WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.040
 Good morning. Today's Old Testament reading is from Isaiah chapter 56, verse 1 to 8.

00:00:06.459 --> 00:00:09.220
 Isaiah chapter 56, verse 1 to 8.

00:00:09.779 --> 00:00:11.279
 This is what the Lord says.

00:00:11.900 --> 00:00:13.919
 Maintain justice and do what is right.

00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:18.280
 For my salvation is close at hand, and my righteousness will soon be revealed.

00:00:18.940 --> 00:00:22.059
 Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast,

00:00:22.400 --> 00:00:26.900
 who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.

00:00:26.899 --> 00:00:30.739
 Let no foreigner who has bind himself to the Lord say,

00:00:30.859 --> 00:00:32.799
 The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.

00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:36.219
 And let not any eunuch complain, I am only a dry tree.

00:00:36.739 --> 00:00:38.060
 For this is what the Lord says.

00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:43.539
 To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleads me, and hold fast to my covenant,

00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:49.340
 to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters.

00:00:49.820 --> 00:00:52.980
 I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.

00:00:52.979 --> 00:00:58.559
 And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to serve him, to love the name of the Lord, and to worship him,

00:00:58.919 --> 00:01:02.640
 all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it, and who hold fast to my covenant,

00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:07.239
 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer.

00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:11.379
 Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar,

00:01:11.939 --> 00:01:14.879
 for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.

00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:16.799
 The sovereign Lord declares,

00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:22.399
 He who gathers the exiles of Israel, I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.

00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:27.400
 Hi, my name is Derek and I'm one of the members here at Brunsfield,

00:01:27.900 --> 00:01:32.040
 and it's been my privilege this morning to have been asked to read from God's Word,

00:01:32.500 --> 00:01:38.520
 from the New Testament in the Book of Acts, chapter 16, verses 11 to 40.

00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:43.519
 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace,

00:01:44.500 --> 00:01:48.519
 and the next day we went to Naples, and from there we travelled to Philippi,

00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:52.519
 a Roman colony and leading city of that district of Macedonia,

00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:55.780
 and we stayed there several days.

00:01:56.979 --> 00:02:03.000
 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river where we expected to find a place of prayer.

00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:07.760
 We sat down and began to speak to the women there who had gathered there.

00:02:08.139 --> 00:02:13.659
 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia,

00:02:14.439 --> 00:02:16.199
 a dealer in purple cloth.

00:02:16.939 --> 00:02:18.259
 She was a worshipper of God.

00:02:19.180 --> 00:02:22.199
 The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.

00:02:22.900 --> 00:02:25.939
 When she and her members of her household were baptised,

00:02:26.020 --> 00:02:27.460
 she invited us to her home.

00:02:27.460 --> 00:02:31.099
 If you consider me a believer in the Lord, she said,

00:02:31.460 --> 00:02:32.960
 come and stay at my house.

00:02:33.480 --> 00:02:34.600
 And she persuaded us.

00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:38.540
 Once when we were going to the place of prayer,

00:02:38.640 --> 00:02:43.520
 we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she had predicted the future.

00:02:44.300 --> 00:02:47.500
 She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:50.760
 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting,

00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:53.680
 These men are the servants of the Most High God

00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:56.560
 who are telling you the way to be saved.

00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:58.960
 She kept us up for many days.

00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:04.099
 Finally, Paul became so annoyed that he turned round and said to the spirit,

00:03:04.300 --> 00:03:07.759
 In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her.

00:03:08.620 --> 00:03:11.159
 At that moment, the spirit left her.

00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:16.280
 When her owners realised that their hope of making money was gone,

00:03:16.439 --> 00:03:19.199
 they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace

00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:21.080
 to face the authorities.

00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:24.300
 They brought them before the magistrates and said,

00:03:24.500 --> 00:03:27.980
 These men are Jews and are throwing our city into an uproar

00:03:27.980 --> 00:03:30.260
 by advocating customs,

00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:33.340
 unlawful for us Romans to accept or practise.

00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:37.180
 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas

00:03:37.180 --> 00:03:41.340
 and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.

00:03:41.340 --> 00:03:43.939
 After they had been severely flogged,

00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:45.740
 they were thrown into prison

00:03:45.740 --> 00:03:48.740
 and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.

00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:51.099
 When he received these orders,

00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:54.980
 he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stalks.

00:03:56.280 --> 00:03:57.080
 About midnight,

00:03:57.740 --> 00:04:00.900
 Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God

00:04:00.900 --> 00:04:03.060
 and the other prisoners were listening to them.

00:04:04.020 --> 00:04:05.879
 Suddenly, there was a violent earthquake

00:04:05.879 --> 00:04:08.659
 that the foundations of the prison were shaken.

00:04:10.099 --> 00:04:12.099
 At once all the prison doors flew open

00:04:12.099 --> 00:04:14.519
 and everyone's chains came loose.

00:04:15.359 --> 00:04:16.319
 The jailer woke up

00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:19.480
 and when he saw the prison doors open,

00:04:19.579 --> 00:04:21.699
 he drew his sword and was about to kill himself

00:04:21.699 --> 00:04:24.500
 because he thought the prisoners had escaped.

00:04:25.779 --> 00:04:26.659
 But Paul shouted,

00:04:26.839 --> 00:04:27.800
 Don't harm yourself.

00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:29.600
 We are all here.

00:04:30.459 --> 00:04:32.100
 The jailer called for lights,

00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:33.639
 rushed in and felt trembling

00:04:33.639 --> 00:04:35.399
 before Paul and Silas.

00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:38.199
 He then brought them out and asked,

00:04:38.860 --> 00:04:40.740
 Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

00:04:41.420 --> 00:04:42.199
 They replied,

00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:44.120
 Believe in the Lord Jesus

00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:45.560
 and you will be saved,

00:04:46.300 --> 00:04:47.459
 you and your household.

00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:51.000
 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him

00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:52.639
 and all the others in his house.

00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:54.500
 At that hour of the night,

00:04:54.639 --> 00:04:56.860
 the jailer took them and washed their wounds.

00:04:57.519 --> 00:04:58.139
 Then immediately,

00:04:58.719 --> 00:05:01.120
 all his household were baptized.

00:05:02.259 --> 00:05:04.240
 The jailer brought them into his house

00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:05.980
 and set a meal before them.

00:05:07.980 --> 00:05:09.699
 He was filled with joy

00:05:09.699 --> 00:05:11.860
 because he had come to believe in God,

00:05:12.620 --> 00:05:13.819
 he and his whole household.

00:05:14.699 --> 00:05:16.040
 Then it was daylight.

00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:18.400
 The magistrates sent their officers

00:05:18.400 --> 00:05:19.519
 to the jailer with the order,

00:05:20.120 --> 00:05:21.019
 Release those men.

00:05:21.019 --> 00:05:22.899
 The jailer told Paul,

00:05:23.039 --> 00:05:24.079
 The magistrates have ordered

00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:26.120
 that you and Silas be released.

00:05:26.579 --> 00:05:27.519
 Now you can leave.

00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:28.939
 Go in peace.

00:05:30.019 --> 00:05:30.159
 Now,

00:05:30.500 --> 00:05:31.899
 but Paul said to the officers,

00:05:32.299 --> 00:05:34.379
 They beat us publicly without a trial,

00:05:34.839 --> 00:05:36.819
 even though we are Roman citizens,

00:05:37.699 --> 00:05:39.219
 and threw us into prison.

00:05:39.919 --> 00:05:40.459
 And now,

00:05:41.039 --> 00:05:42.339
 do they want

00:05:42.339 --> 00:05:43.879
 to get rid of us quietly?

00:05:43.879 --> 00:05:44.600
 No,

00:05:44.600 --> 00:05:46.939
 let them come themselves

00:05:46.939 --> 00:05:48.259
 and escort us out.

00:05:49.779 --> 00:05:51.560
 The officers reported this

00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:52.540
 to the magistrates.

00:05:53.100 --> 00:05:54.899
 When they heard that Paul and Silas

00:05:54.899 --> 00:05:56.560
 were Roman citizens,

00:05:56.759 --> 00:05:57.860
 they were alarmed.

00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:00.819
 They came to appease them

00:06:00.819 --> 00:06:02.019
 and escorted them

00:06:02.019 --> 00:06:03.439
 from the prison,

00:06:03.659 --> 00:06:05.240
 requesting them to leave the city.

00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:07.480
 After Paul and Silas

00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:08.319
 came out of the prison,

00:06:08.500 --> 00:06:09.699
 they went to Lydia's house,

00:06:09.699 --> 00:06:13.120
 where they met with the brothers

00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:15.360
 and sisters

00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:16.219
 and encouraged them.

00:06:16.579 --> 00:06:17.259
 Then they left.

00:06:18.699 --> 00:06:18.959
 Amen.

00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:20.839
 Well,

00:06:20.920 --> 00:06:21.339
 good morning,

00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:21.839
 folks.

00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:23.899
 It's lovely to have you with us.

00:06:24.379 --> 00:06:25.159
 Let me invite you

00:06:25.159 --> 00:06:25.939
 to grab a Bible

00:06:25.939 --> 00:06:26.860
 if you have one there

00:06:26.860 --> 00:06:27.639
 and come with me

00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:29.099
 to the book of Acts

00:06:29.099 --> 00:06:31.079
 and to chapter 16.

00:06:31.219 --> 00:06:32.099
 This is where we're going to be

00:06:32.099 --> 00:06:34.060
 over the next little while.

00:06:34.379 --> 00:06:35.699
 We're going to be thinking about

00:06:35.699 --> 00:06:36.620
 and seeing

00:06:36.620 --> 00:06:38.000
 what happened

00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:39.039
 when the gospel

00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:41.180
 that is the good news of Jesus

00:06:41.180 --> 00:06:42.860
 when that message

00:06:42.860 --> 00:06:44.080
 hit Europe.

00:06:45.420 --> 00:06:46.960
 So to get us into this today,

00:06:47.100 --> 00:06:48.879
 let me just ask you

00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:49.860
 a question.

00:06:50.660 --> 00:06:51.420
 What do

00:06:51.420 --> 00:06:52.740
 a bull,

00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:54.900
 an electric fence,

00:06:55.320 --> 00:06:56.820
 and an expensive lawyer

00:06:56.820 --> 00:06:57.580
 have in common?

00:06:59.580 --> 00:07:00.000
 Okay,

00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:01.259
 it's going to be really painful

00:07:01.259 --> 00:07:02.660
 if any of them

00:07:02.660 --> 00:07:03.620
 charge you.

00:07:05.080 --> 00:07:05.320
 Okay,

00:07:05.379 --> 00:07:05.840
 so one day,

00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:07.200
 I really hope that joke

00:07:07.200 --> 00:07:08.480
 gets a laugh,

00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:09.200
 but not today.

00:07:09.860 --> 00:07:10.480
 But see,

00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:11.379
 while we're on the topic

00:07:11.379 --> 00:07:12.759
 of things that people

00:07:12.759 --> 00:07:13.840
 have in common,

00:07:13.960 --> 00:07:14.480
 let me ask you

00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:15.400
 another question.

00:07:16.620 --> 00:07:17.340
 What do

00:07:17.340 --> 00:07:19.280
 a businesswoman,

00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:21.720
 a slave girl,

00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:25.379
 and a prison guard

00:07:25.379 --> 00:07:26.140
 have in common?

00:07:27.060 --> 00:07:27.259
 Now,

00:07:27.280 --> 00:07:28.520
 that sounds a bit like

00:07:28.520 --> 00:07:29.120
 it's the beginning

00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:29.800
 of another joke,

00:07:29.819 --> 00:07:30.900
 and just before you turn off,

00:07:30.960 --> 00:07:31.439
 let me tell you

00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:32.040
 that it's not.

00:07:32.420 --> 00:07:32.860
 Actually,

00:07:32.960 --> 00:07:33.860
 it's the riddle

00:07:33.860 --> 00:07:35.220
 that's at the heart

00:07:35.220 --> 00:07:36.980
 of our passage

00:07:36.980 --> 00:07:38.800
 in Acts chapter 16,

00:07:38.900 --> 00:07:39.540
 because this is what

00:07:39.540 --> 00:07:40.600
 we're going to see today.

00:07:41.260 --> 00:07:42.120
 We're going to meet

00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:45.000
 three very different people.

00:07:45.860 --> 00:07:47.560
 Three very different people,

00:07:48.040 --> 00:07:49.160
 and we're going to hear

00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:51.700
 their three different stories

00:07:51.700 --> 00:07:54.280
 about how each of their lives

00:07:54.280 --> 00:07:56.340
 has been transformed

00:07:56.340 --> 00:08:00.380
 by the one same Savior.

00:08:00.379 --> 00:08:03.219
 So these three different people

00:08:03.219 --> 00:08:04.600
 are miles apart

00:08:04.600 --> 00:08:06.040
 in terms of who they are,

00:08:06.139 --> 00:08:07.259
 in terms of what they do,

00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:09.719
 and in terms of how life

00:08:09.719 --> 00:08:11.379
 has turned out for each of them.

00:08:11.420 --> 00:08:12.459
 You could not pick

00:08:12.459 --> 00:08:14.379
 three more different individuals.

00:08:15.420 --> 00:08:16.159
 And we meet them all

00:08:16.159 --> 00:08:18.379
 in Acts chapter 16.

00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:20.600
 So as you're turning there,

00:08:20.699 --> 00:08:22.300
 let me just bring you up to speed

00:08:22.300 --> 00:08:23.439
 with where we are

00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:25.019
 in the book of Acts.

00:08:25.579 --> 00:08:26.779
 Because the gospel,

00:08:26.779 --> 00:08:29.000
 that is the good news

00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:30.319
 of the crucified,

00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:31.699
 risen, reigning,

00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:33.240
 and one day returning

00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:34.519
 glorious Jesus,

00:08:35.220 --> 00:08:36.480
 has been taken

00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:37.779
 into the world

00:08:37.779 --> 00:08:40.579
 by the twelve apostles.

00:08:41.860 --> 00:08:43.139
 And despite some pretty

00:08:43.139 --> 00:08:44.639
 severe opposition

00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:45.819
 at times,

00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:47.959
 every so often

00:08:47.959 --> 00:08:49.079
 in the book of Acts,

00:08:49.379 --> 00:08:50.339
 Luke gives us

00:08:50.339 --> 00:08:51.740
 the repeated phrase,

00:08:52.899 --> 00:08:54.199
 the word of the Lord

00:08:54.199 --> 00:08:55.220
 continued

00:08:55.220 --> 00:08:56.960
 to multiply.

00:08:58.340 --> 00:08:59.420
 The word of the Lord

00:08:59.420 --> 00:09:00.779
 continued to multiply.

00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:01.700
 So in other words,

00:09:02.180 --> 00:09:04.279
 nothing is going to stop

00:09:04.279 --> 00:09:05.340
 the momentum

00:09:05.340 --> 00:09:06.680
 of this message

00:09:06.680 --> 00:09:07.580
 as God,

00:09:07.820 --> 00:09:08.759
 through the power

00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:10.360
 of His Holy Spirit,

00:09:11.040 --> 00:09:12.759
 is deeply convicting

00:09:12.759 --> 00:09:14.300
 men and women

00:09:14.300 --> 00:09:15.540
 of their sin,

00:09:15.860 --> 00:09:17.320
 of their need of God,

00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:18.740
 and at the same time

00:09:18.740 --> 00:09:19.759
 is pointing them

00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:20.580
 and drawing them

00:09:20.580 --> 00:09:21.620
 to the message

00:09:21.620 --> 00:09:22.680
 of Jesus,

00:09:23.139 --> 00:09:24.080
 the one in whom

00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:25.200
 is found forgiveness

00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:26.480
 and newness

00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:27.560
 of life.

00:09:28.520 --> 00:09:29.280
 And people are

00:09:29.280 --> 00:09:30.240
 becoming Christians

00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:32.120
 in their thousands.

00:09:33.700 --> 00:09:34.660
 And one of these

00:09:34.660 --> 00:09:35.460
 people

00:09:35.460 --> 00:09:37.200
 is this man

00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:38.480
 named Paul.

00:09:39.460 --> 00:09:40.500
 This former

00:09:40.500 --> 00:09:41.600
 persecutor

00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:42.180
 of Christians

00:09:42.180 --> 00:09:43.360
 who is stopped

00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:44.460
 in his tracks

00:09:44.460 --> 00:09:45.960
 by the risen Jesus

00:09:45.960 --> 00:09:47.660
 as he is on his way

00:09:47.660 --> 00:09:48.620
 to make sure

00:09:48.620 --> 00:09:49.180
 that Christians

00:09:49.180 --> 00:09:50.580
 are put in jail.

00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:51.640
 He encounters

00:09:51.640 --> 00:09:52.520
 the risen Jesus

00:09:52.520 --> 00:09:53.300
 and his life

00:09:53.300 --> 00:09:54.160
 is transformed.

00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:55.559
 And this former

00:09:55.559 --> 00:09:56.500
 persecutor

00:09:56.500 --> 00:09:57.399
 becomes a preacher.

00:09:58.480 --> 00:09:59.899
 And he's got a heart

00:09:59.899 --> 00:10:00.779
 to take

00:10:00.779 --> 00:10:02.779
 the news of Jesus

00:10:02.779 --> 00:10:04.120
 to the peoples

00:10:04.120 --> 00:10:06.039
 of the nations

00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:07.939
 who have yet

00:10:07.939 --> 00:10:08.579
 to hear

00:10:08.579 --> 00:10:09.740
 about him.

00:10:09.839 --> 00:10:10.719
 So this is where

00:10:10.719 --> 00:10:11.959
 we are in Acts

00:10:11.959 --> 00:10:12.480
 chapter 16.

00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:13.000
 16.

00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:15.000
 So this guy

00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:15.720
 Paul guided

00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:16.379
 by the Holy

00:10:16.379 --> 00:10:16.759
 Spirit

00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:17.500
 has made

00:10:17.500 --> 00:10:18.259
 his way

00:10:18.259 --> 00:10:19.519
 to Europe.

00:10:20.180 --> 00:10:21.019
 And he's made

00:10:21.019 --> 00:10:21.379
 his way

00:10:21.379 --> 00:10:22.279
 to this city

00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:22.899
 called

00:10:22.899 --> 00:10:24.220
 Philippi.

00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:25.680
 And so it's in

00:10:25.680 --> 00:10:27.539
 this Roman

00:10:27.539 --> 00:10:29.300
 and in this

00:10:29.300 --> 00:10:30.379
 prestigious city

00:10:30.379 --> 00:10:31.920
 that God

00:10:31.920 --> 00:10:32.480
 births

00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:34.100
 a church.

00:10:34.100 --> 00:10:36.740
 So here's

00:10:36.740 --> 00:10:37.019
 what I want

00:10:37.019 --> 00:10:37.700
 you to imagine.

00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:39.680
 Imagine these

00:10:39.680 --> 00:10:40.340
 guys are having

00:10:40.340 --> 00:10:40.960
 their first

00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:41.860
 ever church

00:10:41.860 --> 00:10:42.360
 meeting.

00:10:43.060 --> 00:10:43.600
 Right, we'll

00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:44.379
 stick with theme

00:10:44.379 --> 00:10:45.600
 and we'll call it

00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:47.399
 Philippi Evangelical

00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:47.720
 Church.

00:10:47.779 --> 00:10:48.159
 Here they are

00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:48.540
 having their

00:10:48.540 --> 00:10:49.120
 first meeting,

00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:49.399
 right?

00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:50.600
 Someone's brought

00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:51.139
 the quiche.

00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:52.639
 Someone else

00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:52.899
 has brought

00:10:52.899 --> 00:10:53.540
 the schlore.

00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:54.920
 Someone else

00:10:54.920 --> 00:10:55.259
 has brought

00:10:55.259 --> 00:10:55.960
 their guitar

00:10:55.960 --> 00:10:56.580
 complete with

00:10:56.580 --> 00:10:57.420
 rainbow strap

00:10:57.420 --> 00:10:58.019
 and is handing

00:10:58.019 --> 00:10:59.080
 around the lyrics

00:10:59.080 --> 00:10:59.560
 of Shine

00:10:59.559 --> 00:11:00.359
 Jesus Shine.

00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:01.759
 And once the

00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:02.919
 novelty of that

00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:04.259
 awkward icebreaker

00:11:04.259 --> 00:11:05.059
 game has worn

00:11:05.059 --> 00:11:07.139
 off, somebody

00:11:07.139 --> 00:11:07.739
 turns and

00:11:07.739 --> 00:11:08.339
 addresses the

00:11:08.339 --> 00:11:09.859
 room and

00:11:09.859 --> 00:11:10.839
 says, you

00:11:10.839 --> 00:11:11.019
 know what,

00:11:11.059 --> 00:11:11.339
 why don't we

00:11:11.339 --> 00:11:11.859
 go around the

00:11:11.859 --> 00:11:12.119
 room?

00:11:12.979 --> 00:11:13.639
 Why don't each

00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:14.719
 of us tell us

00:11:14.719 --> 00:11:16.599
 why you are

00:11:16.599 --> 00:11:17.219
 here?

00:11:17.419 --> 00:11:18.039
 Why don't each

00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:19.179
 of you tell us

00:11:19.179 --> 00:11:20.439
 why it is and

00:11:20.439 --> 00:11:21.239
 how it is that

00:11:21.239 --> 00:11:21.939
 you came to

00:11:21.939 --> 00:11:22.939
 know Jesus as

00:11:22.939 --> 00:11:23.759
 your saviour?

00:11:25.099 --> 00:11:25.679
 And since we've

00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:26.099
 got a bit of

00:11:26.099 --> 00:11:26.779
 manners here,

00:11:26.959 --> 00:11:27.959
 why don't we do

00:11:27.959 --> 00:11:28.799
 the ladies come

00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:29.279
 first?

00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:30.119
 Kind of thing.

00:11:31.079 --> 00:11:31.539
 And so, but what

00:11:31.539 --> 00:11:33.079
 about you, Lydia?

00:11:33.339 --> 00:11:34.119
 Lydia, how did

00:11:34.119 --> 00:11:34.659
 you come to

00:11:34.659 --> 00:11:35.299
 trust Jesus?

00:11:37.079 --> 00:11:37.719
 And so here,

00:11:37.839 --> 00:11:39.679
 verses 11 to

00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:40.899
 15 in the text,

00:11:41.619 --> 00:11:42.959
 is the story of

00:11:42.959 --> 00:11:44.819
 a lady who heard

00:11:44.819 --> 00:11:45.759
 something different.

00:11:46.979 --> 00:11:47.739
 You see, here's,

00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:48.599
 and come with me,

00:11:48.659 --> 00:11:49.239
 here's what Luke

00:11:49.239 --> 00:11:50.159
 tells us about

00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:51.339
 Lydia, verse 14.

00:11:52.119 --> 00:11:52.839
 She's originally

00:11:52.839 --> 00:11:53.879
 from this place

00:11:53.879 --> 00:11:54.779
 just down the road

00:11:54.779 --> 00:11:56.439
 called Thyatira.

00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:57.959
 And she's most

00:11:57.959 --> 00:11:59.039
 likely probably in

00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:00.159
 Philippi on

00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:01.099
 business.

00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:02.480
 And do you notice

00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:03.000
 how she's not

00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:03.860
 just in any

00:12:03.860 --> 00:12:04.379
 old business?

00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:05.839
 She is a

00:12:05.839 --> 00:12:06.860
 seller of

00:12:06.860 --> 00:12:08.059
 purple goods.

00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:09.319
 And what we

00:12:09.319 --> 00:12:10.319
 need to understand

00:12:10.319 --> 00:12:12.079
 is that purple

00:12:12.079 --> 00:12:13.219
 was the

00:12:13.219 --> 00:12:14.219
 rare,

00:12:14.740 --> 00:12:15.419
 expensive,

00:12:16.059 --> 00:12:17.240
 and sought-after

00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:18.659
 dye of the

00:12:18.659 --> 00:12:18.980
 day.

00:12:19.839 --> 00:12:20.079
 Right?

00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:20.620
 So put that

00:12:20.620 --> 00:12:21.120
 together in

00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:21.839
 modern-day terms.

00:12:22.179 --> 00:12:22.819
 Lydia's working

00:12:22.819 --> 00:12:23.459
 for the first

00:12:23.459 --> 00:12:24.399
 century equivalent

00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:25.220
 of Ralph Lauren

00:12:25.220 --> 00:12:25.579
 here.

00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:27.639
 She is the

00:12:27.639 --> 00:12:29.159
 Karen Brady

00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:30.240
 of her day.

00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:31.679
 She's used to

00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:32.480
 hanging out with

00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:33.059
 and connecting

00:12:33.059 --> 00:12:34.279
 with the well-to-do,

00:12:34.459 --> 00:12:35.139
 and all the while

00:12:35.139 --> 00:12:35.939
 she's rocking a

00:12:35.939 --> 00:12:37.759
 stylish gilie like

00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:38.579
 there's no tomorrow.

00:12:38.699 --> 00:12:39.279
 I mean, Lydia,

00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:39.840
 as we meet her

00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:40.699
 here, Lydia,

00:12:41.100 --> 00:12:41.959
 the lady's got

00:12:41.959 --> 00:12:42.620
 class.

00:12:45.139 --> 00:12:46.019
 And she's also

00:12:46.019 --> 00:12:46.720
 a worshipper of

00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:46.939
 God.

00:12:47.019 --> 00:12:47.199
 You see,

00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:48.139
 Luke tells us

00:12:48.139 --> 00:12:48.360
 that.

00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:50.279
 Which means

00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:50.879
 that even though

00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:51.539
 she's not a

00:12:51.539 --> 00:12:51.840
 Jew,

00:12:52.740 --> 00:12:53.940
 she recognizes

00:12:53.940 --> 00:12:54.899
 and she

00:12:54.899 --> 00:12:56.220
 worships

00:12:56.220 --> 00:12:57.220
 the gods

00:12:57.220 --> 00:12:58.440
 that the

00:12:58.440 --> 00:12:59.340
 Jews

00:12:59.340 --> 00:12:59.940
 worship.

00:13:01.460 --> 00:13:01.960
 She's a

00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:02.639
 God-fearer.

00:13:03.580 --> 00:13:04.139
 This is

00:13:04.139 --> 00:13:04.480
 Lydia.

00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:06.800
 And Paul and

00:13:06.800 --> 00:13:07.220
 his traveling

00:13:07.220 --> 00:13:07.820
 companions,

00:13:07.980 --> 00:13:08.539
 they meet Lydia

00:13:08.539 --> 00:13:09.419
 at this place

00:13:09.419 --> 00:13:10.000
 of prayer

00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:10.659
 down by the

00:13:10.659 --> 00:13:10.919
 river.

00:13:12.440 --> 00:13:12.920
 And what do

00:13:12.920 --> 00:13:13.159
 they do?

00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:13.860
 They simply

00:13:13.860 --> 00:13:15.060
 share the

00:13:15.060 --> 00:13:16.340
 gospel with

00:13:16.340 --> 00:13:16.580
 her.

00:13:17.180 --> 00:13:17.820
 And I love

00:13:17.820 --> 00:13:18.180
 how

00:13:18.179 --> 00:13:19.599
 gentle

00:13:19.599 --> 00:13:20.859
 what happens

00:13:20.859 --> 00:13:21.559
 next is.

00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:23.519
 Because as

00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:23.779
 they were

00:13:23.779 --> 00:13:24.379
 telling her,

00:13:25.339 --> 00:13:25.819
 her eyes

00:13:25.819 --> 00:13:26.339
 are opened

00:13:26.339 --> 00:13:27.959
 and her

00:13:27.959 --> 00:13:28.679
 heart lights

00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:30.059
 up because

00:13:30.059 --> 00:13:30.599
 what they

00:13:30.599 --> 00:13:31.399
 were saying

00:13:31.399 --> 00:13:33.039
 is everything

00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:33.559
 that she'd

00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:34.219
 been searching

00:13:34.219 --> 00:13:35.459
 for.

00:13:36.679 --> 00:13:37.379
 Because they

00:13:37.379 --> 00:13:37.719
 told her

00:13:37.719 --> 00:13:38.319
 about Jesus.

00:13:39.979 --> 00:13:40.659
 Now, just

00:13:40.659 --> 00:13:41.099
 before we get

00:13:41.099 --> 00:13:41.679
 the impression

00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:42.479
 that Paul's

00:13:42.479 --> 00:13:43.179
 rocked up here

00:13:43.179 --> 00:13:43.620
 and delivered

00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:44.219
 the ultimate

00:13:44.219 --> 00:13:44.939
 two ways to

00:13:44.939 --> 00:13:45.879
 live demonstration,

00:13:47.079 --> 00:13:47.559
 see what Luke

00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:48.259
 tells us about

00:13:48.259 --> 00:13:48.919
 what's really

00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:49.619
 going on behind

00:13:49.619 --> 00:13:50.059
 the scenes.

00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:50.319
 What's

00:13:50.319 --> 00:13:50.979
 happened here?

00:13:52.139 --> 00:13:52.519
 Well,

00:13:54.179 --> 00:13:55.319
 the Lord

00:13:55.319 --> 00:13:56.479
 opened her

00:13:56.479 --> 00:13:58.079
 heart to

00:13:58.079 --> 00:13:58.839
 respond to

00:13:58.839 --> 00:13:59.659
 Paul's message.

00:14:00.239 --> 00:14:00.799
 See, this is

00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:01.159
 Jesus.

00:14:02.099 --> 00:14:03.039
 Jesus is on

00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:03.500
 the move.

00:14:03.659 --> 00:14:04.419
 Jesus took

00:14:04.419 --> 00:14:05.719
 the key and

00:14:05.719 --> 00:14:06.559
 unlocked the

00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:07.259
 door of her

00:14:07.259 --> 00:14:07.739
 heart.

00:14:08.239 --> 00:14:09.199
 He opened the

00:14:09.199 --> 00:14:09.959
 curtains into

00:14:09.959 --> 00:14:10.699
 her dark

00:14:10.699 --> 00:14:11.559
 heart and

00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:12.579
 light came

00:14:12.579 --> 00:14:13.459
 flooding in.

00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:14.299
 And just like

00:14:14.299 --> 00:14:14.939
 that, Lydia

00:14:14.939 --> 00:14:15.579
 got it.

00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:17.279
 Silently,

00:14:17.779 --> 00:14:18.679
 gently, but

00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:19.120
 boy, did

00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:19.799
 she get it.

00:14:21.539 --> 00:14:22.079
 And the

00:14:22.079 --> 00:14:22.479
 thing is, how

00:14:22.479 --> 00:14:23.659
 many of us

00:14:23.659 --> 00:14:24.319
 have stories

00:14:24.319 --> 00:14:24.779
 just like

00:14:24.779 --> 00:14:25.059
 that?

00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:26.419
 Right?

00:14:26.459 --> 00:14:26.799
 There was no

00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:27.259
 dramatic

00:14:27.259 --> 00:14:27.939
 moment.

00:14:28.779 --> 00:14:29.139
 There was no

00:14:29.139 --> 00:14:29.799
 angelic

00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:30.500
 encounter.

00:14:30.719 --> 00:14:30.879
 I mean,

00:14:31.179 --> 00:14:31.879
 Netflix didn't

00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:32.659
 ring us up and

00:14:32.659 --> 00:14:33.139
 ask if they

00:14:33.139 --> 00:14:33.699
 could make a

00:14:33.699 --> 00:14:34.679
 documentary about

00:14:34.679 --> 00:14:35.740
 our journey to

00:14:35.740 --> 00:14:36.579
 faith because it

00:14:36.579 --> 00:14:36.939
 would be the

00:14:36.939 --> 00:14:37.719
 most boring

00:14:37.719 --> 00:14:39.199
 documentary ever.

00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:41.479
 But make no

00:14:41.479 --> 00:14:42.359
 mistake that

00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:43.300
 every single

00:14:43.300 --> 00:14:44.240
 person who

00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.220
 decides to

00:14:45.220 --> 00:14:46.460
 follow Jesus

00:14:46.460 --> 00:14:47.860
 is an

00:14:47.860 --> 00:14:49.200
 example of

00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:49.800
 a miracle

00:14:49.800 --> 00:14:51.279
 of mercy.

00:14:54.060 --> 00:14:54.440
 Because there's

00:14:54.440 --> 00:14:55.580
 nothing unspectacular,

00:14:55.779 --> 00:14:56.320
 is there, about

00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:57.759
 God taking a

00:14:57.759 --> 00:14:59.220
 spiritually dead

00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:00.980
 person and

00:15:00.980 --> 00:15:02.080
 breathing into

00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:02.659
 them life.

00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:05.759
 I love what

00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:06.460
 happens next.

00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:07.159
 What does Lydia

00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:07.480
 do?

00:15:07.580 --> 00:15:07.980
 Does she say,

00:15:08.060 --> 00:15:08.519
 that's great,

00:15:08.600 --> 00:15:08.920
 and she moves

00:15:08.920 --> 00:15:09.300
 on with her

00:15:09.300 --> 00:15:09.539
 life?

00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:10.080
 No, she gets

00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:11.360
 involved in

00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:12.300
 gospel work.

00:15:12.740 --> 00:15:13.120
 Do you see

00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:13.300
 it?

00:15:13.539 --> 00:15:14.060
 And so Lydia

00:15:14.060 --> 00:15:14.960
 starts using

00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:15.600
 the things that

00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:17.200
 she has, which

00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:17.840
 will have been

00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:19.360
 many, and she

00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:20.379
 becomes a patron

00:15:20.379 --> 00:15:22.139
 for gospel work.

00:15:22.180 --> 00:15:22.820
 I love that.

00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:25.139
 Many of you will

00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:25.720
 know my

00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:27.019
 predecessor here,

00:15:27.100 --> 00:15:27.639
 John Gemmel.

00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:28.419
 He now works for

00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:29.279
 an organization

00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:30.800
 down in London

00:15:30.800 --> 00:15:31.259
 called the

00:15:31.259 --> 00:15:31.720
 Proclamation

00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:32.519
 Trust.

00:15:32.620 --> 00:15:33.419
 And really, it's a

00:15:33.419 --> 00:15:34.539
 Bible school that's

00:15:34.539 --> 00:15:35.460
 training people how

00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:36.240
 to handle the

00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:36.860
 Bible, and it's

00:15:36.860 --> 00:15:37.740
 just sending them

00:15:37.740 --> 00:15:38.519
 out into the

00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:38.820
 world.

00:15:40.500 --> 00:15:41.100
 And the vision

00:15:41.100 --> 00:15:42.080
 for the

00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:42.519
 Proclamation

00:15:42.519 --> 00:15:43.480
 Trust came

00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:44.480
 from a man

00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:45.620
 called Dick

00:15:45.620 --> 00:15:45.980
 Lucas.

00:15:46.139 --> 00:15:46.600
 Many of you

00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:46.960
 might have

00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:47.460
 heard of him,

00:15:47.540 --> 00:15:47.879
 and Dick

00:15:47.879 --> 00:15:49.820
 Lucas, he had

00:15:49.820 --> 00:15:50.820
 the vision for

00:15:50.820 --> 00:15:51.480
 the Proclamation

00:15:51.480 --> 00:15:53.659
 Trust, but he

00:15:53.659 --> 00:15:54.360
 lacked the

00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:56.159
 contacts and the

00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:57.100
 money to make it

00:15:57.100 --> 00:15:57.899
 a reality.

00:15:59.320 --> 00:16:00.019
 And he met a

00:16:00.019 --> 00:16:01.540
 wealthy Christian

00:16:01.540 --> 00:16:02.840
 businesswoman

00:16:02.840 --> 00:16:03.740
 rather, called

00:16:03.740 --> 00:16:05.480
 Ronnie Wilcox,

00:16:05.480 --> 00:16:07.039
 and he shared

00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:07.440
 with them the

00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:07.759
 vision.

00:16:08.800 --> 00:16:09.620
 And instantly,

00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:12.560
 Ronnie Wilcox

00:16:12.560 --> 00:16:13.700
 bought into the

00:16:13.700 --> 00:16:15.480
 vision, and he

00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:16.200
 gave Dick

00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:17.340
 Lucas the seed

00:16:17.340 --> 00:16:19.039
 money to start

00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:19.740
 the Proclamation

00:16:19.740 --> 00:16:20.300
 Trust.

00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:21.560
 And now they

00:16:21.560 --> 00:16:22.600
 reckon that 1,500

00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:23.940
 people have come

00:16:23.940 --> 00:16:24.700
 through that

00:16:24.700 --> 00:16:25.800
 course, and the

00:16:25.800 --> 00:16:26.940
 vast majority of

00:16:26.940 --> 00:16:27.399
 them are still

00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:28.120
 working somewhere

00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:28.800
 in the UK.

00:16:28.940 --> 00:16:29.180
 Isn't that

00:16:29.180 --> 00:16:29.680
 fantastic?

00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:32.399
 You see, Lydia

00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:34.759
 plays that role

00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:35.579
 here in

00:16:35.579 --> 00:16:36.120
 Philippi.

00:16:36.239 --> 00:16:36.879
 She gets

00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:37.779
 involved in

00:16:37.779 --> 00:16:38.579
 gospel work.

00:16:38.659 --> 00:16:39.419
 She becomes a

00:16:39.419 --> 00:16:40.500
 gospel patron.

00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:41.120
 In fact, she's

00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:41.779
 most likely the

00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:42.959
 one who's hosting

00:16:42.959 --> 00:16:43.979
 this little church

00:16:43.979 --> 00:16:44.779
 as it meets.

00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:46.120
 I love that.

00:16:47.620 --> 00:16:48.139
 That's something

00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:49.679
 that some of you

00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:50.199
 as you're watching

00:16:50.199 --> 00:16:50.759
 this might want

00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:51.359
 to consider.

00:16:51.739 --> 00:16:52.739
 We all need to

00:16:52.739 --> 00:16:53.159
 consider it.

00:16:53.179 --> 00:16:54.299
 How can we use

00:16:54.299 --> 00:16:55.000
 what the Lord

00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:56.059
 has given us

00:16:56.059 --> 00:16:58.679
 for his work?

00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:01.279
 So this is

00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:01.579
 Lydia.

00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:03.319
 Right, we're

00:17:03.319 --> 00:17:04.000
 back in this

00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:05.500
 first church

00:17:05.500 --> 00:17:06.579
 meeting of

00:17:06.579 --> 00:17:07.679
 Philippi Evangelical

00:17:07.679 --> 00:17:08.000
 Church.

00:17:08.139 --> 00:17:08.759
 Lydia's finished

00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:09.339
 her story and

00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:10.039
 she tags to

00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:11.220
 her right.

00:17:12.879 --> 00:17:13.359
 And we move

00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:14.179
 from a lady who

00:17:14.179 --> 00:17:14.859
 heard something

00:17:14.859 --> 00:17:17.000
 different to a

00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:17.559
 girl, and this

00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:18.599
 is verses 16 to

00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:20.399
 24, a girl who

00:17:20.399 --> 00:17:21.940
 received something

00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:22.419
 different.

00:17:23.299 --> 00:17:24.379
 Because you see,

00:17:24.539 --> 00:17:25.399
 if Lydia is a

00:17:25.399 --> 00:17:26.659
 woman who in a

00:17:26.659 --> 00:17:27.319
 sense has got

00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:28.299
 everything going

00:17:28.299 --> 00:17:28.960
 for her, she's

00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:29.500
 got everything

00:17:29.500 --> 00:17:30.019
 she'd ever

00:17:30.019 --> 00:17:30.480
 need.

00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:32.539
 Well, here is a

00:17:32.539 --> 00:17:33.180
 girl who's at

00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:33.640
 the other end

00:17:33.640 --> 00:17:34.279
 of the spectrum

00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:36.640
 who has absolutely

00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:37.940
 nothing going for

00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:38.059
 her.

00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:38.940
 Here is this

00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:39.779
 slave girl.

00:17:40.140 --> 00:17:40.660
 In fact, do you

00:17:40.660 --> 00:17:41.579
 notice in the text

00:17:41.579 --> 00:17:42.039
 that she's a

00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:42.759
 double slave?

00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:43.480
 Do you see that?

00:17:44.539 --> 00:17:45.480
 Because not only

00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:46.900
 are her owners

00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:49.420
 treating her like

00:17:49.420 --> 00:17:52.059
 property, which is

00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:52.619
 frightening in

00:17:52.619 --> 00:17:53.460
 itself to think

00:17:53.460 --> 00:17:54.160
 about what that

00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:55.160
 might have meant

00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:56.839
 for this young

00:17:56.839 --> 00:17:57.140
 woman.

00:17:57.140 --> 00:17:59.240
 woman, she's

00:17:59.240 --> 00:17:59.780
 also demon

00:17:59.780 --> 00:18:00.420
 possessed.

00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:02.560
 And you take

00:18:02.560 --> 00:18:03.259
 those two things

00:18:03.259 --> 00:18:04.259
 together and join

00:18:04.259 --> 00:18:05.240
 them, and that is

00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:06.400
 a situation that

00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:07.160
 should break our

00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:07.700
 hearts.

00:18:09.160 --> 00:18:09.820
 And what this

00:18:09.820 --> 00:18:11.200
 slave girl has

00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:12.180
 done for days,

00:18:12.259 --> 00:18:12.700
 do you see it?

00:18:12.759 --> 00:18:13.380
 She's followed

00:18:13.380 --> 00:18:14.520
 Paul and Silas

00:18:14.520 --> 00:18:15.180
 around, and she

00:18:15.180 --> 00:18:16.800
 just shouted at

00:18:16.800 --> 00:18:17.240
 them the whole

00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:17.660
 time.

00:18:18.600 --> 00:18:19.400
 And it seems

00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:20.420
 that verse 18,

00:18:20.520 --> 00:18:21.480
 that Paul gets to

00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:22.259
 the point where

00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:24.120
 he's had enough.

00:18:24.119 --> 00:18:24.839
 Now, the word

00:18:24.839 --> 00:18:25.459
 that we get in

00:18:25.459 --> 00:18:26.299
 verse 18 there

00:18:26.299 --> 00:18:27.239
 is annoyed.

00:18:27.459 --> 00:18:28.519
 It says Paul was

00:18:28.519 --> 00:18:29.719
 greatly annoyed.

00:18:29.819 --> 00:18:30.500
 And we hear that

00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:31.099
 and we think to

00:18:31.099 --> 00:18:31.979
 ourselves, yeah, I

00:18:31.979 --> 00:18:32.399
 know what that

00:18:32.399 --> 00:18:33.079
 means to be

00:18:33.079 --> 00:18:33.439
 annoyed.

00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:35.459
 When that person

00:18:35.459 --> 00:18:36.199
 cuts me up in the

00:18:36.199 --> 00:18:37.419
 bypass, that is

00:18:37.419 --> 00:18:37.799
 annoying.

00:18:39.019 --> 00:18:39.959
 When my internet

00:18:39.959 --> 00:18:41.199
 connection cuts out

00:18:41.199 --> 00:18:42.219
 on the vital part of

00:18:42.219 --> 00:18:43.179
 that Zoom call, that

00:18:43.179 --> 00:18:43.779
 is annoying.

00:18:46.479 --> 00:18:47.559
 Is that what Paul is

00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:47.879
 feeling?

00:18:48.779 --> 00:18:49.459
 Well, do you see

00:18:49.459 --> 00:18:50.339
 the word in Greek,

00:18:50.439 --> 00:18:51.519
 it carries with it a

00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:52.159
 lot more of the

00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:53.380
 sense that when

00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:54.360
 Paul looked at

00:18:54.360 --> 00:18:56.200
 this girl and he

00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:57.019
 considered her

00:18:57.019 --> 00:18:59.660
 situation, that he

00:18:59.660 --> 00:19:01.140
 was deeply grieved in

00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:01.740
 his soul.

00:19:03.360 --> 00:19:04.420
 Because he looked at

00:19:04.420 --> 00:19:05.560
 this slave girl and

00:19:05.560 --> 00:19:06.140
 he thought to

00:19:06.140 --> 00:19:07.519
 himself, that is

00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:08.480
 not right.

00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:11.000
 That is not how it

00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:12.160
 should be.

00:19:13.600 --> 00:19:14.420
 And incredibly

00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:15.400
 through Paul, the

00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:16.660
 risen Jesus frees

00:19:16.660 --> 00:19:17.680
 this girl from her

00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:18.480
 double bondage.

00:19:18.560 --> 00:19:19.200
 Do you see it?

00:19:20.300 --> 00:19:20.860
 And do you see as

00:19:20.860 --> 00:19:21.600
 well in the text how

00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:22.199
 there's a hope

00:19:22.199 --> 00:19:22.759
 reversal?

00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:24.179
 How at the

00:19:24.179 --> 00:19:24.899
 beginning of this

00:19:24.899 --> 00:19:25.719
 episode, her

00:19:25.719 --> 00:19:26.539
 owners, they've got

00:19:26.539 --> 00:19:27.359
 all the hope of

00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:27.980
 making the money

00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:28.779
 here because they

00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:29.559
 can exploit this

00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:29.859
 girl.

00:19:29.939 --> 00:19:30.359
 But now at the

00:19:30.359 --> 00:19:31.299
 end of the story,

00:19:32.059 --> 00:19:33.000
 verse 19, they

00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:34.240
 recognize their hope

00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:35.000
 has gone.

00:19:35.179 --> 00:19:35.899
 Who's got the hope

00:19:35.899 --> 00:19:36.259
 now?

00:19:36.439 --> 00:19:37.579
 This slave girl has

00:19:37.579 --> 00:19:38.259
 the hope.

00:19:40.019 --> 00:19:40.799
 Now listen, it's not

00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:41.779
 explicit in the text

00:19:41.779 --> 00:19:42.539
 that she became a

00:19:42.539 --> 00:19:42.899
 Christian.

00:19:44.839 --> 00:19:47.139
 But I think the

00:19:47.139 --> 00:19:48.439
 fact not only that

00:19:48.439 --> 00:19:49.379
 Luke has recorded

00:19:49.380 --> 00:19:51.340
 this event, but

00:19:51.340 --> 00:19:52.000
 the fact that he

00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:53.100
 has sandwiched it

00:19:53.100 --> 00:19:54.600
 between Lydia and

00:19:54.600 --> 00:19:55.240
 the jailer who

00:19:55.240 --> 00:19:55.800
 will come on to

00:19:55.800 --> 00:19:56.360
 meet in just a

00:19:56.360 --> 00:19:58.120
 second, the way

00:19:58.120 --> 00:19:58.840
 that he's structured

00:19:58.840 --> 00:19:59.740
 that, I think we

00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:01.140
 can read that as if

00:20:01.140 --> 00:20:01.700
 she did.

00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:04.080
 And this girl with

00:20:04.080 --> 00:20:05.540
 nothing going for

00:20:05.540 --> 00:20:06.140
 her, we're not even

00:20:06.140 --> 00:20:06.960
 told here she's got

00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:07.820
 any kind of family

00:20:07.820 --> 00:20:08.600
 who would look after

00:20:08.600 --> 00:20:09.580
 her, she's welcomed

00:20:09.580 --> 00:20:11.960
 in to this family

00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:12.920
 of faith.

00:20:14.080 --> 00:20:15.060
 And just think on

00:20:15.060 --> 00:20:15.420
 that, right?

00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:16.600
 I love what that

00:20:16.600 --> 00:20:17.480
 tells us about the

00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:18.319
 God of the Bible.

00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:21.160
 Because here is a

00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:22.279
 slave girl who

00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:23.980
 probably spent her

00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:25.539
 life every evening

00:20:25.539 --> 00:20:27.099
 crying herself to

00:20:27.099 --> 00:20:28.259
 sleep, thinking to

00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:29.579
 herself, does anybody

00:20:29.579 --> 00:20:30.200
 care?

00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:31.880
 Does anybody know?

00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:33.500
 Does anybody see?

00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:34.539
 Well, what does this

00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:34.900
 tell you?

00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:36.000
 It tells you that God

00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:36.559
 sees.

00:20:37.819 --> 00:20:39.039
 And God knows.

00:20:40.019 --> 00:20:41.980
 And God cares.

00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:44.019
 And I love this in the

00:20:44.019 --> 00:20:44.940
 context of the book of

00:20:44.940 --> 00:20:45.160
 Acts.

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:46.200
 What's this telling us?

00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:47.279
 It's telling us that

00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:48.220
 God cares about the

00:20:48.220 --> 00:20:48.660
 thousands.

00:20:49.420 --> 00:20:50.480
 And God cares about

00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:51.259
 the individuals.

00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:54.559
 Here is a girl who in

00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:55.620
 many respects to the

00:20:55.620 --> 00:20:56.660
 world is unseen.

00:20:57.700 --> 00:20:59.140
 And yet to the God of

00:20:59.140 --> 00:21:01.200
 the Bible, she is loved

00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:01.740
 and known.

00:21:03.860 --> 00:21:04.240
 Do you know what?

00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:04.940
 She's a girl who's

00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:05.740
 received something

00:21:05.740 --> 00:21:06.180
 different.

00:21:06.299 --> 00:21:07.340
 What has she received?

00:21:07.840 --> 00:21:08.860
 Well, through God's

00:21:08.860 --> 00:21:10.200
 people, she has received

00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:11.860
 the compassion of

00:21:11.860 --> 00:21:12.299
 Christ.

00:21:12.299 --> 00:21:15.200
 You know, one of my

00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:16.659
 fellow pastors in

00:21:16.659 --> 00:21:18.700
 Edinburgh, and one of

00:21:18.700 --> 00:21:19.559
 the guys I've got the

00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:21.639
 utmost respect for is a

00:21:21.639 --> 00:21:22.680
 man called Mez

00:21:22.680 --> 00:21:23.119
 McConnell.

00:21:24.139 --> 00:21:25.460
 And he ministers down at

00:21:25.460 --> 00:21:26.720
 Nidrae Community Church,

00:21:26.819 --> 00:21:28.379
 just down the road,

00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:29.019
 really around the corner

00:21:29.019 --> 00:21:29.839
 from where we live.

00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:31.500
 And his story of coming

00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:33.359
 to faith reminded me

00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:34.460
 this week of the slave

00:21:34.460 --> 00:21:34.799
 girls.

00:21:35.579 --> 00:21:36.700
 And he wrote his story

00:21:36.700 --> 00:21:37.700
 about how he came to

00:21:37.700 --> 00:21:38.659
 faith, and he simply

00:21:38.659 --> 00:21:39.619
 called it, Is

00:21:39.619 --> 00:21:41.000
 anybody out there?

00:21:42.119 --> 00:21:43.019
 I'll let you read it

00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:45.139
 and journey with him

00:21:45.139 --> 00:21:47.099
 in his story, but such

00:21:47.099 --> 00:21:48.079
 a big part of him

00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:49.539
 coming to faith was the

00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:50.639
 fact that when he was

00:21:50.639 --> 00:21:53.159
 in prison, some

00:21:53.159 --> 00:21:54.579
 Christians that he knew,

00:21:55.199 --> 00:21:56.359
 they didn't give up on

00:21:56.359 --> 00:21:58.019
 him, but actually they

00:21:58.019 --> 00:21:59.619
 kept on visiting him

00:21:59.619 --> 00:22:00.839
 and chatting to him

00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:01.500
 about Jesus.

00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:03.299
 And when Mez

00:22:03.299 --> 00:22:04.419
 eventually got released

00:22:04.419 --> 00:22:05.279
 because he had nowhere

00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:06.539
 to go and to save him

00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:08.419
 sliding back into old

00:22:08.419 --> 00:22:09.279
 patterns, these

00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:10.559
 Christians invited him

00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:11.579
 to come and live

00:22:11.579 --> 00:22:13.079
 with him, with them

00:22:13.079 --> 00:22:13.339
 rather.

00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:16.379
 And slowly but surely

00:22:16.379 --> 00:22:18.559
 Mez's life as he

00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:20.299
 heard the gospel

00:22:20.299 --> 00:22:21.619
 from these Christians

00:22:21.619 --> 00:22:22.480
 and as he saw

00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:24.339
 their lives, began

00:22:24.339 --> 00:22:25.460
 to make a massive

00:22:25.460 --> 00:22:27.259
 impact on his own.

00:22:28.119 --> 00:22:29.279
 And he gave his life

00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:29.799
 to Jesus.

00:22:31.299 --> 00:22:31.839
 And now the guy

00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:34.160
 runs a network

00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:35.099
 of church planters

00:22:35.099 --> 00:22:36.099
 targeting planting

00:22:36.099 --> 00:22:36.960
 churches in some of

00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:37.700
 the most deprived

00:22:37.700 --> 00:22:38.740
 areas, not just of

00:22:38.740 --> 00:22:39.740
 Scotland, but of the

00:22:39.740 --> 00:22:40.140
 world.

00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:42.660
 So there's a guy

00:22:42.660 --> 00:22:43.319
 who encountered

00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:44.299
 the compassion of

00:22:44.299 --> 00:22:45.579
 Christ through the

00:22:45.579 --> 00:22:46.759
 Lord's people.

00:22:46.900 --> 00:22:48.640
 And that's the slave

00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:49.940
 girl's story about how

00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:50.640
 she came to meet

00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.000
 Jesus.

00:22:53.299 --> 00:22:54.240
 So we're back at our

00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:55.220
 first church meeting,

00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:55.519
 right?

00:22:56.359 --> 00:22:57.400
 And after the slave

00:22:57.400 --> 00:22:59.000
 girls told her story,

00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:00.920
 she tags to her right

00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:01.380
 as well.

00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:02.000
 And we move

00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:03.980
 finally from a girl

00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:05.120
 who received something

00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:07.179
 different to a man,

00:23:07.259 --> 00:23:07.879
 and this is verses

00:23:07.879 --> 00:23:09.959
 25 to 40, a man

00:23:09.959 --> 00:23:11.279
 who saw something

00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:11.799
 different.

00:23:13.459 --> 00:23:14.139
 Because you know,

00:23:14.219 --> 00:23:14.959
 you see in the text,

00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:16.279
 there was a real cost

00:23:16.279 --> 00:23:18.319
 to the freedom of that

00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:19.619
 slave girl for Paul and

00:23:19.619 --> 00:23:20.019
 Silas.

00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:21.419
 It didn't go unnoticed.

00:23:22.379 --> 00:23:23.279
 The locals, what do

00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:23.559
 they do?

00:23:23.679 --> 00:23:25.119
 They've kicked off and

00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:26.439
 these two men have

00:23:26.439 --> 00:23:28.019
 ended up being flogged

00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:29.039
 and put in jail.

00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:31.200
 And the jailer,

00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:31.960
 do you see, he makes

00:23:31.960 --> 00:23:33.259
 sure that, boys, you

00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:34.839
 are going nowhere fast.

00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:35.879
 And so here is this

00:23:35.879 --> 00:23:36.299
 jailer.

00:23:36.420 --> 00:23:37.579
 He's our third person

00:23:37.579 --> 00:23:38.480
 on the scene here.

00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:40.720
 Now he's probably an

00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:42.359
 ex-Roman soldier who's

00:23:42.359 --> 00:23:44.099
 now been given a gig

00:23:44.099 --> 00:23:46.000
 looking after this jail

00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:47.220
 as a kind of easing you

00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:48.639
 into retirement kind of

00:23:48.639 --> 00:23:48.960
 thing.

00:23:50.619 --> 00:23:51.200
 And what does that

00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:51.460
 mean?

00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:52.799
 Well, it means that this

00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:53.759
 guy is an ex-Roman

00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:54.180
 soldier.

00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:55.079
 It means that he had

00:23:55.079 --> 00:23:56.119
 seen some serious

00:23:56.119 --> 00:23:57.200
 stuff in his life.

00:23:57.200 --> 00:23:59.340
 And given his new

00:23:59.340 --> 00:24:00.680
 job in this jail, he'll

00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:02.299
 have seen and heard

00:24:02.299 --> 00:24:03.680
 some serious characters

00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:05.360
 in his life as well.

00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:06.920
 Now he's probably, I'd

00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:08.019
 imagine he's a hardened

00:24:08.019 --> 00:24:09.120
 guy, right?

00:24:09.319 --> 00:24:10.220
 He's the kind of guy

00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:11.539
 that watches Ross Kemp

00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:12.240
 on gangs.

00:24:12.340 --> 00:24:13.039
 He's the kind of guy

00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:13.940
 that wears the tattoos.

00:24:14.259 --> 00:24:15.460
 And he's probably the

00:24:15.460 --> 00:24:16.480
 kind of guy that says,

00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:18.980
 religion, not for me,

00:24:19.120 --> 00:24:19.600
 thanks.

00:24:20.940 --> 00:24:21.960
 Don't do that emotional

00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:22.360
 stuff.

00:24:22.420 --> 00:24:23.420
 I don't do that kind of

00:24:23.420 --> 00:24:23.740
 stuff.

00:24:23.840 --> 00:24:24.500
 But do you know what?

00:24:24.539 --> 00:24:25.220
 He's seen a lot of

00:24:25.220 --> 00:24:25.980
 stuff in his life, but

00:24:25.980 --> 00:24:26.900
 he's seen nothing.

00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:28.799
 He's seen like what he's

00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:31.279
 about to see this night.

00:24:32.420 --> 00:24:33.440
 And everything about this

00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:34.680
 scene is strange if you've

00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:35.420
 got it there, okay?

00:24:35.480 --> 00:24:36.480
 Notice three really

00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:38.900
 strange things that we get

00:24:38.900 --> 00:24:39.519
 in the text.

00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:41.380
 Here's the first thing from

00:24:41.380 --> 00:24:42.400
 the jailer's perspective.

00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:44.000
 Firstly, what's strange is

00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:45.620
 that he hears Paul and

00:24:45.620 --> 00:24:46.220
 Silas.

00:24:47.460 --> 00:24:48.180
 He hears them.

00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:49.400
 Now remember these two

00:24:49.400 --> 00:24:51.420
 men, their wounds are still

00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:53.259
 fresh and raw.

00:24:53.500 --> 00:24:54.700
 And what are they doing?

00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:55.640
 Are they crying?

00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:56.600
 Are they complaining?

00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:57.359
 What are they doing?

00:24:57.459 --> 00:24:59.039
 Verse 25, they're singing.

00:25:00.539 --> 00:25:01.679
 And they're not singing

00:25:01.679 --> 00:25:03.379
 always look on the bright

00:25:03.379 --> 00:25:04.480
 side of life.

00:25:04.539 --> 00:25:05.119
 They're in there.

00:25:05.219 --> 00:25:05.939
 What they're doing is

00:25:05.939 --> 00:25:06.919
 they're belting out,

00:25:07.019 --> 00:25:08.240
 kumbaya, my Lord.

00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:12.079
 And it's clearly that loud

00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:13.199
 because the jailer, do you

00:25:13.199 --> 00:25:14.740
 notice, and the prisoners

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:16.039
 can all hear them.

00:25:16.099 --> 00:25:17.439
 Now there is an episode of

00:25:17.439 --> 00:25:18.559
 Songs of Praise I'd love to

00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:19.299
 see, wouldn't you?

00:25:20.339 --> 00:25:21.879
 The prison cell sessions.

00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:23.240
 That's what I'd call it.

00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.720
 But that is so weird

00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:26.620
 that these men are singing.

00:25:27.940 --> 00:25:29.200
 And second weird thing is

00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:30.099
 that there's an earthquake.

00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:32.420
 Reminds you a little bit,

00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:33.680
 doesn't it, of the earthquake

00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:35.000
 that happened just after

00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:36.000
 Jesus had risen.

00:25:37.220 --> 00:25:38.160
 In other words, this is no

00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:39.160
 natural disaster.

00:25:39.380 --> 00:25:41.220
 This is God's doing.

00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:43.779
 God is moving in this moment.

00:25:43.859 --> 00:25:45.160
 But what happens in this

00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:48.279
 earthquake is that all the

00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:50.579
 doors of the jail and all the

00:25:50.579 --> 00:25:52.039
 chains of the prisoners fall

00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:52.500
 off.

00:25:52.599 --> 00:25:53.379
 Do you see that?

00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:55.399
 Imagine you're a prisoner

00:25:55.399 --> 00:25:56.699
 in this evening.

00:25:56.779 --> 00:25:57.720
 I mean, this is a goal

00:25:57.720 --> 00:25:58.980
 against the run of play.

00:25:59.099 --> 00:26:00.579
 Here is freedom on a plate

00:26:00.579 --> 00:26:01.899
 with a knife and fork

00:26:01.899 --> 00:26:03.839
 and a serviette.

00:26:04.619 --> 00:26:05.779
 Your freedom is there.

00:26:05.899 --> 00:26:06.519
 Take it.

00:26:08.220 --> 00:26:09.319
 And the jailer goes to take

00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:09.939
 his own life.

00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:11.279
 That's what you would have

00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.919
 done as a Roman soldier

00:26:12.919 --> 00:26:15.319
 to save your dignity,

00:26:16.059 --> 00:26:17.359
 probably to save your bosses

00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:18.220
 from doing it.

00:26:18.220 --> 00:26:20.819
 That's the second weird thing.

00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:22.039
 The third weird thing,

00:26:22.620 --> 00:26:24.559
 get this, verse 28,

00:26:25.600 --> 00:26:27.180
 with their freedom right there

00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:29.140
 on a plate, they can have it.

00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:29.980
 What does he say?

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:35.279
 He says, we are all still here.

00:26:36.620 --> 00:26:36.860
 Right?

00:26:36.920 --> 00:26:37.539
 Did you get that?

00:26:37.660 --> 00:26:40.940
 We are all still here.

00:26:40.940 --> 00:26:43.380
 So not just Paul and Silas,

00:26:43.860 --> 00:26:46.640
 but all the prisoners have stayed.

00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:48.520
 Are you kidding me?

00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:49.640
 They have stayed?

00:26:50.660 --> 00:26:52.840
 So rather than take their freedom,

00:26:53.560 --> 00:26:55.220
 what's going on here

00:26:55.220 --> 00:26:56.640
 is that they were so captivated

00:26:57.700 --> 00:26:59.300
 by what was going on

00:26:59.300 --> 00:27:00.500
 with Paul and Silas

00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:02.320
 that they chose to hang around

00:27:02.320 --> 00:27:04.220
 to see how this one played out.

00:27:04.460 --> 00:27:07.140
 They picked that over their freedom.

00:27:07.280 --> 00:27:08.780
 I mean, man alive, that's weird.

00:27:08.779 --> 00:27:12.220
 So the jailer puts all these

00:27:12.220 --> 00:27:13.200
 three things together.

00:27:13.859 --> 00:27:15.740
 The strange scene.

00:27:16.379 --> 00:27:18.180
 And he runs and he pleads.

00:27:18.660 --> 00:27:20.200
 Probably he's maybe even heard

00:27:20.200 --> 00:27:21.200
 about Paul and Silas

00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:22.059
 and what they're doing

00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:23.539
 in Philippi in the city.

00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:25.480
 And he runs, verse 31,

00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:26.200
 what does he say?

00:27:26.339 --> 00:27:28.399
 What must I do to be saved?

00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:30.680
 There is the Holy Spirit

00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:32.079
 bringing this deep sense

00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:33.839
 of conviction to this man

00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:35.420
 that he is not right with God,

00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:37.180
 that he's seen something here.

00:27:37.180 --> 00:27:38.060
 What does he say?

00:27:38.420 --> 00:27:39.140
 Tell me more.

00:27:39.299 --> 00:27:39.960
 Tell me how.

00:27:40.120 --> 00:27:42.480
 Tell me what this is all about.

00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:45.740
 And they spoke the word

00:27:45.740 --> 00:27:46.620
 of the Lord to him.

00:27:48.140 --> 00:27:49.740
 They told him about Jesus.

00:27:51.120 --> 00:27:52.180
 And just like that,

00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:56.220
 this man gave his life to Christ

00:27:56.220 --> 00:27:58.480
 and experienced the forgiveness

00:27:58.480 --> 00:27:59.980
 and the newness of life

00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:01.299
 that is found in him.

00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:04.960
 And he runs and tells his family.

00:28:05.120 --> 00:28:05.600
 Do you see it?

00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:07.679
 And his family come to faith as well.

00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:08.359
 They are baptized.

00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.500
 Praise the Lord.

00:28:11.899 --> 00:28:13.000
 What a wonderful scene.

00:28:13.859 --> 00:28:14.899
 Here's a thought for you.

00:28:16.879 --> 00:28:17.079
 Do you know,

00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:18.240
 I was reflecting on it this week.

00:28:18.659 --> 00:28:20.000
 I don't think the jailer

00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:20.879
 was converted here

00:28:20.879 --> 00:28:22.419
 because he saw a massive earthquake.

00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:23.659
 Right?

00:28:23.699 --> 00:28:25.059
 I'm sure he's maybe seen

00:28:25.059 --> 00:28:26.379
 some pretty spectacular stuff

00:28:26.379 --> 00:28:27.000
 in his life.

00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:29.039
 But I don't think

00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:29.639
 it was the earthquake.

00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:30.159
 Do you know what?

00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:32.140
 I think he came to know Jesus initially

00:28:32.140 --> 00:28:34.560
 because he saw

00:28:34.560 --> 00:28:36.400
 how God's people

00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:38.420
 reacted differently.

00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:41.640
 Looking at Paul and Silas

00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:41.980
 thinking,

00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:43.100
 what are they doing?

00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:45.100
 I cannot figure them out.

00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:46.640
 But you know what?

00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:46.960
 Boy,

00:28:47.040 --> 00:28:48.240
 is it compellingly attractive.

00:28:51.740 --> 00:28:52.220
 You see,

00:28:52.259 --> 00:28:53.140
 Paul and Silas,

00:28:53.500 --> 00:28:54.220
 I love this

00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:54.720
 and I find this

00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:55.779
 so challenging this week.

00:28:55.860 --> 00:28:57.519
 Do you see their utter confidence

00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:58.539
 in God's sovereignty?

00:29:00.059 --> 00:29:00.619
 In other words,

00:29:00.680 --> 00:29:01.779
 it might look like

00:29:01.779 --> 00:29:03.160
 utter chaos to us.

00:29:03.220 --> 00:29:04.180
 It might look to us

00:29:04.180 --> 00:29:04.859
 like the gospel

00:29:04.859 --> 00:29:05.960
 has run out of gas.

00:29:06.039 --> 00:29:06.720
 But do you know what?

00:29:06.759 --> 00:29:07.539
 We can trust

00:29:07.539 --> 00:29:08.920
 that God is our good father

00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:10.119
 and he is fulfilling

00:29:10.119 --> 00:29:11.299
 his good purposes

00:29:11.299 --> 00:29:12.079
 in this

00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:13.839
 and every single moment.

00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:15.440
 In other words,

00:29:15.619 --> 00:29:16.180
 Aslan

00:29:16.180 --> 00:29:17.259
 is on

00:29:17.259 --> 00:29:18.240
 the move.

00:29:18.339 --> 00:29:18.980
 We are here

00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:20.240
 for a reason.

00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:22.519
 So let's keep trusting.

00:29:22.779 --> 00:29:23.819
 Let's keep speaking.

00:29:23.819 --> 00:29:24.960
 And let's see

00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:25.619
 what he

00:29:25.619 --> 00:29:26.180
 is

00:29:26.180 --> 00:29:27.039
 doing.

00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:29.319
 Such is their confidence

00:29:29.319 --> 00:29:30.220
 in the sovereignty

00:29:30.220 --> 00:29:30.879
 of God.

00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:33.559
 Friends,

00:29:33.639 --> 00:29:34.000
 do you know what?

00:29:35.059 --> 00:29:36.279
 Let me encourage us

00:29:36.279 --> 00:29:36.740
 as a church

00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:37.299
 to take hold

00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:37.920
 of that mindset

00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:38.519
 just now.

00:29:39.720 --> 00:29:40.700
 As we live

00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:41.819
 distinctly

00:29:41.819 --> 00:29:43.319
 different lives

00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:44.299
 during this

00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:46.019
 time of COVID-19

00:29:46.019 --> 00:29:47.639
 in the way

00:29:47.639 --> 00:29:48.480
 that we speak

00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:49.619
 in the way

00:29:49.619 --> 00:29:50.400
 that we act

00:29:50.400 --> 00:29:50.940
 in the way

00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:51.759
 that we love

00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:52.460
 in the way

00:29:52.460 --> 00:29:53.180
 that we pray

00:29:53.180 --> 00:29:54.819
 all of these things

00:29:54.819 --> 00:29:55.740
 testifying

00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:56.359
 to the fact

00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:57.120
 that we trust

00:29:57.120 --> 00:29:57.880
 and love

00:29:57.880 --> 00:29:58.859
 the God

00:29:58.859 --> 00:30:00.500
 of the gospel.

00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:04.099
 Because how many

00:30:04.099 --> 00:30:04.759
 of us have a story

00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:05.799
 just like the jailers

00:30:05.799 --> 00:30:07.299
 in that respect?

00:30:08.059 --> 00:30:09.620
 We saw

00:30:09.620 --> 00:30:10.819
 something different

00:30:10.819 --> 00:30:11.759
 as we looked

00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.779
 at Christians,

00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:13.680
 that they had

00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:14.420
 something

00:30:14.420 --> 00:30:15.480
 that we didn't,

00:30:15.579 --> 00:30:15.819
 that there was

00:30:15.819 --> 00:30:16.380
 something that was

00:30:16.380 --> 00:30:17.160
 true for them

00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:17.779
 that wasn't true

00:30:17.779 --> 00:30:18.279
 for us

00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:19.139
 and that made

00:30:19.139 --> 00:30:19.579
 us want

00:30:19.579 --> 00:30:20.200
 to find

00:30:20.200 --> 00:30:21.680
 out more.

00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:24.039
 And if that's

00:30:24.039 --> 00:30:24.759
 you here today,

00:30:24.839 --> 00:30:25.240
 maybe you've

00:30:25.240 --> 00:30:26.000
 tuned into this,

00:30:26.099 --> 00:30:26.480
 maybe you've

00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:27.200
 clicked on the link

00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:27.779
 as you found it

00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:28.299
 on Facebook

00:30:28.299 --> 00:30:28.759
 or something

00:30:28.759 --> 00:30:29.259
 like that,

00:30:29.779 --> 00:30:30.399
 we'd love to

00:30:30.399 --> 00:30:30.839
 get in touch

00:30:30.839 --> 00:30:31.160
 with you.

00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.339
 I know there's

00:30:32.339 --> 00:30:32.839
 some details

00:30:32.839 --> 00:30:33.399
 at the bottom

00:30:33.399 --> 00:30:33.879
 there if you

00:30:33.879 --> 00:30:34.619
 click on the

00:30:34.619 --> 00:30:35.920
 link you'll be

00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:36.339
 able to get

00:30:36.339 --> 00:30:36.619
 in touch,

00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:37.059
 we'd love to

00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:37.440
 be able to

00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:37.779
 connect,

00:30:37.859 --> 00:30:38.319
 maybe that's

00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:38.740
 you today,

00:30:38.819 --> 00:30:39.339
 maybe you want

00:30:39.339 --> 00:30:39.940
 to find out

00:30:39.940 --> 00:30:40.220
 more,

00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:41.339
 who is this

00:30:41.339 --> 00:30:42.139
 Jesus?

00:30:42.140 --> 00:30:45.100
 But just as

00:30:45.100 --> 00:30:45.720
 we close,

00:30:47.980 --> 00:30:48.500
 what do a

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:49.120
 businesswoman,

00:30:50.180 --> 00:30:51.000
 a slave girl

00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:51.680
 and a prison

00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:52.380
 officer have

00:30:52.380 --> 00:30:52.800
 in common?

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:55.800
 These three

00:30:55.800 --> 00:30:56.600
 different people,

00:30:57.300 --> 00:30:58.000
 we've heard

00:30:58.000 --> 00:30:58.540
 their three

00:30:58.540 --> 00:30:59.560
 different stories

00:30:59.560 --> 00:31:00.960
 about how each

00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:01.680
 of their lives

00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:02.580
 was transformed

00:31:02.580 --> 00:31:03.660
 by the one

00:31:03.660 --> 00:31:04.759
 same

00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:05.940
 saviour,

00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:07.780
 the one who

00:31:07.780 --> 00:31:08.540
 can change

00:31:08.540 --> 00:31:09.980
 any and

00:31:09.980 --> 00:31:11.160
 every heart

00:31:11.160 --> 00:31:11.900
 no matter

00:31:11.900 --> 00:31:13.180
 how unlikely

00:31:13.180 --> 00:31:14.019
 we think

00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:14.840
 that is.

00:31:16.620 --> 00:31:16.840
 And do you

00:31:16.840 --> 00:31:17.200
 know what,

00:31:17.340 --> 00:31:17.759
 see what's

00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:18.180
 true for

00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:18.680
 Philippi

00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:19.300
 Evangelical

00:31:19.300 --> 00:31:19.900
 Church here?

00:31:20.360 --> 00:31:21.300
 It is true

00:31:21.300 --> 00:31:22.940
 for every

00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:23.840
 church across

00:31:23.840 --> 00:31:24.400
 the world

00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:25.259
 and it is

00:31:25.259 --> 00:31:25.840
 also true

00:31:25.840 --> 00:31:26.600
 for Brunsfield

00:31:26.600 --> 00:31:27.380
 Evangelical

00:31:27.380 --> 00:31:27.880
 Church.

00:31:29.080 --> 00:31:29.360
 I know we

00:31:29.360 --> 00:31:29.900
 are a church

00:31:29.900 --> 00:31:30.540
 of very

00:31:30.540 --> 00:31:31.360
 different people,

00:31:32.060 --> 00:31:32.519
 all with

00:31:32.519 --> 00:31:33.620
 very different

00:31:33.620 --> 00:31:34.340
 stories,

00:31:35.100 --> 00:31:35.800
 but of how

00:31:35.800 --> 00:31:36.680
 we all came

00:31:36.680 --> 00:31:37.160
 to know

00:31:37.160 --> 00:31:37.940
 the one

00:31:37.940 --> 00:31:39.200
 true king.

00:31:40.800 --> 00:31:41.160
 And we're

00:31:41.160 --> 00:31:41.480
 going to hear

00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:41.960
 one of those

00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:42.640
 stories now

00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:43.000
 as one of

00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:43.460
 our members

00:31:43.460 --> 00:31:44.059
 tells us

00:31:44.059 --> 00:31:44.720
 how she

00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:45.500
 came to

00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:46.640
 know Jesus

00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:47.660
 as her

00:31:47.660 --> 00:31:47.960
 king.

00:31:49.319 --> 00:31:50.059
 Good morning

00:31:50.059 --> 00:31:50.460
 everyone,

00:31:50.839 --> 00:31:51.319
 my name is

00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:51.940
 Simona and

00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:52.440
 I'm one of

00:31:52.440 --> 00:31:52.839
 the members

00:31:52.839 --> 00:31:53.339
 here at

00:31:53.339 --> 00:31:53.759
 Brunsfield

00:31:53.759 --> 00:31:54.339
 Evangelical

00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:55.360
 Church and

00:31:55.360 --> 00:31:55.819
 today I'm

00:31:55.819 --> 00:31:56.200
 going to

00:31:56.200 --> 00:31:56.680
 tell you the

00:31:56.680 --> 00:31:57.099
 story of

00:31:57.099 --> 00:31:57.559
 how I met

00:31:57.559 --> 00:31:57.920
 Jesus.

00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.579
 I've always

00:31:59.579 --> 00:32:00.440
 believed in

00:32:00.440 --> 00:32:01.240
 God's existence

00:32:01.240 --> 00:32:02.200
 but never

00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:02.880
 thought he

00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:03.480
 would care

00:32:03.480 --> 00:32:04.140
 much about

00:32:04.140 --> 00:32:04.640
 what was

00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:05.319
 happening in

00:32:05.319 --> 00:32:05.839
 my life.

00:32:06.420 --> 00:32:06.980
 When I was

00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:07.759
 15, a

00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:08.420
 friend of mine,

00:32:08.660 --> 00:32:09.220
 who now is

00:32:09.220 --> 00:32:09.759
 my husband,

00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:10.740
 told me

00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:11.339
 about Jesus.

00:32:12.019 --> 00:32:12.480
 He said

00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:13.519
 that Jesus

00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:14.339
 saved him,

00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:15.599
 that Jesus

00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:16.259
 loved him

00:32:16.259 --> 00:32:16.759
 and cared

00:32:16.759 --> 00:32:17.200
 for him

00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:17.740
 and he

00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:18.240
 wanted to

00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:18.799
 share that

00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:19.160
 with me

00:32:19.160 --> 00:32:19.559
 to help

00:32:19.559 --> 00:32:20.480
 me understand

00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:21.319
 what it

00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:21.779
 would look

00:32:21.779 --> 00:32:22.299
 like to

00:32:22.299 --> 00:32:22.839
 believe in

00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:23.240
 a God

00:32:23.240 --> 00:32:23.599
 who is

00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:24.160
 not only

00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:24.920
 a distant

00:32:24.920 --> 00:32:25.359
 creator

00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:25.940
 but a

00:32:25.940 --> 00:32:26.339
 personal

00:32:26.339 --> 00:32:26.879
 saviour.

00:32:27.960 --> 00:32:28.379
 So we

00:32:28.379 --> 00:32:28.799
 started to

00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:29.079
 read the

00:32:29.079 --> 00:32:29.259
 Bible

00:32:29.259 --> 00:32:29.740
 together

00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:30.859
 and the

00:32:30.859 --> 00:32:31.299
 more I

00:32:31.299 --> 00:32:31.799
 knew about

00:32:31.799 --> 00:32:32.119
 God,

00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:32.539
 the more

00:32:32.539 --> 00:32:32.980
 I wanted

00:32:32.980 --> 00:32:33.500
 to know

00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:34.579
 and I've

00:32:34.579 --> 00:32:35.519
 learned a

00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:36.279
 few important

00:32:36.279 --> 00:32:36.980
 things about

00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:37.619
 God reading

00:32:37.619 --> 00:32:38.140
 the Bible,

00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:39.240
 that God

00:32:39.240 --> 00:32:39.880
 is perfect

00:32:39.880 --> 00:32:40.559
 and I

00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:41.099
 am not,

00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:42.299
 that there

00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:42.599
 are only

00:32:42.599 --> 00:32:43.319
 two places

00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:44.079
 where we

00:32:44.079 --> 00:32:44.460
 end up

00:32:44.460 --> 00:32:44.880
 once we

00:32:44.880 --> 00:32:45.160
 die,

00:32:45.380 --> 00:32:45.880
 with God

00:32:45.880 --> 00:32:46.359
 or without

00:32:46.359 --> 00:32:47.460
 God and

00:32:47.460 --> 00:32:48.319
 I am not

00:32:48.319 --> 00:32:50.420
 able to

00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:51.259
 earn a

00:32:51.259 --> 00:32:52.079
 place with

00:32:52.079 --> 00:32:52.720
 God because

00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:53.200
 I am not

00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:53.599
 perfect,

00:32:53.740 --> 00:32:54.160
 so I need

00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:54.680
 another way

00:32:54.680 --> 00:32:54.859
 in.

00:32:55.299 --> 00:32:55.619
 And the

00:32:55.619 --> 00:32:56.259
 Bible says

00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:56.779
 that this

00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:57.440
 way in

00:32:57.440 --> 00:32:58.339
 is Jesus.

00:32:58.940 --> 00:32:59.559
 He is the

00:32:59.559 --> 00:33:00.160
 only one

00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:01.200
 that loves

00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:01.880
 me enough

00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:02.840
 and is

00:33:02.840 --> 00:33:03.540
 willing to

00:33:03.540 --> 00:33:04.180
 cover for

00:33:04.180 --> 00:33:04.660
 all my

00:33:04.660 --> 00:33:05.440
 imperfections

00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:06.060
 so that I

00:33:06.060 --> 00:33:06.580
 can be

00:33:06.580 --> 00:33:07.140
 with God.

00:33:07.960 --> 00:33:08.740
 All this

00:33:08.740 --> 00:33:09.400
 was quite

00:33:09.400 --> 00:33:09.860
 clear in

00:33:09.860 --> 00:33:10.320
 my mind

00:33:10.320 --> 00:33:10.660
 but it

00:33:10.660 --> 00:33:11.300
 took years

00:33:11.300 --> 00:33:12.460
 to actually

00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:13.560
 understand that

00:33:13.560 --> 00:33:13.940
 with my

00:33:13.940 --> 00:33:15.020
 heart and

00:33:15.020 --> 00:33:15.800
 to realise

00:33:15.800 --> 00:33:16.980
 how real

00:33:16.980 --> 00:33:17.920
 and tangible

00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:18.520
 God's

00:33:18.520 --> 00:33:19.240
 presence was

00:33:19.240 --> 00:33:19.680
 in my

00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:20.080
 life.

00:33:21.280 --> 00:33:22.400
 God knows

00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:23.040
 me in a

00:33:23.040 --> 00:33:23.460
 way that

00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:23.900
 no one

00:33:23.900 --> 00:33:24.840
 else does

00:33:24.840 --> 00:33:25.820
 and yet

00:33:25.820 --> 00:33:26.420
 he loves

00:33:26.420 --> 00:33:26.720
 me.

00:33:27.280 --> 00:33:27.660
 I am

00:33:27.660 --> 00:33:28.420
 his child

00:33:28.420 --> 00:33:29.900
 and he

00:33:29.900 --> 00:33:31.040
 cares for

00:33:31.040 --> 00:33:31.280
 me.

00:33:31.880 --> 00:33:32.840
 And he

00:33:32.840 --> 00:33:33.660
 always cared

00:33:33.660 --> 00:33:34.060
 for me

00:33:34.060 --> 00:33:34.520
 even when

00:33:34.520 --> 00:33:34.940
 I couldn't

00:33:34.940 --> 00:33:35.360
 see it.

00:33:36.120 --> 00:33:36.660
 I know

00:33:36.660 --> 00:33:37.080
 that even

00:33:37.080 --> 00:33:37.840
 when things

00:33:37.840 --> 00:33:38.660
 seem out

00:33:38.660 --> 00:33:39.360
 of control

00:33:39.360 --> 00:33:41.360
 God is

00:33:41.360 --> 00:33:42.160
 in control.

00:33:43.260 --> 00:33:43.700
 And having

00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:44.480
 Jesus as my

00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:45.660
 saviour gives

00:33:45.660 --> 00:33:46.120
 me peace

00:33:46.120 --> 00:33:46.680
 because I

00:33:46.680 --> 00:33:47.240
 know that

00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:48.500
 dying on

00:33:48.500 --> 00:33:48.980
 the cross

00:33:48.980 --> 00:33:49.600
 and rising

00:33:49.600 --> 00:33:50.800
 again he

00:33:50.800 --> 00:33:51.240
 has done

00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:51.700
 all that

00:33:51.700 --> 00:33:52.140
 needed to

00:33:52.140 --> 00:33:52.580
 be done

00:33:52.580 --> 00:33:54.000
 so that I

00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:54.400
 can be

00:33:54.400 --> 00:33:55.120
 sure that

00:33:55.120 --> 00:33:55.800
 once I

00:33:55.800 --> 00:33:56.660
 die I

00:33:56.660 --> 00:33:57.020
 will be

00:33:57.020 --> 00:33:57.500
 with God.

00:33:59.080 --> 00:33:59.880
 I am

00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:00.720
 not special.

00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.620
 I don't

00:34:01.620 --> 00:34:02.600
 deserve what

00:34:02.600 --> 00:34:03.299
 Jesus did

00:34:03.299 --> 00:34:04.380
 for me and

00:34:04.380 --> 00:34:05.360
 I keep

00:34:05.360 --> 00:34:06.079
 messing up

00:34:06.079 --> 00:34:07.360
 but it's

00:34:07.360 --> 00:34:08.599
 a gift and

00:34:08.599 --> 00:34:09.579
 I decided to

00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:10.340
 accept it.

00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:11.500
 And the

00:34:11.500 --> 00:34:12.000
 beauty of

00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:13.039
 this gift is

00:34:13.039 --> 00:34:13.619
 that it's

00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:14.460
 not just

00:34:14.460 --> 00:34:15.380
 for some

00:34:15.380 --> 00:34:16.420
 people but

00:34:16.420 --> 00:34:17.039
 it's for

00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:18.139
 all who

00:34:18.139 --> 00:34:18.480
 want to

00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:19.139
 accept it.

00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:20.139
 God

00:34:20.139 --> 00:34:20.920
 and so if

00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:21.039
 you're

00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:21.559
 watching this

00:34:21.559 --> 00:34:23.159
 today and

00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:23.719
 you'd love to

00:34:23.719 --> 00:34:24.599
 find out more

00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:25.059
 about this

00:34:25.059 --> 00:34:25.799
 Jesus it would

00:34:25.799 --> 00:34:26.099
 be our

00:34:26.099 --> 00:34:26.839
 privilege to

00:34:26.839 --> 00:34:27.239
 be able to

00:34:27.239 --> 00:34:27.859
 tell you about

00:34:27.859 --> 00:34:28.420
 him and pray

00:34:28.420 --> 00:34:28.739
 with you.

00:34:28.819 --> 00:34:29.379
 We'd love to

00:34:29.379 --> 00:34:29.920
 connect with

00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:30.099
 you.

00:34:30.699 --> 00:34:31.259
 You'll find an

00:34:31.259 --> 00:34:31.980
 email address at

00:34:31.980 --> 00:34:32.400
 the bottom of

00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:33.379
 this YouTube

00:34:33.379 --> 00:34:34.239
 service.

00:34:34.440 --> 00:34:34.920
 You'll also find

00:34:34.920 --> 00:34:35.579
 all our details

00:34:35.579 --> 00:34:36.239
 on the website

00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:36.739
 so let me

00:34:36.739 --> 00:34:37.699
 encourage you to

00:34:37.699 --> 00:34:38.799
 connect with

00:34:38.799 --> 00:34:38.940
 us.

00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:39.480
 It'd be wonderful

00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:40.039
 to meet you

00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:40.480
 that way.

00:34:41.079 --> 00:34:41.699
 But just as we

00:34:41.699 --> 00:34:42.299
 finish let me

00:34:42.299 --> 00:34:43.379
 lead us in a

00:34:43.379 --> 00:34:43.980
 very short

00:34:43.980 --> 00:34:44.339
 prayer.

00:34:44.340 --> 00:34:46.980
 Father thank

00:34:46.980 --> 00:34:47.480
 you that you

00:34:47.480 --> 00:34:48.559
 are the

00:34:48.559 --> 00:34:50.000
 good God

00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:50.860
 of the

00:34:50.860 --> 00:34:51.480
 gospel

00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:54.160
 that can

00:34:54.160 --> 00:34:54.900
 transform

00:34:54.900 --> 00:34:56.200
 each and

00:34:56.200 --> 00:34:57.160
 any life.

00:34:59.120 --> 00:34:59.500
 And maybe

00:34:59.500 --> 00:35:00.280
 for some of

00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:01.340
 us tuning

00:35:01.340 --> 00:35:02.039
 in today

00:35:02.039 --> 00:35:03.220
 maybe even

00:35:03.220 --> 00:35:04.280
 for the

00:35:04.280 --> 00:35:05.280
 first time

00:35:05.280 --> 00:35:07.039
 may we know

00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:08.180
 the truth

00:35:08.180 --> 00:35:09.660
 as we

00:35:09.660 --> 00:35:10.320
 encounter

00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:11.120
 your son

00:35:11.120 --> 00:35:11.620
 Jesus

00:35:11.620 --> 00:35:13.039
 who said

00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:13.840
 I am the

00:35:13.840 --> 00:35:14.260
 way

00:35:14.260 --> 00:35:15.180
 and the

00:35:15.180 --> 00:35:15.600
 truth

00:35:15.600 --> 00:35:15.960
 and the

00:35:15.960 --> 00:35:16.320
 life.

00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:17.740
 So Father

00:35:17.740 --> 00:35:18.160
 thank you

00:35:18.160 --> 00:35:18.520
 for this

00:35:18.520 --> 00:35:18.800
 time.

00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:19.300
 We pray

00:35:19.300 --> 00:35:19.840
 these things

00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:20.360
 in Jesus'

00:35:20.600 --> 00:35:21.320
 precious name.

00:35:21.740 --> 00:35:22.080
 Amen.