --> 00:40:08.699
 Father,

00:40:08.859 --> 00:40:09.619
 how both the world,

00:40:09.759 --> 00:40:10.059
 the flesh,

00:40:10.119 --> 00:40:10.679
 and the devil

00:40:10.679 --> 00:40:11.980
 beats us up

00:40:11.980 --> 00:40:12.859
 about our weaknesses

00:40:12.859 --> 00:40:15.299
 and our smallness.

00:40:16.699 --> 00:40:17.420
 And so,

00:40:17.559 --> 00:40:17.739
 Father,

00:40:17.859 --> 00:40:19.579
 it's very freeing

00:40:19.579 --> 00:40:20.059
 to hear

00:40:20.059 --> 00:40:20.880
 in the context

00:40:20.880 --> 00:40:21.679
 of salvation,

00:40:21.839 --> 00:40:22.420
 the context

00:40:22.420 --> 00:40:24.119
 of Jesus being Emmanuel,

00:40:24.339 --> 00:40:26.059
 Emmanuel who dies

00:40:26.059 --> 00:40:26.619
 for us,

00:40:26.779 --> 00:40:28.259
 Emmanuel who on one hand

00:40:28.259 --> 00:40:29.199
 can shake the planet,

00:40:29.619 --> 00:40:30.519
 but on the other hand

00:40:30.519 --> 00:40:31.900
 will walk amongst us

00:40:31.900 --> 00:40:32.800
 and die on the cross

00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:33.320
 for us,

00:40:33.659 --> 00:40:34.480
 that our weakness

00:40:34.480 --> 00:40:35.780
 is not something

00:40:35.780 --> 00:40:36.960
 that is a bug,

00:40:37.059 --> 00:40:37.659
 but a feature

00:40:37.659 --> 00:40:38.259
 of who we are

00:40:38.259 --> 00:40:39.139
 as human beings.

00:40:40.159 --> 00:40:41.039
 I am small

00:40:41.039 --> 00:40:41.860
 and I am weak,

00:40:42.460 --> 00:40:44.179
 and that is not

00:40:44.179 --> 00:40:46.500
 a bug to fix,

00:40:46.599 --> 00:40:47.259
 but a feature

00:40:47.259 --> 00:40:48.000
 of who I am.

00:40:49.599 --> 00:40:50.360
 And it is,

00:40:50.559 --> 00:40:50.619
 Father,

00:40:50.699 --> 00:40:51.460
 very humbling

00:40:51.460 --> 00:40:52.139
 to know

00:40:52.139 --> 00:40:54.619
 that you are the one

00:40:54.619 --> 00:40:55.420
 who opens hearts,

00:40:55.539 --> 00:40:56.000
 you are the one

00:40:56.000 --> 00:40:57.000
 who shakes the planets,

00:40:57.219 --> 00:40:57.840
 you are the one

00:40:57.840 --> 00:40:58.659
 who did everything

00:40:58.659 --> 00:40:59.400
 that had to be done

00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:00.019
 to save.

00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:01.759
 You are the one

00:41:01.759 --> 00:41:02.940
 whose son became poor

00:41:02.940 --> 00:41:04.259
 that we might become rich,

00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:06.340
 that Father,

00:41:07.500 --> 00:41:08.300
 that every single

00:41:08.300 --> 00:41:09.119
 one of us here,

00:41:10.159 --> 00:41:11.159
 and not as an excuse

00:41:11.159 --> 00:41:11.860
 not to repent

00:41:11.860 --> 00:41:12.539
 of our sins,

00:41:12.780 --> 00:41:14.139
 and not as an excuse

00:41:14.139 --> 00:41:14.980
 not to learn

00:41:14.980 --> 00:41:15.480
 and to grow,

00:41:15.599 --> 00:41:16.440
 but that we already

00:41:16.440 --> 00:41:16.820
 have,

00:41:16.860 --> 00:41:17.820
 every one of us here,

00:41:18.199 --> 00:41:18.960
 all the weakness

00:41:18.960 --> 00:41:20.119
 that you need

00:41:20.119 --> 00:41:20.860
 for us to work

00:41:20.860 --> 00:41:21.400
 through you,

00:41:21.639 --> 00:41:22.219
 through us,

00:41:22.360 --> 00:41:23.019
 for your glory.

00:41:24.199 --> 00:41:24.980
 So we ask,

00:41:25.320 --> 00:41:25.340
 Father,

00:41:25.420 --> 00:41:26.480
 that you make the gospel

00:41:26.480 --> 00:41:27.280
 more and more real

00:41:27.280 --> 00:41:27.880
 to us,

00:41:28.400 --> 00:41:29.920
 and help us,

00:41:30.200 --> 00:41:30.260
 Father,

00:41:30.340 --> 00:41:31.360
 to see our smallness

00:41:31.360 --> 00:41:32.040
 and our weakness,

00:41:32.280 --> 00:41:32.940
 and that we are not

00:41:32.940 --> 00:41:33.580
 the center

00:41:33.580 --> 00:41:35.240
 in light of this

00:41:35.240 --> 00:41:35.880
 profound act

00:41:35.880 --> 00:41:36.760
 that Jesus has done

00:41:36.760 --> 00:41:37.540
 to save us,

00:41:37.880 --> 00:41:38.820
 and to make us

00:41:38.820 --> 00:41:39.940
 your children forever.

00:41:41.300 --> 00:41:42.560
 And we ask these things

00:41:42.560 --> 00:41:43.560
 in the name of Jesus,

00:41:43.700 --> 00:41:44.780
 your Son and our Savior,

00:41:44.980 --> 00:41:46.240
 and all God's people said,

00:41:46.840 --> 00:41:47.340
 Amen.

00:41:47.340 --> 00:41:47.539
 Amen.