WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.780
 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. It is wonderful

00:00:16.780 --> 00:00:20.760
 that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either

00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:25.179
 by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray for

00:00:25.179 --> 00:00:31.519
 us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself?

00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:37.939
 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really,

00:00:38.179 --> 00:00:42.579
 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible,

00:00:43.239 --> 00:00:48.760
 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will

00:00:48.760 --> 00:00:54.560
 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a

00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:59.340
 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't

00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:04.680
 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the

00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:07.780
 types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless.

00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:21.900
 Let's pray. Father, we confess before you that we do not really know how often we read the book,

00:01:21.900 --> 00:01:27.380
 your book, the Bible, and we either make the mistake of it applies to somebody else,

00:01:27.600 --> 00:01:32.040
 or we make the mistake of thinking that it just doesn't apply to us at all. It just seems odd.

00:01:32.820 --> 00:01:40.420
 Father, we ask that your Holy Spirit would bring your Word deep into our heart that it might form us

00:01:40.420 --> 00:01:49.120
 so that we will live lives both intellectually and emotionally secure in what Jesus has done for us

00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:55.560
 on the cross and for the eternal weight of glory that you are preparing for your children adopted

00:01:55.560 --> 00:02:02.840
 by you through grace. And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. Please be seated.

00:02:05.300 --> 00:02:11.020
 I've only had a couple of times where I've prayed, and I think something like a miracle happened.

00:02:11.020 --> 00:02:16.719
 Some of you have heard this story. It's from quite a few years ago. I was looking after

00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:23.840
 four little churches in the country. It was my first time as a rector, and it was July or August.

00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:29.540
 I can't remember which month, but I was at work, and the minister in the town of Renfrew

00:02:29.540 --> 00:02:36.980
 was on holiday, and I was covering for him. And I lived about half an hour away from Renfrew,

00:02:36.979 --> 00:02:40.939
 and the other churches that I served were in the opposite direction from Renfrew.

00:02:41.819 --> 00:02:47.919
 And it was about a half-hour drive to... That morning, I had to drive to Tremor, so it's a bit more than half an hour.

00:02:48.679 --> 00:02:54.139
 And just a little bit, like five minutes before I was to leave, go out the door, ten minutes maybe,

00:02:54.819 --> 00:03:02.219
 the phone rings, which is very unusual to have the phone ring at like 20 after 8, quarter after 8 on a Sunday morning,

00:03:02.219 --> 00:03:06.719
 so I answered the phone. And it was a nurse from the hospital in Renfrew.

00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:13.439
 And the nurse said, are you George Sinclair? I said, I am. She said, are you the minister who's on call for X?

00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:21.500
 And I said, I am. And she said, well, I have a man who's been in a coma now for 48 hours or whatever it was.

00:03:23.020 --> 00:03:28.419
 He is... We think he is maybe just minutes from death. In fact, I feel bad that I didn't call you earlier,

00:03:28.419 --> 00:03:35.500
 because the family would really like you to be with them before he dies, and he has very little time to live.

00:03:35.839 --> 00:03:40.379
 So could you come? And I said to the nurse, I said, I'm really sorry.

00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:44.859
 I cannot come down to the hospital in Renfrew. I can't cancel my service in Tremor.

00:03:45.379 --> 00:03:49.219
 We're my service in Eganville to drive down and do this.

00:03:49.279 --> 00:03:52.339
 And she was very insistent that this man was close to death.

00:03:52.539 --> 00:03:56.939
 It was very important to the family, and she really tried to lay some guilt trips on me.

00:03:56.939 --> 00:04:00.139
 And I was feeling a bit guilty, to tell you the truth.

00:04:00.699 --> 00:04:05.199
 But I just said, I'm really, really sorry. I cannot... I have to go to... I can't do my services.

00:04:05.659 --> 00:04:09.039
 If he's still alive, when I'm done my services, I'll come.

00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:13.919
 And she said, well, he almost definitely won't be alive, just to give me that final kick of guilt.

00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:16.139
 I did my services.

00:04:17.079 --> 00:04:19.740
 As soon as I'd finished my 11 o'clock service in Eganville,

00:04:20.259 --> 00:04:24.939
 I called the hospital, and the nurse answered, and she said, well, I don't know what.

00:04:24.939 --> 00:04:32.240
 He's still alive. He's still... I mean, he should have died three or four hours, a couple of hours ago.

00:04:32.300 --> 00:04:33.000
 He's still alive.

00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:34.379
 I said, well, I'll come.

00:04:34.819 --> 00:04:38.120
 And my wife made a sandwich for me and put some coffee in a cup,

00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:41.980
 and I hopped in the car and I drove to the hospital, found him,

00:04:42.139 --> 00:04:47.819
 and the man was still alive, still in a coma, and his wife and daughter were with him.

00:04:47.819 --> 00:04:50.599
 And so I told him who I was.

00:04:50.719 --> 00:04:54.360
 I put my hand on his shoulder and just said, hi, I'm here.

00:04:54.599 --> 00:04:55.819
 I'm the minister in charge.

00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:59.540
 I always speak to the person in the coma in the hope that maybe they can hear.

00:05:00.019 --> 00:05:04.079
 And I spent a couple of minutes talking to the wife and to his daughter,

00:05:04.300 --> 00:05:05.680
 and then I prayed for the man.

00:05:05.740 --> 00:05:07.659
 I put my hand on his shoulder and I prayed for him.

00:05:07.660 --> 00:05:13.000
 And when I pray in a situation like that, I pray for the wife and the daughter.

00:05:13.180 --> 00:05:18.120
 I pray for the people who are, you know, mourning and, you know, concerned for him.

00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:21.340
 I pray for all who are praying for him.

00:05:21.860 --> 00:05:24.000
 And I pray several things for the man.

00:05:24.140 --> 00:05:28.640
 And one of the things I always pray for is I always pray that he will be healed or she will be healed.

00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:29.620
 I always pray for that.

00:05:29.620 --> 00:05:32.060
 That's in God's hands.

00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:33.019
 It's the right thing to do.

00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:38.480
 I pray, Father, if it's your will, that this man would be healed and that he would have more years of life.

00:05:39.079 --> 00:05:45.899
 And then I go on and pray fundamentally that Jesus, I say something to the effect of Jesus, he's in a coma.

00:05:46.060 --> 00:05:46.759
 We can't reach him.

00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:55.639
 We know that Jesus can talk to him even in his coma and make Jesus minister to him and prepare him, Father, to see you face to face.

00:05:56.040 --> 00:05:57.220
 And then I said, amen.

00:05:57.220 --> 00:06:00.220
 And the man opened his eyes and said, thank you.

00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:05.120
 And he lived at least another two years.

00:06:05.900 --> 00:06:07.820
 He left the hospital the next day.

00:06:09.220 --> 00:06:14.740
 That's the most dramatic of any of the times where I prayed for somebody and there's been something like a miraculous healing.

00:06:15.720 --> 00:06:24.540
 Now, I mention this because most people, when they think of how God relates to the world, they either think of miracles like this or they think of things.

00:06:24.540 --> 00:06:29.760
 And we could all probably have many stories about this, like what we would consider to be dramatic answers to prayer.

00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:34.840
 But skeptics could say that, you know, maybe it wasn't the prayer that some other type of thing would happen.

00:06:34.840 --> 00:06:35.900
 But they're pretty dramatic.

00:06:36.260 --> 00:06:38.460
 We all probably have tales of praying for people.

00:06:38.540 --> 00:06:44.300
 I have a purse for other people that the healing wasn't dramatic, but they were supposed to die and they lived quite a few years.

00:06:44.300 --> 00:06:48.840
 The cancer was completely gone, not in remission, but completely gone, died of something else.

00:06:48.900 --> 00:06:50.400
 We all have stories like that.

00:06:50.939 --> 00:06:55.939
 And the other way that Christians tend to talk about how God relates to the world is in the doctrine of providence.

00:06:55.939 --> 00:07:04.399
 And that's where God seems to work through the changes and chances of this fleeting world through events in a way that works out for his people.

00:07:05.300 --> 00:07:07.779
 And some of us have stories about that.

00:07:07.860 --> 00:07:09.319
 They wouldn't be a miracle, per se.

00:07:09.399 --> 00:07:10.519
 Nobody would say it's a miracle.

00:07:10.519 --> 00:07:18.980
 It would be something along the lines of you're late to have dinner with your friend and you come into your dismay.

00:07:19.579 --> 00:07:23.339
 It looks like there must be a convention going on or something.

00:07:23.339 --> 00:07:25.879
 All the parking spots in the street are filled.

00:07:26.799 --> 00:07:34.099
 And then you're just behind, you know, you're late and then the guy ahead of you, the light hasn't even gone yellow light yet, but he stops.

00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:37.879
 You miss going through the light and you think, oh, I'm going to be even more late.

00:07:38.359 --> 00:07:39.219
 You know, what am I going to do?

00:07:39.259 --> 00:07:46.339
 And then as you pull through, just ahead of you, in front of the restaurant, a car pulls out and you're able to park there.

00:07:46.679 --> 00:07:50.039
 And so most of the time when we think of providence, we think of something like that.

00:07:50.419 --> 00:07:51.779
 You know, you wouldn't say that's a miracle.

00:07:51.779 --> 00:07:52.839
 It's just one of those things.

00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:55.279
 God just took care of you in providence.

00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:03.619
 Now, I mention all of this because, you see, if you think that God only relates to you in terms of dramatic answers to prayer,

00:08:04.219 --> 00:08:12.000
 and if you think that the other way is acts of providence where it's something like the car leaving so you have a parking spot,

00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:24.540
 you're going to miss out on actually how God works for his children, especially how he works for his children when life is very difficult, when life is exceptionally difficult.

00:08:24.540 --> 00:08:34.379
 And the story that we're going to look at today is a story that will help us to understand how God deals and is with us even in very, very difficult times.

00:08:34.820 --> 00:08:41.680
 And it's going to point us in a different direction from the type of advice that we often hear in Christian and in non-Christian circles,

00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:46.120
 which is to say there must be some reason that this is happening.

00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:48.659
 There has to be a reason why this is happening.

00:08:48.659 --> 00:08:56.860
 And that, of course, is very, very frustrating if it's very hard to see the reason or if the only reasons you can guess aren't very good ones.

00:08:57.299 --> 00:09:01.879
 And when you look around at other people who don't seem to be having those hard times that you're having,

00:09:01.879 --> 00:09:05.919
 and there must be a reason doesn't really seem like it's true.

00:09:06.019 --> 00:09:09.879
 And it seems like very thin gruel, something very thin to eat.

00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:17.259
 So let's look at this story, which talks about something better than there must be a reason for what's going on,

00:09:17.559 --> 00:09:24.779
 and which helps it open our eyes to providence, especially providence when we are having very difficult times in our lives.

00:09:25.259 --> 00:09:27.720
 So if you turn with me, it's Acts chapter 25.

00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:35.940
 And if you're a guest here in the church, one of the things that we do at Church of the Messiah is we generally either preach through books of the Bible

00:09:35.940 --> 00:09:38.500
 or take big chunks of the Bible and preach through it.

00:09:38.899 --> 00:09:42.279
 And we're going through the book of Acts, and so this is the next story.

00:09:42.779 --> 00:09:49.680
 And what's just sort of happened over the last couple of chapters, it's all downstream from this fellow by the name of Paul.

00:09:50.460 --> 00:09:55.000
 He's come to Jerusalem to bring money for the poor.

00:09:55.720 --> 00:09:56.860
 He's in the temple.

00:09:56.860 --> 00:09:59.180
 He gets accused of something he hasn't done.

00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:00.480
 He's falsely accused.

00:10:00.940 --> 00:10:01.919
 A mob is formed.

00:10:02.019 --> 00:10:03.139
 They try to kill him.

00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:04.800
 He comes into custody.

00:10:04.940 --> 00:10:08.820
 It's not protective custody, but in a sense a type of criminal custody under Rome.

00:10:09.180 --> 00:10:11.200
 And now things have happened.

00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:12.899
 There's been other attempts on his life.

00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:14.019
 There's been other fights.

00:10:14.180 --> 00:10:21.240
 And then what's just happened the week before is that Paul is, in a sense, on trial for his life before the Roman governor in Caesarea.

00:10:21.240 --> 00:10:25.320
 And you hear the legal arguments.

00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:29.900
 And at the end of it, Paul's left in jail because Felix is hoping for a bribe.

00:10:29.899 --> 00:10:33.139
 And he doesn't get the bribe.

00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:36.740
 So Paul spends two years in criminal limbo.

00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:38.759
 And now our story continues.

00:10:39.139 --> 00:10:40.139
 Verse 1.

00:10:40.139 --> 00:10:44.759
 Now, after three days, Festus had arrived in the province.

00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:46.139
 That's the Roman province.

00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:46.740
 Sorry.

00:10:46.980 --> 00:10:52.019
 Now, three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

00:10:52.819 --> 00:10:54.919
 So Caesarea is the capital of the province.

00:10:55.139 --> 00:10:58.220
 And Jerusalem, though, is a very important city to the Jewish people.

00:10:58.220 --> 00:11:01.600
 So he's been a good governor, and he goes up to Jerusalem.

00:11:02.540 --> 00:11:08.840
 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jewish elite laid out their case against Paul.

00:11:09.100 --> 00:11:17.519
 And they urged Festus, asking him as a favor against Paul, that Festus summon Paul to Jerusalem.

00:11:17.940 --> 00:11:18.279
 Why?

00:11:18.420 --> 00:11:21.600
 Because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

00:11:22.160 --> 00:11:23.240
 And just sort of pause.

00:11:23.920 --> 00:11:27.120
 You can see right off the bat that this is a bit of a dark story.

00:11:28.220 --> 00:11:31.519
 They want Paul dead, dead, dead, dead, dead.

00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:32.660
 That's what they want.

00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:34.440
 They are corrupt.

00:11:35.660 --> 00:11:38.399
 They are not taking their proper function.

00:11:39.700 --> 00:11:43.820
 Paul has never been actually, he's innocent until proven guilty by Jewish law.

00:11:43.920 --> 00:11:45.100
 He hasn't been found guilty.

00:11:46.100 --> 00:11:50.279
 And they are willing to conspire with murderers to have Paul killed.

00:11:51.160 --> 00:11:55.160
 And another thing about this story, which is very striking, is it's been two years,

00:11:55.160 --> 00:11:57.279
 over two years since Paul has been in jail.

00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:04.019
 That means, and there's even been a change in the high priest, and that means despite the change of whoever's in control,

00:12:04.980 --> 00:12:10.279
 there has been this festering, murderous hatred against Paul.

00:12:10.919 --> 00:12:14.379
 Two years of festering hatred.

00:12:14.379 --> 00:12:18.700
 You can see that the Bible here talks about the real world.

00:12:18.700 --> 00:12:26.100
 Not a hallmark romantic world, but the real world, where this is sometimes what people have to face.

00:12:28.100 --> 00:12:28.919
 Murderous hatred.

00:12:29.220 --> 00:12:30.539
 And now there's another thing here.

00:12:30.740 --> 00:12:34.379
 I've talked about it not for a couple of weeks, but it's really important for you to hear.

00:12:34.379 --> 00:12:40.860
 If you read this story as there's good guys and bad guys, and Paul is the good guy,

00:12:41.019 --> 00:12:44.659
 and so you think, okay, all these others are bad, like Festus, and then later on,

00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:51.600
 oh, and all these people are bad, like the Jewish elite, and oh, these people are bad, like Agrippa and Bernice.

00:12:51.700 --> 00:12:53.519
 Oh, and here we come to Paul, the good guy.

00:12:53.620 --> 00:12:54.340
 Here's us Christians.

00:12:54.340 --> 00:12:56.060
 That's not the way to read the text.

00:12:56.840 --> 00:13:00.320
 In fact, if you read the text this way, you haven't actually heard the text.

00:13:01.660 --> 00:13:07.740
 The way to read the text biblically is after every character is introduced to say to God,

00:13:08.259 --> 00:13:09.960
 is it me, Lord?

00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:12.720
 Is that me?

00:13:14.120 --> 00:13:19.440
 Because the fact is there are Christians who labor under over two years of hatred,

00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:23.660
 and rather than having it lessen over two years, they let it fester.

00:13:23.659 --> 00:13:26.519
 In fact, not only do they let it fester, they feed it.

00:13:27.799 --> 00:13:31.819
 We know Christians who feed hatred.

00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:39.839
 And so when you read the story, in every case, you need to ask yourself,

00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:41.259
 Lord, is that me?

00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:44.719
 Is there an area in my life where I am nurturing hatred?

00:13:44.919 --> 00:13:47.219
 And in the next few characters, you're going to see it.

00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:49.159
 Ask yourself, is that me?

00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:51.240
 Don't just jump to, oh, yeah, I'm Paul.

00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:52.460
 I'm the victim.

00:13:52.620 --> 00:13:54.100
 Everybody, all the others hate me.

00:13:54.139 --> 00:13:54.840
 No, no, no, no, no.

00:13:54.840 --> 00:13:56.320
 You haven't heard the scripture.

00:13:56.460 --> 00:13:57.060
 Is it I, Lord?

00:13:57.720 --> 00:13:59.639
 That's the response we should see in a narrative.

00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:05.100
 See, it's one of the reasons why biblical narrative helps to form nuanced moral reasoning.

00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:08.600
 And if it's read properly, self-awareness.

00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:10.639
 That you ask yourself, is it I?

00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:13.800
 So what happens?

00:14:15.300 --> 00:14:15.540
 Okay.

00:14:16.340 --> 00:14:23.060
 Paul, you know, Festus, the Jewish elite have asked that Paul, Festus would bring Paul down,

00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:24.560
 and the Jewish elite wants to kill.

00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:25.460
 What's Festus going to say?

00:14:25.540 --> 00:14:26.000
 Verse 4.

00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:27.139
 What does it say?

00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:32.779
 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and that he, that is Festus, himself

00:14:32.779 --> 00:14:34.200
 intended to go there shortly.

00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:40.120
 So Festus said, let the men of authority, in other words, people who can actually make decisions,

00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:43.179
 let the men of authority among you go down with me.

00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:44.080
 Don't send lackeys.

00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:46.000
 I want the guys who can actually make decisions.

00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:47.039
 Send these men.

00:14:48.419 --> 00:14:49.659
 Come down with me.

00:14:49.659 --> 00:14:55.399
 And if there's anything wrong about the man Paul, let them bring charges against him.

00:14:56.219 --> 00:15:02.279
 And the first thing that we see about Festus, he seems like a competent person in authority.

00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:06.799
 Like a, you know, basically a good guy.

00:15:06.939 --> 00:15:11.459
 But the next few verses reveals that that's actually not true.

00:15:12.980 --> 00:15:17.799
 There is a competence about him, but there is something else that goes along with power.

00:15:19.659 --> 00:15:21.219
 That's not good.

00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:22.179
 Well, what is it?

00:15:22.219 --> 00:15:23.079
 Look at verse 6.

00:15:24.199 --> 00:15:29.199
 And after Paul, after Festus stayed among them not more than 8 or 10 days.

00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:30.259
 By the way, I love that.

00:15:30.319 --> 00:15:33.779
 That shows how Luke, the writer of this, is really concerned with accuracy.

00:15:34.579 --> 00:15:37.819
 He doesn't know if it was 8 days or 9 days or 10 days.

00:15:38.059 --> 00:15:40.519
 So he doesn't try to pretend he knows when he doesn't.

00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:41.899
 He says what he does know.

00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:43.500
 It's somewhere between 8 to 10 days.

00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:47.860
 You know, it shows how Luke has a concern for accuracy.

00:15:47.860 --> 00:15:49.000
 I'll read that verse again.

00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:55.059
 After Festus stayed among them not more than 8 or 10 days, he went down to Caesarea.

00:15:55.340 --> 00:16:00.340
 And the next day, he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.

00:16:00.340 --> 00:16:11.960
 But when Paul had arrived, those in authority in Judaism who had come down from Jerusalem stood around Paul,

00:16:12.800 --> 00:16:18.120
 bringing many serious charges against him that they could not prove.

00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:20.100
 Paul argued.

00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:24.259
 And by the way, Luke can say this because of what happens later on in the story.

00:16:24.259 --> 00:16:25.720
 It's not just Luke's opinion.

00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:30.019
 It's what turns out later on in the story, that they couldn't prove it.

00:16:30.659 --> 00:16:32.700
 Paul argued, verse 8, in his defense,

00:16:32.819 --> 00:16:38.340
 neither against the law of the Jewish people nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.

00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:46.340
 So if some of you are familiar with the sermon from last week, you'll know in the trial last week,

00:16:46.940 --> 00:16:50.480
 it's very different than this, and there's no summary.

00:16:50.680 --> 00:16:53.980
 And the reason there's no summary, it's sort of obvious there if you look,

00:16:54.060 --> 00:16:56.420
 but in the original language, it's very obvious.

00:16:56.419 --> 00:16:59.899
 What happened the week before is they'd hired a professional.

00:17:00.779 --> 00:17:06.480
 And so he attacked Paul like a surgeon will do surgery with a scalpel.

00:17:07.059 --> 00:17:11.240
 Very precise, very fine cuts, a very clear strategy.

00:17:11.879 --> 00:17:17.180
 This time what the elite has decided is they're not going to go and pay for a high-priced fancy lawyer

00:17:17.180 --> 00:17:18.680
 that didn't get them anywhere anyway.

00:17:19.159 --> 00:17:22.259
 They did the full court press, the blitz read,

00:17:22.259 --> 00:17:27.579
 the I am going to make a list of every possible imaginable thing that Paul has ever done wrong,

00:17:27.779 --> 00:17:29.460
 and we're all going to make a list of it,

00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:34.640
 and we're just going to stand there flinging every potential thing he's ever done wrong at him.

00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:41.000
 Just a full court press, nothing finesse about it, just throwing everything at him.

00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:46.099
 And that's why they don't summarize it, because it's obviously in the original language.

00:17:46.339 --> 00:17:49.640
 And Paul just argues in his defense, it just summarizes,

00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:53.660
 listen, whether it's against the temple, against Jewish people, or against the Roman state,

00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:54.580
 I've done nothing wrong.

00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:57.540
 And that's sort of the answer.

00:17:58.460 --> 00:17:59.240
 I've committed nothing.

00:18:00.080 --> 00:18:04.800
 Now, it's in this next bit that you start to see the problem with Festus,

00:18:04.860 --> 00:18:07.100
 and it's a very, very common human problem.

00:18:07.600 --> 00:18:12.620
 Now, by the way, it's a very common thing that there are bureaucrats who are honest and fair.

00:18:13.380 --> 00:18:14.740
 That's fortunately common.

00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:16.520
 Maybe, yeah, it's common.

00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:20.519
 We don't have to say, oh, there's a bureaucrat, they're probably not doing a good job.

00:18:20.619 --> 00:18:23.420
 No, that would be a wrong way to look at the world.

00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:30.180
 But the next thing shows that there's, in fact, beneath that surface competence

00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:33.819
 is something else going on, and it's seen here in verse 9.

00:18:33.819 --> 00:18:39.919
 But Festus, wishing to do the Jewish elite a favor,

00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:45.879
 ah, favors, said to Paul,

00:18:46.399 --> 00:18:50.740
 do you wish to go up to Jerusalem there and be tried on these charges before me?

00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:53.720
 Sounds very innocent, sounds very innocuous,

00:18:53.879 --> 00:18:59.599
 sounds very, like, almost like a wise thing to do,

00:18:59.720 --> 00:19:01.500
 but it's, in fact, highly problematic.

00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:08.359
 See, now Festus isn't actually following the rules or doing his job.

00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:11.059
 He's thinking about the politics,

00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:15.200
 and he's thinking about what will make him look good,

00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:17.779
 what will make his life easier.

00:19:18.420 --> 00:19:20.079
 And I didn't mention it earlier,

00:19:20.299 --> 00:19:22.200
 but you're going to see throughout the text,

00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:25.339
 there's constant ways, both in the English and the original language,

00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:27.359
 that emphasizes that Paul's a nobody.

00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:31.099
 As I said last week, it's hard for us to think of it in these terms,

00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:34.799
 because unless you're a real Bible person,

00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:38.799
 or you happen to study Tacitus or Josephus minutely,

00:19:39.339 --> 00:19:42.339
 you don't know who Festus is.

00:19:42.899 --> 00:19:46.099
 But Paul has cities and schools and churches named after him.

00:19:46.279 --> 00:19:48.139
 So Paul, but in those times, in this story,

00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:50.699
 Paul is a nobody, absolute nobody.

00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:54.299
 And all the powerful people are figuring out what to do

00:19:54.299 --> 00:19:57.240
 with this frankly inconvenient Jew.

00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:02.059
 Just in the way.

00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:04.220
 He's just in the way.

00:20:05.360 --> 00:20:07.019
 And so Festus wants to do a favor,

00:20:07.100 --> 00:20:10.440
 and he wants to do a favor to the Jewish people,

00:20:10.539 --> 00:20:11.779
 so he makes his suggestion.

00:20:12.120 --> 00:20:14.580
 Paul knows he's not a dummy,

00:20:14.840 --> 00:20:16.880
 so how's Paul going to respond to it?

00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:20.920
 See, and once again, our response is to say,

00:20:21.100 --> 00:20:21.660
 is it I?

00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:28.780
 Do I treat weak people in my organization in this way?

00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:33.240
 Do I not actually think about what I'm supposed to do,

00:20:33.320 --> 00:20:35.980
 but do I think of who I can make favor with?

00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:39.000
 Do I, in fact, in my office,

00:20:39.820 --> 00:20:42.700
 just act in a way that will make my job comfortable,

00:20:42.860 --> 00:20:44.660
 and I don't actually care about the people

00:20:44.660 --> 00:20:46.120
 that I have a responsibility for?

00:20:46.119 --> 00:20:46.799
 Is it I?

00:20:49.339 --> 00:20:50.500
 So what does Paul do?

00:20:50.579 --> 00:20:51.159
 Verse 10.

00:20:52.379 --> 00:20:53.339
 But Paul said,

00:20:53.459 --> 00:20:55.539
 I am standing before Caesar's tribunal,

00:20:55.819 --> 00:20:57.139
 where I ought to be tried.

00:20:57.500 --> 00:21:00.099
 To the Jewish people, I have done no wrong,

00:21:00.159 --> 00:21:02.059
 as you yourself know very well.

00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:05.299
 If then I am a wrongdoer

00:21:05.299 --> 00:21:08.099
 and have committed anything for which I deserve to die,

00:21:08.219 --> 00:21:10.379
 I do not seek to escape death.

00:21:11.219 --> 00:21:15.279
 But if there is nothing to their charges against me,

00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:17.359
 no one can give me up to them,

00:21:17.460 --> 00:21:19.359
 I appeal to Caesar.

00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:24.059
 Now what you have to understand here is in the world at that time,

00:21:24.119 --> 00:21:25.440
 there were three levels of courts.

00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:28.579
 You could sort of imagine that the Jewish court was sort of like,

00:21:28.740 --> 00:21:30.200
 if there was a municipal court,

00:21:30.279 --> 00:21:31.259
 it's a municipal level.

00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:35.640
 Where Festus is would be like the Ontario Supreme Court,

00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:37.759
 and then there's still the Supreme Court of Canada.

00:21:38.519 --> 00:21:39.839
 And in our day,

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:44.099
 if you want to appeal a decision by the Ontario Supreme Court,

00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:48.559
 you ask the Supreme Court of Canada to consider taking it on,

00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:49.440
 and they can say no.

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.759
 But in those days,

00:21:50.900 --> 00:21:51.880
 if you're a Roman citizen,

00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:53.500
 tried at this middle level,

00:21:53.820 --> 00:21:55.500
 the second you appeal to Caesar,

00:21:55.600 --> 00:21:56.440
 you can go to Caesar.

00:21:57.980 --> 00:21:59.799
 That's what you can do.

00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:01.480
 And in fact,

00:22:01.539 --> 00:22:02.880
 one of the things you see here

00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:06.980
 is that Paul understood the laws and the rules,

00:22:07.220 --> 00:22:07.660
 in fact,

00:22:07.820 --> 00:22:10.539
 probably better than Festus and his opponents did.

00:22:11.660 --> 00:22:11.880
 You know,

00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:12.779
 one of the things to do

00:22:12.779 --> 00:22:15.799
 if you're in trouble in a bureaucracy or in the legal system,

00:22:16.420 --> 00:22:17.299
 know the rules.

00:22:17.299 --> 00:22:18.299
 I mean,

00:22:18.339 --> 00:22:20.139
 one of the reasons that we were able to be

00:22:20.139 --> 00:22:21.460
 as successful as we were

00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:23.220
 against our former diocese,

00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:24.680
 when the diocese sued us,

00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:26.680
 is we knew the canons in the law

00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:28.259
 better than the other lawyer did.

00:22:28.680 --> 00:22:28.879
 Like,

00:22:28.919 --> 00:22:29.680
 just hands down.

00:22:29.940 --> 00:22:30.700
 We knew it better.

00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:31.740
 Like,

00:22:31.859 --> 00:22:32.579
 we just did.

00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:34.960
 And that's not boasting.

00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:36.339
 It was just very obvious.

00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:37.819
 They kept being surprised,

00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:39.119
 thinking they could do things,

00:22:39.180 --> 00:22:40.480
 and it turned out they couldn't.

00:22:40.879 --> 00:22:42.339
 They didn't have the power to do it.

00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:43.279
 But,

00:22:43.659 --> 00:22:47.139
 this really is going to catch Festus by a surprise,

00:22:47.140 --> 00:22:47.440
 well,

00:22:47.560 --> 00:22:47.960
 here,

00:22:48.080 --> 00:22:49.100
 let's read it,

00:22:50.140 --> 00:22:53.380
 and then I'll tell you why it's going to catch Festus by surprise.

00:22:53.540 --> 00:22:53.660
 So,

00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:54.640
 he appeals to Caesar.

00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:55.680
 Then,

00:22:55.759 --> 00:22:56.120
 Festus,

00:22:56.200 --> 00:22:56.759
 verse 12,

00:22:56.980 --> 00:22:58.940
 when he had conferred with his counsel,

00:22:59.440 --> 00:22:59.700
 answered,

00:22:59.800 --> 00:23:00.880
 to Caesar you have appealed,

00:23:01.040 --> 00:23:02.160
 and to Caesar you shall go.

00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:02.380
 Now,

00:23:02.460 --> 00:23:03.120
 why is it

00:23:03.120 --> 00:23:05.759
 that this probably caught him by surprise?

00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:08.140
 It's because

00:23:08.140 --> 00:23:10.020
 when Paul appeals to Caesar,

00:23:10.700 --> 00:23:12.020
 he has to pay

00:23:12.020 --> 00:23:13.440
 all of the costs

00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:14.960
 out of his own pocket.

00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:17.019
 He has to pay

00:23:17.019 --> 00:23:18.420
 all of the travel costs

00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:19.180
 for himself,

00:23:19.380 --> 00:23:21.160
 whatever his traveling companions are,

00:23:21.259 --> 00:23:22.660
 and for whatever soldiers

00:23:22.660 --> 00:23:24.000
 need to accompany him.

00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:25.220
 He has to pay

00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:26.180
 all the costs

00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:26.880
 all the way

00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:27.940
 until he finally appears

00:23:27.940 --> 00:23:28.600
 to the emperor.

00:23:29.620 --> 00:23:30.620
 Paul is unemployed,

00:23:31.120 --> 00:23:32.940
 and he's not wealthy.

00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:35.380
 It's a very,

00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:35.880
 once again,

00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:37.120
 this is the normal life,

00:23:37.220 --> 00:23:37.440
 folks.

00:23:37.579 --> 00:23:38.440
 It's not unusual

00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:39.740
 for a big corporation

00:23:39.740 --> 00:23:40.559
 or a government

00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:42.139
 or something like a diocese

00:23:42.139 --> 00:23:44.500
 to put into place

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:45.399
 legal proceedings

00:23:45.399 --> 00:23:46.119
 just believing

00:23:46.119 --> 00:23:47.000
 that the other side,

00:23:47.079 --> 00:23:47.960
 the small person,

00:23:48.059 --> 00:23:48.599
 the nobody,

00:23:49.179 --> 00:23:50.839
 doesn't have the financial resources

00:23:50.839 --> 00:23:52.119
 to fight back

00:23:52.119 --> 00:23:53.480
 and will have to cave.

00:23:53.919 --> 00:23:55.960
 It's in the news

00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:56.679
 all the time.

00:23:56.899 --> 00:23:57.779
 It's normal life,

00:23:58.179 --> 00:23:59.579
 and Festus probably figured

00:23:59.579 --> 00:24:01.740
 he had a very brilliant solution

00:24:01.740 --> 00:24:02.179
 to this,

00:24:02.299 --> 00:24:03.799
 and Paul goes ahead

00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:05.259
 and says he's going to do this,

00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:06.539
 and part of the conferring

00:24:06.539 --> 00:24:07.359
 might have been where it is.

00:24:07.679 --> 00:24:08.319
 And by the way,

00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:10.220
 there's an indirect lesson here

00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:11.839
 about Christian generosity.

00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:14.439
 We are never told

00:24:14.439 --> 00:24:16.439
 who paid all of these expenses.

00:24:18.519 --> 00:24:18.779
 You know,

00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:19.480
 the Bible says

00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:20.839
 don't let your left hand

00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:21.679
 know what your right hand

00:24:21.679 --> 00:24:22.159
 is giving.

00:24:22.379 --> 00:24:22.539
 Like,

00:24:22.599 --> 00:24:23.339
 don't give money

00:24:23.339 --> 00:24:24.679
 for the furtherance

00:24:24.679 --> 00:24:25.240
 of the gospel

00:24:25.240 --> 00:24:26.220
 and the help of the church

00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:27.159
 to get praise.

00:24:27.659 --> 00:24:28.439
 We're never told

00:24:28.439 --> 00:24:29.439
 who paid these bills,

00:24:29.639 --> 00:24:30.299
 but they would have been

00:24:30.299 --> 00:24:30.839
 considerable.

00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:32.299
 Anyway,

00:24:33.720 --> 00:24:35.039
 Festus goes ahead

00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:36.259
 and makes a snap decision,

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:38.619
 but probably

00:24:38.619 --> 00:24:40.099
 the very next day

00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:41.200
 he realizes

00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:42.039
 he made a really,

00:24:42.180 --> 00:24:43.099
 really big mistake,

00:24:43.379 --> 00:24:44.819
 and he's caught

00:24:44.819 --> 00:24:47.440
 in terms of how he thinks

00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:48.480
 because he's not thinking

00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:49.599
 in terms of processes,

00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:50.339
 but he's thinking

00:24:50.339 --> 00:24:51.319
 in terms of favor.

00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:52.579
 Well,

00:24:52.819 --> 00:24:53.279
 how does that,

00:24:53.339 --> 00:24:53.440
 well,

00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:53.819
 let's see.

00:24:53.960 --> 00:24:54.700
 Verse 13.

00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:55.819
 Now,

00:24:56.019 --> 00:24:57.500
 when some days had passed,

00:24:57.599 --> 00:24:58.539
 Agrippa the king

00:24:58.539 --> 00:24:59.160
 and Bernice,

00:24:59.160 --> 00:24:59.480
 sorry,

00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:00.920
 when some days had passed,

00:25:01.099 --> 00:25:01.359
 comma,

00:25:01.819 --> 00:25:02.559
 Agrippa the king

00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:03.279
 and Bernice

00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:04.660
 arrived at Caesarea

00:25:04.660 --> 00:25:05.840
 and greeted Festus.

00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:06.040
 Now,

00:25:06.120 --> 00:25:06.980
 just pause here.

00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:09.940
 Agrippa's another character,

00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:12.160
 and you need to know

00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:12.519
 that,

00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:13.759
 so here's one of the things

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:14.300
 that's really neat

00:25:14.300 --> 00:25:14.960
 about the Bible.

00:25:15.080 --> 00:25:15.880
 When Luke is writing

00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:16.900
 the book of Acts,

00:25:17.140 --> 00:25:18.100
 he doesn't know

00:25:18.100 --> 00:25:19.380
 that after he's written

00:25:19.380 --> 00:25:20.140
 the book of Acts,

00:25:20.380 --> 00:25:21.560
 Josephus will become

00:25:21.560 --> 00:25:22.620
 a famous historian

00:25:22.620 --> 00:25:23.279
 who's going to write

00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:25.040
 about a lot of the same things,

00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:26.080
 and he doesn't know

00:25:26.080 --> 00:25:28.220
 that a famous Roman historian

00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:29.340
 by the name of Tacitus

00:25:29.340 --> 00:25:29.940
 is going to write

00:25:29.940 --> 00:25:30.940
 about the same things,

00:25:31.460 --> 00:25:33.300
 and so historians know

00:25:33.299 --> 00:25:34.099
 all sorts of things

00:25:34.099 --> 00:25:34.680
 about Agrippa

00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:35.500
 and about Bernice

00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:36.539
 and about Festus

00:25:36.539 --> 00:25:37.480
 and about the high priest.

00:25:37.740 --> 00:25:39.059
 They know who the high priest

00:25:39.059 --> 00:25:39.539
 was then,

00:25:39.819 --> 00:25:40.539
 but here's the thing

00:25:40.539 --> 00:25:41.500
 about Agrippa and Bernice.

00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:42.299
 It's going to be important

00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:42.659
 to know.

00:25:44.579 --> 00:25:45.980
 They were brother and sister

00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:46.759
 and they were married,

00:25:47.220 --> 00:25:51.940
 and it was a scandalous,

00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:53.919
 incestuous relationship

00:25:53.919 --> 00:25:55.619
 that the powerful

00:25:55.619 --> 00:25:56.659
 would tolerate

00:25:56.659 --> 00:25:58.619
 even while they,

00:25:58.859 --> 00:25:59.379
 in secret,

00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:00.799
 would deride them,

00:26:00.940 --> 00:26:01.619
 make fun of them,

00:26:01.619 --> 00:26:03.219
 but he was married

00:26:03.219 --> 00:26:04.179
 to his half-sister.

00:26:06.739 --> 00:26:07.639
 There are people

00:26:07.639 --> 00:26:08.859
 who like the good life

00:26:08.859 --> 00:26:09.299
 and, you know,

00:26:09.419 --> 00:26:09.799
 frankly,

00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:11.639
 frankly,

00:26:11.879 --> 00:26:12.500
 what I want,

00:26:12.579 --> 00:26:12.959
 I want,

00:26:13.019 --> 00:26:13.579
 and what I want,

00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:13.979
 I get.

00:26:14.439 --> 00:26:15.819
 We all know people like that,

00:26:15.879 --> 00:26:16.599
 and once again,

00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:18.019
 is it I, Lord?

00:26:19.679 --> 00:26:20.879
 Am I the type of person

00:26:20.879 --> 00:26:21.939
 who wants what they want?

00:26:21.979 --> 00:26:23.259
 I want what I want,

00:26:23.379 --> 00:26:24.799
 and I get what I want

00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:25.679
 because I want it.

00:26:27.179 --> 00:26:28.339
 Am I that person?

00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:32.179
 Well, what's the problem

00:26:32.179 --> 00:26:34.059
 that Festus has created

00:26:34.059 --> 00:26:34.519
 for himself?

00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:35.619
 Look at verse 14.

00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:37.899
 As they stayed there

00:26:37.899 --> 00:26:38.419
 many days,

00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:39.839
 that's Agrippa and Bernice,

00:26:39.980 --> 00:26:40.919
 they, you know,

00:26:41.159 --> 00:26:42.319
 Agrippa is the king

00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:44.119
 of the neighboring area,

00:26:44.659 --> 00:26:45.919
 and Agrippa has control

00:26:45.919 --> 00:26:46.579
 over the temple

00:26:46.579 --> 00:26:47.159
 in Jerusalem.

00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:48.419
 Verse 14,

00:26:48.500 --> 00:26:49.319
 and as they stayed there

00:26:49.319 --> 00:26:49.879
 many days,

00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:52.699
 Festus laid Paul's case

00:26:52.699 --> 00:26:53.459
 before the king,

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:53.819
 saying,

00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:54.319
 um,

00:26:55.120 --> 00:26:56.759
 there is a man

00:26:56.759 --> 00:26:58.360
 left prisoner by Felix,

00:26:58.480 --> 00:26:58.779
 in other words,

00:26:58.799 --> 00:26:59.480
 not my fault.

00:27:00.460 --> 00:27:00.819
 By the way,

00:27:00.860 --> 00:27:01.539
 this whole bit

00:27:01.539 --> 00:27:03.579
 is a perfect example

00:27:03.579 --> 00:27:04.799
 of a combination

00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:06.220
 between bureaucratic

00:27:06.220 --> 00:27:07.220
 butt covering

00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:09.220
 and bureaucratic

00:27:09.220 --> 00:27:10.420
 gas lighting.

00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:11.600
 Once again,

00:27:11.660 --> 00:27:12.380
 that doesn't happen

00:27:12.380 --> 00:27:13.680
 anywhere in the modern world.

00:27:13.799 --> 00:27:13.980
 Like,

00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:15.059
 no politician

00:27:15.059 --> 00:27:15.960
 or bureaucrat,

00:27:16.200 --> 00:27:17.240
 or for that matter,

00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:18.140
 pastor,

00:27:18.500 --> 00:27:20.100
 ever does

00:27:20.100 --> 00:27:20.900
 things like

00:27:20.900 --> 00:27:21.740
 cover their butt

00:27:21.740 --> 00:27:23.099
 and try to make

00:27:23.099 --> 00:27:23.700
 people think

00:27:23.700 --> 00:27:25.039
 that their remembrance

00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:25.779
 of the past

00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:26.500
 isn't exactly

00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:27.140
 how it happens.

00:27:27.539 --> 00:27:27.759
 But that,

00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:28.259
 I'm not going to go

00:27:28.259 --> 00:27:29.000
 into all the detail,

00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:30.059
 but that's what he's

00:27:30.059 --> 00:27:30.380
 going to do

00:27:30.380 --> 00:27:31.599
 in this little recounting.

00:27:32.019 --> 00:27:32.700
 He's going to make

00:27:32.700 --> 00:27:33.900
 himself look like a hero,

00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:35.680
 leave out all the bad bits,

00:27:35.980 --> 00:27:36.880
 blame everybody else

00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:37.599
 other than himself,

00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:38.559
 and here's how it goes.

00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:38.859
 He said,

00:27:38.920 --> 00:27:39.460
 there is a man,

00:27:39.539 --> 00:27:40.180
 verse 14,

00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:41.759
 left prisoner by Felix,

00:27:41.900 --> 00:27:43.160
 and when I was at Jerusalem,

00:27:43.299 --> 00:27:44.019
 the chief priests

00:27:44.019 --> 00:27:44.599
 and the elders

00:27:44.599 --> 00:27:46.279
 and the Jewish elite

00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:47.319
 laid out their case

00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:47.920
 against him,

00:27:48.220 --> 00:27:49.259
 asking for a sentence

00:27:49.259 --> 00:27:50.140
 of condemnation.

00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:50.640
 In other words,

00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:51.700
 they wanted a capital

00:27:51.700 --> 00:27:52.620
 they wanted him

00:27:52.620 --> 00:27:53.360
 to be found guilty

00:27:53.360 --> 00:27:54.440
 of a capital offense

00:27:54.440 --> 00:27:55.720
 so that he could be killed.

00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:57.160
 And verse 16,

00:27:57.259 --> 00:27:57.980
 I answered them

00:27:57.980 --> 00:27:58.600
 that it was not

00:27:58.600 --> 00:27:59.740
 the custom of the Romans

00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:00.660
 to give up anyone

00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:01.819
 before the accused

00:28:01.819 --> 00:28:02.740
 met the accuser

00:28:02.740 --> 00:28:03.580
 face to face

00:28:03.580 --> 00:28:04.799
 and had opportunity

00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.900
 to make his defense

00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:06.860
 concerning the charge

00:28:06.860 --> 00:28:07.759
 against him.

00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:09.080
 So when they came

00:28:09.080 --> 00:28:09.860
 together here,

00:28:09.980 --> 00:28:10.900
 I made no delay,

00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:12.440
 but on the next day

00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:13.420
 took my seat

00:28:13.420 --> 00:28:14.120
 on the tribunal

00:28:14.120 --> 00:28:15.000
 and ordered the man

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:15.620
 to be brought.

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:18.039
 But when the accusers

00:28:18.039 --> 00:28:18.460
 stood up,

00:28:18.539 --> 00:28:19.620
 they brought no charge

00:28:19.619 --> 00:28:20.279
 in the case

00:28:20.279 --> 00:28:21.239
 of such evils

00:28:21.239 --> 00:28:22.139
 as I supposed.

00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.379
 Rather,

00:28:23.479 --> 00:28:24.599
 they had certain points

00:28:24.599 --> 00:28:25.219
 of dispute

00:28:25.219 --> 00:28:25.899
 with Paul

00:28:25.899 --> 00:28:27.379
 about their own religion

00:28:27.379 --> 00:28:29.539
 and about a certain Jesus

00:28:29.539 --> 00:28:30.739
 who was dead,

00:28:31.739 --> 00:28:32.359
 but whom Paul

00:28:32.359 --> 00:28:33.299
 asserted to be alive.

00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:34.519
 I'll mention that again

00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:34.959
 in a moment.

00:28:36.239 --> 00:28:37.079
 Being at a loss

00:28:37.079 --> 00:28:37.899
 how to investigate

00:28:37.899 --> 00:28:38.839
 these questions,

00:28:38.959 --> 00:28:40.179
 I asked whether he wanted

00:28:40.179 --> 00:28:40.979
 to go to Jerusalem

00:28:40.979 --> 00:28:42.119
 and be tried there

00:28:42.119 --> 00:28:43.639
 regarding them.

00:28:43.639 --> 00:28:44.659
 But when Paul

00:28:44.659 --> 00:28:45.679
 had appealed

00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:47.080
 to be kept in custody

00:28:47.080 --> 00:28:47.880
 for the decision

00:28:47.880 --> 00:28:48.500
 of the emperor,

00:28:48.980 --> 00:28:49.799
 I ordered him

00:28:49.799 --> 00:28:50.420
 to be held

00:28:50.420 --> 00:28:51.980
 until I could send him

00:28:51.980 --> 00:28:52.519
 to Caesar.

00:28:52.620 --> 00:28:53.340
 And there's the summary

00:28:53.340 --> 00:28:54.180
 of what he says

00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:55.259
 to Agrippa.

00:28:56.120 --> 00:28:56.519
 Now,

00:28:56.680 --> 00:28:57.680
 you start to get

00:28:57.680 --> 00:28:58.380
 a bit of a hint

00:28:58.380 --> 00:28:59.160
 of the problem.

00:29:00.340 --> 00:29:01.080
 Festus knows

00:29:01.080 --> 00:29:02.279
 that Paul is not guilty

00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:03.120
 of any of these

00:29:03.120 --> 00:29:04.060
 capital offenses.

00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:05.160
 He's just basically

00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:05.940
 admitted it

00:29:05.940 --> 00:29:09.100
 to Agrippa.

00:29:09.100 --> 00:29:10.779
 And it's a master class

00:29:10.779 --> 00:29:11.940
 in butt covering

00:29:11.940 --> 00:29:13.100
 and gaslighting.

00:29:13.099 --> 00:29:15.679
 And then he has

00:29:15.679 --> 00:29:16.779
 this little summary

00:29:16.779 --> 00:29:17.559
 to show you

00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:18.339
 a little bit

00:29:18.339 --> 00:29:19.519
 about how Paul

00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:20.959
 comports himself.

00:29:21.099 --> 00:29:21.859
 And something very,

00:29:22.379 --> 00:29:23.079
 it's actually really

00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:24.159
 powerful evidence

00:29:24.159 --> 00:29:24.839
 to the truth

00:29:24.839 --> 00:29:25.639
 of the resurrection.

00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:28.619
 Festus confesses

00:29:28.619 --> 00:29:29.119
 to Agrippa,

00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:29.879
 I don't understand,

00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:30.980
 I don't really understand

00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:31.139
 how,

00:29:31.219 --> 00:29:31.919
 I don't have a place

00:29:31.919 --> 00:29:33.059
 in my mind for it

00:29:33.059 --> 00:29:37.219
 because the Jewish elite

00:29:37.219 --> 00:29:38.659
 says that Jesus is dead

00:29:38.659 --> 00:29:39.619
 and Paul says

00:29:39.619 --> 00:29:40.599
 that Jesus died.

00:29:40.599 --> 00:29:43.059
 Yet somehow

00:29:43.059 --> 00:29:44.259
 Paul says

00:29:44.259 --> 00:29:45.099
 that Jesus died

00:29:45.099 --> 00:29:45.819
 and he's alive.

00:29:47.459 --> 00:29:48.159
 I'm like,

00:29:48.259 --> 00:29:48.439
 what?

00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:50.719
 Doesn't make any sense.

00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:51.240
 We're going to hear

00:29:51.240 --> 00:29:51.899
 a little bit about

00:29:51.899 --> 00:29:53.039
 how Paul describes

00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:53.759
 it next week.

00:29:56.459 --> 00:29:57.259
 But you have

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:58.599
 this very powerful

00:29:58.599 --> 00:29:59.259
 evidence

00:29:59.259 --> 00:30:00.179
 of the truth

00:30:00.179 --> 00:30:00.879
 of the resurrection.

00:30:01.419 --> 00:30:01.980
 That there's

00:30:01.980 --> 00:30:03.019
 a common ground

00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:03.819
 that he died

00:30:03.819 --> 00:30:04.799
 by crucifixion,

00:30:04.899 --> 00:30:05.599
 that he was buried

00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:06.159
 in a tomb,

00:30:06.160 --> 00:30:07.620
 and maybe

00:30:07.620 --> 00:30:08.259
 they don't want

00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:08.720
 to talk about

00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:10.360
 the grave being empty,

00:30:10.440 --> 00:30:11.220
 the tomb being empty

00:30:11.220 --> 00:30:12.340
 if you're the Jewish elite,

00:30:12.440 --> 00:30:13.160
 but Paul says

00:30:13.160 --> 00:30:14.019
 the tomb is empty

00:30:14.019 --> 00:30:14.640
 and in fact

00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:16.340
 Jesus has appeared alive.

00:30:18.460 --> 00:30:18.660
 You know,

00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:19.080
 by the way,

00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:20.019
 we're going to talk

00:30:20.019 --> 00:30:20.740
 about this in a moment.

00:30:21.240 --> 00:30:22.259
 If the resurrection

00:30:22.259 --> 00:30:22.960
 is true,

00:30:23.000 --> 00:30:23.980
 it changes everything.

00:30:26.180 --> 00:30:27.160
 I was just talking

00:30:27.160 --> 00:30:27.660
 to somebody

00:30:27.660 --> 00:30:29.400
 within the last

00:30:29.400 --> 00:30:30.040
 couple of weeks

00:30:30.040 --> 00:30:30.960
 and I said,

00:30:31.360 --> 00:30:31.800
 they were talking

00:30:31.800 --> 00:30:32.220
 to me about

00:30:32.220 --> 00:30:32.940
 a whole pile

00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:35.420
 of Islamic objections

00:30:35.420 --> 00:30:36.259
 to Christianity

00:30:36.259 --> 00:30:36.980
 and one of the things

00:30:36.980 --> 00:30:37.600
 I said is,

00:30:37.940 --> 00:30:38.680
 if the resurrection

00:30:38.680 --> 00:30:39.420
 is true,

00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:40.299
 it changes everything.

00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:41.000
 It means Islam

00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:41.559
 is wrong,

00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:42.340
 is false.

00:30:45.059 --> 00:30:45.880
 The resurrection

00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:46.880
 changes everything

00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:48.759
 and it's not just

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.360
 the resurrection

00:30:49.360 --> 00:30:50.380
 but it's the meaning

00:30:50.380 --> 00:30:51.380
 of the resurrection

00:30:51.380 --> 00:30:52.920
 and one of the things,

00:30:53.160 --> 00:30:53.600
 once again,

00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:54.880
 I've said it many times,

00:30:54.940 --> 00:30:55.620
 I'll say it again,

00:30:56.080 --> 00:30:57.039
 we all know people

00:30:57.039 --> 00:30:58.279
 who die for causes.

00:30:58.920 --> 00:30:59.500
 Most people

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:00.840
 don't die for a fact

00:31:00.839 --> 00:31:02.859
 and Paul will die

00:31:02.859 --> 00:31:03.639
 for a fact,

00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:05.339
 the fact that Jesus

00:31:05.339 --> 00:31:06.359
 rose from the dead

00:31:06.359 --> 00:31:07.679
 and what it means

00:31:07.679 --> 00:31:08.419
 and he will die

00:31:08.419 --> 00:31:08.859
 for that.

00:31:11.419 --> 00:31:11.879
 So,

00:31:12.039 --> 00:31:13.139
 what type of advice

00:31:13.139 --> 00:31:14.019
 does Agrippa give?

00:31:14.259 --> 00:31:14.419
 Well,

00:31:14.459 --> 00:31:15.319
 it's very interesting.

00:31:15.859 --> 00:31:17.359
 It's a type of advice

00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:18.779
 that a self-centered,

00:31:19.379 --> 00:31:20.699
 indulgent person

00:31:20.699 --> 00:31:21.279
 would give.

00:31:22.199 --> 00:31:23.220
 Look what he says

00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:24.559
 in verse 22.

00:31:25.679 --> 00:31:26.279
 He says,

00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:28.339
 Agrippa said to Festus,

00:31:28.439 --> 00:31:29.259
 I would like to hear

00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:30.199
 the man myself.

00:31:30.839 --> 00:31:31.240
 Tomorrow,

00:31:31.779 --> 00:31:32.519
 said Festus,

00:31:32.579 --> 00:31:33.339
 you will hear him.

00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:34.240
 Now,

00:31:34.359 --> 00:31:34.959
 here's the thing

00:31:34.959 --> 00:31:35.500
 which is very,

00:31:35.619 --> 00:31:36.779
 very interesting.

00:31:36.959 --> 00:31:37.679
 Agrippa could have said,

00:31:37.839 --> 00:31:37.859
 hey,

00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:38.879
 Festus,

00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:39.379
 buddy,

00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:41.839
 puts his arm around him.

00:31:44.599 --> 00:31:45.259
 He's innocent.

00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:45.899
 Let him go.

00:31:46.720 --> 00:31:47.639
 What's the big deal?

00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:48.679
 Just let him go.

00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:49.159
 He's innocent.

00:31:50.059 --> 00:31:50.579
 Let him go.

00:31:50.659 --> 00:31:50.919
 You see,

00:31:51.079 --> 00:31:51.799
 and I'm not going

00:31:51.799 --> 00:31:52.639
 to read the rest of it

00:31:52.639 --> 00:31:53.199
 because I want to get

00:31:53.199 --> 00:31:53.980
 to some of the other

00:31:53.980 --> 00:31:55.559
 applications which are important.

00:31:55.679 --> 00:31:56.299
 If you go back

00:31:56.299 --> 00:31:56.740
 and read,

00:31:57.339 --> 00:31:57.819
 then actually,

00:31:57.899 --> 00:31:58.799
 we'll read it very closely.

00:31:59.399 --> 00:32:00.259
 Here's the issue.

00:32:00.839 --> 00:32:02.539
 Here's where Festus

00:32:02.539 --> 00:32:03.359
 has painted himself

00:32:03.359 --> 00:32:04.059
 into a corner.

00:32:04.179 --> 00:32:04.359
 Next,

00:32:04.459 --> 00:32:05.059
 verse 23.

00:32:05.419 --> 00:32:06.259
 So here's the thing.

00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:07.899
 Agrippa doesn't say,

00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:09.439
 listen,

00:32:10.139 --> 00:32:11.139
 acknowledging you made

00:32:11.139 --> 00:32:11.619
 a mistake

00:32:11.619 --> 00:32:12.779
 is always an option

00:32:12.779 --> 00:32:13.339
 in life.

00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:14.419
 In fact,

00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:15.359
 in many places,

00:32:15.559 --> 00:32:16.500
 many times in life,

00:32:16.579 --> 00:32:17.339
 the best option

00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:18.159
 is just to acknowledge

00:32:18.159 --> 00:32:19.220
 you've done something wrong.

00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:21.679
 Be prepared

00:32:21.679 --> 00:32:22.539
 to lose face.

00:32:23.459 --> 00:32:24.299
 The guy's innocent.

00:32:24.399 --> 00:32:24.919
 Let him go.

00:32:24.920 --> 00:32:29.519
 Agrippa says,

00:32:29.820 --> 00:32:30.060
 whoa.

00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:30.600
 I mean,

00:32:30.680 --> 00:32:31.700
 what you might not know

00:32:31.700 --> 00:32:32.840
 is Agrippa's dad

00:32:32.840 --> 00:32:33.400
 was the one

00:32:33.400 --> 00:32:33.960
 who killed

00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:35.080
 the first Christians.

00:32:36.340 --> 00:32:37.180
 Killed James.

00:32:37.940 --> 00:32:38.840
 And Agrippa's

00:32:38.840 --> 00:32:39.759
 great-grandfather

00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:40.220
 was the one

00:32:40.220 --> 00:32:40.860
 who wanted to kill

00:32:40.860 --> 00:32:41.680
 the baby Jesus.

00:32:42.620 --> 00:32:43.200
 And Agrippa

00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:44.340
 has probably heard

00:32:44.340 --> 00:32:45.160
 about these things

00:32:45.160 --> 00:32:45.960
 that Paul has done

00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:46.680
 in his travels

00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:47.620
 and his argument

00:32:47.620 --> 00:32:48.400
 for the resurrection.

00:32:48.820 --> 00:32:49.740
 And Agrippa's

00:32:49.740 --> 00:32:50.620
 just really curious.

00:32:50.920 --> 00:32:51.440
 He'd just like

00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:52.060
 to hear Paul.

00:32:52.300 --> 00:32:52.920
 So he doesn't think

00:32:52.920 --> 00:32:53.620
 about what's right

00:32:53.619 --> 00:32:54.079
 or wrong.

00:32:54.159 --> 00:32:54.679
 He just thinks

00:32:54.679 --> 00:32:55.419
 about how he would

00:32:55.419 --> 00:32:56.239
 like to hear Paul.

00:32:57.939 --> 00:32:58.379
 Well,

00:32:58.500 --> 00:32:59.339
 here's the problem.

00:32:59.399 --> 00:32:59.919
 Verse 23.

00:33:00.359 --> 00:33:01.319
 So on the next day,

00:33:01.619 --> 00:33:02.799
 Agrippa and Bernice

00:33:02.799 --> 00:33:03.979
 came with great pomp

00:33:03.979 --> 00:33:05.379
 and they entered

00:33:05.379 --> 00:33:06.299
 the audience hall

00:33:06.299 --> 00:33:08.000
 with the military tribunes

00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:08.679
 and the prominent

00:33:08.679 --> 00:33:09.619
 men of the city.

00:33:10.099 --> 00:33:11.059
 That's both Jewish

00:33:11.059 --> 00:33:11.739
 and pagan.

00:33:12.439 --> 00:33:13.419
 Then at the command

00:33:13.419 --> 00:33:14.519
 of Festus,

00:33:14.719 --> 00:33:16.119
 Paul was brought in

00:33:16.119 --> 00:33:16.859
 from jail.

00:33:17.659 --> 00:33:18.619
 And Festus said,

00:33:18.979 --> 00:33:19.559
 King Agrippa

00:33:19.559 --> 00:33:20.539
 and all who are

00:33:20.539 --> 00:33:21.379
 present with us,

00:33:21.779 --> 00:33:22.299
 you see,

00:33:22.299 --> 00:33:23.919
 now here,

00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:24.940
 this is in the

00:33:24.940 --> 00:33:25.779
 original language.

00:33:26.980 --> 00:33:28.940
 It's a dismissive gesture

00:33:28.940 --> 00:33:30.859
 with a dismissive way

00:33:30.859 --> 00:33:31.879
 of describing Paul.

00:33:32.680 --> 00:33:33.119
 Festus,

00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:33.980
 they're all

00:33:33.980 --> 00:33:35.019
 in their finals,

00:33:35.399 --> 00:33:36.119
 their finery.

00:33:36.220 --> 00:33:36.960
 They're all wearing

00:33:36.960 --> 00:33:38.299
 the most expensive clothes.

00:33:38.440 --> 00:33:39.659
 They're all in their robes.

00:33:40.200 --> 00:33:41.839
 They are the elite.

00:33:42.440 --> 00:33:44.579
 And Festus brings Paul in,

00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:45.919
 obviously as a prisoner.

00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:47.779
 And Festus says,

00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:48.319
 King Agrippa

00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:50.059
 and all who are present here,

00:33:50.059 --> 00:33:50.740
 verse 24,

00:33:51.059 --> 00:33:52.119
 you see this man,

00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:54.700
 this nobody,

00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:56.819
 this little person,

00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:59.039
 this inconvenient Jew.

00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:00.659
 You see this man,

00:34:00.740 --> 00:34:01.279
 this nobody,

00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:02.980
 about whom the whole

00:34:02.980 --> 00:34:04.240
 Jewish people petitioned me

00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:04.980
 both in Jerusalem

00:34:04.980 --> 00:34:05.500
 and here,

00:34:05.899 --> 00:34:06.859
 shouting they ought

00:34:06.859 --> 00:34:07.919
 not to live any longer.

00:34:08.239 --> 00:34:09.219
 But I found that he had

00:34:09.219 --> 00:34:09.840
 done nothing

00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:10.920
 deserving death.

00:34:11.960 --> 00:34:13.000
 And as he himself

00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:14.079
 appealed to the emperor,

00:34:14.199 --> 00:34:15.179
 I decided to go ahead

00:34:15.179 --> 00:34:15.759
 and send him.

00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:17.159
 But I have nothing

00:34:17.159 --> 00:34:18.139
 definite to write

00:34:18.139 --> 00:34:19.539
 to my lord about him.

00:34:21.699 --> 00:34:22.400
 He's going to get

00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:23.219
 in trouble with Nero

00:34:23.219 --> 00:34:23.799
 if he sends

00:34:23.799 --> 00:34:24.739
 an innocent guy there.

00:34:24.779 --> 00:34:25.799
 He has to dream up

00:34:25.799 --> 00:34:26.460
 some reason

00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:27.940
 that he's being sent there.

00:34:28.779 --> 00:34:29.679
 How is he going to

00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:30.799
 gaslight the emperor

00:34:30.799 --> 00:34:32.559
 and cover his butt

00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:35.000
 without doing

00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:35.960
 the obvious thing

00:34:35.960 --> 00:34:36.659
 which is just saying

00:34:36.659 --> 00:34:37.319
 let him go?

00:34:38.420 --> 00:34:39.980
 None of the important people

00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:40.900
 think of it

00:34:40.900 --> 00:34:41.579
 in terms of that

00:34:41.579 --> 00:34:42.980
 because for important people

00:34:42.980 --> 00:34:44.619
 you can't lose face

00:34:44.619 --> 00:34:45.739
 and you can't acknowledge

00:34:45.739 --> 00:34:46.500
 that you're wrong.

00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:48.199
 It doesn't go with pride.

00:34:48.360 --> 00:34:49.619
 Pride and idolatry

00:34:49.619 --> 00:34:50.980
 will always lead you

00:34:50.980 --> 00:34:52.139
 to not apologize

00:34:52.139 --> 00:34:53.760
 and not acknowledge wrong.

00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:55.519
 It's one of the signs

00:34:55.519 --> 00:34:56.380
 of your pride

00:34:56.380 --> 00:34:58.760
 and or of worshipping idols.

00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:01.940
 Therefore I have brought him

00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:02.619
 before you all

00:35:02.619 --> 00:35:03.619
 and especially before you

00:35:03.619 --> 00:35:04.219
 King Agrippa

00:35:04.219 --> 00:35:05.400
 so that after we have

00:35:05.400 --> 00:35:06.019
 examined him

00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:07.219
 I may have something

00:35:07.219 --> 00:35:07.860
 to write.

00:35:08.460 --> 00:35:09.800
 He's not looking for justice.

00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:11.320
 He just wants something

00:35:11.320 --> 00:35:12.739
 to help them cover his butt

00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:13.739
 and gaslight.

00:35:13.739 --> 00:35:15.619
 For it seems to me

00:35:15.619 --> 00:35:16.579
 unreasonable in sending

00:35:16.579 --> 00:35:17.839
 a prisoner to not indicate

00:35:17.839 --> 00:35:18.939
 the charges against him.

00:35:19.179 --> 00:35:19.459
 Duh.

00:35:19.759 --> 00:35:20.799
 Yes it is.

00:35:21.179 --> 00:35:22.659
 So what's going on here

00:35:22.659 --> 00:35:23.939
 with this whole text

00:35:23.939 --> 00:35:24.619
 and how on earth

00:35:24.619 --> 00:35:25.279
 does this fit

00:35:25.279 --> 00:35:26.079
 with the idea

00:35:26.079 --> 00:35:26.899
 of providence?

00:35:28.399 --> 00:35:28.879
 Well

00:35:28.879 --> 00:35:30.599
 it begins like this.

00:35:30.859 --> 00:35:31.979
 The problem that we have

00:35:31.979 --> 00:35:32.799
 with providence

00:35:32.799 --> 00:35:33.879
 is that when we think

00:35:33.879 --> 00:35:34.639
 of providence

00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:36.159
 we think of examples

00:35:36.159 --> 00:35:37.379
 of when

00:35:37.379 --> 00:35:38.919
 we are late for supper

00:35:38.919 --> 00:35:40.599
 at a restaurant

00:35:40.599 --> 00:35:42.519
 and a parking space

00:35:42.519 --> 00:35:44.219
 opens just in front of us

00:35:44.219 --> 00:35:45.539
 and that parking

00:35:45.539 --> 00:35:47.159
 another way to talk about it

00:35:47.159 --> 00:35:47.860
 would be that it was

00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:48.639
 fortuitous

00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:49.539
 to use a big word.

00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:50.420
 It just

00:35:50.420 --> 00:35:51.920
 it makes our life easier.

00:35:52.500 --> 00:35:53.299
 It puts a smile

00:35:53.299 --> 00:35:54.039
 on our face.

00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:55.239
 It rescues us

00:35:55.239 --> 00:35:56.400
 from a hard time.

00:35:56.799 --> 00:35:58.199
 But how is it

00:35:58.199 --> 00:35:59.319
 that there is

00:35:59.319 --> 00:36:00.699
 something like providence

00:36:00.699 --> 00:36:01.739
 when frankly

00:36:01.739 --> 00:36:02.920
 you are in

00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:04.440
 a very hard time

00:36:04.440 --> 00:36:05.039
 right now

00:36:05.039 --> 00:36:05.719
 and in fact

00:36:05.719 --> 00:36:06.339
 many people

00:36:06.339 --> 00:36:06.880
 on the outside

00:36:06.880 --> 00:36:07.500
 of your life

00:36:07.500 --> 00:36:08.039
 would agree

00:36:08.039 --> 00:36:09.179
 if you say

00:36:09.179 --> 00:36:10.639
 my life

00:36:10.639 --> 00:36:11.460
 sucks.

00:36:13.579 --> 00:36:14.940
 How is providence

00:36:14.940 --> 00:36:15.500
 at work

00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:16.360
 when you have been

00:36:16.360 --> 00:36:17.219
 deeply hurt?

00:36:18.019 --> 00:36:19.340
 How is providence

00:36:19.340 --> 00:36:20.039
 at work

00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:21.340
 when you are accused

00:36:21.340 --> 00:36:21.840
 of things

00:36:21.840 --> 00:36:22.719
 you didn't do?

00:36:23.360 --> 00:36:24.440
 How is providence

00:36:24.440 --> 00:36:25.079
 at work

00:36:25.079 --> 00:36:26.400
 when powerful people

00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:26.940
 treat you

00:36:26.940 --> 00:36:27.639
 like a nobody

00:36:27.639 --> 00:36:29.420
 and they don't admit

00:36:29.420 --> 00:36:30.279
 that they are wrong?

00:36:30.279 --> 00:36:31.639
 How on earth

00:36:31.639 --> 00:36:33.000
 can you

00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:33.900
 Christians

00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:34.900
 say that there is

00:36:34.900 --> 00:36:36.139
 something like providence?

00:36:38.039 --> 00:36:41.559
 Well

00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:43.880
 the resurrection

00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:45.159
 changes everything.

00:36:48.759 --> 00:36:49.759
 And the resurrection

00:36:49.759 --> 00:36:51.059
 is not just a story

00:36:51.059 --> 00:36:51.759
 of the resurrection

00:36:51.759 --> 00:36:53.099
 part of what it is all about

00:36:53.099 --> 00:36:53.779
 is the meaning

00:36:53.779 --> 00:36:54.559
 of the resurrection.

00:36:55.400 --> 00:36:55.699
 And in fact

00:36:55.699 --> 00:36:56.320
 one of the ways

00:36:56.320 --> 00:36:57.119
 that you can get

00:36:57.119 --> 00:36:58.000
 a better sense

00:36:58.000 --> 00:36:58.759
 of the gospel

00:36:58.759 --> 00:36:59.820
 and how it is

00:36:59.820 --> 00:37:00.739
 that for many people

00:37:00.739 --> 00:37:01.320
 the gospel

00:37:01.320 --> 00:37:03.559
 seems implausible

00:37:03.559 --> 00:37:05.779
 because what is plausible

00:37:05.779 --> 00:37:07.119
 for us as human beings

00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:07.880
 is the way

00:37:07.880 --> 00:37:09.799
 that powerful people

00:37:09.799 --> 00:37:11.619
 treat little people

00:37:11.619 --> 00:37:13.679
 and how powerful people

00:37:13.679 --> 00:37:14.400
 in the world

00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:15.559
 often not always

00:37:15.559 --> 00:37:16.480
 but often treat

00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:17.319
 the little people

00:37:17.319 --> 00:37:18.679
 is

00:37:18.679 --> 00:37:20.460
 well it doesn't

00:37:20.460 --> 00:37:21.099
 really matter

00:37:21.099 --> 00:37:22.519
 if they are treated

00:37:22.519 --> 00:37:23.519
 as guilty

00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:24.259
 when they are innocent

00:37:24.259 --> 00:37:25.579
 and it doesn't

00:37:25.579 --> 00:37:26.319
 really matter

00:37:26.319 --> 00:37:28.219
 if you drag it out

00:37:28.219 --> 00:37:29.139
 and maybe they die

00:37:29.139 --> 00:37:30.239
 or maybe they go away

00:37:30.239 --> 00:37:30.980
 and their case

00:37:30.980 --> 00:37:31.819
 is never heard

00:37:31.819 --> 00:37:33.960
 because powerful people

00:37:33.960 --> 00:37:35.179
 are about powerful people.

00:37:35.179 --> 00:37:37.179
 but the gospel

00:37:37.179 --> 00:37:38.359
 is the complete inverse

00:37:38.359 --> 00:37:38.940
 of this.

00:37:40.419 --> 00:37:41.379
 The gospel

00:37:41.379 --> 00:37:43.179
 is the most powerful

00:37:43.179 --> 00:37:44.239
 being in the universe

00:37:44.239 --> 00:37:45.460
 the triune God

00:37:45.460 --> 00:37:47.079
 seeing nobodies

00:37:47.079 --> 00:37:47.980
 like you and me

00:37:47.980 --> 00:37:49.379
 and seeing

00:37:49.379 --> 00:37:50.599
 not that we are innocent

00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:51.699
 but that we are guilty

00:37:51.699 --> 00:37:53.299
 and acting

00:37:53.299 --> 00:37:54.759
 to make the guilty

00:37:54.759 --> 00:37:55.619
 innocent

00:37:55.619 --> 00:37:57.179
 and to be free.

00:37:57.819 --> 00:37:59.039
 That is the gospel.

00:37:59.039 --> 00:37:59.099
 gospel.

00:38:02.940 --> 00:38:04.000
 God shows

00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:04.880
 that for him

00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:06.360
 there are no little people

00:38:06.360 --> 00:38:09.360
 there are no nobodies

00:38:09.360 --> 00:38:12.920
 in a sense

00:38:12.920 --> 00:38:13.699
 some Christians

00:38:13.699 --> 00:38:14.219
 have said

00:38:14.219 --> 00:38:15.119
 that even if there was

00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:16.219
 only one sinner

00:38:16.219 --> 00:38:17.480
 in the entire universe

00:38:17.480 --> 00:38:18.380
 Jesus would still

00:38:18.380 --> 00:38:19.259
 have died on the cross

00:38:19.259 --> 00:38:20.199
 for that one sinner

00:38:20.199 --> 00:38:23.500
 but we are all sinners

00:38:23.500 --> 00:38:25.880
 unlike the story

00:38:25.880 --> 00:38:27.159
 we actually are guilty

00:38:27.159 --> 00:38:30.179
 but God acts

00:38:30.179 --> 00:38:31.839
 to save the guilty

00:38:31.839 --> 00:38:33.059
 and he acts

00:38:33.059 --> 00:38:33.460
 in a way

00:38:33.460 --> 00:38:34.299
 which is powerful

00:38:34.299 --> 00:38:34.920
 and effective

00:38:34.920 --> 00:38:36.399
 and we know

00:38:36.399 --> 00:38:37.279
 that this is true

00:38:37.279 --> 00:38:38.719
 because we can believe Jesus

00:38:38.719 --> 00:38:39.940
 why can we believe Jesus

00:38:39.940 --> 00:38:41.739
 because he died

00:38:41.739 --> 00:38:42.899
 on a cross

00:38:42.899 --> 00:38:44.099
 as the Lamb of God

00:38:44.099 --> 00:38:44.739
 who takes away

00:38:44.739 --> 00:38:45.619
 the sin of the world

00:38:45.619 --> 00:38:47.339
 and he experienced

00:38:47.339 --> 00:38:47.980
 all there is

00:38:47.980 --> 00:38:48.940
 to taste of death

00:38:48.940 --> 00:38:49.659
 and all of that

00:38:49.659 --> 00:38:50.599
 the guilt

00:38:50.599 --> 00:38:51.159
 and the shame

00:38:51.159 --> 00:38:52.199
 connected with death

00:38:52.199 --> 00:38:54.019
 and on the third day

00:38:54.019 --> 00:38:54.839
 the grave

00:38:54.839 --> 00:38:56.199
 became empty

00:38:56.199 --> 00:38:58.079
 as Jesus is resurrected

00:38:58.079 --> 00:38:59.319
 and he appeared

00:38:59.319 --> 00:39:00.159
 before a people

00:39:00.159 --> 00:39:02.379
 to prove that he was alive

00:39:02.379 --> 00:39:03.239
 and if the resurrection

00:39:03.239 --> 00:39:03.819
 happened

00:39:03.819 --> 00:39:05.359
 you can absolutely

00:39:05.359 --> 00:39:06.960
 take as rock solid

00:39:06.960 --> 00:39:08.439
 what Christ says to you

00:39:08.439 --> 00:39:11.579
 and what Christ says to you

00:39:11.579 --> 00:39:12.779
 you can look in

00:39:12.779 --> 00:39:14.139
 the many promises

00:39:14.139 --> 00:39:15.199
 precious promises

00:39:15.199 --> 00:39:16.079
 of his presence

00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:16.539
 with you

00:39:16.539 --> 00:39:17.699
 that he will never leave you

00:39:17.699 --> 00:39:18.559
 or forsake you

00:39:18.559 --> 00:39:20.379
 the fact that it is

00:39:20.379 --> 00:39:21.000
 a good thing

00:39:21.000 --> 00:39:21.860
 that I go away

00:39:21.860 --> 00:39:23.300
 the fact that you are

00:39:23.300 --> 00:39:24.340
 beloved of the Father

00:39:24.340 --> 00:39:25.840
 the fact that he gives

00:39:25.840 --> 00:39:26.699
 the Holy Spirit

00:39:26.699 --> 00:39:28.579
 the fact that he will not

00:39:28.579 --> 00:39:29.360
 abandon you

00:39:29.360 --> 00:39:30.460
 or leave you

00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:30.900
 ever

00:39:30.900 --> 00:39:32.500
 that he will not

00:39:32.500 --> 00:39:33.539
 cast anybody out

00:39:33.539 --> 00:39:34.679
 who comes to him

00:39:34.679 --> 00:39:37.659
 that he will comfort you

00:39:37.659 --> 00:39:39.179
 all of these things

00:39:39.179 --> 00:39:40.619
 all of these things

00:39:40.619 --> 00:39:42.019
 he has promised

00:39:42.019 --> 00:39:46.239
 he doesn't tell us

00:39:46.239 --> 00:39:49.320
 he doesn't tell you and me

00:39:49.320 --> 00:39:52.019
 that for everything

00:39:52.019 --> 00:39:53.180
 that we are going through

00:39:53.180 --> 00:39:54.000
 we will know

00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:54.820
 in the moment

00:39:54.820 --> 00:39:56.660
 what the meaning is

00:39:56.660 --> 00:39:58.539
 the importance

00:39:58.539 --> 00:39:59.280
 of the doctrine

00:39:59.280 --> 00:40:00.460
 of God's providence

00:40:00.460 --> 00:40:01.720
 is that

00:40:01.720 --> 00:40:02.960
 I mean Festus

00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:03.960
 is doing what Festus

00:40:03.960 --> 00:40:04.600
 is going to do

00:40:04.600 --> 00:40:06.180
 and the elite

00:40:06.180 --> 00:40:06.760
 are doing what

00:40:06.760 --> 00:40:07.780
 the elite wants to do

00:40:07.780 --> 00:40:08.300
 and Agrippa

00:40:08.300 --> 00:40:08.800
 is doing what

00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:09.380
 the Agrippa

00:40:09.380 --> 00:40:10.100
 wants to do

00:40:10.100 --> 00:40:11.740
 but despite all of it

00:40:11.740 --> 00:40:12.460
 remember Paul

00:40:12.460 --> 00:40:13.140
 just a couple

00:40:13.140 --> 00:40:14.380
 Jesus just a couple

00:40:14.380 --> 00:40:15.400
 of chapters earlier

00:40:15.400 --> 00:40:16.280
 said don't worry

00:40:16.280 --> 00:40:17.460
 Paul I am with you

00:40:17.460 --> 00:40:17.780
 and you're going

00:40:17.780 --> 00:40:18.400
 to go to Rome

00:40:18.400 --> 00:40:19.680
 but that general

00:40:19.680 --> 00:40:20.660
 specific promise

00:40:20.660 --> 00:40:21.660
 is a general promise

00:40:21.660 --> 00:40:21.980
 to us

00:40:21.980 --> 00:40:22.820
 that Christ

00:40:22.820 --> 00:40:23.620
 is with you

00:40:23.620 --> 00:40:25.960
 and so

00:40:25.960 --> 00:40:29.900
 people are doing

00:40:29.900 --> 00:40:30.640
 what people do

00:40:30.640 --> 00:40:31.380
 and you're caught

00:40:31.380 --> 00:40:31.720
 in it

00:40:31.720 --> 00:40:32.420
 and it doesn't look

00:40:32.420 --> 00:40:33.620
 like any parking spots

00:40:33.620 --> 00:40:34.560
 are opening for you

00:40:34.560 --> 00:40:35.400
 but it doesn't mean

00:40:35.400 --> 00:40:35.840
 that Christ

00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:36.820
 has abandoned you

00:40:36.820 --> 00:40:38.680
 you see

00:40:38.680 --> 00:40:40.220
 knowing that Christ

00:40:40.220 --> 00:40:41.100
 is with you

00:40:41.100 --> 00:40:42.900
 even in these

00:40:42.900 --> 00:40:43.640
 really difficult

00:40:43.640 --> 00:40:44.820
 and lonely times

00:40:44.820 --> 00:40:46.820
 it means

00:40:46.820 --> 00:40:46.820


00:40:46.820 --> 00:40:47.300
 that we have

00:40:47.300 --> 00:40:47.960
 to die

00:40:47.960 --> 00:40:49.019
 to the idea

00:40:49.019 --> 00:40:49.720
 of providence

00:40:49.720 --> 00:40:50.460
 as being always

00:40:50.460 --> 00:40:51.780
 finding the parking

00:40:51.780 --> 00:40:52.220
 spot

00:40:52.220 --> 00:40:53.140
 and die

00:40:53.140 --> 00:40:53.920
 to the idea

00:40:53.920 --> 00:40:54.559
 as to there must

00:40:54.559 --> 00:40:55.320
 be some meaning

00:40:55.320 --> 00:40:55.760
 here

00:40:55.760 --> 00:40:56.900
 by the way

00:40:56.900 --> 00:40:57.380
 in heaven

00:40:57.380 --> 00:40:59.100
 we will discover

00:40:59.100 --> 00:40:59.840
 these meanings

00:40:59.840 --> 00:41:02.620
 but those are things

00:41:02.620 --> 00:41:03.300
 that come when we

00:41:03.300 --> 00:41:03.800
 see Christ

00:41:03.800 --> 00:41:04.500
 face to face

00:41:04.500 --> 00:41:05.160
 and we might know

00:41:05.160 --> 00:41:05.800
 some meanings

00:41:05.800 --> 00:41:06.600
 of hard times

00:41:06.600 --> 00:41:07.440
 while we were here

00:41:07.440 --> 00:41:08.519
 before we see

00:41:08.519 --> 00:41:09.380
 Christ face to face

00:41:09.380 --> 00:41:10.280
 but there's no promise

00:41:10.280 --> 00:41:10.800
 about it

00:41:10.800 --> 00:41:13.460
 but what we do know

00:41:13.460 --> 00:41:14.100
 is this

00:41:14.100 --> 00:41:17.380
 because of Christ

00:41:17.380 --> 00:41:19.019
 and because of his providence

00:41:19.019 --> 00:41:21.160
 it means that we have

00:41:21.160 --> 00:41:21.820
 a secure

00:41:21.820 --> 00:41:22.740
 intellectual

00:41:22.740 --> 00:41:24.200
 and emotional space

00:41:24.200 --> 00:41:25.440
 to pour out

00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:26.140
 our hearts

00:41:26.140 --> 00:41:26.700
 to him

00:41:26.700 --> 00:41:28.660
 with all of our sorrows

00:41:28.660 --> 00:41:34.560
 you know there's a song

00:41:34.560 --> 00:41:36.680
 that earth has no sorrow

00:41:36.680 --> 00:41:37.940
 that heaven can't heal

00:41:37.940 --> 00:41:40.300
 and that's part of the doctrines

00:41:40.300 --> 00:41:41.119
 of providence

00:41:41.119 --> 00:41:43.300
 Paul says that

00:41:43.300 --> 00:41:44.460
 these afflictions

00:41:44.460 --> 00:41:44.920
 that we have

00:41:44.920 --> 00:41:45.500
 in this life

00:41:45.500 --> 00:41:46.380
 is preparing us

00:41:46.380 --> 00:41:46.940
 for an eternal

00:41:46.940 --> 00:41:47.679
 weight of glory

00:41:47.679 --> 00:41:48.380
 doesn't say

00:41:48.380 --> 00:41:49.639
 it's going to give us

00:41:49.639 --> 00:41:50.119
 the meanings

00:41:50.119 --> 00:41:50.619
 right here

00:41:50.619 --> 00:41:51.179
 on this side

00:41:51.179 --> 00:41:51.679
 of the grave

00:41:51.679 --> 00:41:52.740
 but we're being prepared

00:41:52.740 --> 00:41:53.260
 for an eternal

00:41:53.260 --> 00:41:53.920
 weight of glory

00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:56.960
 and so in light of that

00:41:56.960 --> 00:41:57.980
 we can pour out

00:41:57.980 --> 00:41:58.360
 our heart

00:41:58.360 --> 00:41:58.880
 to Jesus

00:41:58.880 --> 00:41:59.400
 and say

00:41:59.400 --> 00:41:59.880
 you know

00:41:59.880 --> 00:42:00.200
 Jesus

00:42:00.200 --> 00:42:02.360
 this is just so hard

00:42:02.360 --> 00:42:04.380
 and I don't understand

00:42:04.380 --> 00:42:05.920
 and we can pour out

00:42:05.920 --> 00:42:06.400
 our hearts

00:42:06.400 --> 00:42:06.840
 to him

00:42:06.840 --> 00:42:08.860
 and the other thing

00:42:08.860 --> 00:42:10.820
 that the doctrine

00:42:10.820 --> 00:42:11.500
 of providence

00:42:11.500 --> 00:42:12.860
 here even in hard times

00:42:12.860 --> 00:42:13.700
 brings to us

00:42:13.700 --> 00:42:14.300
 is that

00:42:14.300 --> 00:42:15.620
 it makes us think

00:42:15.620 --> 00:42:16.160
 about Jesus

00:42:16.160 --> 00:42:17.079
 is with us

00:42:17.079 --> 00:42:18.220
 he is with us

00:42:18.220 --> 00:42:19.880
 he is with us

00:42:19.880 --> 00:42:21.519
 he does love us

00:42:21.519 --> 00:42:22.579
 we just have to think

00:42:22.579 --> 00:42:23.300
 about the cross

00:42:23.300 --> 00:42:24.260
 to know that he loves us

00:42:24.260 --> 00:42:25.519
 even in these hard times

00:42:25.519 --> 00:42:27.460
 but the question

00:42:27.460 --> 00:42:28.660
 that we should be asking

00:42:28.660 --> 00:42:29.200
 you know

00:42:29.200 --> 00:42:30.519
 as in between

00:42:30.519 --> 00:42:31.920
 pouring out our heart

00:42:31.920 --> 00:42:32.579
 and sorrow

00:42:32.579 --> 00:42:34.320
 to the Lord

00:42:34.320 --> 00:42:35.920
 the question we ask

00:42:35.920 --> 00:42:36.460
 is this

00:42:36.460 --> 00:42:39.039
 how can I bring you

00:42:39.039 --> 00:42:39.440
 glory

00:42:39.440 --> 00:42:41.800
 in this hard time

00:42:41.800 --> 00:42:45.559
 I mean maybe

00:42:45.559 --> 00:42:46.119
 part of the way

00:42:46.119 --> 00:42:46.940
 you bring him glory

00:42:46.940 --> 00:42:47.659
 is by being

00:42:47.659 --> 00:42:49.139
 a stunning model

00:42:49.139 --> 00:42:49.720
 of forgiveness

00:42:49.720 --> 00:42:50.460
 to others

00:42:50.460 --> 00:42:53.320
 or

00:42:53.320 --> 00:42:54.539
 that even

00:42:54.539 --> 00:42:55.039
 when things

00:42:55.039 --> 00:42:56.000
 are going very hard

00:42:56.000 --> 00:42:56.980
 you stun people

00:42:56.980 --> 00:42:57.940
 by being concerned

00:42:57.940 --> 00:42:58.460
 for them

00:42:58.460 --> 00:42:59.840
 rather than

00:42:59.840 --> 00:43:00.519
 being self-centered

00:43:00.519 --> 00:43:01.079
 I mean I don't know

00:43:01.079 --> 00:43:02.119
 there's all sorts of ways

00:43:02.119 --> 00:43:04.760
 but that's the question

00:43:04.760 --> 00:43:06.200
 those are the two things

00:43:06.200 --> 00:43:06.840
 that providence

00:43:06.840 --> 00:43:07.660
 brings home to us

00:43:07.660 --> 00:43:08.400
 we can pour out

00:43:08.400 --> 00:43:09.220
 our heart and sorrow

00:43:09.220 --> 00:43:11.080
 and we ask

00:43:11.080 --> 00:43:12.120
 how can we bring you

00:43:12.120 --> 00:43:12.480
 glory

00:43:12.480 --> 00:43:13.720
 how can we bear witness

00:43:13.720 --> 00:43:14.300
 to Jesus

00:43:14.300 --> 00:43:16.040
 even at this season

00:43:16.040 --> 00:43:17.040
 of my life

00:43:17.040 --> 00:43:18.660
 which is very

00:43:18.660 --> 00:43:19.440
 very hard

00:43:19.440 --> 00:43:21.740
 always remembering

00:43:21.740 --> 00:43:23.660
 that when Jesus died

00:43:23.660 --> 00:43:24.380
 from the cross

00:43:24.380 --> 00:43:24.940
 for us

00:43:24.940 --> 00:43:26.420
 it shows that

00:43:26.420 --> 00:43:27.380
 I am not a nobody

00:43:27.380 --> 00:43:28.000
 to him

00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:30.099
 I am not inconvenient

00:43:30.099 --> 00:43:30.900
 to him

00:43:30.900 --> 00:43:33.480
 I matter to him

00:43:33.480 --> 00:43:36.059
 and he will bring me

00:43:36.059 --> 00:43:38.059
 to stand before

00:43:38.059 --> 00:43:39.219
 the presence of God

00:43:39.219 --> 00:43:39.760
 the Father

00:43:39.760 --> 00:43:40.679
 with great joy

00:43:40.679 --> 00:43:42.340
 he will do

00:43:42.340 --> 00:43:43.000
 that

00:43:43.000 --> 00:43:44.260
 for me

00:43:44.260 --> 00:43:45.179
 he

00:43:45.179 --> 00:43:45.900
 will

00:43:45.900 --> 00:43:46.519
 do

00:43:46.519 --> 00:43:47.159
 that

00:43:47.159 --> 00:43:48.320
 for you

00:43:48.320 --> 00:43:49.079
 if

00:43:49.079 --> 00:43:49.880
 you are

00:43:49.880 --> 00:43:50.699
 in Christ

00:43:50.699 --> 00:43:54.639
 invite you to stand

00:43:54.639 --> 00:44:04.279
 just bow our heads

00:44:04.279 --> 00:44:04.759
 in prayer

00:44:04.759 --> 00:44:09.159
 Father

00:44:09.159 --> 00:44:09.719
 some of us

00:44:09.719 --> 00:44:10.159
 are having

00:44:10.159 --> 00:44:11.219
 really good times

00:44:11.219 --> 00:44:12.480
 we're healthy

00:44:12.480 --> 00:44:13.119
 we have money

00:44:13.119 --> 00:44:13.739
 in the bank

00:44:13.739 --> 00:44:15.719
 we have a good job

00:44:15.719 --> 00:44:16.279
 or career

00:44:16.279 --> 00:44:16.779
 we have

00:44:16.779 --> 00:44:17.960
 our relationships

00:44:17.960 --> 00:44:18.619
 are good

00:44:18.619 --> 00:44:19.219
 and Father

00:44:19.219 --> 00:44:20.859
 we confess

00:44:20.859 --> 00:44:21.559
 before you

00:44:21.559 --> 00:44:21.900
 that

00:44:21.900 --> 00:44:23.819
 often when we

00:44:23.819 --> 00:44:24.279
 have things

00:44:24.280 --> 00:44:24.840
 really going

00:44:24.840 --> 00:44:25.800
 good for us

00:44:25.800 --> 00:44:27.400
 we aren't as grateful

00:44:27.400 --> 00:44:28.280
 as we should be

00:44:28.280 --> 00:44:29.800
 and so Father

00:44:29.800 --> 00:44:30.460
 we ask that

00:44:30.460 --> 00:44:31.340
 you remind us

00:44:31.340 --> 00:44:32.940
 of the deep need

00:44:32.940 --> 00:44:33.760
 that we have

00:44:33.760 --> 00:44:34.540
 as human beings

00:44:34.540 --> 00:44:35.360
 made in your image

00:44:35.360 --> 00:44:36.480
 to express gratitude

00:44:36.480 --> 00:44:38.760
 for the simple

00:44:38.760 --> 00:44:39.519
 but profound

00:44:39.519 --> 00:44:39.980
 blessings

00:44:39.980 --> 00:44:41.080
 that we can enjoy

00:44:41.080 --> 00:44:42.240
 and Father

00:44:42.240 --> 00:44:42.620
 you know

00:44:42.620 --> 00:44:43.080
 that there are

00:44:43.080 --> 00:44:43.600
 some of us

00:44:43.600 --> 00:44:44.140
 who are maybe

00:44:44.140 --> 00:44:44.660
 going through

00:44:44.660 --> 00:44:45.519
 a short season

00:44:45.519 --> 00:44:46.600
 of really hard times

00:44:46.600 --> 00:44:47.140
 some of us

00:44:47.140 --> 00:44:47.820
 maybe have been

00:44:47.820 --> 00:44:48.280
 going through

00:44:48.280 --> 00:44:49.360
 quite a long season

00:44:49.360 --> 00:44:50.800
 and in fact

00:44:50.800 --> 00:44:51.060
 Father

00:44:51.060 --> 00:44:51.620
 there might be

00:44:51.620 --> 00:44:52.480
 some amongst us

00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:53.780
 who realistically

00:44:53.780 --> 00:44:54.640
 think that

00:44:54.640 --> 00:44:55.200
 there's going

00:44:55.200 --> 00:44:55.640
 to be some

00:44:55.640 --> 00:44:56.480
 hard times

00:44:56.480 --> 00:44:57.740
 for the rest

00:44:57.740 --> 00:44:58.360
 of their life

00:44:58.360 --> 00:44:59.940
 and we ask

00:44:59.940 --> 00:45:00.240
 Father

00:45:00.240 --> 00:45:00.720
 that you would

00:45:00.720 --> 00:45:01.120
 make us

00:45:01.120 --> 00:45:02.440
 by your Holy Spirit

00:45:02.440 --> 00:45:03.040
 a congregation

00:45:03.040 --> 00:45:03.860
 that would

00:45:03.860 --> 00:45:04.860
 be prayerful

00:45:04.860 --> 00:45:05.980
 and supportive

00:45:05.980 --> 00:45:06.740
 of each other

00:45:06.740 --> 00:45:07.920
 both in good times

00:45:07.920 --> 00:45:08.500
 and in bad

00:45:08.500 --> 00:45:09.740
 and Father

00:45:09.740 --> 00:45:10.580
 for those of us

00:45:10.580 --> 00:45:11.380
 who are struggling

00:45:11.380 --> 00:45:12.500
 with a hard time

00:45:12.500 --> 00:45:13.920
 that your Holy Spirit

00:45:13.920 --> 00:45:14.720
 might bring these

00:45:14.720 --> 00:45:15.800
 truths home to them

00:45:15.800 --> 00:45:17.620
 that your hand

00:45:17.620 --> 00:45:18.519
 is upon them

00:45:18.519 --> 00:45:19.380
 you have not

00:45:19.380 --> 00:45:20.200
 abandoned them

00:45:20.200 --> 00:45:21.360
 they matter to you

00:45:21.360 --> 00:45:21.920
 and help them

00:45:21.920 --> 00:45:22.380
 to pour out

00:45:22.380 --> 00:45:22.900
 their heart

00:45:22.900 --> 00:45:23.920
 and help them

00:45:23.920 --> 00:45:24.400
 to pray

00:45:24.400 --> 00:45:25.960
 that they can

00:45:25.960 --> 00:45:26.460
 bear witness

00:45:26.460 --> 00:45:26.860
 to you

00:45:26.860 --> 00:45:27.579
 and bring glory

00:45:27.579 --> 00:45:28.340
 even in very

00:45:28.340 --> 00:45:29.539
 very hard times

00:45:29.539 --> 00:45:31.400
 and we ask

00:45:31.400 --> 00:45:31.780
 Father

00:45:31.780 --> 00:45:32.480
 that you deliver

00:45:32.480 --> 00:45:33.059
 us from

00:45:33.059 --> 00:45:33.700
 our own

00:45:33.700 --> 00:45:34.700
 moral blindness

00:45:34.700 --> 00:45:35.460
 of seeing

00:45:35.460 --> 00:45:36.300
 specks in other

00:45:36.300 --> 00:45:37.000
 people's eyes

00:45:37.000 --> 00:45:37.800
 and not the logs

00:45:37.800 --> 00:45:38.340
 on our own

00:45:38.340 --> 00:45:39.740
 and if we have

00:45:39.740 --> 00:45:40.400
 been nurturing

00:45:40.400 --> 00:45:40.940
 hatred

00:45:40.940 --> 00:45:41.620
 if we have

00:45:41.620 --> 00:45:42.380
 been turning

00:45:42.380 --> 00:45:43.079
 away from

00:45:43.079 --> 00:45:43.660
 opportunities

00:45:43.660 --> 00:45:44.340
 that you give

00:45:44.340 --> 00:45:45.079
 us to forgive

00:45:45.079 --> 00:45:46.400
 if we have

00:45:46.400 --> 00:45:46.940
 been holding

00:45:46.940 --> 00:45:47.780
 on to hatred

00:45:47.780 --> 00:45:48.360
 or bitterness

00:45:48.360 --> 00:45:49.360
 if we have

00:45:49.360 --> 00:45:49.880
 in fact

00:45:49.880 --> 00:45:51.600
 been self-indulgent

00:45:51.600 --> 00:45:52.380
 if we have

00:45:52.380 --> 00:45:52.960
 in fact

00:45:52.960 --> 00:45:54.080
 acted in ways

00:45:54.080 --> 00:45:55.580
 that despise

00:45:55.580 --> 00:45:55.940
 others

00:45:55.940 --> 00:45:56.500
 and treat

00:45:56.500 --> 00:45:57.300
 others poorly

00:45:57.300 --> 00:45:57.840
 we ask

00:45:57.840 --> 00:45:58.240
 Father

00:45:58.240 --> 00:45:58.640
 that your

00:45:58.640 --> 00:45:59.220
 Holy Spirit

00:45:59.220 --> 00:45:59.880
 would convict

00:45:59.880 --> 00:46:00.500
 us of that

00:46:00.500 --> 00:46:01.700
 so that

00:46:01.700 --> 00:46:02.220
 thinking of

00:46:02.220 --> 00:46:02.480
 Jesus

00:46:02.480 --> 00:46:03.040
 we might

00:46:03.040 --> 00:46:03.740
 confess our

00:46:03.740 --> 00:46:04.200
 sins

00:46:04.200 --> 00:46:05.120
 that we

00:46:05.120 --> 00:46:05.640
 might try

00:46:05.640 --> 00:46:05.980
 to make

00:46:05.980 --> 00:46:06.320
 amendment

00:46:06.320 --> 00:46:06.940
 of life

00:46:06.940 --> 00:46:07.960
 that we

00:46:07.960 --> 00:46:08.440
 might live

00:46:08.440 --> 00:46:08.980
 lives

00:46:08.980 --> 00:46:10.140
 that bring

00:46:10.140 --> 00:46:10.940
 you glory

00:46:10.940 --> 00:46:12.080
 and we

00:46:12.080 --> 00:46:12.460
 ask all

00:46:12.460 --> 00:46:13.019
 these things

00:46:13.019 --> 00:46:13.500
 in the name

00:46:13.500 --> 00:46:14.019
 of Jesus

00:46:14.019 --> 00:46:14.740
 your Son

00:46:14.740 --> 00:46:15.200
 and our

00:46:15.200 --> 00:46:15.560
 Savior

00:46:15.560 --> 00:46:16.680
 Amen

00:46:16.679 --> 00:46:16.879
 Amen