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 --> 00:00:24.920 by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:31.520 for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself? 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:37.939 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really, 00:00:38.179 --> 00:00:42.579 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible, 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:48.760 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will 00:00:48.760 --> 00:00:54.560 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:59.340 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't 00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:04.219 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me, actually, to know, as I'm preaching, how to 00:01:04.219 --> 00:01:07.780 deal with the types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless. 00:01:12.300 --> 00:01:20.480 Let's just bow our heads in prayer. Father, we give you thanks and praise that your infallible 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:28.500 word not only reveals the truth about you and the truth about salvation, but also reveals to us who 00:01:28.500 --> 00:01:34.540 we really are, who we really are at the depths of our soul and in our day-to-day lives. We ask, 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:42.260 Father, that your Holy Spirit would gently work in us so that your word would form us. And we ask this 00:01:42.260 --> 00:01:49.240 in Jesus' name, your Son and our Savior. Amen. Please be seated. Sort of interesting to do a sermon with 00:01:49.239 --> 00:01:56.759 the sounds of happy children in the background. That's a nice thing to have happen. One of the 00:01:56.759 --> 00:02:02.780 things that causes people trouble is dealing with people who think they're always right. 00:02:04.019 --> 00:02:09.680 I think every single one of us would know at least one person who thinks that they're always right. 00:02:10.340 --> 00:02:16.479 It would also probably horrify us if we were to discover that some people hearing this are 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:22.379 thinking about us because we don't think we're always right. But it is in fact a human problem 00:02:22.379 --> 00:02:29.899 that there are some people at all the time who think that they're always right. And there are 00:02:29.899 --> 00:02:37.419 most people who think that is true of themselves, at least sometimes. Some of us have suffered under 00:02:37.419 --> 00:02:45.839 people who think that they're always right. And so it's actually made us quite insecure and sort of beat up. 00:02:48.919 --> 00:02:57.659 And the other thing is, especially nowadays, a lot of people like to attach themselves to individuals 00:02:57.659 --> 00:03:06.180 or movements or political ideologies or spiritualities that claim to be always right on everything. 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:13.520 And we attach ourselves to these types of groups and it just causes lots of trouble in our society, 00:03:13.719 --> 00:03:19.539 in our day-to-day life. I mean, one of the things which we all know of, it's very hard to have 00:03:19.539 --> 00:03:26.939 just a charitable, good faith, political discussion with people nowadays. If they find out a certain 00:03:26.939 --> 00:03:33.620 thing about you, you're not just wrong, you're like the devil incarnate. It's increasingly hard in our 00:03:33.620 --> 00:03:40.479 culture to have just a good faith conversation with people because there's this belief of infallibility. 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:50.319 So the Bible has some profound wisdom and help into this human problem of people thinking that 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:55.500 they're infallible or movements thinking that they're infallible. The Bible has, believe it or not, 00:03:55.819 --> 00:04:04.079 some very profound and wise help and it has it in a very surprising way. So we're going to look at the 00:04:04.079 --> 00:04:09.339 Bible. It's Acts chapter 15. We haven't announced this for a couple of weeks, but one of the things that 00:04:09.340 --> 00:04:13.319 we're doing, we're preaching through the book of Acts. That's why I'm preaching on this topic today. 00:04:13.740 --> 00:04:18.980 We're going to be looking at Acts chapter 15, 35 to following. We've bought these very nice ESV 00:04:18.980 --> 00:04:25.819 journal Bibles, nice paper, just the text on one side, blank on the other, for people to take notes 00:04:25.819 --> 00:04:30.819 and ask questions. They're available for you for free up at the front if you want to grab one. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:35.899 You can even do it now if you want, or you can get it after the service as a gift. And I'm going to be 00:04:35.899 --> 00:04:44.099 reading from that on page 92. And here's the text. But just before I read the text, it's a really odd 00:04:44.099 --> 00:04:51.079 text. Not just what Chris read, but a little bit after. It's sort of like, it's as if there's these 00:04:51.079 --> 00:04:58.039 big sections in the book of Acts and there's a few little detaily types of things between these 00:04:58.039 --> 00:05:02.099 big sections. And that's what we're going to be looking at. One of those little detaily type things. 00:05:02.100 --> 00:05:09.900 Because the book of Acts begins with Jesus appearing alive to his disciples and ascending 00:05:09.900 --> 00:05:15.939 into heaven. And then it moves to this thing called the day of Pentecost. And then we see the early 00:05:15.939 --> 00:05:22.879 life of Christians and the gospel being accepted by many Jewish people in Jerusalem. And the gospel 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:30.379 means trusting Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Then we see the start of persecution against Christians. 00:05:30.379 --> 00:05:36.779 And then we see the gospel making this leap across an ancient divide to Samaritans. And then a little 00:05:36.779 --> 00:05:43.959 bit after that, we see the gospel making an even bigger leap across an even bigger divide with pagans 00:05:43.959 --> 00:05:50.639 starting to become Christians. And then we see the gospel really starting to go the very first missionary 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:56.920 journey as the gospel goes farther and farther into pagan lands and more Jewish people and Christians 00:05:56.920 --> 00:06:04.400 farther away become Christians. And that causes a problem which is what just happens just before this. 00:06:04.819 --> 00:06:10.379 And a decision is made about what it means for a pagan to become a Christian. And what we're looking at 00:06:10.379 --> 00:06:14.860 right now is just between that decision that comes at the end of the first missionary journey 00:06:14.860 --> 00:06:20.340 and the launching of the rest of the book which is going to be two more missionary journeys and Paul's 00:06:20.339 --> 00:06:26.719 imprisonment and death. And this is how Luke has decided to structure his eyewitness-based account 00:06:26.719 --> 00:06:32.719 of the first 30 or so years of the Jesus movement. And he wrote it while eyewitnesses are still alive. 00:06:32.779 --> 00:06:38.620 So that's sort of where we are with a jumble of things. And here's what's... Actually, before I read it, 00:06:39.059 --> 00:06:45.259 here's the big idea of these three different... Four different stories that we're going to look at. Four short 00:06:45.259 --> 00:06:50.319 little stories. If you could put it up, that would be great, Claire. And this is the big idea. 00:06:51.599 --> 00:06:59.560 There is a holy mystery in how the infallible, authoritative, life-giving word of the Lord 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:10.319 comes to fallible, self-centered, death-doomed human beings, me included. I read it again. 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:16.180 There is a holy mystery in how the infallible, authoritative, life-giving word of the Lord 00:07:16.180 --> 00:07:25.100 comes to fallible, self-centered, death-doomed human beings, me included. Now, some of you might say, 00:07:25.180 --> 00:07:30.519 George, whoa, George, one moment. You said the Bible's going to have some helpful wisdom and advice 00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:35.519 about dealing with people who think they're infallible. Did you hear what you just said? 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:41.560 Don't you think if people think that the Bible is infallible, that you're just weaponizing 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:48.180 people's sense of infallibility? Like, you've just weaponized the problem. You haven't solved it. 00:07:48.419 --> 00:07:53.979 The Bible is weaponizing the problem. And frankly, the whole idea is ridiculous, George, 00:07:54.019 --> 00:07:59.539 that there could be an infallible word of God. And George, you know, not only is it ridiculous, 00:07:59.540 --> 00:08:05.400 it's dangerous, it's anything other than, it's just not wise to say something like that. 00:08:06.340 --> 00:08:11.560 Well, why am I saying it? Well, let's look at the text. Acts chapter 15, beginning at verse 35. 00:08:13.760 --> 00:08:19.060 And after, but Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, that's a city in Syria, 00:08:19.800 --> 00:08:25.200 teaching and preaching, note this, the word of the Lord with many others also. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:31.899 And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, let us return and visit the brothers and sisters 00:08:31.899 --> 00:08:38.299 in every city where we proclaimed, note this, the word of the Lord and see how they are. 00:08:38.860 --> 00:08:44.620 So you'll notice here, twice, once each, in each verse, very close together, we have this phrase, 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:49.100 the word of the Lord. And the word of the Lord is, if you go back and do a word search, it appears 00:08:49.100 --> 00:08:54.620 not only like that verbatim many times in the book of Acts, but different synonyms of the same thing 00:08:54.620 --> 00:08:59.980 appear many, many times in the book of Acts. And in the original language, the word of the Lord has a 00:08:59.980 --> 00:09:05.240 double meaning. And what it means, it comes from the Old Testament, what our Jewish friends call 00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:10.399 the Tanakh, and it has this double meaning. It could be translated as saying the word from the Lord, 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:16.220 and it could also be translated as saying the word about the Lord. It has a double meaning. 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:22.500 It's saying two things, complementary things at the same time, and the original readers and the 00:09:22.500 --> 00:09:28.139 original hearers would have understood this. And so taking the Old Testament meaning, it is saying 00:09:28.139 --> 00:09:38.759 literally this, this is a word from God. These are words from the lips, so to speak, I know the 00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:45.980 triune God doesn't have lips, of the triune God. That's just the book of Acts. This is the whole Bible. 00:09:45.980 --> 00:09:53.039 That's what I'm holding in my hands, the actual words of the triune God to human beings. That's what 00:09:53.039 --> 00:10:01.240 the text is claiming. And it's not just a word from the Lord, it's a word about the Lord. In other words, 00:10:01.320 --> 00:10:09.680 it's God's words about himself and our relationship to him in light of the fact that he is God. It's saying 00:10:09.680 --> 00:10:15.180 this double thing at the same time. That's why I said there is a holy mystery of how the infallible 00:10:15.179 --> 00:10:22.039 authoritative, life-giving word of the Lord comes to fallible, self-centered, death-doomed human beings, 00:10:22.139 --> 00:10:28.000 me included. That if in fact it is the very words of the Lord, they are infallible. They are 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:33.519 authoritative. And it could be that they're death-dealing, but we're going to see in a moment 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:39.219 that they're in fact not death-dealing, that they are in fact life-giving if we receive them in the right 00:10:39.220 --> 00:10:45.779 type of way. Now, I'm not going to give you any arguments today as to why it's a completely 00:10:45.779 --> 00:10:51.660 reasonable thing to believe this. I'll just say one thing about it. What I'm going to talk about 00:10:51.660 --> 00:10:58.379 instead really is why we don't want this to be true. Why hearing that the word of the Lord is 00:10:58.379 --> 00:11:06.779 infallible and authoritative is something that troubles many, many people. We worry that, 00:11:06.779 --> 00:11:15.679 well, we worry that it's going to weaponize human tendencies to think, human beings' tendency to 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:21.360 think that they're infallible. We worry that it will take away our freedom because it's so 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:26.600 authoritative and infallible, that it will overpower us, that it'll take away our freedom, that it will 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:32.899 make us do weird things. That's what we worry about. And I'm going to deal with our worries about it. 00:11:32.899 --> 00:11:36.939 I'm not going to give you an argument for why it's a reasonable thing. I just want to say this one thing. 00:11:39.179 --> 00:11:41.579 Words are really important, aren't they? 00:11:45.299 --> 00:11:51.139 You know, I mean, just, I mean, it's just, on the other hand, it just sounds like the most commonplace 00:11:51.139 --> 00:11:57.079 thing in the world, but words are how we commit to each other. You know, words like to my wife that I said, 00:11:57.080 --> 00:12:04.400 well, many, many decades ago, will you marry me? You know, those are life-changing words. Words can 00:12:04.400 --> 00:12:09.860 wound us. We can, I know people, and probably some of you can think of words that wounded us 00:12:09.860 --> 00:12:17.020 decades ago, and they still wound us. And words can bless, and words can heal, and words are very, 00:12:17.160 --> 00:12:23.440 very powerful. So just one little thing to people who are wondering about their place in Christianity 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:27.640 or outside of the Christian faith, why is it that most of your understandings, if you're going to have 00:12:27.640 --> 00:12:29.840 a God at all, is a God that can't speak? 00:12:31.420 --> 00:12:33.360 Like, given how important words are, 00:12:33.800 --> 00:12:37.640 why on earth would you pick a God that can't speak? Like, that God is everywhere, 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:40.480 or that God is everything, or that God is some power, some force? 00:12:40.680 --> 00:12:42.220 How could that be God? 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:45.320 And if a God, 00:12:46.040 --> 00:12:48.080 if the God that you think might exist, 00:12:48.200 --> 00:12:49.720 that spiritual power and presence, 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:52.440 if it can't speak, how can it hear you? 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:54.060 How can it understand? 00:12:56.220 --> 00:13:01.720 Like, don't you want there to be the case? Doesn't it make sense if there is a God that's worthy of 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:05.040 being God, that he must be a God who speaks? 00:13:05.780 --> 00:13:09.060 And how could he be God and speak and be fallible? 00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:13.740 That means he's under some other type of standard. 00:13:14.140 --> 00:13:16.080 Well, how does that solve or help anything? 00:13:16.920 --> 00:13:17.940 Just a question. 00:13:17.940 --> 00:13:22.920 But this claim is being made, 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:24.940 and it's the ancient, historic claim, 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:27.060 it's the biblical claim, 00:13:27.500 --> 00:13:29.180 that there is an infallible, 00:13:29.420 --> 00:13:31.720 that the word of the Lord is infallible and authoritative 00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:32.460 and life-giving. 00:13:33.860 --> 00:13:34.060 So, 00:13:34.059 --> 00:13:40.419 okay, George, you're not going to argue for it, 00:13:40.459 --> 00:13:43.479 but it still bothers me. 00:13:44.339 --> 00:13:46.479 I still think it's a dangerous thing. 00:13:47.439 --> 00:13:48.079 Well, let's look. 00:13:48.219 --> 00:13:48.939 The Bible here, 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:50.719 here's what's so interesting about the Bible 00:13:50.719 --> 00:13:53.359 and how wise and helpful the Bible is, 00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:55.579 that in the same place 00:13:55.579 --> 00:13:57.639 where it makes clear by saying it twice, 00:13:57.759 --> 00:13:58.519 close to each other, 00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:00.480 it then gives a series of stories 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:02.600 that help to nuance 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:05.740 and reveal ourselves to ourselves. 00:14:06.419 --> 00:14:07.059 Let's look. 00:14:07.179 --> 00:14:08.059 You'll see how wise it is. 00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:09.519 We'll read verse 36 again. 00:14:10.299 --> 00:14:11.299 And after some days, 00:14:11.419 --> 00:14:12.480 Paul said to Barnabas, 00:14:12.840 --> 00:14:15.500 let us return and visit the brothers and sisters 00:14:15.500 --> 00:14:16.399 in every city 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:18.299 where we proclaim the word of the Lord 00:14:18.299 --> 00:14:19.079 and see how they are. 00:14:19.139 --> 00:14:20.120 That's the missionary journey 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:21.279 that they just got on together, 00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:22.179 Paul and Barnabas. 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:23.460 Verse 37. 00:14:24.100 --> 00:14:26.319 Now, Barnabas wanted to take with them 00:14:26.319 --> 00:14:26.919 John, 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:28.279 who's also called Mark. 00:14:29.159 --> 00:14:31.220 But Paul thought best 00:14:31.220 --> 00:14:33.319 not to take with them 00:14:33.319 --> 00:14:36.259 one who had withdrawn from them 00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:37.639 in Pamphylia 00:14:37.639 --> 00:14:39.960 and had not gone with them to the work. 00:14:40.279 --> 00:14:40.720 Basically, 00:14:41.299 --> 00:14:42.919 if you go back to the earlier story, 00:14:43.059 --> 00:14:44.419 John Mark abandons them 00:14:44.419 --> 00:14:46.039 when the going got tough. 00:14:46.419 --> 00:14:47.340 He abandons them. 00:14:48.439 --> 00:14:49.120 Verse 39. 00:14:49.779 --> 00:14:51.919 And there arose a sharp disagreement 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:54.419 between Paul and Barnabas 00:14:54.419 --> 00:14:57.039 so that they separated from each other. 00:14:57.039 --> 00:14:59.819 Barnabas took Mark with him 00:14:59.819 --> 00:15:01.339 and sailed away to Cyprus. 00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:03.419 But Paul chose Silas and departed, 00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:05.599 having been commended by the brothers 00:15:05.599 --> 00:15:07.480 to the grace of the Lord. 00:15:07.939 --> 00:15:09.500 And he went through Syria, 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:10.079 Cilicia, 00:15:10.259 --> 00:15:11.079 strengthening the churches. 00:15:11.179 --> 00:15:12.879 Now, just pause here for a second. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:17.879 This disagreement between Paul and Barnabas 00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:18.459 is wrong. 00:15:18.460 --> 00:15:20.860 And it's heartbreaking. 00:15:20.860 --> 00:15:23.240 And it's shocking. 00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:27.120 Some of you who know the Bible a little bit 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:30.379 will know that Paul was, in fact, 00:15:30.500 --> 00:15:32.919 one of the early persecutors of Christians. 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:36.740 He consented and aided 00:15:36.740 --> 00:15:39.519 in the death and murder of early Christians 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:41.440 and imprisoned them and beat them. 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:44.460 And then he has an encounter 00:15:44.460 --> 00:15:45.640 with the risen Jesus 00:15:45.640 --> 00:15:47.620 that completely transforms him. 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:49.880 And he ends up being called by Jesus. 00:15:50.100 --> 00:15:51.700 He sees Jesus alive. 00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:53.560 Jesus says, 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:55.740 you're going to be my apostle 00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:57.500 and you're going to do all these things. 00:15:58.220 --> 00:16:00.380 And Paul becomes a Christian. 00:16:00.379 --> 00:16:02.639 Christian and the disciples, 00:16:02.779 --> 00:16:03.639 the early apostles, 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:04.919 are afraid of Paul. 00:16:05.019 --> 00:16:05.559 They don't believe 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:06.580 that he's become a Christian. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:07.840 Who is it, 00:16:08.419 --> 00:16:09.480 who is it 00:16:09.480 --> 00:16:11.720 that has listened to Paul 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:12.659 and believes him 00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:14.360 and introduces him 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:15.600 to the other apostles 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:16.620 and the early Christians? 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:17.439 Who uses, 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:19.200 who puts their authority 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:20.980 and their reputation on the line? 00:16:21.059 --> 00:16:21.860 It's Barnabas. 00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:25.220 And when Paul goes off to, 00:16:25.779 --> 00:16:26.559 he has to flee 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:27.980 because people are after him 00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:29.159 because he's preaching the gospel. 00:16:29.159 --> 00:16:30.240 And he spends, 00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:30.719 you know, 00:16:30.779 --> 00:16:31.600 quite a few years 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:32.539 in a certain region 00:16:32.539 --> 00:16:33.939 of what we now call Syria, 00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:35.480 ministering. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:36.620 And who is it 00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:37.699 who goes and brings him 00:16:37.699 --> 00:16:38.459 out of the wilderness 00:16:38.459 --> 00:16:40.039 and brings him back 00:16:40.039 --> 00:16:41.219 to this very important church 00:16:41.219 --> 00:16:41.779 in Antioch 00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:42.399 to be a teacher? 00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:43.219 It's Barnabas. 00:16:43.819 --> 00:16:45.939 Who works side by side 00:16:45.939 --> 00:16:47.279 with Paul 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:48.480 for several years 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.719 in this important church 00:16:49.719 --> 00:16:50.839 in Antioch? 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:52.199 It's Barnabas. 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:53.439 Who is it 00:16:53.439 --> 00:16:54.939 who goes on a missionary journey 00:16:54.939 --> 00:16:55.559 with Paul, 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:56.720 who suffers together 00:16:56.720 --> 00:16:58.279 and is there 00:16:58.279 --> 00:16:59.539 when Paul is stoned 00:16:59.539 --> 00:17:00.319 and people think 00:17:00.319 --> 00:17:01.379 they've stoned him to death 00:17:01.379 --> 00:17:02.079 and maybe they have 00:17:02.079 --> 00:17:02.919 the text is unclear 00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:04.559 whether Paul is brought back to life 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:06.319 or just healed dramatically? 00:17:06.779 --> 00:17:07.759 It's Barnabas. 00:17:08.139 --> 00:17:09.399 And now they have 00:17:09.399 --> 00:17:11.339 a disagreement over people 00:17:11.339 --> 00:17:13.339 so strong 00:17:13.339 --> 00:17:15.420 that they can't work together. 00:17:17.299 --> 00:17:18.579 This is heartbreaking. 00:17:20.039 --> 00:17:21.420 And some of you might say, 00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:21.859 George, 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:24.119 you've just proved my point. 00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:26.480 Thinking there's an infallible Bible 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:28.019 is just going to make it worse. 00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:29.019 People are going to think 00:17:29.019 --> 00:17:30.000 they're never wrong. 00:17:30.380 --> 00:17:30.599 George, 00:17:30.660 --> 00:17:31.819 you've just proved my point 00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:32.839 about how dangerous it is. 00:17:32.900 --> 00:17:33.059 Well, 00:17:33.140 --> 00:17:34.599 it's a little bit more subtle than that. 00:17:34.660 --> 00:17:35.819 We're going to come back to it. 00:17:36.339 --> 00:17:37.940 But we need to see the next bit 00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:38.860 before we come back 00:17:38.860 --> 00:17:39.839 and talk about 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:40.740 what's really going, 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:41.640 what's going on here. 00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:42.839 But it's just very, 00:17:42.940 --> 00:17:43.599 very sad. 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:44.720 Well, 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:45.660 what happens next 00:17:45.660 --> 00:17:46.900 before we come back 00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:47.920 and look at this a bit more? 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:49.440 Look at what happens next. 00:17:50.440 --> 00:17:51.519 Sort of the opposite thing, 00:17:51.579 --> 00:17:52.640 but it's also distressing 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:54.280 and it touches on 00:17:54.280 --> 00:17:55.800 many of our deepest fears 00:17:55.800 --> 00:17:56.500 about dealing 00:17:56.500 --> 00:17:57.940 with an infallible Bible. 00:17:58.160 --> 00:17:59.000 Look at what it says. 00:17:59.500 --> 00:18:00.240 Chapter 16, 00:18:00.320 --> 00:18:00.840 verse 1. 00:18:01.600 --> 00:18:01.960 Paul, 00:18:02.380 --> 00:18:03.000 so they've gone 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:04.000 on their missionary journey 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.259 and sort of, 00:18:05.360 --> 00:18:06.500 if you're sort of looking at it 00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:07.180 from this point of view, 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:08.940 the original missionary journey, 00:18:09.040 --> 00:18:10.180 they went from here, 00:18:10.320 --> 00:18:11.060 down to here, 00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:11.720 up to here, 00:18:11.780 --> 00:18:12.680 across from here. 00:18:12.759 --> 00:18:13.680 And what Paul 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:14.880 and his doing 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:15.600 with his new group, 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:16.800 he's going to go this way, 00:18:16.860 --> 00:18:17.940 sort of in reverse order. 00:18:18.780 --> 00:18:20.360 And so they come, 00:18:20.659 --> 00:18:21.379 chapter 16, 00:18:21.459 --> 00:18:21.819 verse 1. 00:18:21.879 --> 00:18:22.979 Paul came also 00:18:22.979 --> 00:18:24.179 to Derbe and to Lystra. 00:18:24.879 --> 00:18:25.740 It was in Lystra 00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:26.759 that he got stoned 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:27.619 by the crowd 00:18:27.619 --> 00:18:28.879 until he died. 00:18:29.979 --> 00:18:31.179 A disciple was there 00:18:31.179 --> 00:18:32.119 named Timothy. 00:18:32.959 --> 00:18:34.039 A disciple is another way 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:35.079 of describing a Christian. 00:18:35.299 --> 00:18:35.779 A better way 00:18:35.779 --> 00:18:36.279 to understand 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:37.159 what a Christian is 00:18:37.159 --> 00:18:37.899 is that a Christian 00:18:37.899 --> 00:18:39.199 is a disciple of Jesus. 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:40.199 It's one of the things 00:18:40.199 --> 00:18:41.179 I sometimes talk about 00:18:41.179 --> 00:18:41.879 with people 00:18:41.879 --> 00:18:42.259 who are outside 00:18:42.259 --> 00:18:42.919 the Christian faith 00:18:42.919 --> 00:18:43.539 when they ask me 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:43.919 who I am. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:45.059 I say I'm a disciple of Jesus. 00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:46.879 He's my Lord and Master 00:18:46.879 --> 00:18:47.399 and my Savior 00:18:47.399 --> 00:18:48.339 and I'm his disciple. 00:18:49.719 --> 00:18:50.000 Anyway, 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:51.279 a disciple was there 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:51.920 named Timothy, 00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:53.259 the son of a Jewish woman 00:18:53.259 --> 00:18:54.519 who was a believer 00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:55.519 who'd become a Christian, 00:18:55.940 --> 00:18:56.740 but his father 00:18:56.740 --> 00:18:57.519 was a Greek, 00:18:57.599 --> 00:18:58.019 a pagan. 00:18:59.640 --> 00:19:01.339 Timothy was well spoken of 00:19:01.339 --> 00:19:02.519 by the brothers and sisters 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:04.019 at Lystra and Iconium. 00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:06.559 Paul wanted Timothy 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:07.680 to accompany him. 00:19:08.220 --> 00:19:09.079 Now notice this. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:11.099 Don't skip over it. 00:19:12.339 --> 00:19:12.740 Men, 00:19:13.420 --> 00:19:15.000 let the full weight 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:16.859 of these next few words 00:19:16.859 --> 00:19:18.059 hit you. 00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:20.179 Timothy's at least 00:19:20.179 --> 00:19:20.740 18, 00:19:20.819 --> 00:19:21.179 19, 00:19:21.179 --> 00:19:21.740 and 20 00:19:21.740 --> 00:19:22.720 and there are no 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:23.819 anesthetics 00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:24.919 back then. 00:19:26.879 --> 00:19:27.940 Paul wanted Timothy 00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:28.879 to accompany him 00:19:28.879 --> 00:19:29.819 and he took him 00:19:29.819 --> 00:19:31.659 and circumcised him. 00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:37.720 He circumcised him 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:41.339 because of the Jewish people 00:19:41.339 --> 00:19:42.339 who were in those places 00:19:42.339 --> 00:19:43.319 for they all knew 00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:44.000 that his father 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:44.519 was a Greek, 00:19:44.619 --> 00:19:44.980 a pagan. 00:19:44.980 --> 00:19:47.039 And as they went 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:47.500 on their way, 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:47.720 they, 00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:48.680 through the cities, 00:19:49.120 --> 00:19:49.319 they, 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:50.140 that's Paul 00:19:50.140 --> 00:19:50.819 and Timothy 00:19:50.819 --> 00:19:51.620 and Silas 00:19:51.620 --> 00:19:52.799 and maybe some others, 00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:54.339 delivered to people 00:19:54.339 --> 00:19:54.740 they heard 00:19:54.740 --> 00:19:55.720 for observance 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:56.539 the decisions 00:19:56.539 --> 00:19:57.620 that had been reached 00:19:57.620 --> 00:19:58.339 by the apostles 00:19:58.339 --> 00:19:58.880 and elders 00:19:58.880 --> 00:19:59.660 who were in Jerusalem. 00:20:00.259 --> 00:20:00.940 So the churches 00:20:00.940 --> 00:20:01.620 were strengthened 00:20:01.620 --> 00:20:02.180 in the faith 00:20:02.180 --> 00:20:02.680 and increased 00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:03.400 in numbers daily. 00:20:03.620 --> 00:20:04.779 So here's what's 00:20:04.779 --> 00:20:05.860 really weird about this. 00:20:05.980 --> 00:20:06.160 Remember, 00:20:06.259 --> 00:20:06.880 one of our fears 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:08.039 is an infallible Bible 00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:08.779 will cause us 00:20:08.779 --> 00:20:10.000 to do weird things 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:11.339 and hurtful things. 00:20:11.819 --> 00:20:12.120 And this, 00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:12.579 once again, 00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:13.079 people say, 00:20:13.159 --> 00:20:13.559 George, 00:20:13.639 --> 00:20:15.199 you're proving my point 00:20:15.199 --> 00:20:15.899 why we don't want 00:20:15.899 --> 00:20:17.240 to have an infallible Bible. 00:20:17.619 --> 00:20:17.879 Like, 00:20:17.939 --> 00:20:19.559 it's making Timothy 00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:20.720 do weird 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:22.019 and hurtful things. 00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:22.659 I don't want to get 00:20:22.659 --> 00:20:23.299 anywhere near 00:20:23.299 --> 00:20:24.480 an infallible Bible 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:25.599 and have to do 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:26.740 these weird things. 00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:28.480 And it's even weirder 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:29.039 because, 00:20:30.099 --> 00:20:31.139 at first glance, 00:20:31.259 --> 00:20:32.299 because the decision 00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:33.519 that they're telling 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:34.379 everybody about 00:20:34.379 --> 00:20:35.240 is that 00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:36.119 if you become a, 00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:36.960 if you're a pagan 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:37.939 who becomes a Christian, 00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:39.539 you don't have to be circumcised. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.879 That's actually the decision. 00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:42.700 Go back and read it 00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:43.620 in Acts chapter 15. 00:20:43.800 --> 00:20:44.800 So people are going like, 00:20:45.080 --> 00:20:45.380 George, 00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:46.960 this is just crazy talk. 00:20:47.280 --> 00:20:47.420 Like, 00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:48.760 here Paul goes and says, 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:49.940 you don't have to be circumcised 00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:51.020 and Timothy gets circumcised. 00:20:51.300 --> 00:20:52.660 What on earth is going on? 00:20:53.900 --> 00:20:54.100 Well, 00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:54.440 let's, 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:55.620 now we need to go back 00:20:55.620 --> 00:20:56.800 and sort of tease out 00:20:56.800 --> 00:20:57.720 what's going on. 00:20:57.760 --> 00:20:58.340 Remember I said 00:20:58.340 --> 00:20:59.720 that there is a holy mystery 00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:01.360 in how the infallible, 00:21:01.560 --> 00:21:02.180 authoritative, 00:21:02.380 --> 00:21:03.760 life-giving word of the Lord 00:21:03.760 --> 00:21:04.920 comes to fallible, 00:21:05.120 --> 00:21:05.820 self-centered, 00:21:06.280 --> 00:21:07.640 death-doomed human beings, 00:21:07.800 --> 00:21:08.360 me included. 00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:09.500 A holy mystery. 00:21:09.940 --> 00:21:11.020 So here's the first thing. 00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:12.299 If you could put up A, 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:13.160 that would be great. 00:21:14.639 --> 00:21:16.200 It's part of the deep structure 00:21:16.200 --> 00:21:16.960 of the Bible. 00:21:18.440 --> 00:21:19.299 It's such a, 00:21:19.299 --> 00:21:20.539 part of the deep structure 00:21:20.539 --> 00:21:21.119 of the Bible 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:22.680 so that you might not 00:21:22.680 --> 00:21:23.599 even notice it, 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:24.579 but it forms you 00:21:24.579 --> 00:21:25.740 at an unconscious level 00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:26.720 while you read it. 00:21:27.259 --> 00:21:28.940 Only Jesus is sinless, 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:30.779 therefore, 00:21:31.059 --> 00:21:32.619 only he can save. 00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:35.799 Only Jesus is sinless, 00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:36.099 therefore, 00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:37.240 only he can save. 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:41.059 Paul and Barnabas 00:21:41.059 --> 00:21:41.599 are revealed 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:42.519 as sinning. 00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:44.699 It's going to be 00:21:44.699 --> 00:21:45.639 my way or the highway. 00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:48.879 My way or the highway. 00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:49.799 Okay? 00:21:50.099 --> 00:21:50.619 We want highway 00:21:50.619 --> 00:21:51.379 because you're not going 00:21:51.379 --> 00:21:51.799 my way. 00:21:53.319 --> 00:21:54.519 Peter is revealed 00:21:54.519 --> 00:21:56.859 in other places 00:21:56.859 --> 00:21:57.399 in the Bible 00:21:57.399 --> 00:21:59.319 as a sinner. 00:22:00.059 --> 00:22:00.419 Mary, 00:22:00.700 --> 00:22:01.679 the mother of Jesus, 00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:03.299 I apologize to my 00:22:03.299 --> 00:22:04.240 Roman Catholic friends, 00:22:04.339 --> 00:22:04.779 this is maybe 00:22:04.779 --> 00:22:05.419 a bit of a shock, 00:22:05.539 --> 00:22:06.819 but Mary is revealed 00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:08.079 as one who sins. 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:09.980 That's what the Bible says. 00:22:11.179 --> 00:22:11.899 Old Testament, 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:12.639 all the way through, 00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:13.220 James, 00:22:13.359 --> 00:22:14.279 one of the half-brother 00:22:14.279 --> 00:22:14.799 of Jesus, 00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:15.799 revealed as one 00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:16.339 who sins. 00:22:17.099 --> 00:22:17.259 All, 00:22:17.460 --> 00:22:18.419 and here we see this. 00:22:18.679 --> 00:22:19.700 You go all the way 00:22:19.700 --> 00:22:20.259 through the Bible, 00:22:20.359 --> 00:22:21.119 you read from Genesis 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:21.859 chapter 1, 00:22:21.919 --> 00:22:22.339 verse 1, 00:22:22.399 --> 00:22:23.099 all the way to the end 00:22:23.099 --> 00:22:23.839 of the book of Revelation, 00:22:23.919 --> 00:22:25.019 there's only one person 00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:26.019 who never sins, 00:22:26.200 --> 00:22:27.039 and that's Jesus. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:29.079 Only one 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:31.079 who never sins. 00:22:32.980 --> 00:22:33.680 It's Jesus. 00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:34.399 It's part of the deep 00:22:34.399 --> 00:22:35.399 structure of the Bible. 00:22:36.879 --> 00:22:37.339 And, you know, 00:22:37.579 --> 00:22:37.879 part of, 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:38.720 when I just said to you, 00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:39.659 part of the mystery 00:22:39.659 --> 00:22:40.299 about this, 00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:41.440 why is Timothy, 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:42.139 we're going to get to that 00:22:42.139 --> 00:22:42.399 in a moment, 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:43.079 why is Timothy 00:22:43.079 --> 00:22:44.139 being circumcised 00:22:44.139 --> 00:22:45.480 when the elders 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:46.319 and the apostles 00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:47.019 in Jerusalem 00:22:47.019 --> 00:22:48.579 make a formal decree 00:22:48.579 --> 00:22:50.839 that pagan men 00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:51.819 who become Christians 00:22:51.819 --> 00:22:53.440 don't have to get circumcised 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:55.220 and they don't have to follow 00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:56.379 what our Jewish friends 00:22:56.379 --> 00:22:57.019 call the tenacity, 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:57.740 back in what we call 00:22:57.740 --> 00:22:58.460 the Old Testament. 00:22:58.859 --> 00:22:59.779 Why did they say that? 00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:01.019 It's because they understood 00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:02.000 what Jesus said 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:02.659 time and time 00:23:02.659 --> 00:23:03.460 and time and time 00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:04.420 again of this. 00:23:04.740 --> 00:23:05.079 In fact, 00:23:05.139 --> 00:23:06.460 they probably even go back, 00:23:06.839 --> 00:23:07.519 if you go back 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:08.960 and you read the Gospel of John, 00:23:09.139 --> 00:23:10.879 a historical account of Jesus, 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:12.220 you'll see the very, 00:23:12.299 --> 00:23:13.539 very, very first time 00:23:13.539 --> 00:23:14.960 any of the apostles 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:16.539 or disciples meet Jesus 00:23:16.539 --> 00:23:17.779 is when John the Baptist 00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:19.779 points at this guy walking 00:23:19.779 --> 00:23:20.779 and, you know, 00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:21.759 you just think about this, 00:23:21.819 --> 00:23:22.519 make it realistic. 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:23.480 They see Jesus, 00:23:23.639 --> 00:23:24.839 his hair would not look 00:23:24.839 --> 00:23:26.000 like a Hollywood person. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:26.779 Maybe it looked like 00:23:26.779 --> 00:23:27.559 a Hollywood person 00:23:27.559 --> 00:23:29.119 trying to represent, 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:29.720 I don't know, 00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:32.180 like after the zombie apocalypse. 00:23:32.460 --> 00:23:32.559 You know, 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:32.859 I mean, 00:23:32.900 --> 00:23:33.440 his hair would have been 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:34.099 a bit untidy 00:23:34.099 --> 00:23:35.059 and he maybe had 00:23:35.059 --> 00:23:36.500 a little bit of pita bread 00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:37.240 in his beard, 00:23:37.819 --> 00:23:38.299 you know, 00:23:38.359 --> 00:23:39.460 some parsley in his beard 00:23:39.460 --> 00:23:40.880 and John the Baptist says, 00:23:41.000 --> 00:23:42.039 behold the Lamb of God 00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:42.640 who takes away 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:43.339 the sin of the world. 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:46.519 And what they know 00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:47.740 that they've come to understand 00:23:47.740 --> 00:23:48.500 is that 00:23:48.500 --> 00:23:50.460 you go back 00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:51.480 and you read the Tanakh 00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:53.700 and you understand 00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:54.960 that Jesus says 00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:56.599 that every single sacrifice 00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:57.700 that is required 00:23:57.700 --> 00:23:58.779 in the Old Testament 00:23:58.779 --> 00:24:00.620 is fulfilled in me. 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:02.539 All of the moral laws 00:24:02.539 --> 00:24:03.480 that nobody was able 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:03.900 to keep, 00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:04.980 I fulfilled them all. 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:06.620 All of the promises 00:24:06.620 --> 00:24:07.620 in the Old Testament 00:24:07.620 --> 00:24:08.940 that have been made by God, 00:24:09.140 --> 00:24:10.120 I fulfilled them all. 00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:11.839 All of the types 00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:12.880 and images 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:14.400 in the Old Testament, 00:24:14.860 --> 00:24:15.920 I fulfilled them all. 00:24:16.259 --> 00:24:17.599 All of the rituals, 00:24:18.059 --> 00:24:19.039 I fulfilled them all. 00:24:19.140 --> 00:24:20.740 All of the religious obligations, 00:24:20.740 --> 00:24:21.980 all of the affection 00:24:21.980 --> 00:24:22.859 that is required, 00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:24.299 all of these things, 00:24:24.620 --> 00:24:26.779 I fulfill them all. 00:24:27.180 --> 00:24:27.859 And if you go back 00:24:27.859 --> 00:24:28.519 and you read the book 00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:29.019 of Leviticus 00:24:29.019 --> 00:24:29.960 and this helps us 00:24:29.960 --> 00:24:30.579 to understand 00:24:30.579 --> 00:24:31.779 a very deep truth 00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:32.700 that we understand, 00:24:32.779 --> 00:24:33.559 we understand the need 00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:34.259 for sacrifice 00:24:34.259 --> 00:24:35.480 and you go back 00:24:35.480 --> 00:24:36.059 and you read the book 00:24:36.059 --> 00:24:36.599 of Leviticus, 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.160 you'll see that 00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:38.460 the way Leviticus begins 00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:39.500 is a way to give you 00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:40.599 one of the two keys 00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:42.380 to everything going on 00:24:42.380 --> 00:24:42.940 in what we call 00:24:42.940 --> 00:24:43.519 the Old Testament 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:44.799 but it's also what goes on 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:46.759 in all religions, 00:24:46.980 --> 00:24:47.920 which all religions 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:48.900 and spiritualities 00:24:48.900 --> 00:24:50.220 understand some type 00:24:50.220 --> 00:24:51.299 of a need for sacrifice. 00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:52.100 I just watched 00:24:52.100 --> 00:24:53.259 that summer block 00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:54.480 buster Twisters 00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:56.059 and it requires 00:24:56.059 --> 00:24:56.920 a sacrifice. 00:24:58.319 --> 00:24:59.220 It's seen as 00:24:59.220 --> 00:25:00.279 a high virtue 00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:01.579 and it begins 00:25:01.579 --> 00:25:02.460 with, 00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:03.339 you say that 00:25:03.339 --> 00:25:04.460 you bring the animal, 00:25:04.600 --> 00:25:05.480 an innocent animal 00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:06.759 that's done nothing wrong 00:25:06.759 --> 00:25:07.460 and the person 00:25:07.460 --> 00:25:08.059 who's offering 00:25:08.059 --> 00:25:08.720 the sacrifice 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:10.039 puts their hands 00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:11.259 on the head 00:25:11.259 --> 00:25:12.240 of the animal 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:14.120 and the image there 00:25:14.120 --> 00:25:15.259 is that that animal 00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:16.360 is going to stand 00:25:16.360 --> 00:25:17.400 for the human being 00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:19.600 and that in a sense 00:25:19.600 --> 00:25:21.980 all of my wrongdoing, 00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:22.880 all of things 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:23.580 that make me 00:25:23.580 --> 00:25:24.360 out of whack 00:25:24.360 --> 00:25:24.960 with God, 00:25:25.120 --> 00:25:26.500 all of my shame, 00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:29.560 all of those things, 00:25:29.700 --> 00:25:30.320 all of that, 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:31.440 that's laid on the hand 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:32.560 of the innocent animal 00:25:32.560 --> 00:25:35.180 and that it takes my place 00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:36.460 and the innocence, 00:25:36.600 --> 00:25:37.060 in a sense, 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:38.759 in a sense comes to me 00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:40.480 and that's why you see 00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:42.100 it's part of the deep structure. 00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:42.780 That's why I say 00:25:42.780 --> 00:25:43.600 the infallible word, 00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:44.280 the word of the Lord 00:25:44.279 --> 00:25:45.119 is not just a word 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:45.980 from God, 00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:47.379 it's also a word 00:25:47.379 --> 00:25:48.339 about God 00:25:48.339 --> 00:25:49.680 and what God has done 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:50.740 about our relationship 00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:51.279 with him 00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:52.399 and it reveals 00:25:52.399 --> 00:25:53.059 that Jesus 00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:54.639 is the sinless man 00:25:54.639 --> 00:25:56.519 and he fulfills 00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:57.740 all of these things 00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:58.359 that the entire 00:25:58.359 --> 00:25:58.879 Old Testament 00:25:58.879 --> 00:25:59.980 is required of 00:25:59.980 --> 00:26:01.240 and he dies 00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:02.420 in my place. 00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:03.700 When I put my faith 00:26:03.700 --> 00:26:04.599 and trust in Jesus, 00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:05.680 when you put your faith 00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:06.639 and trust in Jesus, 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:08.240 that is the same thing 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:08.839 as putting, 00:26:09.099 --> 00:26:09.759 it's like you put 00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:10.500 your hand in him, 00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:11.299 you give yourself 00:26:11.299 --> 00:26:11.819 to him 00:26:11.819 --> 00:26:14.639 and all of the wrongdoing, 00:26:15.339 --> 00:26:16.240 all of the times 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:16.939 I should have done 00:26:16.939 --> 00:26:17.679 what was right 00:26:17.679 --> 00:26:18.839 and I didn't do it, 00:26:18.899 --> 00:26:19.960 all of my times 00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:21.240 when I arrogantly thought 00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:22.480 that I was infallible 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:23.379 and never wrong, 00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:25.200 all of the hurt 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:25.819 that I've done, 00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:26.899 all of the shame 00:26:26.899 --> 00:26:27.700 that I feel, 00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:29.419 all of the uncleanness 00:26:29.419 --> 00:26:30.099 that I feel, 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:32.200 all of the things 00:26:32.200 --> 00:26:32.679 that I've done 00:26:32.679 --> 00:26:33.439 to wound others 00:26:33.439 --> 00:26:35.119 and how I've wounded myself, 00:26:35.220 --> 00:26:36.319 all of those things 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:37.839 are laid on him 00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:40.480 and he takes my place 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:41.360 and deals with 00:26:41.360 --> 00:26:42.579 all of the consequences 00:26:42.579 --> 00:26:44.059 that are required 00:26:44.059 --> 00:26:45.440 and all that's required 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:46.200 to put that right, 00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:47.880 that is all laid on him 00:26:47.880 --> 00:26:50.059 and he gives me 00:26:50.059 --> 00:26:53.539 the standing of being sinless. 00:26:55.920 --> 00:26:58.140 That is why only a sinless man 00:26:58.140 --> 00:26:59.860 can be the savior, 00:27:00.579 --> 00:27:01.460 a sinless person, 00:27:01.640 --> 00:27:02.380 in this case a man, 00:27:02.460 --> 00:27:03.059 the second Adam. 00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:07.140 Only Jesus is sinless, 00:27:07.299 --> 00:27:08.559 therefore only he 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:09.839 can save you. 00:27:10.339 --> 00:27:11.700 That is so life-giving. 00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:13.579 It's not just life-giving 00:27:13.579 --> 00:27:14.879 in terms of eternal life, 00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:15.700 it's life-giving 00:27:15.700 --> 00:27:18.200 in terms of our daily life. 00:27:20.919 --> 00:27:22.200 It is a burden 00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:23.500 that crushes you 00:27:23.500 --> 00:27:25.859 to think you're infallible. 00:27:26.359 --> 00:27:27.539 It is a burden 00:27:27.539 --> 00:27:29.139 that crushes you 00:27:29.139 --> 00:27:32.339 to think that you don't do wrong. 00:27:32.519 --> 00:27:34.740 It is what drives us to lie. 00:27:35.319 --> 00:27:36.619 It's what drives us 00:27:36.619 --> 00:27:38.179 to alcohol and drugs. 00:27:38.459 --> 00:27:39.879 It's what drives us 00:27:39.879 --> 00:27:40.879 to pornography. 00:27:41.619 --> 00:27:42.959 It's what drives us 00:27:42.959 --> 00:27:45.519 to arrogance and bullying, 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:47.439 the inability to acknowledge 00:27:47.439 --> 00:27:49.179 that we are not right, 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:51.959 that we have done wrong, 00:27:52.119 --> 00:27:53.779 that we're not infallible. 00:27:53.899 --> 00:27:55.259 It drives us to that 00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:56.319 and to come to one 00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:57.479 who saves us, 00:27:57.879 --> 00:27:58.859 to come to know 00:27:58.859 --> 00:28:00.500 that there is something infallible, 00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:01.619 that it's not us, 00:28:01.619 --> 00:28:04.599 and to know it 00:28:04.599 --> 00:28:05.859 in the context of one 00:28:05.859 --> 00:28:06.979 who loves you so much 00:28:06.979 --> 00:28:08.259 that he dies for you, 00:28:08.299 --> 00:28:10.019 it begins to say, 00:28:11.019 --> 00:28:11.299 okay, 00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:13.919 I was wrong about that. 00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:17.239 Okay, yes, 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:18.139 that was my, 00:28:18.299 --> 00:28:19.439 I am ashamed of that. 00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:23.059 I can acknowledge I'm wrong. 00:28:23.899 --> 00:28:24.859 I can acknowledge 00:28:24.859 --> 00:28:27.000 I've done things that are wrong. 00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:29.980 It provides that context 00:28:29.980 --> 00:28:31.279 for us to be free. 00:28:31.480 --> 00:28:32.380 It's why it's life-giving. 00:28:35.420 --> 00:28:35.819 Now, 00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:39.680 what about that weird story, 00:28:39.740 --> 00:28:39.839 though, 00:28:39.859 --> 00:28:40.859 about the fight, George, 00:28:40.900 --> 00:28:42.240 and the circumcision? 00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:42.700 Like, 00:28:42.740 --> 00:28:43.559 those are still weird. 00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:43.779 Like, 00:28:43.799 --> 00:28:45.240 that's very interesting to hear 00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:46.559 that it's part of the deep structure 00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:47.160 of the Bible, 00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:49.319 and it's helping us 00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:50.480 to understand something important 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:51.000 about Jesus 00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:52.099 and something very important 00:28:52.099 --> 00:28:52.720 about us. 00:28:53.180 --> 00:28:53.380 Well, 00:28:53.420 --> 00:28:53.960 remember I said 00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:55.059 the overarching story 00:28:55.059 --> 00:28:56.619 is that there is a holy mystery 00:28:56.619 --> 00:28:59.940 in how the infallible, 00:29:00.159 --> 00:29:00.679 authoritative, 00:29:00.859 --> 00:29:02.039 life-giving word of the Lord 00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:03.139 comes to fallible, 00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:03.940 self-centered, 00:29:04.139 --> 00:29:05.679 death-doomed human beings, 00:29:06.119 --> 00:29:06.740 me included. 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:09.659 And what we can see 00:29:09.659 --> 00:29:10.940 by looking at this argument 00:29:10.940 --> 00:29:11.859 between them 00:29:11.859 --> 00:29:13.220 and the circumcision 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:13.559 is this. 00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:14.419 If you could put up B, 00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:15.579 that would be helpful, Claire. 00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.759 The word of the Lord 00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:19.259 comes into you 00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:20.399 for your good 00:29:20.399 --> 00:29:21.759 and his glory 00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:23.639 without turning you 00:29:23.639 --> 00:29:24.799 into his puppet. 00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:27.139 You still sin, 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:29.759 yet sacrificial love 00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:31.159 blooms in you as well. 00:29:31.579 --> 00:29:32.119 That's partly 00:29:32.119 --> 00:29:33.139 what's the mystery 00:29:33.139 --> 00:29:34.139 about human beings 00:29:34.139 --> 00:29:35.000 and how we change 00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:35.599 in Christ. 00:29:37.339 --> 00:29:37.940 Right? 00:29:38.839 --> 00:29:39.619 He doesn't turn us 00:29:39.619 --> 00:29:40.319 into his puppet. 00:29:41.339 --> 00:29:42.159 Grace comes in 00:29:42.159 --> 00:29:43.279 to perfect our freedom, 00:29:43.500 --> 00:29:45.079 not to remove our freedom. 00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:46.579 It is for freedom 00:29:46.579 --> 00:29:48.019 that Christ died for us. 00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:50.019 And so, 00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:51.460 it's part of this mystery. 00:29:51.659 --> 00:29:51.700 Well, 00:29:51.779 --> 00:29:52.220 in heaven, 00:29:52.319 --> 00:29:52.839 we'll understand 00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:53.919 why it was for our good, 00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:54.620 that there are still 00:29:54.620 --> 00:29:55.519 parts of me, 00:29:55.600 --> 00:29:56.539 and I've been a Christian 00:29:56.539 --> 00:29:58.060 since I was 16 years old, 00:29:58.259 --> 00:29:59.640 and you can tell by my hair 00:29:59.640 --> 00:30:00.360 that was more than 00:30:00.360 --> 00:30:01.420 just a few years ago 00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:02.680 that I was 16. 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:04.460 And there's parts of me 00:30:04.460 --> 00:30:05.539 that the sin 00:30:05.539 --> 00:30:06.480 is just really hard 00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:07.279 to deal with, 00:30:08.180 --> 00:30:09.200 yet at the other time, 00:30:09.300 --> 00:30:10.440 that's not the only thing 00:30:10.440 --> 00:30:10.880 about me. 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:12.180 There is also things 00:30:12.180 --> 00:30:12.620 about me 00:30:12.620 --> 00:30:13.440 and things about you 00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:15.160 where sacrificial love 00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:15.820 blooms. 00:30:17.259 --> 00:30:17.660 See, 00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:18.120 we see it 00:30:18.120 --> 00:30:18.960 in the double story. 00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:21.299 Paul needs Jesus 00:30:21.299 --> 00:30:22.120 as his savior. 00:30:24.120 --> 00:30:25.140 Paul needs Jesus 00:30:25.140 --> 00:30:25.960 as his savior. 00:30:28.019 --> 00:30:29.220 And at the same time, 00:30:29.340 --> 00:30:30.380 why is Timothy, 00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:31.519 why is Timothy 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:32.200 doing this? 00:30:32.299 --> 00:30:32.980 Why is Timothy, 00:30:33.100 --> 00:30:33.819 an 18, 19, 00:30:33.940 --> 00:30:34.680 20-year-old man 00:30:34.680 --> 00:30:36.620 with no anesthetic, 00:30:37.180 --> 00:30:38.660 willing to get circumcised? 00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:41.860 Because he loves 00:30:41.860 --> 00:30:42.759 Jewish people. 00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:49.660 He loves Jewish people. 00:30:51.599 --> 00:30:52.940 And he wants to remove 00:30:52.940 --> 00:30:53.680 any barrier 00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:54.700 that would stop them 00:30:54.700 --> 00:30:56.059 from having him 00:30:56.059 --> 00:30:57.539 spend time with him 00:30:57.539 --> 00:30:58.559 and tell him about Jesus. 00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:01.779 And if that means 00:31:01.779 --> 00:31:03.039 he has to be circumcised, 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:04.200 he'll get circumcised 00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:07.839 as a sacrifice of love 00:31:07.839 --> 00:31:09.339 because he wants 00:31:09.339 --> 00:31:10.000 Jewish people 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:10.700 to know Jesus 00:31:10.700 --> 00:31:12.460 as their savior and Lord. 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:14.379 That's why he does it. 00:31:16.660 --> 00:31:18.240 He knows he doesn't have to, 00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:20.500 but he wants to 00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:20.980 because he loves 00:31:20.980 --> 00:31:21.680 Jewish people. 00:31:26.379 --> 00:31:27.119 You see, 00:31:27.339 --> 00:31:28.279 there's this mystery 00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:29.279 about God's work 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:30.039 in our lives 00:31:30.039 --> 00:31:31.619 as the infallible word 00:31:31.619 --> 00:31:32.279 and as Jesus 00:31:32.279 --> 00:31:33.279 becomes more real 00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:34.279 to us as our savior 00:31:34.279 --> 00:31:36.119 that there are some things, 00:31:36.599 --> 00:31:37.039 friends, 00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:37.960 brothers and sisters, 00:31:38.140 --> 00:31:39.240 if Jesus doesn't tarry, 00:31:39.319 --> 00:31:40.059 there's some sin 00:31:40.059 --> 00:31:40.640 in your life 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:41.599 that you're going 00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:42.460 to have to struggle with 00:31:42.460 --> 00:31:45.079 for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 years, 00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:47.019 always struggling with it. 00:31:47.559 --> 00:31:48.740 There'll be some great victories 00:31:48.740 --> 00:31:49.680 you have over it. 00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:51.880 You'll blow some people away 00:31:51.880 --> 00:31:52.920 with how you've changed 00:31:52.920 --> 00:31:54.240 and there's this act 00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:55.460 of sacrificial love 00:31:55.460 --> 00:31:56.579 that characterizes you 00:31:56.579 --> 00:31:57.220 in some areas 00:31:57.220 --> 00:31:57.940 of your life. 00:32:00.620 --> 00:32:01.680 And it's a mystery 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:02.980 about how God works in us, 00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:04.160 but God's at work in you 00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:04.920 if you've given your life 00:32:04.920 --> 00:32:05.340 to Christ. 00:32:05.460 --> 00:32:06.180 That's the great, 00:32:06.340 --> 00:32:07.200 profound promise. 00:32:07.200 --> 00:32:10.380 And there's one other thing 00:32:10.380 --> 00:32:11.799 about these two stories 00:32:11.799 --> 00:32:12.740 and then we'll just close 00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:13.340 very briefly 00:32:13.340 --> 00:32:14.740 with this next little story 00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:15.680 that comes after that, 00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:16.940 which you could put up 00:32:16.940 --> 00:32:18.559 this, Claire. 00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:20.340 It's God's infallible word 00:32:20.340 --> 00:32:21.980 does not make you infallible. 00:32:23.660 --> 00:32:23.860 Okay? 00:32:24.140 --> 00:32:25.400 God's infallible word 00:32:25.400 --> 00:32:26.960 does not make you infallible. 00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:29.960 It just stands to reason. 00:32:30.100 --> 00:32:30.620 You can't have 00:32:30.620 --> 00:32:32.180 two infallible sources. 00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:33.660 It would be like having 00:32:33.660 --> 00:32:35.019 two irresistible forces. 00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:36.599 You can't have two irresistible 00:32:36.599 --> 00:32:37.639 forces in the universe. 00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:38.379 You can only have 00:32:38.379 --> 00:32:39.440 one infallible source. 00:32:39.519 --> 00:32:40.460 You can't have a second one. 00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:42.779 God's infallible word 00:32:42.779 --> 00:32:44.099 does not make you infallible. 00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:45.819 It humbles you to accept 00:32:45.819 --> 00:32:46.920 that you are fallible. 00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:48.359 Now, it's not seen 00:32:48.359 --> 00:32:49.539 directly in this text, 00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:50.539 but it's seen indirectly 00:32:50.539 --> 00:32:51.220 in this text. 00:32:51.460 --> 00:32:52.019 If you... 00:32:53.180 --> 00:32:54.619 It's not on the screen 00:32:54.619 --> 00:32:57.359 because I forgot to send it 00:32:57.359 --> 00:32:57.759 to Claire. 00:32:58.400 --> 00:33:00.019 But most people agree 00:33:00.579 --> 00:33:01.599 that the last part 00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:02.400 of what we now call 00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:02.920 the Bible 00:33:02.920 --> 00:33:04.740 was a letter that Paul wrote 00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:05.539 to Timothy 00:33:05.539 --> 00:33:07.440 and he wrote it to Timothy 00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:10.200 just shortly before he dies. 00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:12.460 He knows that this time 00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:13.059 there's not going to be 00:33:13.059 --> 00:33:14.200 any miraculous escape 00:33:14.200 --> 00:33:14.960 from his life here. 00:33:15.059 --> 00:33:15.960 I can't find it 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:16.779 when I'm looking for it 00:33:16.779 --> 00:33:17.559 in a rush. 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:18.799 He knows that there's not 00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:19.660 going to be any miraculous 00:33:19.660 --> 00:33:20.880 escape this time 00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:22.839 and he knows 00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:24.039 he's doing hard time 00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:24.599 in a dungeon 00:33:24.599 --> 00:33:25.279 and he knows 00:33:25.279 --> 00:33:26.000 he's going to die 00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:27.019 a martyr's death. 00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:28.000 And by the way, 00:33:28.120 --> 00:33:28.920 one of the things 00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:29.779 he's going to die for, 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:31.859 he dies for a fact. 00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:34.599 He could have saved 00:33:34.599 --> 00:33:35.559 his life if he just said, 00:33:35.659 --> 00:33:36.259 okay, I was kidding, 00:33:36.379 --> 00:33:37.079 Jesus didn't rise 00:33:37.079 --> 00:33:37.619 from the dead. 00:33:38.719 --> 00:33:40.179 Ha ha, joke's on you. 00:33:40.579 --> 00:33:41.619 I didn't really mean it. 00:33:41.879 --> 00:33:42.179 Didn't rise. 00:33:42.639 --> 00:33:43.559 If he had said that, 00:33:43.619 --> 00:33:44.079 he would have got out 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:44.399 of jail. 00:33:45.799 --> 00:33:46.500 But he's not going 00:33:46.500 --> 00:33:47.519 to deny a fact 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:50.059 that he saw Jesus risen. 00:33:51.979 --> 00:33:53.399 But look what he says 00:33:53.399 --> 00:33:54.339 right towards the end 00:33:54.339 --> 00:33:54.959 of his life. 00:33:55.579 --> 00:33:56.879 2 Timothy 4 verse, 00:33:56.880 --> 00:33:58.300 I think it's verse 11. 00:34:00.120 --> 00:34:01.620 Luke alone is with me. 00:34:02.520 --> 00:34:03.540 Get Mark 00:34:03.540 --> 00:34:05.380 and bring him with you 00:34:05.380 --> 00:34:07.140 for he is very useful 00:34:07.140 --> 00:34:08.380 to me for ministry. 00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:11.440 And it's not just 00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:12.420 at the end of his life, 00:34:12.519 --> 00:34:13.240 but if you go back 00:34:13.240 --> 00:34:13.880 and go searching, 00:34:14.019 --> 00:34:14.800 you'll see that somewhere 00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:15.700 after this, 00:34:16.860 --> 00:34:17.760 Paul realizes 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:18.740 that he was wrong. 00:34:20.380 --> 00:34:21.640 He's not infallible. 00:34:21.639 --> 00:34:27.599 And Paul and Mark reconcile. 00:34:29.739 --> 00:34:30.819 You see, friends, 00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:33.239 God's infallible word 00:34:33.239 --> 00:34:34.519 does not make you infallible, 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:35.500 but it humbles you 00:34:35.500 --> 00:34:37.099 to accept that you are fallible. 00:34:37.219 --> 00:34:37.980 And it humbles you 00:34:37.980 --> 00:34:38.500 in another way. 00:34:38.579 --> 00:34:39.099 We'll look at that 00:34:39.099 --> 00:34:39.659 very briefly 00:34:39.659 --> 00:34:40.659 in the final story 00:34:40.659 --> 00:34:41.519 in these final minutes 00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:42.059 of the sermon. 00:34:42.619 --> 00:34:43.379 Look with me 00:34:43.379 --> 00:34:45.920 in verse 6. 00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:46.460 Because you see, 00:34:46.579 --> 00:34:47.619 the fact of the matter is 00:34:47.619 --> 00:34:49.339 that some people 00:34:49.339 --> 00:34:50.699 take this text 00:34:50.699 --> 00:34:51.319 to mean 00:34:51.320 --> 00:34:52.360 this idea 00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:53.340 of the infallible Bible 00:34:53.340 --> 00:34:54.820 means all I need 00:34:54.820 --> 00:34:56.100 is the Bible and me. 00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:58.260 It's all I need. 00:34:58.480 --> 00:34:59.240 I don't need you. 00:34:59.640 --> 00:35:00.440 I don't need to hear 00:35:00.440 --> 00:35:01.220 what people wrote 00:35:01.220 --> 00:35:02.559 about 100 years ago 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:04.300 or 500 years ago 00:35:04.300 --> 00:35:05.140 or 1,000 years ago. 00:35:05.300 --> 00:35:07.880 All I need is this and me. 00:35:09.160 --> 00:35:10.539 I've met lots of people 00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:11.080 like that. 00:35:13.100 --> 00:35:13.980 I've suffered 00:35:13.980 --> 00:35:14.840 under some people 00:35:14.840 --> 00:35:15.500 like that. 00:35:17.120 --> 00:35:17.900 But that's not 00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:18.980 what the Bible teaches. 00:35:20.180 --> 00:35:21.220 Look at the next story. 00:35:22.019 --> 00:35:23.519 Verse 6 of chapter 16. 00:35:24.360 --> 00:35:25.000 And they went through 00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:25.980 the region of Phrygia. 00:35:26.420 --> 00:35:27.880 So verse 5 says, 00:35:28.000 --> 00:35:28.480 so the churches 00:35:28.480 --> 00:35:29.100 were strengthened 00:35:29.100 --> 00:35:29.580 in the faith 00:35:29.580 --> 00:35:30.059 and increased 00:35:30.059 --> 00:35:31.620 in numbers daily. 00:35:31.700 --> 00:35:32.200 That's what we should 00:35:32.200 --> 00:35:33.120 be praying for our church 00:35:33.120 --> 00:35:34.039 so we grow in numbers, 00:35:34.220 --> 00:35:35.480 that each person 00:35:35.480 --> 00:35:36.360 grows in their faith 00:35:36.360 --> 00:35:37.340 and that the church 00:35:37.340 --> 00:35:38.100 grows in numbers. 00:35:38.200 --> 00:35:38.940 It's what we should be 00:35:38.940 --> 00:35:39.920 praying for every ministry 00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:40.519 in the church. 00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:41.780 That people involved 00:35:41.780 --> 00:35:42.400 in the ministry, 00:35:42.580 --> 00:35:42.660 you know, 00:35:42.700 --> 00:35:43.240 the men's group 00:35:43.240 --> 00:35:43.880 or the women's group, 00:35:43.940 --> 00:35:44.480 that they grow 00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:45.059 and they strengthen 00:35:45.059 --> 00:35:45.500 their faith 00:35:45.500 --> 00:35:46.720 and that the ministries grow. 00:35:47.539 --> 00:35:48.500 We should be praying 00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:49.599 for our missionaries 00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:50.059 that they grow 00:35:50.059 --> 00:35:50.579 in the faith 00:35:50.579 --> 00:35:51.119 and that we have 00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:51.980 more missionaries. 00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:53.599 That's a Christian way 00:35:53.599 --> 00:35:54.059 to pray. 00:35:54.659 --> 00:35:56.179 To not pray for growth 00:35:56.179 --> 00:35:58.599 is to miss how to pray. 00:35:58.699 --> 00:35:59.439 But verse 6, 00:35:59.440 --> 00:36:00.500 and they went through 00:36:00.500 --> 00:36:01.579 the regions of Phrygia 00:36:01.579 --> 00:36:02.579 and Galatia 00:36:02.579 --> 00:36:04.179 having, note this, 00:36:04.700 --> 00:36:05.440 been forbidden 00:36:05.440 --> 00:36:06.780 by the Holy Spirit 00:36:06.780 --> 00:36:08.400 to speak the word, 00:36:09.280 --> 00:36:10.019 short for the word 00:36:10.019 --> 00:36:10.400 of the Lord, 00:36:10.500 --> 00:36:10.940 in Asia. 00:36:11.960 --> 00:36:12.880 And when they had 00:36:12.880 --> 00:36:13.880 come up to Mysia, 00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:14.940 they attempted 00:36:14.940 --> 00:36:16.220 to go into Bithynia, 00:36:16.679 --> 00:36:19.039 but the Spirit of Jesus 00:36:19.039 --> 00:36:20.039 did not allow them. 00:36:20.179 --> 00:36:21.260 Two times in a row 00:36:21.260 --> 00:36:22.400 the Spirit says no. 00:36:23.260 --> 00:36:24.700 So passing by Mysia, 00:36:24.800 --> 00:36:26.039 they went down to Troas. 00:36:26.200 --> 00:36:27.260 Now just pause here. 00:36:27.260 --> 00:36:30.220 The Bible doesn't make clear 00:36:30.220 --> 00:36:30.640 how it is 00:36:30.640 --> 00:36:31.420 that the Holy Spirit 00:36:31.420 --> 00:36:31.980 says no. 00:36:33.400 --> 00:36:34.580 But this isn't just 00:36:34.580 --> 00:36:35.940 a simple no once. 00:36:36.900 --> 00:36:39.200 They walked 400 miles, 00:36:40.080 --> 00:36:42.540 640 kilometers of walking 00:36:42.540 --> 00:36:44.380 with a regular no 00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:45.720 of the Holy Spirit. 00:36:46.700 --> 00:36:48.240 640 kilometer walk. 00:36:52.640 --> 00:36:54.120 Pushing them in one direction. 00:36:54.720 --> 00:36:55.680 They can't go this way, 00:36:55.740 --> 00:36:56.640 they can't go this way, 00:36:56.639 --> 00:36:57.559 they can't go this way, 00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:58.500 they're going to go this way. 00:36:59.179 --> 00:37:00.039 We want to go up there, 00:37:00.119 --> 00:37:00.319 no. 00:37:00.619 --> 00:37:01.259 Want to go down there, 00:37:01.319 --> 00:37:01.539 no. 00:37:01.859 --> 00:37:02.420 Want to go up there, 00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:02.659 no. 00:37:02.859 --> 00:37:03.400 Want to go down there, 00:37:03.460 --> 00:37:03.679 no. 00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:05.000 No, no, no, no, no. 00:37:05.879 --> 00:37:06.759 Then verse 9. 00:37:07.799 --> 00:37:08.799 And a vision appeared 00:37:08.799 --> 00:37:09.699 to Paul in the night. 00:37:10.819 --> 00:37:12.059 A man of Macedonia 00:37:12.059 --> 00:37:12.920 was standing there 00:37:12.920 --> 00:37:13.920 urging him and saying, 00:37:14.420 --> 00:37:15.559 come over to Macedonia 00:37:15.559 --> 00:37:16.319 and help us. 00:37:18.219 --> 00:37:19.039 Paul knows that 00:37:19.039 --> 00:37:20.159 the help they need 00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:21.019 is they need to hear 00:37:21.019 --> 00:37:21.679 the word of the Lord. 00:37:22.319 --> 00:37:23.059 The best help 00:37:23.059 --> 00:37:23.440 we can give 00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:24.139 to any human being 00:37:24.139 --> 00:37:24.719 is to tell them 00:37:24.719 --> 00:37:25.279 about Jesus. 00:37:25.280 --> 00:37:27.620 And when Paul 00:37:27.620 --> 00:37:28.460 had seen the vision, 00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:29.440 immediately 00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:30.840 we sought to go 00:37:30.840 --> 00:37:31.880 into Macedonia, 00:37:32.620 --> 00:37:33.460 concluding 00:37:33.460 --> 00:37:34.500 that God 00:37:34.500 --> 00:37:35.240 had called us 00:37:35.240 --> 00:37:35.720 to preach 00:37:35.720 --> 00:37:36.800 the gospel to them. 00:37:37.320 --> 00:37:38.120 And you'll notice there 00:37:38.120 --> 00:37:38.700 that the word 00:37:38.700 --> 00:37:39.640 we shows up, 00:37:39.740 --> 00:37:40.220 that Luke, 00:37:40.360 --> 00:37:41.260 the writer of this, 00:37:41.320 --> 00:37:42.240 is now actually 00:37:42.240 --> 00:37:42.960 part of the story. 00:37:43.019 --> 00:37:43.780 But here's the thing, 00:37:43.820 --> 00:37:44.760 in the original language, 00:37:44.900 --> 00:37:46.019 concluding that God 00:37:46.019 --> 00:37:46.519 had called us 00:37:46.519 --> 00:37:47.340 to preach the gospel 00:37:47.340 --> 00:37:47.800 to them, 00:37:48.320 --> 00:37:49.380 it doesn't mean 00:37:49.380 --> 00:37:50.500 that Paul just said, 00:37:50.880 --> 00:37:51.160 whoa, 00:37:51.320 --> 00:37:52.080 I have this vision, 00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:52.860 you guys all 00:37:52.860 --> 00:37:53.699 have to come along. 00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:55.299 Concluding implies 00:37:55.299 --> 00:37:57.460 there was sustained 00:37:57.460 --> 00:37:58.480 conversation 00:37:58.480 --> 00:37:59.779 amongst the brothers 00:37:59.779 --> 00:38:01.579 to discern 00:38:01.579 --> 00:38:02.319 what God 00:38:02.319 --> 00:38:02.920 had called 00:38:02.920 --> 00:38:03.900 them to do. 00:38:04.739 --> 00:38:06.119 It wasn't just, 00:38:06.759 --> 00:38:07.739 I got my Bible 00:38:07.739 --> 00:38:09.340 and I got God 00:38:09.340 --> 00:38:10.139 and I just do 00:38:10.139 --> 00:38:10.719 whatever I 00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:12.360 bloody well want 00:38:12.360 --> 00:38:15.299 because I think 00:38:15.299 --> 00:38:16.059 I'm infallible. 00:38:16.360 --> 00:38:16.500 No, 00:38:16.639 --> 00:38:16.819 here's, 00:38:16.920 --> 00:38:17.279 can you put up 00:38:17.279 --> 00:38:17.619 the point? 00:38:18.239 --> 00:38:19.199 Since you are 00:38:19.199 --> 00:38:20.480 not infallible, 00:38:21.539 --> 00:38:22.619 you need to learn 00:38:22.619 --> 00:38:24.219 his infallible word 00:38:24.219 --> 00:38:25.239 with the help 00:38:25.239 --> 00:38:26.319 of the Holy Spirit 00:38:26.319 --> 00:38:28.000 and other Christ followers. 00:38:28.159 --> 00:38:28.460 So I'm, 00:38:28.739 --> 00:38:29.199 you know, 00:38:29.259 --> 00:38:30.119 I'm broadening out 00:38:30.119 --> 00:38:31.199 the general point 00:38:31.199 --> 00:38:31.859 of the text, 00:38:32.019 --> 00:38:33.079 which is just this, 00:38:33.119 --> 00:38:33.639 that they needed 00:38:33.639 --> 00:38:34.440 the Holy Spirit. 00:38:37.019 --> 00:38:38.179 They needed God's 00:38:38.179 --> 00:38:38.980 help and direction. 00:38:39.599 --> 00:38:40.699 But they also needed 00:38:40.699 --> 00:38:41.440 conversation 00:38:41.440 --> 00:38:42.279 with their brothers. 00:38:42.759 --> 00:38:43.440 And you could add 00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:44.480 to make it more extensive, 00:38:44.639 --> 00:38:45.460 brothers and sisters. 00:38:45.920 --> 00:38:46.659 And you could add 00:38:46.659 --> 00:38:47.819 for us as a general thing 00:38:47.819 --> 00:38:48.980 as I need help 00:38:48.980 --> 00:38:49.819 when I read the Bible 00:38:49.819 --> 00:38:50.819 from people who lived 00:38:50.819 --> 00:38:51.879 a hundred years ago. 00:38:52.239 --> 00:38:52.940 I want to tell you 00:38:52.940 --> 00:38:53.339 right now, 00:38:53.420 --> 00:38:53.940 if you want to get, 00:38:54.079 --> 00:38:54.960 if you just want to buy 00:38:54.960 --> 00:38:56.519 some commentaries 00:38:56.519 --> 00:38:57.480 on the Gospels, 00:38:57.759 --> 00:38:59.099 you cannot beat 00:38:59.099 --> 00:39:01.559 getting J.C. Ryle's 00:39:01.559 --> 00:39:02.920 commentaries on the Gospels. 00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:03.879 And he wrote them 00:39:03.879 --> 00:39:06.339 in the 18th hundreds. 00:39:07.299 --> 00:39:09.559 And they're absolute dynamite. 00:39:11.139 --> 00:39:12.219 We need help 00:39:12.219 --> 00:39:13.759 from earlier generations 00:39:13.759 --> 00:39:14.359 of Christians. 00:39:14.579 --> 00:39:15.440 It's a good thing 00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:16.139 if you discover 00:39:16.139 --> 00:39:16.880 what Augustine 00:39:16.880 --> 00:39:18.019 or Chrysostom said. 00:39:18.079 --> 00:39:18.820 It's a good thing 00:39:18.820 --> 00:39:19.460 if you discover 00:39:19.460 --> 00:39:20.280 what Ambrose 00:39:20.280 --> 00:39:21.260 or Basil the Great 00:39:21.260 --> 00:39:23.240 or Calvin or Luther said. 00:39:23.340 --> 00:39:24.340 It's a good thing 00:39:24.340 --> 00:39:25.500 to learn from brothers 00:39:25.500 --> 00:39:26.820 and sisters from the past. 00:39:27.059 --> 00:39:28.039 And it's a good thing 00:39:28.039 --> 00:39:29.159 to consult with other 00:39:29.159 --> 00:39:30.400 brothers and sisters today, 00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:31.820 to be part of a local church, 00:39:31.880 --> 00:39:33.920 to be part of a men's ministry 00:39:33.920 --> 00:39:35.039 or a women's ministry 00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:35.980 or a youth group 00:39:35.980 --> 00:39:37.099 or a small group, 00:39:37.480 --> 00:39:38.599 to come to church, 00:39:39.079 --> 00:39:40.400 to together hear 00:39:40.400 --> 00:39:41.340 the word of the Lord 00:39:41.340 --> 00:39:42.740 and discuss what it means 00:39:42.740 --> 00:39:43.880 trusting in the help 00:39:43.880 --> 00:39:44.760 of the Holy Spirit. 00:39:45.380 --> 00:39:45.780 That's, 00:39:47.340 --> 00:39:48.440 there is a holy mystery 00:39:48.440 --> 00:39:49.780 in how the infallible, 00:39:49.940 --> 00:39:50.420 authoritative, 00:39:50.660 --> 00:39:51.460 life-giving word 00:39:51.460 --> 00:39:51.880 of the Lord 00:39:51.880 --> 00:39:53.000 comes to fallible, 00:39:53.220 --> 00:39:53.820 self-centered, 00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:55.440 death-doomed human beings, 00:39:55.800 --> 00:39:56.420 me included. 00:39:56.539 --> 00:39:57.519 And we not only need 00:39:57.519 --> 00:39:58.099 the word of the Lord, 00:39:58.200 --> 00:39:59.079 we need the Holy Spirit. 00:39:59.180 --> 00:40:00.160 We need conversation 00:40:00.160 --> 00:40:00.840 amongst us. 00:40:02.059 --> 00:40:02.960 Brothers and sisters, 00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:03.740 that's what we need. 00:40:04.260 --> 00:40:04.980 Please stand. 00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:06.900 I invite you to stand. 00:40:06.900 --> 00:40:10.079 Just as you're standing, 00:40:10.240 --> 00:40:11.440 if there's any here 00:40:11.440 --> 00:40:12.680 or any who are watching, 00:40:12.920 --> 00:40:15.380 live or down the stream, 00:40:15.500 --> 00:40:16.180 is the word of the Lord 00:40:16.180 --> 00:40:16.760 is for you. 00:40:20.519 --> 00:40:21.840 I've just tried to tell you 00:40:21.840 --> 00:40:22.920 what the Bible teaches, 00:40:23.059 --> 00:40:24.079 not on my own authority, 00:40:24.300 --> 00:40:25.960 but I have consulted 00:40:25.960 --> 00:40:26.760 with other brothers, 00:40:27.440 --> 00:40:27.980 in this case, 00:40:28.420 --> 00:40:28.840 you know, 00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:29.440 mainly brothers. 00:40:29.539 --> 00:40:30.099 Throughout my life, 00:40:30.139 --> 00:40:31.000 I've learned from brothers 00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:31.639 and sisters, 00:40:31.780 --> 00:40:32.700 and I've studied, 00:40:32.900 --> 00:40:34.360 and I try to open 00:40:34.360 --> 00:40:35.260 the word for you, 00:40:35.400 --> 00:40:36.220 and this is a word 00:40:36.220 --> 00:40:37.079 of the Lord for you, 00:40:37.200 --> 00:40:38.500 that Jesus died for you. 00:40:39.559 --> 00:40:40.900 He wants to be your Savior 00:40:40.900 --> 00:40:42.220 and your Lord. 00:40:43.240 --> 00:40:44.340 And if you just say, 00:40:44.420 --> 00:40:44.680 Jesus, 00:40:44.860 --> 00:40:46.420 I want you to be 00:40:46.420 --> 00:40:47.340 my Savior and Lord, 00:40:47.760 --> 00:40:48.500 he's alive. 00:40:48.800 --> 00:40:49.780 He will hear it. 00:40:50.280 --> 00:40:51.440 He will answer it. 00:40:51.820 --> 00:40:53.180 He will come into your life. 00:40:53.620 --> 00:40:54.920 You come into his life 00:40:54.920 --> 00:40:55.840 and what he's done. 00:40:56.579 --> 00:40:57.780 There is no shame, 00:40:58.160 --> 00:40:59.099 so shameful, 00:40:59.579 --> 00:41:00.840 that he will not embrace you. 00:41:00.900 --> 00:41:01.960 There is no sin, 00:41:02.280 --> 00:41:03.039 so highness, 00:41:03.039 --> 00:41:05.139 that he has not paid for it. 00:41:05.360 --> 00:41:06.719 There is no woundedness 00:41:06.719 --> 00:41:07.679 or brokenness 00:41:07.679 --> 00:41:09.099 that is so bad 00:41:09.099 --> 00:41:10.440 and so longstanding 00:41:10.440 --> 00:41:12.279 that he cannot overcome it. 00:41:12.480 --> 00:41:14.039 He sees you as you are, 00:41:14.099 --> 00:41:14.920 and he loves you. 00:41:15.000 --> 00:41:16.059 He died for you. 00:41:17.880 --> 00:41:19.400 He'd like to be your Savior 00:41:19.400 --> 00:41:20.219 and your Lord. 00:41:20.460 --> 00:41:21.639 He will welcome you. 00:41:23.480 --> 00:41:24.159 Let's pray. 00:41:27.940 --> 00:41:29.000 Father, you know 00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:33.000 how we believe 00:41:33.000 --> 00:41:33.860 we're infallible. 00:41:35.079 --> 00:41:35.960 And you know, 00:41:36.119 --> 00:41:36.320 Father, 00:41:36.460 --> 00:41:37.760 how each one of us 00:41:37.760 --> 00:41:38.920 can be blind to that. 00:41:39.960 --> 00:41:40.619 And you know, 00:41:40.800 --> 00:41:41.079 Father, 00:41:41.360 --> 00:41:43.260 how we're a lot better 00:41:43.260 --> 00:41:43.699 at seeing 00:41:43.699 --> 00:41:44.460 in other people 00:41:44.460 --> 00:41:44.940 than we are 00:41:44.940 --> 00:41:46.480 at seeing in ourselves. 00:41:47.599 --> 00:41:48.380 And Father, 00:41:48.599 --> 00:41:49.400 we ask that 00:41:49.400 --> 00:41:51.119 your work of grace 00:41:51.119 --> 00:41:51.800 in our lives 00:41:51.800 --> 00:41:52.820 would continue 00:41:52.820 --> 00:41:54.260 so that we would have 00:41:54.260 --> 00:41:55.179 the freedom 00:41:55.179 --> 00:41:56.119 to lift this 00:41:56.119 --> 00:41:57.500 huge crushing burden 00:41:57.500 --> 00:41:59.179 of infallibility 00:41:59.179 --> 00:41:59.960 from us, 00:42:00.099 --> 00:42:01.599 to know and trust 00:42:01.599 --> 00:42:03.119 that only your word 00:42:03.119 --> 00:42:03.839 is infallible 00:42:03.839 --> 00:42:05.139 because it comes from you 00:42:05.139 --> 00:42:06.539 who are infallible 00:42:06.539 --> 00:42:07.739 and authoritative. 00:42:08.279 --> 00:42:09.039 So we ask, 00:42:09.299 --> 00:42:09.379 Father, 00:42:09.440 --> 00:42:10.059 that you help us 00:42:10.059 --> 00:42:10.500 to read, 00:42:10.639 --> 00:42:11.239 mark, learn, 00:42:11.239 --> 00:42:12.519 and inwardly digest 00:42:12.519 --> 00:42:13.179 your word. 00:42:13.339 --> 00:42:14.159 We ask that you 00:42:14.159 --> 00:42:15.619 help us to engage 00:42:15.619 --> 00:42:16.679 in humble, 00:42:17.219 --> 00:42:18.699 good faith conversations 00:42:18.699 --> 00:42:19.699 with other Christians 00:42:19.699 --> 00:42:21.059 that we might grow 00:42:21.059 --> 00:42:21.979 and learn 00:42:21.979 --> 00:42:24.179 and be ministered to 00:42:24.179 --> 00:42:25.599 and ministered to others. 00:42:26.299 --> 00:42:27.539 That you would grow us 00:42:27.539 --> 00:42:28.199 as a church 00:42:28.199 --> 00:42:29.619 and in all of our ministries, 00:42:29.839 --> 00:42:30.019 Father, 00:42:30.099 --> 00:42:31.079 where we're strengthened 00:42:31.079 --> 00:42:32.479 in the faith 00:42:32.479 --> 00:42:33.699 and we grow in numbers, 00:42:33.919 --> 00:42:34.079 Father, 00:42:34.159 --> 00:42:35.319 all for our good 00:42:35.319 --> 00:42:36.000 and your glory. 00:42:36.139 --> 00:42:37.299 And we ask all these things 00:42:37.299 --> 00:42:38.239 in the name of Jesus, 00:42:38.739 --> 00:42:39.299 your Son 00:42:39.299 --> 00:42:39.939 and our Savior, 00:42:39.940 --> 00:42:41.619 and all God's people said, 00:42:42.380 --> 00:42:42.679 Amen. 00:42:45.320 --> 00:42:46.220 Let's just be seated. 00:42:46.740 --> 00:42:48.139 The service has been shortened. 00:42:49.659 --> 00:42:50.240 We're going to go into, 00:42:50.480 --> 00:42:52.179 but just before we do announcements, 00:42:52.579 --> 00:42:53.179 I'd like to say 00:42:53.179 --> 00:42:54.019 a couple of prayers. 00:42:54.220 --> 00:42:54.940 I know people have to go 00:42:54.940 --> 00:42:55.420 to the bathroom 00:42:55.420 --> 00:42:56.079 and all that's good, 00:42:56.460 --> 00:42:57.099 but we need to say 00:42:57.099 --> 00:42:58.000 a couple of prayers 00:42:58.000 --> 00:43:00.700 before we go into, 00:43:01.599 --> 00:43:02.480 I'll do the announcements 00:43:02.480 --> 00:43:03.420 and then we'll set the table 00:43:03.420 --> 00:43:04.260 for the Lord's Supper. 00:43:04.980 --> 00:43:05.900 Some of you might know 00:43:05.900 --> 00:43:07.240 there's a very momentous day 00:43:07.240 --> 00:43:08.460 happening in a couple of days 00:43:08.460 --> 00:43:09.720 in the United States of America. 00:43:09.940 --> 00:43:10.760 It would be wrong 00:43:10.760 --> 00:43:11.500 if we didn't pray 00:43:11.500 --> 00:43:12.500 for our friends 00:43:12.500 --> 00:43:13.679 south of the border. 00:43:14.159 --> 00:43:15.420 So let's just pray for that 00:43:15.420 --> 00:43:17.179 and a couple of other things as well. 00:43:17.260 --> 00:43:18.000 Let's just bow our heads 00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:18.500 in prayer 00:43:18.500 --> 00:43:20.400 and yeah, 00:43:20.460 --> 00:43:20.980 let's just pray. 00:43:21.099 --> 00:43:21.320 Father, 00:43:21.500 --> 00:43:22.519 we thank you. 00:43:24.340 --> 00:43:25.159 We thank you 00:43:25.159 --> 00:43:26.000 that we get to live 00:43:26.000 --> 00:43:27.700 beside the United States of America 00:43:27.700 --> 00:43:29.059 and there are many things 00:43:29.059 --> 00:43:29.800 about that country 00:43:29.800 --> 00:43:30.440 that are great 00:43:30.440 --> 00:43:30.960 and of course, 00:43:31.059 --> 00:43:31.920 many things about it, 00:43:32.500 --> 00:43:33.039 that country 00:43:33.039 --> 00:43:34.420 that they need to repent of 00:43:34.420 --> 00:43:35.400 and that are worrisome. 00:43:36.200 --> 00:43:36.660 We ask, 00:43:36.900 --> 00:43:37.000 Father, 00:43:37.079 --> 00:43:38.260 that you would have mercy 00:43:38.260 --> 00:43:40.360 on our friends 00:43:40.360 --> 00:43:41.039 to the south, 00:43:41.840 --> 00:43:42.780 that in your mercy 00:43:42.780 --> 00:43:43.880 you would grant them 00:43:43.880 --> 00:43:44.340 a government 00:43:44.340 --> 00:43:45.579 better than they deserve, 00:43:45.740 --> 00:43:48.880 that you would raise up 00:43:48.880 --> 00:43:49.579 men and women 00:43:49.579 --> 00:43:51.480 despite whatever rhetoric 00:43:51.480 --> 00:43:52.539 they might say now, 00:43:52.619 --> 00:43:54.099 that you would move their hearts 00:43:54.099 --> 00:43:55.780 and move their wills, 00:43:55.940 --> 00:43:57.019 that they would seek 00:43:57.019 --> 00:43:57.900 the true good 00:43:57.900 --> 00:43:59.039 of that whole nation, 00:43:59.460 --> 00:44:00.539 the true prosperity 00:44:00.539 --> 00:44:01.720 of all the people 00:44:01.720 --> 00:44:02.940 in that nation 00:44:02.940 --> 00:44:04.539 and that they would be 00:44:04.539 --> 00:44:05.559 a force of good 00:44:05.559 --> 00:44:07.179 in the world. 00:44:07.440 --> 00:44:07.539 Father, 00:44:07.619 --> 00:44:08.559 we ask that you would, 00:44:08.800 --> 00:44:10.240 that regardless of who wins 00:44:10.240 --> 00:44:10.940 and who loses, 00:44:11.139 --> 00:44:11.800 that you would work 00:44:11.800 --> 00:44:12.960 in the hearts of the winners, 00:44:13.940 --> 00:44:15.720 that that would be the result. 00:44:16.579 --> 00:44:17.019 And Father, 00:44:17.079 --> 00:44:17.940 we ask for ourselves 00:44:17.940 --> 00:44:19.079 who will be having an election 00:44:19.079 --> 00:44:20.400 before we know it as well, 00:44:20.480 --> 00:44:22.179 that you will have mercy on us, 00:44:22.780 --> 00:44:24.179 that you give us leaders 00:44:24.179 --> 00:44:25.260 better than we deserve. 00:44:26.639 --> 00:44:26.960 Father, 00:44:27.039 --> 00:44:27.780 we also pray 00:44:27.780 --> 00:44:29.880 for the other gospel-hearted, 00:44:30.079 --> 00:44:31.159 gospel-centered churches 00:44:31.159 --> 00:44:31.760 in this city. 00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:32.540 We ask that you grow 00:44:32.540 --> 00:44:33.540 the bonds of affection 00:44:33.540 --> 00:44:34.520 between our churches, 00:44:35.100 --> 00:44:36.180 that you would help us all 00:44:36.180 --> 00:44:36.980 to thrive 00:44:36.980 --> 00:44:38.940 in proclaiming Jesus. 00:44:39.800 --> 00:44:40.540 We thank you 00:44:40.540 --> 00:44:42.460 for the missionaries 00:44:42.460 --> 00:44:43.280 that we support 00:44:43.280 --> 00:44:44.000 and missionaries 00:44:44.000 --> 00:44:45.260 who are part of our congregation. 00:44:45.520 --> 00:44:47.060 We think of those involved 00:44:47.060 --> 00:44:47.660 in outreach 00:44:47.660 --> 00:44:48.800 to international students 00:44:48.800 --> 00:44:49.460 at Ottawa U, 00:44:49.580 --> 00:44:51.500 and we think of our brother here 00:44:51.500 --> 00:44:54.040 preparing to go to Asia 00:44:54.040 --> 00:44:55.680 to work once again 00:44:55.680 --> 00:44:56.260 as a missionary, 00:44:56.560 --> 00:44:57.780 and the other missionaries 00:44:57.780 --> 00:44:58.400 that we support 00:44:58.400 --> 00:44:59.120 around the world 00:44:59.119 --> 00:45:00.719 in North Africa 00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:02.079 and in South America 00:45:02.079 --> 00:45:03.279 and in the rest of Africa. 00:45:04.279 --> 00:45:05.400 The missionaries 00:45:05.400 --> 00:45:07.019 that we're about to support 00:45:07.019 --> 00:45:07.460 as well, 00:45:07.579 --> 00:45:09.099 ministering to Afghanistan 00:45:09.099 --> 00:45:10.599 and in Kuwait. 00:45:11.239 --> 00:45:11.559 Father, 00:45:11.619 --> 00:45:12.500 we ask your blessing 00:45:12.500 --> 00:45:13.839 upon these missionaries, 00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:16.179 and we ask that you 00:45:16.179 --> 00:45:17.799 increase our generosity 00:45:17.799 --> 00:45:20.420 towards these really important works. 00:45:21.179 --> 00:45:21.619 And Father, 00:45:21.679 --> 00:45:22.659 we ask that you bless 00:45:22.659 --> 00:45:24.420 those who still work 00:45:24.420 --> 00:45:25.980 in the public square, 00:45:25.980 --> 00:45:27.559 whether it's in the civil service 00:45:27.559 --> 00:45:29.400 or whether it's in private industry 00:45:29.400 --> 00:45:30.179 or in the arts 00:45:30.179 --> 00:45:31.300 or education. 00:45:31.940 --> 00:45:32.780 We ask, Father, 00:45:32.860 --> 00:45:33.579 that you help them 00:45:33.579 --> 00:45:34.320 to work well 00:45:34.320 --> 00:45:35.119 for your glory, 00:45:35.320 --> 00:45:36.079 grant them wisdom 00:45:36.079 --> 00:45:37.000 and discernment, 00:45:37.539 --> 00:45:39.460 how they can speak 00:45:39.460 --> 00:45:41.079 into their places of work 00:45:41.079 --> 00:45:42.260 and their places of influence 00:45:42.260 --> 00:45:42.760 in a way 00:45:42.760 --> 00:45:44.519 that's good 00:45:44.519 --> 00:45:45.119 and true 00:45:45.119 --> 00:45:45.780 and just 00:45:45.780 --> 00:45:46.380 and merciful 00:45:46.380 --> 00:45:47.260 and wise 00:45:47.260 --> 00:45:49.159 so that our city 00:45:49.159 --> 00:45:49.699 and our nation 00:45:49.699 --> 00:45:50.400 will thrive. 00:45:51.099 --> 00:45:51.960 And for all of us, 00:45:52.079 --> 00:45:52.240 Father, 00:45:52.300 --> 00:45:53.300 we ask that you help us 00:45:53.300 --> 00:45:54.599 to have a winsome, 00:45:54.960 --> 00:45:55.880 humble courage, 00:45:55.980 --> 00:45:57.219 to share the gospel. 00:45:57.579 --> 00:45:59.119 Help us to recognize opportunities 00:45:59.119 --> 00:46:00.199 to share the gospel. 00:46:01.059 --> 00:46:01.420 And Father, 00:46:01.500 --> 00:46:02.639 we all have loved ones 00:46:02.639 --> 00:46:03.300 that we are praying 00:46:03.300 --> 00:46:04.579 will come to a saving faith 00:46:04.579 --> 00:46:05.019 in Jesus. 00:46:05.679 --> 00:46:06.579 And we ask, Father, 00:46:06.659 --> 00:46:07.519 that you would bring 00:46:07.519 --> 00:46:08.579 our loved ones 00:46:08.579 --> 00:46:10.019 to a saving faith 00:46:10.019 --> 00:46:11.179 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:46:11.800 --> 00:46:12.800 And we ask these things 00:46:12.800 --> 00:46:13.719 in the name of Jesus, 00:46:13.900 --> 00:46:15.000 your Son and our Savior. 00:46:15.780 --> 00:46:16.139 Amen.