WEBVTT

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 Please take out your copy of God's Word and turn to the book of Acts chapter 28.

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 While you're getting there, let me just say a few unscripted things about music.

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 I appreciate Jordan kind of prompted this in my mind as he talked about how we don't come together to praise performance,

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 but to praise the living God.

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 Particularly if you're new to us, the way we do music on a Sunday morning

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 may feel strange to you.

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 And I just want it not to.

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 I think the way we do music on a Sunday morning,

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 and this is not me saying that we're more right than anybody else,

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 but I think it ought to feel familiar to Christian people.

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 When you go in amongst other Christian people to sing songs to God,

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 I think it ought to feel more the same.

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 And I don't mean lead from a guitar with a banjo and keys or any of that.

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 I'm not talking about style and preferences of style.

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 I'm talking about content.

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 So we have a criteria for the songs that we sing together on Sunday morning,

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 and that is as follows.

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 First, the songs are true.

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 So we want songs to be lined up with the truth of Scripture.

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 In your time singing with us, if the words are odd to you,

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 if the strangeness of it rings out,

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 you probably don't read your Bible enough.

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 Because the songs we sing are Scripture-saturated.

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 There's so many direct Bible references in the songs that we sing together.

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 So the songs need to be true.

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 The next criteria is that the songs need to be deep.

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 Now, I'm okay with a good repetitious chorus.

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 Please know that.

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 There may be a really great time for that.

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 But we have a limited amount of time together.

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 So how much depth of truth can we pack into our time?

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 So most of the songs, not all,

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 but most of the songs we sing together are wordy.

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 And they're wordy for that reason.

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 We want you to know the truth so that you can be changed by the truth.

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 Have it dwell deeply within you.

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 I'm really horrible at remembering song lyrics.

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 I hope you're not like me in that way.

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 But I will get a tune stuck in my head on a Sunday morning,

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 which will force me to go look up the lyrics so that I can sing it,

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 not just hum the same thing over and over and over again in my head,

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 which presses me to biblical truth.

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 And typically what I tend to do is go,

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 oh, that's a reference.

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 I know that's a reference.

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 I've read it somewhere.

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 And I begin to look up all the references that are found in this great hymn

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 that gets stuck in my head.

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 So songs should be true and they should be deep.

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 And then lastly, they should be singable, right?

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 Which is just really practical.

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 We want to be able to sing songs together.

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 And so I appreciate, if you've been here with us for a while,

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 you know Wes and Liz Shelnut led us for many years

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 and they've just recently moved to Utah.

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 But the guys that have stepped in are doing the same thing.

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 They're not trying to amaze us with their musical talent.

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 And they have musical talent.

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 But simply leading us to sing songs together.

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 So true, deep, and singable.

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 That's why we don't turn the music up too loud.

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 There's a time and a place for a rock concert.

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 I enjoy it as much as the next person.

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 But you need to hear your neighbor.

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 That's why we keep the lights on and we have windows.

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 I didn't build the building, but we didn't cover them up.

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 You'll note.

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 We left them that we might sing and rejoice together

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 and be God's people together, praising God in song.

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 So, brief and off script.

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 I want to encourage you though to join us and to sing well with us.

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 Our text for today is Acts chapter 28, verses 1 through 16.

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 We're getting very close to the end of our verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Acts.

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 This will be my last sermon in Acts next week.

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 Clay is going to finish it up for us.

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 And this morning, as I did the last little bit of note preparation,

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 I took this stack of commentaries that's been living for the last...

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 Anybody know off the top how long we've been in the book of Acts?

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 A year and a half?

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 Does it seem about?

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 Something like that?

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 I took it and I put them all up on my shelf.

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 There's this weird void on my desk right now that will soon get filled with other commentaries.

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 But I'm grieving it a little bit this morning to leave the book of Acts.

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 So, let's wring it out together.

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 Before we read the text, you need a sweeping summary to get us to where we are in Luke's second narrative.

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 So, beginning...

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 We'll go back to chapter 21.

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 We've observed Paul's arrest in Jerusalem, his various trials before various prominent men,

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 his exercise of his Roman right to appeal to Caesar.

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 So, he makes this appeal to go to the highest court as a Roman citizen.

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 They grant that to him.

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 So, his departure from Caesarea for Rome via a ship.

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 And then we saw last week in chapter 27 this storm that leads to this shipwreck.

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 On the island of Malta.

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 So, our text today picks that story up as Paul and the other 275 souls that were on the ship are washed up on the beach.

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 Before we read, beloved, this is God's word to us.

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 It was written for his glory and for our good.

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 Which means we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.

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 Acts chapter 28, beginning in verse 1.

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 After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta.

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 The native people showed us unusual kindness for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all because it had begun to rain and was cold.

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 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out and because of the heat and fastened on his hand.

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 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another,

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 No doubt this man is a murderer.

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 Though he escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.

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 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.

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 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead.

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 But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

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 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island named Publius,

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 who received and entertained us hospitably for three days.

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 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick for fever and dysentery.

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 And Paul visited him and prayed and putting his hands on him, healed him.

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 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.

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 They also honored us greatly.

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 And when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.

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 After three months, we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island,

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 a ship of Alexandria with the twin gods as a figurehead.

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 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.

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 And from there, we made a circuit and arrived at Regium.

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 And after one day, a south wind sprang up.

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 And on the second day, we came to Pute...

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 Excuse me.

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 I practiced this one.

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 Puteoli.

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 There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days.

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 And so we came to Rome.

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 And the brothers there, when they heard about us,

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 came as far as the Forum of Appius and three taverns to meet us.

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 On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

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 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

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 So for many chapters now, we've been waiting for this fulfilled promise that Jesus spoke to Paul and said,

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 you will arrive at Rome.

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 You must speak the gospel in Rome.

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 And so we see that promise fulfilled here.

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 But before we get into any part of this text, which I find meaningful for us this morning,

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 we must first address the incident with the snake and then the healings that are happening on the island as well.

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 We must ask about such implications of these kinds of events for our day.

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 So what's the deal, right, with Paul gets bit by this venomous snake?

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 Interestingly, there are no venomous snakes on the island of Malta today,

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 but that doesn't mean that there weren't in that day.

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 The people there seem to be convinced that he's going to die as a result of this particular snake bite.

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 Nothing happens to him.

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 He shakes it off into the fire.

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 And then he goes and heals Publius' father.

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 And the record is the rest of the people on the island who had diseases.

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 So it would seem that at least for a period of time that the island of Malta was entirely disease-free.

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 How does that apply to us today?

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 Are there a whole spectrum of beliefs concerning the present nature of spiritual gifts?

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 Are the gifts of prophecy and healing and tongues still active today?

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 And I'll tell you honestly,

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 that's a question I thought that I was going to have to answer definitively as we preach through Acts.

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 And if you've been with us, you'll know that I have not.

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 So I'm going to get into it a little bit more this morning to clear the field for you.

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 But to simplify the matter, let's just consider healing, right?

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 Which is what we see happen in our text today.

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 Just consider healing this morning.

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 Now, in the spectrum of beliefs,

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 there are two most commonly held beliefs with some variations of them in between.

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 They range from what are called continuationists.

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 I think all of these gifts are still active today, right?

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 Continuationists, the gifts have continued.

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 To cessationists, which means they've ceased.

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 Those gifts have ceased.

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 So cessationists all the way to continuationists.

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 And then just about every little variance you can think of in between

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 someone has held at some point in history.

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 Cessationists will say that the gifts of prophecy and healing in tongues ceased when the apostolic age ceased.

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 As they were used, those gifts were used to validate the message that the apostles taught.

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 You remember that the early church did not have the New Testament scriptures.

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 They had the Old Testament.

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 They had the text that attested to Christ's coming, right?

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 But they did not have the New Testament that gave the full expression of his coming,

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 told the story of his coming,

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 and walked out for us the way we're meant to live in light of his coming.

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 And so the apostles, these gifts accompanied them.

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 We know for sure they accompanied them to give affirmation to the words that they taught.

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 But did they stop when the apostolic age ceased to exist?

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 Cessationists base their belief on a couple of texts.

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 For me, the ones that are most convincing begin in 2 Corinthians 12.12.

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 Well, Paul writes,

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 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience,

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 with signs and wonders and mighty works.

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 So Paul is saying,

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 Paul, as an apostle, is saying,

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 The signs of an apostle, a true apostle, were performed amongst you.

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 Now, an apostle is someone who had walked with Jesus,

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 had seen him after his resurrection,

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 and were personally charged by Jesus to be an apostle.

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 So, not just anybody that lived around Jesus and saw him after his resurrection.

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 There's others in the scripture who are called disciples.

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 Acts chapter 1, we see a group of disciples gathered.

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 The apostles were a very specific group of men who met these criteria,

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 walked with Jesus, seen him after his resurrection,

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 and they were commissioned.

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 Jesus said to them,

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 You are an apostle.

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 So, these gifts accompany these men to give affirmation to them and to their teaching.

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 We can also look at Hebrews chapter 2, verses 1 through 4.

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 The writer of Hebrews says,

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 Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard,

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 lest we drift away from it.

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 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable,

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 and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,

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 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?

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 It was declared at first by the Lord,

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 and it was attested to us by those who heard, apostles,

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 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles,

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 and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

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 So, the writer of Hebrews says the same thing.

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 This message of salvation declared first by Christ,

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 attested to us by those who heard,

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 he's referring specifically to the apostles there,

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 God gave witness to their witness in accompanying it with signs.

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 Now, here's the challenge of cessationism.

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 The Bible nowhere definitively says that the gift of healing or tongues or prophecy will cease.

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 This definitively suggests, but doesn't definitively say that anywhere.

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 However, we do only ever observe the apostles' healing.

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 Consider that in the book of Acts.

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 We don't see a record as it concerns healing of anybody other than an apostle healing.

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 And because of these things, right, the evidences of this,

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 and because throughout church history,

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 the largely held view of the church has been that of cessationism.

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 In fact, continuationism has really been on the rise in the past hundred years,

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 but prior to that, at least most Baptist confessions were cessationist.

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 But because it doesn't definitively say that the gifts stop,

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 this is where I'm at.

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 So, you ready?

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 I'm priming you to know where I stand on the matter,

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 at least for right now.

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 I like to call myself a cautiously open cessationist.

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 How about that?

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 It's kind of like saying I'm a cessationist.

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 Sort of that way.

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 Which means I hold the cessationist view generally,

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 but I'm willing to be wrong,

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 and I'm willing to be shown that I'm wrong.

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 But I'm going to do so with a great deal of skepticism and care

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 in hearing about the telling of things that have happened,

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 supposedly in the name of our Lord.

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 Now, wherever you may be on the matter,

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 possibly just confused,

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 and there's a really brief presentation of those things,

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 here's what I think becomes more important for us.

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 Two things that I believe that we can know.

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 With a confidence, we can know.

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 Number one,

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 the apostles did not go about seeking to heal people.

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 This wasn't the thrust of their ministry.

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 They seized opportunities when they were presented to them,

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 but they didn't have, quote-unquote, healing ministries.

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 They didn't hold, quote-unquote, healing services.

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 This was not the thrust of what they were doing.

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 What was the thrust of what they were doing?

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 Preaching the good news of Jesus Christ, right?

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 That's what they did, right?

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 Their mission statement for their organization,

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 I don't think would have even included healing.

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 They would have been all about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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 Let me show you some places,

00:15:57.860 --> 00:16:01.159
 just to Acts chapter 3, verses 1 through 8.

00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:06.059
 This is the first healing that we see in the book of Acts.

00:16:06.059 --> 00:16:08.799
 Now, Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer.

00:16:09.559 --> 00:16:12.839
 Instead of going up to pray, the ninth hour.

00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:15.819
 And a man lame from birth was being carried,

00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:17.620
 whom they had laid daily at the gate of the temple,

00:16:17.659 --> 00:16:18.919
 that is called the beautiful gate,

00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:20.959
 to ask alms of those entering the temple.

00:16:21.699 --> 00:16:23.939
 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple,

00:16:24.059 --> 00:16:25.939
 he asked to receive alms.

00:16:25.940 --> 00:16:27.420
 So he just simply says,

00:16:27.700 --> 00:16:28.720
 Can I have some money?

00:16:30.100 --> 00:16:31.540
 And Peter directed his gaze at him,

00:16:31.580 --> 00:16:32.420
 as did John, and said,

00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:33.040
 Look at us.

00:16:33.520 --> 00:16:34.860
 And he fixed his attention on them,

00:16:34.920 --> 00:16:36.540
 expecting to receive something from them.

00:16:36.580 --> 00:16:37.380
 But Peter said,

00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:39.440
 I have no silver and gold,

00:16:39.920 --> 00:16:41.400
 but what I do have I give to you

00:16:41.400 --> 00:16:43.080
 in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:44.920
 Rise up and walk.

00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:46.420
 So he seizes this opportunity,

00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:47.920
 verse 7,

00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:49.760
 and he took him by the right hand and raised him up,

00:16:49.780 --> 00:16:51.540
 and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.

00:16:51.640 --> 00:16:52.380
 And leaping up,

00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:54.679
 and he stood and began to walk and entered the temple with him,

00:16:55.299 --> 00:16:57.939
 walking and leaping and praising God.

00:16:58.039 --> 00:17:00.740
 And we'll talk about what happens next in just a moment.

00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:01.379
 So again,

00:17:01.539 --> 00:17:02.340
 seizes an opportunity,

00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:04.759
 but doesn't go out seeking to do this activity.

00:17:05.420 --> 00:17:06.799
 And then in our text today,

00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:07.880
 Acts 28,

00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:08.619
 verse 8,

00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:09.480
 Luke says,

00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:10.900
 It happened that the father,

00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:11.420
 right?

00:17:11.579 --> 00:17:14.079
 So they're invited to stay with this man named Publius,

00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:15.940
 and his father is sick.

00:17:16.579 --> 00:17:17.400
 And after he heals him,

00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:17.960
 what happens?

00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:19.440
 People keep showing up

00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:20.740
 and want to be healed.

00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:22.640
 And Paul obliges.

00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:23.839
 So,

00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:25.660
 they didn't go about seeking it.

00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:26.519
 Secondly,

00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:29.059
 when someone was healed,

00:17:30.299 --> 00:17:33.359
 the gospel was always preached.

00:17:34.339 --> 00:17:35.599
 When someone was healed,

00:17:35.700 --> 00:17:37.859
 the gospel was always preached.

00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:38.279
 Remember,

00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:41.900
 healings were just meant to give credibility

00:17:41.900 --> 00:17:45.500
 to the message that was being preached.

00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:46.779
 And so you'll find today,

00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:49.359
 if you want to fall into the black hole,

00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:50.899
 people of YouTube,

00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:53.439
 type in miracle healings,

00:17:53.679 --> 00:17:56.019
 and start paying attention to what's happening,

00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:56.740
 recorded,

00:17:57.419 --> 00:17:57.919
 many,

00:17:58.199 --> 00:17:58.659
 now I'm not,

00:17:58.759 --> 00:18:00.259
 I haven't gotten too deep into that black hole,

00:18:00.339 --> 00:18:01.479
 but many of those things

00:18:01.479 --> 00:18:03.799
 are not accompanied by gospel proclamation at all.

00:18:04.939 --> 00:18:05.779
 Not at all.

00:18:07.199 --> 00:18:08.099
 When someone was healed,

00:18:08.179 --> 00:18:09.439
 the gospel was always preached.

00:18:09.639 --> 00:18:09.839
 Now,

00:18:10.979 --> 00:18:13.879
 Luke doesn't make record of that reality in this passage,

00:18:14.099 --> 00:18:15.519
 which could trouble you.

00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:17.660
 But there's a really clear pattern of this

00:18:17.660 --> 00:18:18.639
 throughout the book of Acts.

00:18:19.460 --> 00:18:21.220
 And we've seen this pattern together.

00:18:21.299 --> 00:18:22.779
 I've talked about it on multiple occasions.

00:18:22.900 --> 00:18:24.019
 Let me give you a few examples

00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:25.420
 in case you've forgotten that

00:18:25.420 --> 00:18:26.960
 or you just haven't been with us

00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:28.779
 for the entirety of our study.

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:29.359
 So,

00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:31.259
 going on in Acts chapter 3,

00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:33.980
 the story we just read about the lame beggar.

00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:35.759
 Peter heals the lame beggar,

00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:37.619
 and a crowd gathers,

00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:39.500
 verses 11 through 26,

00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:41.680
 and because of this,

00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:41.920
 right,

00:18:41.980 --> 00:18:43.200
 this man is leaping,

00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:44.920
 everybody recognizes him,

00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:46.080
 says he was laid daily

00:18:46.080 --> 00:18:47.840
 at this gate called beautiful.

00:18:48.340 --> 00:18:50.500
 Everyone recognizes this man who was lame,

00:18:50.580 --> 00:18:53.000
 who's now miraculously jumping around.

00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:55.140
 And what does Peter do?

00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:56.920
 He preaches the gospel.

00:18:57.340 --> 00:18:58.220
 He gathers a crowd,

00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:00.819
 and he preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ.

00:19:01.740 --> 00:19:02.880
 Acts chapter 5,

00:19:03.640 --> 00:19:04.860
 verses 12 through 14,

00:19:05.080 --> 00:19:06.180
 Luke records this for us.

00:19:06.700 --> 00:19:08.259
 Now many signs and wonders

00:19:08.259 --> 00:19:10.400
 were regularly done among the people

00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:12.180
 by the hands of the apostles.

00:19:12.180 --> 00:19:14.299
 And they were all together

00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:15.200
 in Solomon's portico.

00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:17.340
 None of the rest dared join them,

00:19:17.400 --> 00:19:19.200
 but the people held them in high esteem.

00:19:19.259 --> 00:19:20.160
 And then verse 14 says,

00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:21.460
 And more than ever,

00:19:21.980 --> 00:19:23.560
 believers were added to the Lord

00:19:23.560 --> 00:19:25.799
 multitudes of both men and women.

00:19:26.360 --> 00:19:27.400
 How were they added?

00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:29.460
 By believing in the gospel preached.

00:19:29.820 --> 00:19:29.940
 Right?

00:19:30.320 --> 00:19:31.960
 They were believing the gospel

00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:32.880
 that was being preached

00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:34.519
 as they're also performing

00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:37.019
 signs and miracles.

00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:38.819
 Another example,

00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:39.960
 Acts chapter 14,

00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:42.920
 beginning in verse 8 and following.

00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:46.680
 Now at Lystra,

00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:47.680
 there was a man sitting

00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:48.900
 who could not use his feet.

00:19:49.019 --> 00:19:50.119
 He was crippled from birth

00:19:50.119 --> 00:19:51.460
 and had never walked.

00:19:52.099 --> 00:19:53.700
 He listened to Paul speaking.

00:19:53.940 --> 00:19:55.139
 He's already preaching the gospel.

00:19:55.559 --> 00:19:56.279
 And Paul,

00:19:56.500 --> 00:19:57.720
 looking intently at him

00:19:57.720 --> 00:19:58.700
 and seeing that he had faith

00:19:58.700 --> 00:19:59.440
 to be made well,

00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:00.519
 said in a loud voice,

00:20:00.639 --> 00:20:01.720
 Stand upright on your feet.

00:20:02.380 --> 00:20:03.299
 And he sprang up

00:20:03.299 --> 00:20:04.079
 and began walking.

00:20:04.660 --> 00:20:05.640
 And when the crowd saw

00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:06.539
 what Paul had done,

00:20:06.600 --> 00:20:07.700
 they lifted up their voices,

00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:09.240
 saying in Lithuanian,

00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:11.160
 The gods have come down to us

00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:12.100
 in the likeness of men.

00:20:12.460 --> 00:20:13.360
 Barnabas they called Zeus

00:20:13.360 --> 00:20:14.339
 and Paul Hermes

00:20:14.339 --> 00:20:16.019
 because he was the chief speaker.

00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:17.700
 And the priest of Zeus,

00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.759
 whose temple was at the entrance

00:20:18.759 --> 00:20:19.400
 to the city,

00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:20.720
 brought oxen and garlands

00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:21.220
 to the gates

00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:22.519
 and wanted to offer sacrifices

00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:23.299
 with the crowds.

00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:25.519
 But when the apostles

00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:26.500
 Barnabas and Paul

00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:27.079
 heard of it,

00:20:27.660 --> 00:20:28.819
 they tore their garments

00:20:28.819 --> 00:20:30.259
 and rushed out into the crowd,

00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:31.180
 crying out,

00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:32.580
 Men, why are you doing

00:20:32.580 --> 00:20:33.279
 these things?

00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:35.360
 We also are men

00:20:35.360 --> 00:20:36.860
 of like nature with you.

00:20:37.180 --> 00:20:38.279
 And we bring you,

00:20:38.940 --> 00:20:39.200
 what?

00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:40.720
 Good news.

00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:41.320
 The gospel.

00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:42.560
 That you should turn

00:20:42.560 --> 00:20:43.420
 from these vain things

00:20:43.420 --> 00:20:44.340
 to a living God

00:20:44.340 --> 00:20:45.060
 who made the heaven

00:20:45.060 --> 00:20:45.940
 and the earth

00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:46.500
 and the sea

00:20:46.500 --> 00:20:48.100
 and all that is in them.

00:20:48.340 --> 00:20:49.100
 So at Lystra,

00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:50.160
 they healed a man

00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:51.360
 and they preached

00:20:51.360 --> 00:20:52.680
 the gospel.

00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:54.960
 So we should not go about

00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:56.220
 seeking to heal people,

00:20:56.600 --> 00:20:57.600
 but we should go about

00:20:57.600 --> 00:20:58.720
 preaching the good news

00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:00.380
 of Jesus Christ.

00:21:00.380 --> 00:21:02.040
 And I'm really comfortable

00:21:02.040 --> 00:21:02.620
 with that,

00:21:03.120 --> 00:21:04.560
 whether cessationism

00:21:04.560 --> 00:21:05.720
 or continuationism

00:21:05.720 --> 00:21:07.260
 or something in between

00:21:07.260 --> 00:21:08.720
 and it's the proper view.

00:21:09.060 --> 00:21:10.540
 Whether I've got it right

00:21:10.540 --> 00:21:11.200
 or not,

00:21:11.280 --> 00:21:12.420
 I'm really comfortable

00:21:12.420 --> 00:21:14.200
 seeing clearly

00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:15.040
 that what we ought

00:21:15.040 --> 00:21:15.660
 to be focusing

00:21:15.660 --> 00:21:16.560
 our attention on

00:21:16.560 --> 00:21:18.160
 is going about

00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:19.280
 preaching the gospel

00:21:19.280 --> 00:21:20.660
 of Jesus Christ.

00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:21.860
 We ought to seek

00:21:21.860 --> 00:21:23.040
 to see the most

00:21:23.040 --> 00:21:24.840
 miraculous of things

00:21:24.840 --> 00:21:26.260
 that has ever happened.

00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:27.020
 Dead people,

00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:27.760
 brought to life,

00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:28.859
 cold hearts,

00:21:29.140 --> 00:21:29.879
 warmed to God

00:21:29.879 --> 00:21:31.940
 through His preached word.

00:21:32.140 --> 00:21:33.359
 Don't neglect that.

00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:34.359
 When somebody places

00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:35.099
 believing faith

00:21:35.099 --> 00:21:35.879
 in Jesus Christ,

00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:37.140
 it is more miraculous

00:21:37.140 --> 00:21:38.000
 than a lame man

00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:38.400
 from birth

00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:39.859
 being able to walk

00:21:39.859 --> 00:21:41.220
 because God has changed

00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:42.440
 their heart.

00:21:43.079 --> 00:21:44.859
 It's an incredible thing

00:21:44.859 --> 00:21:46.000
 that people gather

00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:47.660
 to hear God's word preached.

00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:48.700
 All of you,

00:21:48.779 --> 00:21:49.379
 little miracles

00:21:49.379 --> 00:21:50.079
 this morning,

00:21:50.220 --> 00:21:50.500
 here,

00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:52.640
 using your Sunday morning

00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:53.519
 for this rather

00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:54.980
 than something else.

00:21:54.980 --> 00:21:56.420
 So,

00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:57.279
 these are the things

00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:58.660
 that we can know

00:21:58.660 --> 00:22:00.059
 about this type

00:22:00.059 --> 00:22:01.640
 of stuff happening.

00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:02.700
 Someday,

00:22:02.900 --> 00:22:03.519
 maybe one of you

00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:04.180
 will prove me wrong

00:22:04.180 --> 00:22:05.039
 and I'll be glad

00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:05.900
 to hear your story.

00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:06.660
 Now,

00:22:08.120 --> 00:22:09.259
 Luke has been so careful

00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:10.039
 to record

00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:11.019
 gospel proclamation

00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:13.380
 as the point of healing.

00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:15.180
 Why doesn't he do so

00:22:15.180 --> 00:22:16.000
 in today's text?

00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:17.660
 It bothered me

00:22:17.660 --> 00:22:18.140
 a little bit.

00:22:18.299 --> 00:22:19.579
 Why did he not

00:22:19.579 --> 00:22:20.620
 do it in today's text?

00:22:20.759 --> 00:22:20.880
 Now,

00:22:21.160 --> 00:22:21.860
 I contend

00:22:21.860 --> 00:22:22.660
 that the gospel

00:22:22.660 --> 00:22:24.000
 did get proclaimed,

00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:24.539
 that it did,

00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:24.960
 in fact,

00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:25.460
 happen,

00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:26.960
 not only because

00:22:26.960 --> 00:22:27.900
 we've seen it patterned,

00:22:27.940 --> 00:22:28.740
 but church tradition

00:22:28.740 --> 00:22:29.500
 also holds

00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:30.400
 that a church

00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:31.220
 began on Malta

00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:31.700
 while Paul

00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:32.299
 and his companions

00:22:32.299 --> 00:22:33.220
 were there.

00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:34.799
 Traditions say

00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:35.279
 that a church

00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:36.279
 began when

00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:37.839
 he was there

00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:38.380
 and the wonderful

00:22:38.380 --> 00:22:39.059
 fruit of the gospel

00:22:39.059 --> 00:22:39.799
 being preached

00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:40.759
 is that churches

00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:41.119
 begin.

00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:42.519
 So,

00:22:42.700 --> 00:22:44.279
 why does Luke

00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:45.319
 not make that

00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:46.019
 the big deal?

00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:47.299
 That's what he does

00:22:47.299 --> 00:22:48.180
 all throughout

00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:49.259
 the book of Acts,

00:22:49.400 --> 00:22:49.599
 right?

00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:50.839
 He's all about

00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:52.039
 telling us the story,

00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:52.539
 right?

00:22:52.539 --> 00:22:54.000
 The second account

00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:54.460
 of his,

00:22:54.779 --> 00:22:56.279
 of the risen Christ

00:22:56.279 --> 00:22:57.740
 working by the power

00:22:57.740 --> 00:22:58.359
 of his spirit

00:22:58.359 --> 00:22:59.319
 in the lives

00:22:59.319 --> 00:23:00.019
 of the apostles,

00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:01.240
 primarily Peter

00:23:01.240 --> 00:23:01.720
 at the beginning,

00:23:01.899 --> 00:23:02.539
 now Paul

00:23:02.539 --> 00:23:03.899
 is the main character,

00:23:04.299 --> 00:23:04.480
 right?

00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:05.519
 Proclaiming the gospel

00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:06.259
 of Jesus Christ,

00:23:06.359 --> 00:23:07.259
 people coming to faith,

00:23:07.379 --> 00:23:08.119
 churches beginning.

00:23:08.899 --> 00:23:10.019
 Why does he not

00:23:10.019 --> 00:23:11.240
 make that the big deal

00:23:11.240 --> 00:23:12.579
 of this three months

00:23:12.579 --> 00:23:15.420
 spent on Malta?

00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:18.639
 Believing that Luke

00:23:18.639 --> 00:23:19.379
 wrote this account

00:23:19.379 --> 00:23:20.180
 under the inspiration

00:23:20.180 --> 00:23:20.819
 of the Holy Spirit,

00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:22.639
 we must believe

00:23:22.639 --> 00:23:23.200
 that there is

00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:24.000
 something else

00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:24.659
 that our attention

00:23:24.659 --> 00:23:25.259
 is meant to be

00:23:25.259 --> 00:23:25.700
 drawn to.

00:23:26.700 --> 00:23:27.619
 And I believe,

00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:29.179
 at least today,

00:23:29.579 --> 00:23:30.539
 at least in part,

00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:31.919
 it's meant to be

00:23:31.919 --> 00:23:33.039
 drawn to two things

00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:33.700
 from this text.

00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:34.200
 Number one,

00:23:35.740 --> 00:23:36.139
 hospitality,

00:23:36.919 --> 00:23:37.939
 and number two,

00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:38.859
 justice.

00:23:45.740 --> 00:23:46.399
 Number one,

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:47.000
 hospitality,

00:23:47.419 --> 00:23:47.960
 number two,

00:23:48.059 --> 00:23:48.279
 justice.

00:23:48.279 --> 00:23:48.920
 So let's take a brief

00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:49.519
 look at these two

00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:50.980
 things this morning.

00:23:51.879 --> 00:23:52.259
 First,

00:23:52.339 --> 00:23:52.879
 hospitality.

00:23:53.859 --> 00:23:55.240
 Note the hospitality

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:57.680
 of unbelievers.

00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:00.599
 Verse two,

00:24:01.740 --> 00:24:02.299
 the native people

00:24:02.299 --> 00:24:04.059
 showed us unusual kindness

00:24:04.059 --> 00:24:05.059
 for they kindled the fire

00:24:05.059 --> 00:24:07.599
 and welcomed us all

00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:08.639
 because it began to rain

00:24:08.639 --> 00:24:09.819
 and was cold.

00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:11.220
 And then verse seven,

00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:12.680
 now in the neighborhood

00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:13.420
 of that place,

00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:14.619
 the general area

00:24:14.619 --> 00:24:15.059
 of that place

00:24:15.059 --> 00:24:15.940
 where lands belong

00:24:15.940 --> 00:24:17.000
 to the chief man

00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:17.779
 of the island

00:24:17.779 --> 00:24:18.559
 named Publius

00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:19.220
 who received us

00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:20.779
 and entertained us

00:24:20.779 --> 00:24:21.559
 hospitably

00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:23.360
 for three days.

00:24:23.500 --> 00:24:24.340
 And then verse 10,

00:24:24.940 --> 00:24:25.920
 so notice the theme

00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:27.420
 working through

00:24:27.420 --> 00:24:28.380
 Luke's narrative.

00:24:28.960 --> 00:24:29.320
 Verse 10,

00:24:29.380 --> 00:24:30.440
 they also honored us

00:24:30.440 --> 00:24:31.160
 greatly and when

00:24:31.160 --> 00:24:32.299
 we were about to sail,

00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:33.440
 this is three months later,

00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:34.580
 they put on board

00:24:34.580 --> 00:24:36.460
 whatever we needed

00:24:36.460 --> 00:24:37.420
 for that journey.

00:24:38.620 --> 00:24:40.779
 So the 276 castaways

00:24:40.779 --> 00:24:41.559
 were shown

00:24:41.559 --> 00:24:43.080
 unusual kindness

00:24:43.079 --> 00:24:44.859
 as they were cared for

00:24:44.859 --> 00:24:45.579
 immediately

00:24:45.579 --> 00:24:47.019
 with a fire.

00:24:47.659 --> 00:24:48.960
 Think about the time

00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:50.000
 that they're traveling in.

00:24:50.419 --> 00:24:51.419
 It's past the fast.

00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:52.519
 We saw that last week.

00:24:52.579 --> 00:24:53.039
 This is going to be

00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:53.899
 late September.

00:24:54.379 --> 00:24:55.740
 It's starting to get cold.

00:24:55.859 --> 00:24:56.740
 It's starting to get windy.

00:24:56.859 --> 00:24:57.299
 They've just been

00:24:57.299 --> 00:24:58.079
 in the ocean.

00:24:58.579 --> 00:25:00.240
 They're all sputtering

00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:01.740
 up onto the beach

00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:03.279
 and the native people,

00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:04.000
 the people of the area,

00:25:04.139 --> 00:25:05.339
 build a fire for them.

00:25:06.059 --> 00:25:07.099
 And then they were hosted

00:25:07.099 --> 00:25:08.199
 for three days,

00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:09.339
 hospitably,

00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:10.439
 Luke says,

00:25:10.539 --> 00:25:12.240
 so probably very generously,

00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:14.460
 by Publius,

00:25:14.519 --> 00:25:16.259
 who was the Roman governor

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:17.740
 of Malta.

00:25:18.460 --> 00:25:19.339
 And let us not miss

00:25:19.339 --> 00:25:21.019
 that they wintered

00:25:21.019 --> 00:25:21.480
 on the island.

00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:23.299
 So we see that they were there

00:25:23.299 --> 00:25:25.380
 for three months,

00:25:25.380 --> 00:25:26.620
 so they must have been

00:25:26.620 --> 00:25:27.579
 hosted further.

00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:28.660
 And so they stay

00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:29.480
 at Publius' house

00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:30.480
 for three days.

00:25:30.599 --> 00:25:32.380
 He hosts 276 people.

00:25:32.859 --> 00:25:33.720
 I imagine at some point

00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:34.079
 he said,

00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:35.220
 okay, that's a lot of people

00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:36.140
 to be at my house.

00:25:36.680 --> 00:25:37.660
 But then they had to go

00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:39.019
 somewhere for the following

00:25:39.019 --> 00:25:40.740
 three months, right?

00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:41.880
 They're wintering there.

00:25:41.880 --> 00:25:42.980
 It's getting very cold

00:25:42.980 --> 00:25:44.060
 and very harsh.

00:25:44.260 --> 00:25:46.240
 And so people of the island

00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:48.160
 must have put them up

00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:49.740
 for that time.

00:25:50.820 --> 00:25:51.960
 Now, I believe that many

00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:52.880
 of the people of Malta

00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:54.300
 were saved in this time, right?

00:25:54.360 --> 00:25:55.480
 Because church history holds

00:25:55.480 --> 00:25:56.580
 a church was started there.

00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:57.800
 Healing was happening.

00:25:58.160 --> 00:25:59.120
 Paul must have been preaching

00:25:59.120 --> 00:26:01.220
 the gospel of Jesus Christ.

00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:03.559
 So the line between

00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:05.600
 unbelieving hospitality

00:26:05.600 --> 00:26:07.680
 and believing hospitality

00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:10.240
 may be a bit blurry, right?

00:26:10.420 --> 00:26:12.539
 Maybe a mixture of the two.

00:26:13.079 --> 00:26:14.160
 But all the same,

00:26:15.180 --> 00:26:16.200
 the people of Malta

00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:18.039
 just may put you and I

00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:19.420
 to shame in keeping

00:26:19.420 --> 00:26:21.039
 the command to hospitality.

00:26:22.600 --> 00:26:24.880
 Here's a few of those commands.

00:26:25.819 --> 00:26:26.920
 We're to show hospitality

00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:27.839
 to one another.

00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:29.240
 Romans chapter 12,

00:26:29.319 --> 00:26:30.259
 verse 13.

00:26:30.439 --> 00:26:30.919
 Paul says,

00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:32.839
 contribute to the needs

00:26:32.839 --> 00:26:33.599
 of the saints

00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:36.339
 and seek to show hospitality.

00:26:36.879 --> 00:26:38.699
 Peter writes in 1 Peter 4, 9,

00:26:38.839 --> 00:26:39.639
 show hospitality

00:26:39.639 --> 00:26:41.079
 to one another

00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:42.839
 without grumbling.

00:26:42.839 --> 00:26:46.339
 So what is hospitality?

00:26:46.939 --> 00:26:48.159
 What are we talking about

00:26:48.159 --> 00:26:48.919
 when we say that?

00:26:49.419 --> 00:26:51.339
 It's the making someone

00:26:51.339 --> 00:26:52.759
 feel welcome.

00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:54.659
 So we could do that

00:26:54.659 --> 00:26:55.839
 on a Sunday morning here

00:26:55.839 --> 00:26:57.579
 in our gathering together

00:26:57.579 --> 00:26:58.779
 for people to feel welcome.

00:26:58.899 --> 00:27:00.799
 We have a hospitality team

00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:02.779
 which predominantly makes coffee.

00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:04.240
 But I feel very welcome

00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.059
 when there's coffee

00:27:05.059 --> 00:27:06.779
 ready to go for me

00:27:06.779 --> 00:27:07.919
 when I meet with someone.

00:27:08.659 --> 00:27:10.319
 They're the crew that scrambles

00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:11.839
 and tries to help you with seats.

00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:13.659
 Everyone in the back.

00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:14.779
 Somebody, I hope,

00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:15.659
 helped you with seats

00:27:15.659 --> 00:27:16.679
 this morning.

00:27:17.099 --> 00:27:17.759
 We can show hospitality

00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:19.419
 to our neighbors, right?

00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:21.539
 Inviting them over for dinner.

00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:23.899
 Somebody knocks on your door

00:27:23.899 --> 00:27:24.619
 unexpectedly.

00:27:25.159 --> 00:27:25.839
 You don't slam the door

00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:26.519
 back in their face

00:27:26.519 --> 00:27:27.279
 and go clean the house up

00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:27.539
 real quick.

00:27:27.599 --> 00:27:28.339
 You invite them in

00:27:28.339 --> 00:27:30.119
 and you make them feel welcome.

00:27:30.639 --> 00:27:31.179
 Sam and I are always

00:27:31.179 --> 00:27:31.759
 very tempted

00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:33.119
 to clean up our tiny house

00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:33.859
 before somebody

00:27:33.859 --> 00:27:35.659
 steps inside.

00:27:37.199 --> 00:27:38.019
 Showing hospitality

00:27:38.019 --> 00:27:39.799
 means giving of ourselves

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:41.159
 to make others feel

00:27:41.159 --> 00:27:42.460
 like they are important.

00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:44.279
 That they belong

00:27:44.279 --> 00:27:45.099
 in the place

00:27:45.099 --> 00:27:46.200
 that we are.

00:27:46.859 --> 00:27:47.539
 And we're commanded

00:27:47.539 --> 00:27:48.299
 to it.

00:27:49.419 --> 00:27:50.379
 Not only are we to show

00:27:50.379 --> 00:27:51.579
 hospitality to one another,

00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:52.559
 those inside the church,

00:27:52.619 --> 00:27:53.139
 but we're to show

00:27:53.139 --> 00:27:54.379
 hospitality to others.

00:27:54.740 --> 00:27:56.139
 Those outside.

00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:57.259
 Hebrews 13.2.

00:27:57.799 --> 00:27:58.639
 The writer of Hebrews says,

00:27:58.720 --> 00:27:59.180
 Do not neglect

00:27:59.180 --> 00:27:59.839
 to show hospitality

00:27:59.839 --> 00:28:00.859
 to strangers,

00:28:01.339 --> 00:28:02.559
 for thereby some

00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:03.839
 have entertained

00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:05.879
 angels unawares.

00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:07.419
 Which is such a great word

00:28:07.420 --> 00:28:07.900
 that I feel like

00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:08.880
 doesn't belong in my Bible,

00:28:09.019 --> 00:28:09.740
 but it's there

00:28:09.740 --> 00:28:10.539
 all the same.

00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:12.120
 They have entertained

00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:14.180
 angels unaware.

00:28:14.440 --> 00:28:14.980
 So do not neglect

00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:15.800
 to show hospitality

00:28:15.800 --> 00:28:17.420
 to strangers.

00:28:18.340 --> 00:28:19.420
 But we are not always

00:28:19.420 --> 00:28:20.140
 to be hospitable.

00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:20.960
 Did you know that?

00:28:21.800 --> 00:28:22.700
 We are not to show

00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:24.060
 hospitality to those

00:28:24.060 --> 00:28:25.800
 who claim to be Christians,

00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:27.740
 but do not teach

00:28:27.740 --> 00:28:28.759
 what is orthodox

00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:31.779
 or practice righteousness.

00:28:32.940 --> 00:28:33.519
 How about that?

00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:35.700
 John writes in 2 John

00:28:35.700 --> 00:28:37.140
 verse 10 and 11.

00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:39.319
 If anyone comes to you

00:28:39.319 --> 00:28:40.500
 and does not bring

00:28:40.500 --> 00:28:41.400
 this teaching,

00:28:41.740 --> 00:28:43.100
 the gospel of Jesus Christ,

00:28:43.860 --> 00:28:44.740
 do not receive him

00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:45.420
 into your house

00:28:45.420 --> 00:28:46.759
 or give him any greeting.

00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:48.160
 For whoever greets him

00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:49.039
 takes part

00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:51.440
 in his wicked works.

00:28:52.620 --> 00:28:53.279
 Paul writes in

00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:54.519
 1 Corinthians 5.11,

00:28:54.620 --> 00:28:55.299
 But now I am writing

00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:56.700
 to you not to associate

00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:58.200
 with anyone who bears

00:28:58.200 --> 00:28:59.340
 the name of brother

00:28:59.340 --> 00:29:01.380
 if he is guilty

00:29:01.380 --> 00:29:02.960
 of sexual immorality

00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:03.680
 or greed

00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:04.759
 or is an idolater,

00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:05.400
 reviler,

00:29:05.620 --> 00:29:06.120
 drunkard,

00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:06.940
 or swindler,

00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:09.000
 not even to eat

00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:10.240
 with such a one.

00:29:10.519 --> 00:29:11.240
 And what Paul is saying

00:29:11.240 --> 00:29:12.519
 is if somebody professes

00:29:12.519 --> 00:29:13.580
 to know Jesus Christ

00:29:13.580 --> 00:29:14.519
 and then their life

00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:16.080
 lives in direct opposition

00:29:16.080 --> 00:29:16.620
 to that,

00:29:16.740 --> 00:29:17.980
 don't greet them

00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:19.340
 as a brother.

00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:20.320
 Don't show them

00:29:20.320 --> 00:29:20.980
 the hospitality

00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:22.039
 that you would show

00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:23.400
 to those who are

00:29:23.400 --> 00:29:25.380
 inside the faith.

00:29:26.060 --> 00:29:26.660
 So we're to show

00:29:26.660 --> 00:29:28.160
 hospitality.

00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:30.000
 And we see that

00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:31.820
 expressed even

00:29:31.820 --> 00:29:33.620
 by unbelievers,

00:29:33.740 --> 00:29:34.120
 which should be

00:29:34.120 --> 00:29:34.960
 an astounding thing

00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.279
 to us,

00:29:35.340 --> 00:29:36.000
 the way they're greeted

00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:37.140
 on the shore

00:29:37.140 --> 00:29:38.080
 of that island.

00:29:39.120 --> 00:29:39.560
 Second,

00:29:39.720 --> 00:29:40.519
 note the hospitality

00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:42.000
 of believers.

00:29:42.140 --> 00:29:42.580
 And in this case,

00:29:42.620 --> 00:29:43.040
 we can say

00:29:43.040 --> 00:29:43.960
 definitely believers.

00:29:44.140 --> 00:29:45.120
 We know that these

00:29:45.120 --> 00:29:47.259
 people are believers.

00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:50.180
 Verse 14

00:29:50.180 --> 00:29:52.259
 in Pudioli.

00:29:52.940 --> 00:29:53.460
 I got it right

00:29:53.460 --> 00:29:53.940
 the first time

00:29:53.940 --> 00:29:54.320
 that time.

00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:56.159
 we found brothers

00:29:56.159 --> 00:29:57.399
 and were invited

00:29:57.399 --> 00:29:58.279
 to stay with him

00:29:58.279 --> 00:30:00.059
 for seven days.

00:30:00.639 --> 00:30:01.639
 And so we came

00:30:01.639 --> 00:30:02.579
 to Rome.

00:30:03.179 --> 00:30:03.740
 So Paul

00:30:03.740 --> 00:30:05.500
 and his companions,

00:30:06.359 --> 00:30:07.319
 we have to assume

00:30:07.319 --> 00:30:08.299
 the Roman centurion

00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:08.720
 Julius,

00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:09.619
 who's been accompanying

00:30:09.619 --> 00:30:10.919
 Paul all along,

00:30:11.379 --> 00:30:12.339
 upon arriving

00:30:12.339 --> 00:30:13.759
 on the Italian shore,

00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:15.519
 drop in

00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:17.639
 for a seven-day stay

00:30:17.639 --> 00:30:19.619
 upon being invited

00:30:19.619 --> 00:30:20.379
 to stay

00:30:20.379 --> 00:30:21.599
 for such a time.

00:30:22.200 --> 00:30:22.700
 And likely

00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:23.480
 for such a time

00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:24.099
 because they

00:30:24.099 --> 00:30:25.259
 needed to gain strength

00:30:25.259 --> 00:30:25.939
 for their further

00:30:25.939 --> 00:30:26.899
 journeying on

00:30:26.899 --> 00:30:28.079
 to Rome.

00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:28.659
 So we have this

00:30:28.659 --> 00:30:29.759
 gracious extension

00:30:29.759 --> 00:30:31.059
 of the brothers.

00:30:31.859 --> 00:30:32.859
 And then verse 15.

00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:36.459
 And the brothers there,

00:30:36.639 --> 00:30:37.859
 the brothers in Rome,

00:30:38.659 --> 00:30:39.599
 when they heard

00:30:39.599 --> 00:30:40.419
 about us,

00:30:41.159 --> 00:30:42.059
 came as far

00:30:42.059 --> 00:30:42.859
 as the forum

00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:43.719
 of Appius

00:30:43.719 --> 00:30:45.019
 and three taverns

00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:45.659
 to meet us.

00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:47.179
 On seeing them,

00:30:47.299 --> 00:30:48.419
 Paul thanked God

00:30:48.419 --> 00:30:50.000
 and took courage.

00:30:50.899 --> 00:30:51.759
 The forum of Appius

00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:52.639
 was a marketplace.

00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:53.779
 It's sometimes called

00:30:53.779 --> 00:30:55.000
 the Market of Appius

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:57.019
 and it was 43 miles

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:58.779
 south of Rome.

00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:00.019
 So these believers

00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:01.440
 heard that this Paul,

00:31:01.539 --> 00:31:02.440
 he had written his letter

00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:03.660
 to the Romans already,

00:31:03.859 --> 00:31:04.700
 had sent that on

00:31:04.700 --> 00:31:05.980
 ahead of himself.

00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:07.639
 But the believer Paul,

00:31:07.740 --> 00:31:08.740
 the apostle Paul,

00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:10.539
 was coming to Rome

00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:11.859
 and they traveled

00:31:11.859 --> 00:31:13.059
 43 miles

00:31:13.059 --> 00:31:13.859
 by foot

00:31:13.859 --> 00:31:14.980
 or by some kind

00:31:14.980 --> 00:31:16.440
 of equestrian means

00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:18.279
 to go and to meet him.

00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:20.240
 And the three taverns

00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:20.899
 was a location

00:31:20.899 --> 00:31:22.359
 just 10 miles closer.

00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:23.599
 So it's 33 miles

00:31:23.599 --> 00:31:24.859
 south of Rome.

00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:26.019
 Perhaps these brothers

00:31:26.019 --> 00:31:27.379
 heard the news later

00:31:27.379 --> 00:31:28.160
 or they just got

00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:29.339
 a later start.

00:31:29.559 --> 00:31:29.920
 They had to wait

00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:30.500
 for somebody else

00:31:30.500 --> 00:31:31.319
 to show up

00:31:31.319 --> 00:31:31.680
 and meet them

00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:32.539
 in the parking lot

00:31:32.539 --> 00:31:32.940
 before they could

00:31:32.940 --> 00:31:33.359
 take off.

00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:34.000
 Right?

00:31:34.680 --> 00:31:35.920
 What a picture

00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:37.539
 of Christian love

00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:38.299
 this is.

00:31:39.039 --> 00:31:39.799
 Roman brothers

00:31:39.799 --> 00:31:40.839
 hearing that Paul

00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:41.819
 was arriving,

00:31:42.420 --> 00:31:43.980
 extend this great hand

00:31:43.980 --> 00:31:44.920
 of hospitality

00:31:44.920 --> 00:31:46.259
 in accompanying him

00:31:46.259 --> 00:31:47.620
 which we see

00:31:47.620 --> 00:31:49.140
 made Paul thankful

00:31:49.140 --> 00:31:50.720
 and encouraged him.

00:31:50.820 --> 00:31:51.960
 The end of verse 15

00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:53.360
 Luke records,

00:31:53.560 --> 00:31:54.400
 On seeing them,

00:31:54.519 --> 00:31:55.720
 Paul thanked God.

00:31:55.840 --> 00:31:56.800
 What did he thank God for?

00:31:57.360 --> 00:31:58.240
 For the brothers.

00:31:58.740 --> 00:31:59.380
 For the hospitality

00:31:59.380 --> 00:32:00.220
 of the brothers.

00:32:00.340 --> 00:32:00.980
 That they came

00:32:00.980 --> 00:32:02.300
 to meet him

00:32:02.300 --> 00:32:03.320
 and accompany him

00:32:03.320 --> 00:32:04.580
 to Rome.

00:32:04.820 --> 00:32:05.400
 Don't forget

00:32:05.400 --> 00:32:06.300
 what Paul was headed

00:32:06.300 --> 00:32:07.080
 to Rome for.

00:32:07.180 --> 00:32:08.380
 He was to stand trial

00:32:08.380 --> 00:32:09.740
 before Caesar.

00:32:10.380 --> 00:32:11.100
 That's what he was headed

00:32:11.100 --> 00:32:12.660
 to Rome to do.

00:32:12.800 --> 00:32:13.759
 And he's greeted by

00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:15.960
 a band of his family

00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:17.359
 that escorts him

00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:18.500
 back in to Rome.

00:32:18.619 --> 00:32:20.240
 So he thanks God

00:32:20.240 --> 00:32:21.900
 and he takes courage.

00:32:21.980 --> 00:32:22.900
 He took courage.

00:32:23.019 --> 00:32:25.019
 He was encouraged

00:32:25.019 --> 00:32:26.480
 by their hospitality.

00:32:28.059 --> 00:32:29.559
 Hospitality has distinguished

00:32:29.559 --> 00:32:30.879
 the Christian community

00:32:30.879 --> 00:32:32.660
 throughout the ages.

00:32:33.640 --> 00:32:34.519
 New Testament scholar

00:32:34.519 --> 00:32:36.039
 Abraham J. Moherbe

00:32:36.039 --> 00:32:36.980
 points out

00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:38.319
 that among early Christians

00:32:38.319 --> 00:32:40.119
 hospitality was not merely

00:32:40.119 --> 00:32:41.400
 a practical consideration.

00:32:41.579 --> 00:32:42.400
 It wasn't just about

00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:43.640
 providing for need.

00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:45.240
 But it was a theological one.

00:32:45.299 --> 00:32:45.879
 He wrote this.

00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:46.879
 The Christian practice

00:32:46.879 --> 00:32:47.480
 of hospitality

00:32:47.480 --> 00:32:48.920
 was not viewed simply

00:32:48.920 --> 00:32:50.420
 as a means of overcoming

00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:51.619
 practical problems.

00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:53.619
 Theological statements

00:32:53.619 --> 00:32:54.559
 by different authors

00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.240
 in the New Testament

00:32:55.240 --> 00:32:55.960
 show that it was

00:32:55.960 --> 00:32:56.859
 frequently viewed

00:32:56.859 --> 00:32:59.299
 as the concrete expression

00:32:59.299 --> 00:33:00.920
 of Christian love.

00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:02.960
 So if we love one another,

00:33:03.220 --> 00:33:05.099
 we'll be hospitable

00:33:05.099 --> 00:33:06.440
 toward one another.

00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:08.700
 Beloved,

00:33:08.759 --> 00:33:10.019
 let hospitality

00:33:10.019 --> 00:33:10.960
 distinguish

00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:12.440
 Christ Family Church

00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:13.480
 to Lonega.

00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:15.160
 Be hospitable

00:33:15.160 --> 00:33:15.880
 when we gather

00:33:15.880 --> 00:33:16.480
 on Sundays,

00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:18.120
 but not only on Sundays.

00:33:18.840 --> 00:33:19.779
 Open up your homes,

00:33:20.340 --> 00:33:21.559
 feed people meals.

00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:22.299
 College students,

00:33:22.380 --> 00:33:23.920
 you can pull this off too.

00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:25.380
 Mac and cheese

00:33:25.380 --> 00:33:26.960
 and hot dogs,

00:33:27.079 --> 00:33:27.559
 get it done.

00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:30.259
 Seek out ways

00:33:30.259 --> 00:33:31.180
 to show people

00:33:31.180 --> 00:33:32.400
 concretely

00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:33.940
 that you love them.

00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:36.860
 may we not be outclassed

00:33:36.860 --> 00:33:37.860
 by the unbelievers

00:33:37.860 --> 00:33:39.100
 of Malta.

00:33:40.220 --> 00:33:41.340
 So we see hospitality

00:33:41.340 --> 00:33:42.059
 in the first part

00:33:42.059 --> 00:33:43.660
 of chapter 28.

00:33:44.340 --> 00:33:45.539
 We also see

00:33:45.539 --> 00:33:46.380
 some expression

00:33:46.380 --> 00:33:47.720
 of justice.

00:33:49.059 --> 00:33:49.480
 Secondly,

00:33:49.660 --> 00:33:50.100
 justice.

00:33:52.100 --> 00:33:52.920
 Verse 4 says,

00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:53.920
 When the native people

00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:55.460
 saw the creature

00:33:55.460 --> 00:33:56.460
 hanging from his hand,

00:33:56.519 --> 00:33:57.560
 they said to one another,

00:33:58.100 --> 00:33:59.180
 No doubt this man

00:33:59.180 --> 00:33:59.800
 is a murderer.

00:33:59.960 --> 00:34:00.880
 Though he was escaped

00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:01.460
 from the sea,

00:34:02.039 --> 00:34:03.279
 justice has not allowed

00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:05.100
 him to live.

00:34:06.180 --> 00:34:07.039
 Now the assumption

00:34:07.039 --> 00:34:07.740
 of the Maltons

00:34:07.740 --> 00:34:08.460
 was that Paul

00:34:08.460 --> 00:34:09.360
 had done something

00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:10.720
 to deserve the bite

00:34:10.720 --> 00:34:11.960
 of the snake.

00:34:12.639 --> 00:34:13.599
 It is unclear

00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:14.500
 if Luke means

00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:15.200
 to tell us

00:34:15.200 --> 00:34:16.780
 that the Maltons

00:34:16.780 --> 00:34:17.519
 had a God

00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:18.380
 named Justice.

00:34:19.260 --> 00:34:19.960
 The ESV

00:34:19.960 --> 00:34:21.159
 capitalizes the word

00:34:21.159 --> 00:34:22.099
 for that very purpose.

00:34:22.739 --> 00:34:23.779
 Or merely that they

00:34:23.779 --> 00:34:24.659
 had a concept

00:34:24.659 --> 00:34:25.920
 of justice.

00:34:26.019 --> 00:34:26.659
 But either way,

00:34:26.739 --> 00:34:27.719
 they understood

00:34:27.719 --> 00:34:29.119
 vengeance

00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:30.599
 and believed

00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:31.179
 that Paul,

00:34:31.359 --> 00:34:31.920
 having escaped

00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:32.519
 from a shipwreck,

00:34:32.619 --> 00:34:33.639
 was still being

00:34:33.639 --> 00:34:35.839
 pursued unto death

00:34:35.839 --> 00:34:36.679
 by fate

00:34:36.679 --> 00:34:37.359
 or by a God

00:34:37.359 --> 00:34:38.559
 or whatever.

00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:41.980
 Why is this noteworthy?

00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:44.099
 It is worth our attention

00:34:44.099 --> 00:34:45.799
 because it is an example

00:34:45.799 --> 00:34:47.559
 of the law of God

00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:48.279
 being written

00:34:48.279 --> 00:34:50.440
 on men's hearts.

00:34:51.159 --> 00:34:52.519
 The native people

00:34:52.519 --> 00:34:53.000
 of Malta,

00:34:53.119 --> 00:34:54.299
 which, by the way,

00:34:54.359 --> 00:34:54.899
 only means

00:34:54.899 --> 00:34:55.339
 that they didn't

00:34:55.339 --> 00:34:56.359
 speak Greek or Latin,

00:34:56.699 --> 00:34:57.460
 not necessarily

00:34:57.460 --> 00:34:58.059
 that they were

00:34:58.059 --> 00:34:59.059
 uncivilized.

00:34:59.159 --> 00:35:00.699
 You don't need to see

00:35:00.699 --> 00:35:01.719
 on Malta

00:35:01.719 --> 00:35:03.219
 people in grass skirts.

00:35:04.319 --> 00:35:05.199
 It was being ruled

00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:06.159
 by Publius, right,

00:35:06.179 --> 00:35:07.659
 who was a Roman governor.

00:35:07.759 --> 00:35:08.359
 It just simply means

00:35:08.359 --> 00:35:09.019
 they didn't speak

00:35:09.019 --> 00:35:11.519
 Greek or Latin.

00:35:12.099 --> 00:35:13.059
 But these people

00:35:13.059 --> 00:35:14.699
 had an idea

00:35:14.699 --> 00:35:16.319
 of right and wrong.

00:35:17.719 --> 00:35:19.599
 They had no doubt

00:35:19.599 --> 00:35:21.059
 that Paul was a murderer.

00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:23.880
 Throughout history,

00:35:24.659 --> 00:35:25.960
 morality has taken

00:35:25.960 --> 00:35:28.279
 very similar shape,

00:35:28.659 --> 00:35:29.639
 hasn't it?

00:35:30.019 --> 00:35:30.380
 Why?

00:35:31.380 --> 00:35:32.839
 Because God's law

00:35:32.839 --> 00:35:35.239
 is on men's hearts.

00:35:36.339 --> 00:35:37.500
 In Romans chapter 2,

00:35:38.259 --> 00:35:39.519
 beginning in verse 14

00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:40.039
 and following,

00:35:40.159 --> 00:35:40.759
 Paul writes,

00:35:40.760 --> 00:35:42.940
 for when Gentiles

00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:44.640
 who do not have

00:35:44.640 --> 00:35:45.200
 the law

00:35:45.200 --> 00:35:46.680
 by nature

00:35:46.680 --> 00:35:47.560
 do what the law

00:35:47.560 --> 00:35:48.300
 requires,

00:35:49.060 --> 00:35:50.060
 they are a law

00:35:50.060 --> 00:35:50.900
 to themselves

00:35:50.900 --> 00:35:51.560
 even though

00:35:51.560 --> 00:35:52.340
 they do not

00:35:52.340 --> 00:35:54.300
 have the law.

00:35:54.700 --> 00:35:55.340
 So track what he's

00:35:55.340 --> 00:35:56.160
 saying there, right?

00:35:56.700 --> 00:35:57.220
 Gentiles,

00:35:57.320 --> 00:35:58.140
 those who are outside

00:35:58.140 --> 00:35:59.720
 of Israel,

00:35:59.960 --> 00:36:01.040
 who weren't given

00:36:01.040 --> 00:36:01.620
 the law,

00:36:02.340 --> 00:36:03.260
 still do things

00:36:03.260 --> 00:36:03.860
 that are consistent

00:36:03.860 --> 00:36:04.460
 with the law,

00:36:04.760 --> 00:36:04.900
 right?

00:36:04.960 --> 00:36:06.220
 Still live morally

00:36:06.219 --> 00:36:07.239
 to some degree,

00:36:07.379 --> 00:36:07.599
 right?

00:36:07.899 --> 00:36:08.619
 Still obey.

00:36:08.739 --> 00:36:09.279
 So here we see

00:36:09.279 --> 00:36:10.219
 the native people

00:36:10.219 --> 00:36:11.259
 of Malta

00:36:11.259 --> 00:36:12.500
 seeing that murder

00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:13.000
 is wrong.

00:36:13.399 --> 00:36:14.179
 They know this

00:36:14.179 --> 00:36:15.239
 to be true.

00:36:15.399 --> 00:36:16.139
 Verse 15 says,

00:36:16.219 --> 00:36:16.779
 they show that

00:36:16.779 --> 00:36:17.599
 the work of the law

00:36:17.599 --> 00:36:18.659
 is written on their hearts

00:36:18.659 --> 00:36:20.079
 while their conscience

00:36:20.079 --> 00:36:21.099
 also bears witness

00:36:21.099 --> 00:36:21.859
 and their conflicting

00:36:21.859 --> 00:36:22.500
 thoughts accuse

00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:23.459
 or even excuse them

00:36:23.459 --> 00:36:24.459
 on that day when,

00:36:25.039 --> 00:36:26.079
 according to my gospel,

00:36:26.279 --> 00:36:27.519
 God judges the secrets

00:36:27.519 --> 00:36:28.059
 of men

00:36:28.059 --> 00:36:30.000
 by Christ Jesus.

00:36:31.639 --> 00:36:32.859
 Now, if you're a student,

00:36:33.019 --> 00:36:33.939
 you may have taken

00:36:33.939 --> 00:36:35.500
 or will take a class

00:36:35.500 --> 00:36:37.179
 that will suggest to you

00:36:37.179 --> 00:36:38.619
 that morality is subjective

00:36:38.619 --> 00:36:40.400
 and will cite

00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:42.159
 some obscure example

00:36:42.159 --> 00:36:43.400
 of a civilization

00:36:43.400 --> 00:36:44.599
 deep in a jungle

00:36:44.599 --> 00:36:45.840
 that does not find

00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:46.780
 anything wrong

00:36:46.780 --> 00:36:48.320
 with, say, murder.

00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:49.599
 Have any of you

00:36:49.599 --> 00:36:50.440
 been in that class

00:36:50.440 --> 00:36:51.039
 already?

00:36:52.619 --> 00:36:53.440
 Two of you.

00:36:53.539 --> 00:36:53.900
 All right.

00:36:54.579 --> 00:36:55.619
 Maybe that's good

00:36:55.619 --> 00:36:56.360
 that you're avoiding

00:36:56.360 --> 00:36:57.500
 such classes.

00:36:58.239 --> 00:36:59.579
 It will likely happen

00:36:59.579 --> 00:37:01.159
 to you at some point,

00:37:01.260 --> 00:37:02.400
 some small, obscure

00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:04.019
 example of a

00:37:04.019 --> 00:37:05.480
 little tribe

00:37:05.480 --> 00:37:06.480
 that doesn't find

00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:07.179
 anything wrong

00:37:07.179 --> 00:37:07.699
 with murder.

00:37:09.880 --> 00:37:11.000
 Be really careful

00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:12.659
 when those things

00:37:12.659 --> 00:37:13.440
 are presented to you

00:37:13.440 --> 00:37:14.480
 when people want to say

00:37:14.480 --> 00:37:14.960
 that morality

00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:16.920
 is entirely subjective.

00:37:18.099 --> 00:37:18.780
 Their evidence

00:37:18.780 --> 00:37:19.699
 for such claims

00:37:19.699 --> 00:37:21.880
 is extremely weak.

00:37:23.340 --> 00:37:24.880
 The interviewing process

00:37:24.880 --> 00:37:25.579
 for these people

00:37:25.579 --> 00:37:26.960
 is almost nil.

00:37:27.860 --> 00:37:28.699
 In most cases,

00:37:28.760 --> 00:37:29.380
 they don't even speak

00:37:29.380 --> 00:37:29.960
 their languages.

00:37:30.079 --> 00:37:30.480
 They make assumptions

00:37:31.079 --> 00:37:31.780
 that they think

00:37:31.780 --> 00:37:33.219
 murder is right.

00:37:33.219 --> 00:37:35.619
 And it's at very best

00:37:35.619 --> 00:37:36.399
 anecdotal.

00:37:36.980 --> 00:37:37.439
 So you've got

00:37:37.439 --> 00:37:39.019
 one small group

00:37:39.019 --> 00:37:39.719
 of people.

00:37:40.439 --> 00:37:42.379
 Show me a nation state

00:37:42.379 --> 00:37:44.719
 that has taken morality

00:37:44.719 --> 00:37:45.239
 and made it

00:37:45.239 --> 00:37:46.299
 an entirely subjective

00:37:46.299 --> 00:37:47.500
 thing.

00:37:48.339 --> 00:37:49.500
 Could be the U.S. soon.

00:37:49.599 --> 00:37:50.019
 We're kind of heading

00:37:50.019 --> 00:37:50.579
 in that direction,

00:37:50.839 --> 00:37:51.179
 aren't we?

00:37:53.679 --> 00:37:54.619
 But deep down,

00:37:54.739 --> 00:37:55.500
 people know.

00:37:55.899 --> 00:37:56.219
 People know

00:37:56.759 --> 00:37:58.179
 what is right.

00:37:58.399 --> 00:37:58.819
 They know

00:37:58.819 --> 00:38:00.419
 what is wrong.

00:38:00.420 --> 00:38:01.720
 Paul tells us

00:38:01.720 --> 00:38:02.539
 and in our text

00:38:02.539 --> 00:38:03.099
 we see

00:38:03.099 --> 00:38:04.180
 that people

00:38:04.180 --> 00:38:05.159
 without the law

00:38:05.159 --> 00:38:06.840
 still by nature

00:38:06.840 --> 00:38:08.380
 do what the law

00:38:08.380 --> 00:38:09.440
 requires.

00:38:09.659 --> 00:38:10.180
 And therefore,

00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:11.800
 having kept the law

00:38:11.800 --> 00:38:12.700
 imperfectly,

00:38:12.960 --> 00:38:13.639
 even with the law

00:38:13.639 --> 00:38:14.320
 written on our hearts,

00:38:14.380 --> 00:38:15.000
 we don't keep it

00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:15.599
 perfectly,

00:38:16.280 --> 00:38:17.220
 their condemnation

00:38:17.220 --> 00:38:18.920
 is just.

00:38:19.920 --> 00:38:20.760
 God will

00:38:20.760 --> 00:38:22.000
 dole out justice

00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:23.000
 and He will

00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:24.019
 be right

00:38:24.019 --> 00:38:25.260
 in doing so.

00:38:27.000 --> 00:38:28.079
 Paul wrote this.

00:38:28.260 --> 00:38:28.900
 If you back up

00:38:28.900 --> 00:38:29.920
 into Romans 1,

00:38:30.200 --> 00:38:31.180
 verse 18

00:38:31.180 --> 00:38:32.039
 and following,

00:38:33.139 --> 00:38:34.160
 For the wrath

00:38:34.160 --> 00:38:34.639
 of God

00:38:34.639 --> 00:38:35.220
 is revealed

00:38:35.220 --> 00:38:35.900
 from heaven

00:38:35.900 --> 00:38:37.700
 against all

00:38:37.700 --> 00:38:38.340
 ungodliness

00:38:38.340 --> 00:38:39.639
 and all

00:38:39.639 --> 00:38:40.280
 unrighteousness

00:38:40.280 --> 00:38:40.660
 of men

00:38:40.660 --> 00:38:42.099
 who by their

00:38:42.099 --> 00:38:42.700
 unrighteousness

00:38:42.700 --> 00:38:44.519
 suppress the truth.

00:38:45.099 --> 00:38:45.880
 So the wrath

00:38:45.880 --> 00:38:46.380
 of God

00:38:46.380 --> 00:38:49.119
 will be delivered

00:38:49.119 --> 00:38:51.099
 to unrighteous

00:38:51.099 --> 00:38:51.800
 men.

00:38:52.220 --> 00:38:53.039
 Those who aren't

00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:54.519
 found perfect,

00:38:55.539 --> 00:38:56.180
 the wrath

00:38:56.180 --> 00:38:56.579
 of God

00:38:56.579 --> 00:38:57.260
 is due them.

00:38:57.260 --> 00:38:58.820
 It's a weighty

00:38:58.820 --> 00:38:59.120
 thing.

00:39:00.440 --> 00:39:01.000
 Verse 19,

00:39:01.120 --> 00:39:01.820
 For what can be

00:39:01.820 --> 00:39:02.680
 known about God

00:39:02.680 --> 00:39:03.700
 is plain to them

00:39:03.700 --> 00:39:04.680
 because God

00:39:04.680 --> 00:39:05.440
 has shown it

00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:06.340
 to them.

00:39:07.080 --> 00:39:07.940
 For His invisible

00:39:07.940 --> 00:39:08.520
 attributes,

00:39:08.660 --> 00:39:09.440
 namely His eternal

00:39:09.440 --> 00:39:10.540
 power and divine

00:39:10.540 --> 00:39:10.940
 nature,

00:39:11.020 --> 00:39:11.620
 have been clearly

00:39:11.620 --> 00:39:12.900
 perceived ever

00:39:12.900 --> 00:39:13.760
 since the creation

00:39:13.760 --> 00:39:14.320
 of the world

00:39:14.320 --> 00:39:14.960
 and the things

00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:15.480
 that have been

00:39:15.480 --> 00:39:15.920
 made.

00:39:16.360 --> 00:39:17.280
 So they

00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:18.600
 are without

00:39:18.600 --> 00:39:19.900
 excuse.

00:39:21.100 --> 00:39:21.860
 The native

00:39:21.860 --> 00:39:23.420
 people of Malta,

00:39:23.980 --> 00:39:24.580
 God's word

00:39:24.580 --> 00:39:25.300
 on their heart,

00:39:25.300 --> 00:39:26.480
 they had evidences

00:39:26.480 --> 00:39:27.340
 in the creation

00:39:27.340 --> 00:39:28.240
 that a God

00:39:28.240 --> 00:39:29.260
 exists who

00:39:29.260 --> 00:39:29.820
 gave them

00:39:29.820 --> 00:39:31.240
 such instruction

00:39:31.240 --> 00:39:32.080
 and so they

00:39:32.080 --> 00:39:33.060
 were without

00:39:33.060 --> 00:39:34.120
 excuse.

00:39:34.680 --> 00:39:34.980
 The native

00:39:34.980 --> 00:39:35.920
 people of Malta

00:39:35.920 --> 00:39:36.720
 needed the

00:39:36.720 --> 00:39:37.960
 gospel of

00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:38.660
 Jesus Christ.

00:39:39.220 --> 00:39:39.680
 They needed to

00:39:39.680 --> 00:39:40.640
 believe in Jesus

00:39:40.640 --> 00:39:41.539
 Christ and to be

00:39:41.539 --> 00:39:42.640
 clothed in His

00:39:42.640 --> 00:39:43.140
 righteousness,

00:39:43.360 --> 00:39:44.000
 to be found

00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:45.120
 perfect in

00:39:45.120 --> 00:39:46.700
 Christ because

00:39:46.700 --> 00:39:47.360
 without Jesus'

00:39:47.539 --> 00:39:47.820
 righteousness,

00:39:48.039 --> 00:39:48.440
 they would one

00:39:48.440 --> 00:39:49.100
 day stand before

00:39:49.100 --> 00:39:49.680
 the God of

00:39:49.680 --> 00:39:50.780
 justice and receive

00:39:50.780 --> 00:39:51.560
 their due

00:39:51.560 --> 00:39:51.960
 punishment.

00:39:51.960 --> 00:39:53.119
 God,

00:39:53.119 --> 00:39:54.260
 but praise God

00:39:54.260 --> 00:39:55.159
 that by faith

00:39:55.159 --> 00:39:55.679
 in Christ,

00:39:55.820 --> 00:39:56.099
 they,

00:39:56.480 --> 00:39:57.199
 I believe,

00:39:57.320 --> 00:39:57.539
 they,

00:39:57.679 --> 00:39:58.240
 I hope many

00:39:58.240 --> 00:39:58.699
 of them,

00:39:59.780 --> 00:40:00.400
 and you and

00:40:00.400 --> 00:40:02.460
 I can stand

00:40:02.460 --> 00:40:03.199
 before God

00:40:03.199 --> 00:40:03.900
 and be seen

00:40:03.900 --> 00:40:05.079
 as keepers of

00:40:05.079 --> 00:40:06.119
 the law because

00:40:06.119 --> 00:40:07.320
 Jesus kept

00:40:07.320 --> 00:40:07.960
 the law for

00:40:07.960 --> 00:40:08.400
 us.

00:40:09.720 --> 00:40:10.220
 Praise God

00:40:10.220 --> 00:40:10.740
 that by faith

00:40:10.740 --> 00:40:11.380
 in Christ,

00:40:11.639 --> 00:40:13.139
 they and you

00:40:13.139 --> 00:40:14.480
 and I can

00:40:14.480 --> 00:40:15.320
 stand before God

00:40:15.320 --> 00:40:16.179
 having our sins

00:40:16.179 --> 00:40:16.900
 cleansed from

00:40:16.900 --> 00:40:18.039
 us because Jesus

00:40:18.039 --> 00:40:19.039
 bore God's

00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:20.320
 wrath on our

00:40:20.320 --> 00:40:20.840
 behalf.

00:40:20.840 --> 00:40:23.240
 And now,

00:40:23.360 --> 00:40:23.840
 as followers of

00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:24.360
 Jesus Christ,

00:40:24.440 --> 00:40:25.100
 we boldly

00:40:25.100 --> 00:40:25.740
 proclaim the

00:40:25.740 --> 00:40:26.980
 good news of

00:40:26.980 --> 00:40:27.579
 His saving

00:40:27.579 --> 00:40:28.559
 faith.

00:40:29.000 --> 00:40:29.800
 This is what it

00:40:29.800 --> 00:40:30.800
 means to believe

00:40:30.800 --> 00:40:31.620
 in Jesus,

00:40:31.740 --> 00:40:32.440
 to believe in

00:40:32.440 --> 00:40:33.400
 His person,

00:40:34.079 --> 00:40:34.680
 that He is in

00:40:34.680 --> 00:40:35.980
 fact the Son

00:40:35.980 --> 00:40:36.500
 of God,

00:40:37.019 --> 00:40:37.980
 God Himself,

00:40:38.920 --> 00:40:39.579
 incarnate,

00:40:39.700 --> 00:40:40.400
 sent to earth,

00:40:40.980 --> 00:40:42.280
 and that He did

00:40:42.280 --> 00:40:43.180
 this work on our

00:40:43.180 --> 00:40:43.460
 behalf.

00:40:43.559 --> 00:40:43.900
 He lived a

00:40:43.900 --> 00:40:44.780
 perfect life,

00:40:45.059 --> 00:40:46.340
 fulfilling righteousness,

00:40:46.539 --> 00:40:47.000
 that He might

00:40:47.000 --> 00:40:47.940
 give that to us,

00:40:48.280 --> 00:40:49.100
 and He died a

00:40:49.100 --> 00:40:49.900
 sinner's death,

00:40:49.900 --> 00:40:51.059
 taking our

00:40:51.059 --> 00:40:51.820
 punishment in

00:40:51.820 --> 00:40:52.260
 His flesh.

00:40:52.360 --> 00:40:52.760
 This is what it

00:40:52.760 --> 00:40:53.380
 means to believe

00:40:53.380 --> 00:40:54.019
 in Jesus.

00:40:54.820 --> 00:40:55.539
 Place your

00:40:55.539 --> 00:40:56.599
 faith in

00:40:56.599 --> 00:40:56.920
 that.

00:40:57.780 --> 00:40:58.820
 Recognize your

00:40:58.820 --> 00:40:59.440
 sinfulness,

00:40:59.700 --> 00:41:00.740
 your just

00:41:00.740 --> 00:41:01.559
 condemnation.

00:41:02.720 --> 00:41:03.559
 God will

00:41:03.559 --> 00:41:05.019
 bring justice,

00:41:05.820 --> 00:41:07.360
 and He will

00:41:07.360 --> 00:41:07.720
 bring it to

00:41:07.720 --> 00:41:08.039
 those who

00:41:08.039 --> 00:41:08.360
 haven't placed

00:41:08.360 --> 00:41:08.660
 faith in

00:41:08.660 --> 00:41:09.139
 Jesus Christ

00:41:09.139 --> 00:41:09.780
 by pouring

00:41:09.780 --> 00:41:10.180
 His wrath

00:41:10.180 --> 00:41:10.700
 out on them.

00:41:11.579 --> 00:41:11.960
 He will

00:41:11.960 --> 00:41:12.300
 bring it to

00:41:12.300 --> 00:41:12.579
 those who

00:41:12.579 --> 00:41:13.079
 have believed

00:41:13.079 --> 00:41:13.420
 in Jesus

00:41:13.420 --> 00:41:14.500
 Christ because

00:41:14.500 --> 00:41:14.780
 He poured

00:41:14.780 --> 00:41:15.059
 His wrath

00:41:15.059 --> 00:41:15.780
 out on Christ.

00:41:15.780 --> 00:41:15.860
 Christ.

00:41:16.660 --> 00:41:17.420
 We escape

00:41:17.420 --> 00:41:18.019
 His wrath

00:41:18.019 --> 00:41:18.900
 because Jesus

00:41:18.900 --> 00:41:19.880
 suffered in

00:41:19.880 --> 00:41:21.300
 our place.

00:41:21.519 --> 00:41:21.840
 Beloved,

00:41:21.900 --> 00:41:22.280
 this is the

00:41:22.280 --> 00:41:23.519
 gospel of

00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:24.140
 Jesus Christ,

00:41:24.260 --> 00:41:24.880
 and your soul

00:41:24.880 --> 00:41:25.600
 is in a

00:41:25.600 --> 00:41:26.940
 desperate state.

00:41:27.060 --> 00:41:27.280
 If you

00:41:27.280 --> 00:41:27.800
 couldn't stand

00:41:27.800 --> 00:41:28.360
 before God

00:41:28.360 --> 00:41:28.940
 now,

00:41:29.560 --> 00:41:30.380
 clothed in

00:41:30.380 --> 00:41:31.320
 Christ's

00:41:31.320 --> 00:41:31.740
 righteousness,

00:41:32.519 --> 00:41:33.080
 there's nothing

00:41:33.080 --> 00:41:33.620
 we can do

00:41:33.620 --> 00:41:34.100
 to earn our

00:41:34.100 --> 00:41:34.560
 way to

00:41:34.560 --> 00:41:34.780
 heaven.

00:41:35.320 --> 00:41:35.940
 How will

00:41:35.940 --> 00:41:36.180
 you be

00:41:36.180 --> 00:41:36.540
 justified

00:41:36.540 --> 00:41:37.440
 before God?

00:41:37.860 --> 00:41:38.380
 You stand

00:41:38.380 --> 00:41:39.000
 before Him,

00:41:39.320 --> 00:41:39.700
 what will

00:41:39.700 --> 00:41:40.060
 be your

00:41:40.060 --> 00:41:40.460
 answer?

00:41:40.920 --> 00:41:41.500
 The only

00:41:41.500 --> 00:41:42.019
 answer that

00:41:42.019 --> 00:41:42.220
 will be

00:41:42.220 --> 00:41:42.960
 sufficient is

00:41:42.960 --> 00:41:43.640
 I am

00:41:43.640 --> 00:41:44.900
 clothed in

00:41:44.900 --> 00:41:45.460
 Christ.

00:41:45.840 --> 00:41:46.200
 I have

00:41:46.200 --> 00:41:46.820
 placed my

00:41:46.820 --> 00:41:47.720
 faith in

00:41:47.720 --> 00:41:48.039
 His

00:41:48.039 --> 00:41:49.519
 person and

00:41:49.519 --> 00:41:49.840
 in His

00:41:49.840 --> 00:41:50.320
 work.

00:41:51.780 --> 00:41:52.139
 So for

00:41:52.139 --> 00:41:52.480
 those of us

00:41:52.480 --> 00:41:52.720
 who are in

00:41:52.720 --> 00:41:53.019
 Jesus,

00:41:53.840 --> 00:41:54.960
 we need to

00:41:54.960 --> 00:41:55.420
 join with

00:41:55.420 --> 00:41:55.780
 Paul,

00:41:55.900 --> 00:41:56.420
 Romans 1

00:41:56.420 --> 00:41:56.840
 16,

00:41:57.920 --> 00:41:59.039
 for I am

00:41:59.039 --> 00:41:59.519
 not ashamed

00:41:59.519 --> 00:41:59.780
 of the

00:41:59.780 --> 00:42:00.119
 gospel,

00:42:00.680 --> 00:42:00.960
 for it is

00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:01.440
 the power

00:42:01.440 --> 00:42:02.000
 of God

00:42:02.000 --> 00:42:02.780
 for salvation

00:42:02.780 --> 00:42:03.820
 to everyone

00:42:03.820 --> 00:42:05.300
 who believes.

00:42:05.860 --> 00:42:06.480
 Let's pray

00:42:06.480 --> 00:42:06.740
 together.