WEBVTT 00:00:00.100 --> 00:00:04.160 Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your presence here this morning. 00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:08.259 Even though you're invisible, God, we love you, we believe in you, 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:10.740 and we long to one day see your face. 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:16.940 We've not come to church today just to check it off our to-do list as some religious obligation, 00:00:17.080 --> 00:00:22.960 but we've come to worship you and to meet you and hear from you. 00:00:23.480 --> 00:00:27.140 And so now as we open your word, would you speak to every single one of us, 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:28.660 including myself, through your word. 00:00:28.660 --> 00:00:30.960 Speak, Lord, your servants are listening. 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:32.939 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:00:33.659 --> 00:00:34.399 Please be seated. 00:00:37.340 --> 00:00:40.340 A few months ago I was walking through the University of Ottawa, 00:00:40.480 --> 00:00:43.280 inviting everyone everywhere to church on Wednesday. 00:00:43.939 --> 00:00:48.100 And so I went up to one girl and I said, as I said to each person with my little invite card, 00:00:48.200 --> 00:00:49.240 I said, did you get the invite? 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:52.060 They had no idea what I'm talking about, so they always say, what invite? 00:00:52.400 --> 00:00:56.120 I'm like, well, every week, and I share about church on Wednesday and invite them to church. 00:00:56.119 --> 00:01:01.320 And so this young woman, as soon as she heard the word church, she just pushed the invite away and said, 00:01:01.399 --> 00:01:02.459 I don't want this. 00:01:03.019 --> 00:01:08.939 And I decided to push this a little more and just gently said, well, every week, 00:01:09.019 --> 00:01:11.319 people of every faith and no faith at all come. 00:01:11.739 --> 00:01:13.439 It's a church service we do at the University of Ottawa. 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:17.099 So I said, you know, every week, people of every faith and no faith come, 00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:19.579 and you're welcome to share your perspective at the end while we eat food together. 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:26.700 And she interrupted me, and I remember her look of just cold, raw, earnest fear. 00:01:27.400 --> 00:01:32.500 And with a very thick accent, she again just pushed the card away and said, listen to me. 00:01:33.219 --> 00:01:36.120 I escaped to Canada from a country where religion oppresses. 00:01:36.459 --> 00:01:37.979 I want nothing to do with this. 00:01:37.980 --> 00:01:39.760 And the conversation was over. 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:43.760 There's nothing I could do then but walk away and pray for her. 00:01:44.180 --> 00:01:49.760 And as I walked away, just burdened for the oppression she's faced and processing what she said, 00:01:49.859 --> 00:01:54.760 I realized that the Bible agrees with this young woman, that religion oppresses. 00:01:55.320 --> 00:01:59.659 Throughout the world, different cultures, through words of different languages, 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:07.180 religion, man-made attempts to connect with God, religion always oppresses. 00:02:07.180 --> 00:02:09.640 And the scriptures agree with that. 00:02:10.180 --> 00:02:13.340 And throughout both the Old and New Testament, you see that. 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:16.860 If you're familiar with the prophets, over and over and over, 00:02:16.980 --> 00:02:23.580 God through his prophets in the Old Testament are condemning the oppressive religious people. 00:02:24.020 --> 00:02:26.520 One of the passages that comes to mind would be Isaiah 58, 00:02:26.659 --> 00:02:30.960 where the chapter, God is just profoundly critiquing the people, 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:32.900 critiquing is too kind a word, 00:02:32.900 --> 00:02:39.159 where he's condemning them for the way that they do all this religious activity, religious ritual, 00:02:39.580 --> 00:02:42.840 and yet the poor are being oppressed and the people are quarreling. 00:02:43.140 --> 00:02:45.819 And though they are saying prayers, their hearts are far from God. 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:49.120 And as you come to the New Testament, through the words of John the Baptist, 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:53.700 you see once again that God is condemning this oppressive religion. 00:02:53.699 --> 00:03:03.899 And then through the very words of Jesus again, again and again you see him calling for freedom from this oppressive religion. 00:03:04.799 --> 00:03:08.819 And then here in Acts 9, you see once again a descriptive passage, 00:03:08.939 --> 00:03:13.219 not only of oppressive religion, but also of the solution to that. 00:03:13.419 --> 00:03:16.639 And we'll see how the gospel, how the good news about Jesus, 00:03:16.799 --> 00:03:19.579 and what Jesus did on the cross and through his resurrection, 00:03:19.580 --> 00:03:22.180 he has turned religion on its head. 00:03:22.500 --> 00:03:24.580 That's what we'll look at as we read through these words. 00:03:25.300 --> 00:03:29.820 But Saul, he's known by his Greek name more commonly as Paul, 00:03:30.420 --> 00:03:34.500 but Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, 00:03:34.920 --> 00:03:38.740 went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, 00:03:39.140 --> 00:03:42.060 so that if he found any belonging to the way, men or women, 00:03:42.140 --> 00:03:43.760 he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:48.360 The way is an ancient word, an early word to refer to Christians. 00:03:48.360 --> 00:03:53.260 And so this man who you and I know as Paul, his Hebrew name is Saul, 00:03:53.380 --> 00:03:57.320 and he, it says, is breathing, this is Acts 9, you can follow along in your Bibles, 00:03:57.820 --> 00:04:01.520 it says he's breathing murder against the disciples. 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:07.880 He is so violent in what he's seeking to do, it's like his very breath is murder. 00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:15.080 And he is this very pious man, a man who knows the Old Testament better than probably any of us in the room. 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:20.500 He is a man who is very devoted to his understanding of who God is. 00:04:20.980 --> 00:04:24.060 He is zealous for God's glory. 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:29.819 And he is, he's concerned about what seems to be some type of upstart sect of Judaism 00:04:29.819 --> 00:04:33.300 that he finds offensive at these people who are worshiping Jesus. 00:04:33.740 --> 00:04:35.680 And so he sets out to have them destroyed. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:42.540 And you see in the chapter, a couple chapters earlier, how he oversees the stoning, the murder of Stephen. 00:04:42.980 --> 00:04:46.439 He was there hearing Stephen preach the gospel and had him be murdered. 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:51.139 And now the chapter before, chapter 8, says that Saul is ravaging the church, 00:04:51.240 --> 00:04:55.399 and now he is traveling far up into Damascus in order to destroy them. 00:04:55.620 --> 00:05:00.920 He's so passionate about the glory of God that he sees these people as undermining it. 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:05.840 But in his desire to stamp it out, he doesn't try to do it just on his own as a vigilante. 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:08.580 He's not trying to be a Batman, trying to seek justice on his own. 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:10.840 Instead, he goes to the religious authority. 00:05:10.939 --> 00:05:14.640 He goes to the temple, to the high priest, and he gets their permission to do this. 00:05:14.680 --> 00:05:20.639 You see that he's working within this religious system to destroy this minority people. 00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:23.759 So he goes with the blessing of the priest. 00:05:23.980 --> 00:05:25.080 He goes up to Damascus. 00:05:25.080 --> 00:05:29.060 He's on his way, getting close to the city to have the Christians destroyed. 00:05:29.060 --> 00:05:32.280 Verse 4, or verse 3. 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:37.639 Now, as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:40.800 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, 00:05:41.139 --> 00:05:44.199 Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:46.399 And he said, Who are you, Lord? 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:49.300 And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 00:05:50.100 --> 00:05:53.819 There's so much that we can mine from these words that speak to us today. 00:05:53.819 --> 00:05:56.379 But the first thing I want you to see is those first two words. 00:05:56.600 --> 00:05:57.800 Really one word repeated. 00:05:57.800 --> 00:05:59.540 Saul, Saul. 00:06:01.340 --> 00:06:09.199 Throughout the world, throughout time, including today, man-made religion ignores the human being for the sake of the group. 00:06:09.840 --> 00:06:11.900 And so you'll see, I was just reading a news article. 00:06:12.020 --> 00:06:16.519 I'm sure some of you saw it about one of the ISIS people who had his mom. 00:06:16.580 --> 00:06:23.000 He had his mom killed because his mom was seen as maybe blaspheming their god. 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:27.040 And so not only did he have his mom martyred, but he himself did it. 00:06:27.100 --> 00:06:28.399 Just horrible stuff. 00:06:28.779 --> 00:06:34.519 You read headline after headline about Afghanistan and Pakistan, the way that women are treated. 00:06:34.620 --> 00:06:38.300 And you see this throughout the world, the way that the individual really has no value. 00:06:38.300 --> 00:06:48.000 It's all about the well-being of the group, in a sense, about the conformity, hedge money of how the group is, their religious experience together. 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:50.720 And so individuals don't tend to have a lot of value. 00:06:51.080 --> 00:06:57.400 But you see that God himself, that Jesus is saying in these words, and he's speaking not to a friend. 00:06:57.780 --> 00:06:59.060 He's not speaking to a follower. 00:06:59.220 --> 00:07:00.280 He's not speaking to a Christian. 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:11.119 He's speaking to a man who is persecuting the church, a man who, if I had the chance to speak to Saul, I would probably use some kind of derogatory, I don't know, just rebuke. 00:07:11.359 --> 00:07:14.959 But Jesus' rebuke begins with the words, Saul, Saul. 00:07:15.039 --> 00:07:16.439 He calls him by name. 00:07:17.599 --> 00:07:24.599 And in calling someone by their own name, there's such a sense of value and worth, of knowing, of identity. 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:40.680 And you see that the gospel is different than man-made religion in that it shows us that God bestows upon these people, all people, that he's made in his image a sense of identity, of worth, and value. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:47.520 There's a profound sense of human identity, worth, and value that's found through the pages of Scripture in the gospel. 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:53.719 And so the first point I want to draw from the text for us today is, if you can put it on the screen, Andrew, is this. 00:07:54.139 --> 00:07:55.659 Jesus knows my name. 00:07:56.740 --> 00:07:58.019 Jesus knows my name. 00:07:58.659 --> 00:08:00.159 I'm not just talking about my name, Daniel. 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:04.180 I'm talking about, this is for each one of us to be able to write down and remember. 00:08:04.719 --> 00:08:06.000 Jesus knows your name. 00:08:07.180 --> 00:08:16.579 Jesus knows not just the names of those who are followers of him, those churchgoers, but even someone as violent and against him as Saul. 00:08:16.579 --> 00:08:18.259 Jesus knows his name. 00:08:18.519 --> 00:08:20.019 And he doesn't just know it intellectually. 00:08:20.159 --> 00:08:21.180 He calls him by name. 00:08:21.339 --> 00:08:29.860 And in calling him by name, even in his rebuke, even in his call to repentance, he's bestowing such a sense of identity, of individual worth and value. 00:08:30.459 --> 00:08:32.340 And in that, it turns religion on its head. 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:33.659 It's so different than religion. 00:08:34.259 --> 00:08:37.419 But continues, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:08:38.740 --> 00:08:39.639 It's incredible. 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:46.199 It's, these words are so intimate as you see that Jesus is saying, you're persecuting me. 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:47.639 But really, who is Paul persecuting? 00:08:48.439 --> 00:08:51.100 He's actually persecuting, not physically Jesus. 00:08:51.319 --> 00:08:52.779 Others crucified Jesus. 00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:55.759 Paul is persecuting Jesus' followers. 00:08:56.340 --> 00:09:01.840 But Jesus so closely identifies with those who are being persecuted that he says, you're hurting them. 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:02.960 You're hurting me. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:07.600 I don't have any children yet, but my brother Josh does. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:13.060 And to hear the way he talks about how his own well-being is so wrapped up in the well-being of his children. 00:09:13.639 --> 00:09:21.200 I know if someone was to slap his kid, he would feel, like he so closely identifies with the well-being of his children. 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:27.019 And you see that this is how God relates to his children, to Christians, those who follow him. 00:09:27.019 --> 00:09:31.259 And that they're getting persecuted, he takes it personally. 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:34.419 I think there's three things to draw from this, at least three. 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:35.100 I'm sure there's more. 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:39.980 But the first is for those who are being persecuted today and throughout time. 00:09:40.139 --> 00:09:47.220 Christians are being persecuted in places like North Korea, in China, the places where ISIS has a grip on things. 00:09:47.379 --> 00:09:50.079 And throughout the world, Christians are being persecuted. 00:09:50.079 --> 00:09:55.059 And for them to hear these words where Jesus says, why are you persecuting me? 00:09:55.059 --> 00:10:04.959 That to hear the message that Jesus so closely identifies with them is such an encouragement, such a strengthening for their souls, for their resolve to continue and endure. 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:11.599 For those of us who are not being persecuted, for those of us in North America and throughout the free world, 00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:18.359 there is profound implications for how we pray and what we do with our time and money in these words. 00:10:18.360 --> 00:10:27.100 Because if we are people who love God and want to worship him, then we must not only be people who come to church and worship him through singing. 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:29.340 Singing is a beautiful way to worship God. 00:10:29.539 --> 00:10:33.600 But if our worship ends with singing, then I don't think it's actually worship at all. 00:10:33.680 --> 00:10:40.860 If we're actually going to worship God with our lives, if we want to care for God, we have an opportunity to kind of care for the persecuted Jesus, 00:10:40.860 --> 00:10:47.620 to care for Jesus getting whipped and punched in the face and oppressed by caring for those Christians who are being persecuted. 00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:51.659 And so we've talked a few weeks ago about being a church that prays. 00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:58.560 One of the ways we should be praying when we get together and in our own daily times with God, in our devotional time, 00:10:58.740 --> 00:11:01.560 we should be remembering and praying for the persecuted church. 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:06.399 Because as we pray for the persecuted church, it's as if we're praying for Jesus himself. 00:11:06.800 --> 00:11:08.639 Because he so closely identifies with them. 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:11.980 So that should change and enhance the way we pray. 00:11:12.379 --> 00:11:15.600 But third, it doesn't just have implications for the persecuted church and for us, 00:11:15.699 --> 00:11:18.819 but it also has implications profoundly for Paul himself. 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:26.439 Because as Paul hears these words, he had no idea at that moment that years from then and throughout the rest of his life, 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:28.720 he himself would experience profound persecution. 00:11:29.539 --> 00:11:34.340 What was it like for Paul as he was writing the letter of Colossians or the letter of Philippians or 2 Timothy? 00:11:34.340 --> 00:11:39.259 As he's in jail, chained to a wall in his own human excrement and filth. 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:41.700 In 2 Timothy, he's awaiting his death. 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:49.460 And for him to remember this moment when Jesus showed up on the road to Damascus and said, 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:50.540 why are you persecuting me? 00:11:50.620 --> 00:11:56.620 For Paul to remember that truth that Jesus so closely identifies and is with those who are persecuting, 00:11:56.860 --> 00:11:59.680 must have been a profound sense of strength for him. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:03.919 And so you see Paul writing things like in 2 Timothy where he says, 00:12:04.299 --> 00:12:07.059 if you die with him, you will rise with him. 00:12:07.839 --> 00:12:12.099 And he talks often about the intimacy you experience with God, 00:12:12.219 --> 00:12:15.859 this profound sense of closeness with him and knowing of him in your persecution. 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:20.859 I can't help but think it must be from passages like this where Jesus said to him, 00:12:20.859 --> 00:12:24.139 why are you persecuting me regarding those he was persecuting? 00:12:24.139 --> 00:12:29.679 And now later he finds himself being persecuted and knows that Jesus takes that personally as well. 00:12:31.779 --> 00:12:35.799 I've been trying to come up with a good analogy or story to expound that. 00:12:36.899 --> 00:12:41.240 And I haven't come up with a great one, so maybe your own imagination will help you. 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:48.620 But if you think of a situation of some kid getting made fun of or bullied at school for, I don't know, 00:12:48.700 --> 00:12:53.200 maybe having like a, there's a kid in my neighborhood who had a pink bicycle. 00:12:53.539 --> 00:12:56.220 I was living in a very poor neighborhood, so the kids couldn't afford much. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:57.519 Someone gave him a little bicycle. 00:12:57.840 --> 00:12:58.960 He's a boy and a pink bicycle. 00:12:59.299 --> 00:13:00.100 He was really embarrassed. 00:13:00.680 --> 00:13:03.240 And so we were trying to encourage him, like, hey, that's not something to be embarrassed about. 00:13:03.299 --> 00:13:03.919 Like, you have a bike. 00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:04.840 Like, I don't even have a bike. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:05.480 That's really cool. 00:13:05.539 --> 00:13:06.539 But he didn't really buy it. 00:13:06.539 --> 00:13:11.219 Imagine if instead one of my roommates with a bike, like, painted his bicycle, his own bicycle pink. 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:12.719 You know, and all the people in front of him. 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:18.079 And then my roommate who's an adult and clearly cool, like Joey, one of my roommates, 00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:20.120 imagine if he was to just come up with his pink bike. 00:13:20.539 --> 00:13:21.679 And then, like, he bikes it out. 00:13:21.740 --> 00:13:23.240 And all of a sudden all the kids would just stop. 00:13:23.319 --> 00:13:26.959 Like, oh, like, you know, he's with him and they're together. 00:13:27.079 --> 00:13:29.819 Like, there's a sense where it's no longer an embarrassing thing. 00:13:30.579 --> 00:13:32.219 I don't know if that analogy makes any sense. 00:13:32.220 --> 00:13:37.180 But what Paul found, and this is for you and I to find too, 00:13:37.259 --> 00:13:41.560 in Jesus so closely being with those who are being persecuted and mocked and hurt, 00:13:42.040 --> 00:13:46.440 there's a sense of it removing not only fear but also shame. 00:13:46.899 --> 00:13:49.580 And so week after week as we're going through Romans as a church, 00:13:49.980 --> 00:13:51.899 and we say Romans 1.16, 00:13:52.300 --> 00:13:53.740 for I'm not ashamed of the gospel. 00:13:54.040 --> 00:13:57.460 I believe that that's part of Paul's lack of shame of the gospel 00:13:57.460 --> 00:14:02.680 in that even as he is being persecuted, he knows that he is following the one 00:14:02.680 --> 00:14:04.900 who so closely identifies with the persecuted. 00:14:05.340 --> 00:14:08.560 I mean, as Christians, we're following the one who brings healing to the world 00:14:08.560 --> 00:14:11.879 through his death on a sinner's cross. 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:15.019 We have in this fake stained glass window over here, 00:14:15.400 --> 00:14:20.240 Jesus is wearing a cloth, like a loincloth, to cover up his private parts. 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:22.780 But from my understanding of actual crucifixion, 00:14:23.060 --> 00:14:24.440 he would have been completely naked. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:26.460 There's great shame in that. 00:14:26.460 --> 00:14:29.660 There's so much shame that the painter decided to cover that up 00:14:29.660 --> 00:14:30.740 because there's shame in that. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:31.620 He's exposed. 00:14:32.500 --> 00:14:35.160 I found it really hard when I discovered that about crucifixion. 00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:36.040 I was like, what? 00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:38.379 My Lord, my king was naked? 00:14:38.540 --> 00:14:39.860 Like, that's troublesome. 00:14:40.139 --> 00:14:44.740 There's shame in, there's a reason that people in Paul's day and still today 00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:46.360 thought Christianity is so ludicrous 00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:51.840 because these people are worshiping someone who was tortured and mocked 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:57.320 and really seen profoundly as a loser and then put up naked. 00:14:58.399 --> 00:14:59.980 And, of course, there's more to the story than that. 00:15:00.160 --> 00:15:01.100 Jesus didn't stay dead. 00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:01.960 He came back to life. 00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:03.040 He's the conquering king. 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:07.480 But still, for any of us who are experiencing persecution of any kind, 00:15:07.819 --> 00:15:13.399 there's a profound strengthening and encouragement we can find through Jesus' own suffering with us. 00:15:14.319 --> 00:15:20.659 And so I think that it's easier to imagine that for encouragement to those in North Korea 00:15:20.659 --> 00:15:21.799 who are being persecuted. 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:26.299 But even for you and I, when maybe you're in class and a prophet is saying something 00:15:26.299 --> 00:15:28.939 and you have an opportunity to identify as a Christian, 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:32.759 or you're at work and someone asks something about your faith 00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:34.319 and you realize, like, you're kind of outed. 00:15:34.379 --> 00:15:36.839 Now there's an opportunity to mention something about Jesus. 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:40.099 And if you're anything like me, there can be a sense of, like, 00:15:40.099 --> 00:15:43.139 kind of want to withdraw from that and just not go there because people might think you're weird. 00:15:43.620 --> 00:15:48.579 But even though that's, like, the most minor of a persecution for someone to make fun of you 00:15:48.580 --> 00:15:53.420 or think you're weird, to remember that Jesus is with us 00:15:53.420 --> 00:15:57.480 even in that experience of minor persecution or minor mockery, 00:15:58.580 --> 00:16:02.120 that remembering who it is that we're following anyway, 00:16:02.180 --> 00:16:05.500 that's Jesus who suffered and died and brought you and I life 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:07.300 through suffering, death, and resurrection, 00:16:07.820 --> 00:16:10.080 that removes the shame for us, 00:16:10.420 --> 00:16:12.759 to remember that Jesus is with that. 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:15.540 And so there should be a profound strengthening of our faith 00:16:15.540 --> 00:16:17.520 and willingness to suffer for Jesus, 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:19.139 even if it's just a little bit of mockery, 00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:21.860 as we realize that there's no shame in the gospel 00:16:21.860 --> 00:16:24.199 because Jesus himself is with us in it. 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:28.220 So moving forward, we see there's a beautiful word, 00:16:28.319 --> 00:16:29.899 Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:16:30.379 --> 00:16:31.579 And he says, who are you, Lord? 00:16:31.980 --> 00:16:34.279 He said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, 00:16:34.439 --> 00:16:38.000 but rise and enter the city and you will be told what you are to do. 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:41.019 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, 00:16:41.460 --> 00:16:42.860 hearing the voice but seeing no one. 00:16:43.379 --> 00:16:45.699 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, 00:16:45.700 --> 00:16:49.420 he saw nothing, so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:52.759 And for three days he was without sight and neither ate nor drank. 00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:56.000 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. 00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:58.600 The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. 00:16:59.060 --> 00:17:00.420 And he said, here I am, Lord. 00:17:01.620 --> 00:17:04.740 And the Lord said to him, rise and go to the street called Straight. 00:17:05.180 --> 00:17:07.080 And at that house of Judas, look for a man. 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:10.180 Now I know in chatting with people about life decisions, 00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:11.500 what you should do and stuff, 00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:15.519 and I know many of us have said, like, oh, I would love if God would just speak 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:18.200 through a bolt of lightning or if I just heard an audible voice. 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:19.660 Wouldn't that just give me such clarity? 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:23.819 For most of us, that's something we don't actually expect God to do. 00:17:23.859 --> 00:17:26.000 But for Ananias, God did just that. 00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:30.140 I don't know how excited or how Ananias, like, also in God, 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:31.900 who he loves, who he worships, 00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:36.759 is also speaks to him in a voice more clear than mine own today. 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:39.079 I would have been so like, what? 00:17:39.220 --> 00:17:40.319 Like, God's sending me on a mission? 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:43.599 Like, I'm always waiting for that call to get to go do something epic. 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:46.579 And Ananias, God himself, calls him by name. 00:17:47.299 --> 00:17:48.660 Ananias, here I am, Lord. 00:17:49.339 --> 00:17:50.640 And he says, rise and go. 00:17:50.660 --> 00:17:52.059 And he's giving such detailed instructions. 00:17:52.259 --> 00:17:55.299 If I was him, I'd be just, you know, quickly typing it down on my iPhone 00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:56.980 so I know, okay, this street's called Straight. 00:17:57.240 --> 00:17:59.180 And then God drops this bomb on him. 00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:01.240 Go to the street called Straight, 00:18:01.319 --> 00:18:04.240 and at the house of Judas, look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:06.980 For behold, he is praying, and he has seen a vision. 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:09.539 A man named Ananias, come in and lay his hands on him, 00:18:09.859 --> 00:18:11.200 so that he may regain his sight. 00:18:12.019 --> 00:18:15.180 And Ananias' response, it goes from being, like, kind of excited, 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:18.019 kind of thrilled by this experience of God talking to him, 00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:21.460 and all of a sudden it's just complete, unadulterated fear. 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:24.259 Lord, I have heard from many about this man, 00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:27.480 how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 00:18:28.259 --> 00:18:29.440 He doesn't just say to the saints, 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:31.759 but how much evil he's done to your saints at Jerusalem. 00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:35.960 And here he has the authority from the chief priest to bind all who call on your name. 00:18:36.879 --> 00:18:38.359 I don't know if you've ever found this, 00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:39.980 where you know what you're supposed to do. 00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:42.119 Maybe just from the clear teaching of the Bible, 00:18:42.279 --> 00:18:43.559 you know what you're supposed to do. 00:18:43.579 --> 00:18:44.619 You're praying about a decision. 00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:45.500 You know what's right. 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:50.339 And as you're praying, you just so badly don't want to do that thing that you know you should do. 00:18:50.440 --> 00:18:51.680 And so you're praying about it, 00:18:51.700 --> 00:18:53.039 and you're kind of like, God, should I do this? 00:18:53.059 --> 00:18:53.420 Should I do it? 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:54.980 Kind of like option A, B, or C. 00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:56.700 Kind of giving God multiple choice. 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:59.440 Like, at least, you know, you can pick any of these, you know? 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:02.120 Like, should I apply to this college, that college, this? 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:04.900 And God just doesn't even, doesn't even, 00:19:06.580 --> 00:19:08.620 he just, God says, verse 15, 00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:09.759 but the Lord said to him, just go. 00:19:10.620 --> 00:19:14.100 Like, just go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine 00:19:14.100 --> 00:19:17.279 to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:20.440 I mean, so many times you and I are praying about stuff, 00:19:20.440 --> 00:19:23.620 and we know God's way, we know God's will for us, 00:19:23.700 --> 00:19:26.440 and yet it's just like, okay, I know that you're all knowing, 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:29.340 but I need to tell you something that you clearly don't know. 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:31.980 And we really make fools of ourselves in that respect, 00:19:31.980 --> 00:19:35.080 and we're better off just doing what Ananias ends up doing, 00:19:35.160 --> 00:19:36.700 which is he just obeys God. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:40.160 And so we have verse 16. 00:19:40.539 --> 00:19:41.940 God is still speaking to Ananias. 00:19:42.080 --> 00:19:45.460 For I will show him, Paul, how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. 00:19:45.820 --> 00:19:48.140 So Ananias departed and entered the house, 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:50.740 and laying his hands on him, he said. 00:19:50.740 --> 00:19:55.380 If you're familiar with more Pentecostal charismatic circles, 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:58.940 you might see the laying on of a hand as some kind of spiritual activity. 00:19:59.420 --> 00:20:02.059 But I want you to see the tenderness in this. 00:20:02.660 --> 00:20:03.940 Paul is blind right here. 00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:08.559 And if you've had the privilege of getting to minister to someone who's blind, 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:11.660 it's all fine and dandy to call them by name or something. 00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:15.940 But if they can't see you and you can not really quite know where you are, 00:20:15.940 --> 00:20:20.460 it's a kind and tender thing to be able to go up and have some tactile contact 00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:22.320 to let them know you're there. 00:20:22.840 --> 00:20:25.059 And so to see the tenderness in this is Ananias, 00:20:25.539 --> 00:20:29.559 who has been clearly living in fear of this man, 00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:34.340 who has quite literally overseen the slaughter, the murder of Christians, 00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:35.460 brutally through stoning. 00:20:36.100 --> 00:20:38.299 Ananias has been in fear of this evil man. 00:20:39.120 --> 00:20:41.740 And now he comes and he puts his hand on his shoulder, 00:20:42.620 --> 00:20:44.320 and he says, listen to this. 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:46.200 Brother Saul, 00:20:47.019 --> 00:20:51.279 how is it that these two men who are enemies of each other, 00:20:51.659 --> 00:20:57.159 one seeking to oppress, exploit, even bring to death this other man, 00:20:57.700 --> 00:20:59.339 this man who's living in fear of him, 00:20:59.939 --> 00:21:01.679 now in an instant are brothers. 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:03.579 That's an incredible thing. 00:21:04.899 --> 00:21:05.839 And working through this, 00:21:06.099 --> 00:21:10.039 thinking through this issue of how the gospel turns religion on its head, 00:21:10.139 --> 00:21:11.579 man-made attempts to get to God, 00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:13.379 how the gospel overturns that. 00:21:13.380 --> 00:21:16.020 First, we saw in the naming of Saul, 00:21:16.140 --> 00:21:17.480 the naming of Ananias, 00:21:17.560 --> 00:21:19.720 how Jesus knows you are my name, 00:21:19.780 --> 00:21:22.720 how he bestows on us a sense of dignity and value 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:24.480 that is so foreign to other religions. 00:21:24.980 --> 00:21:28.000 But second, we see that in more modern attempts, 00:21:28.080 --> 00:21:29.860 and you'll see this type of thing not just today, 00:21:30.120 --> 00:21:30.960 but throughout history, 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:34.240 where you have some people subscribing to a system of religion, 00:21:34.340 --> 00:21:36.500 then other people trying to kind of overthrow that, 00:21:36.620 --> 00:21:37.460 invent their own thing, 00:21:37.580 --> 00:21:38.560 more like new age spirituality, 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:39.740 and they're like, 00:21:39.779 --> 00:21:41.419 I'm not religious, I'm spiritual, they'll say. 00:21:41.940 --> 00:21:42.859 But even in that, 00:21:42.940 --> 00:21:46.339 it's still this man-made attempt to try to connect with the divine 00:21:46.339 --> 00:21:47.299 or some type of energy. 00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:51.700 And so although they might not be so much about the group and the hegemony, 00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:54.779 they're very about autonomy and individualism. 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.200 And yet even there, 00:21:56.200 --> 00:21:58.799 in all that individual autonomy 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:00.759 and trying to connect with your own spiritual way, 00:22:01.019 --> 00:22:03.000 it kind of breaks you off from an ability 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:05.680 to really share in a real meaningful community. 00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:09.319 And so just as the gospel brings about 00:22:09.319 --> 00:22:11.240 a sense of individual identity 00:22:11.240 --> 00:22:13.720 that the systems of religion don't have, 00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:17.100 so also the gospel provides a sense of community and belonging 00:22:17.100 --> 00:22:21.900 that individual spirituality can never, ever get to. 00:22:22.059 --> 00:22:23.740 So you see this profound double sense 00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:25.640 of individual worth and identity 00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:27.599 as well as community and belonging, 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:28.180 as he says, 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:29.039 Brother Saul. 00:22:29.400 --> 00:22:30.740 Because through the gospel, 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:33.140 every human who comes to Jesus 00:22:33.140 --> 00:22:35.400 joins in the family of God, 00:22:35.660 --> 00:22:36.859 and you experience a real, 00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:40.120 legitimate sense of family, community, and belonging. 00:22:40.539 --> 00:22:41.599 And so the second point up there, 00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:42.460 if you could put it, Andrew, 00:22:43.900 --> 00:22:46.400 is real community, belonging, and family 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:48.039 is found in Jesus. 00:22:48.920 --> 00:22:49.940 And the reality is that 00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:51.700 every other attempt at those things 00:22:51.700 --> 00:22:52.839 will always fall short. 00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:55.039 But the gospel turns religion on its head 00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:58.659 by providing individual worth and value 00:22:58.659 --> 00:23:01.699 as well as real, real community. 00:23:02.879 --> 00:23:03.679 So Ananias says, 00:23:03.819 --> 00:23:04.699 Brother Saul, 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:07.839 the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:09.480 by which you came has sent me 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:11.439 so that you may regain your sight 00:23:11.439 --> 00:23:12.980 and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:23:13.720 --> 00:23:16.379 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, 00:23:16.699 --> 00:23:18.480 and he, Paul, regained his sight. 00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:20.099 Then he rose and was baptized. 00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:22.639 And taking food, he was strengthened. 00:23:26.639 --> 00:23:29.759 You now, you go from having the passage opens 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:31.359 with this murderous man, 00:23:31.699 --> 00:23:33.799 and it ends with him now being baptized 00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:35.159 and following Jesus, 00:23:35.679 --> 00:23:37.919 gaining not only his sight physically, 00:23:38.119 --> 00:23:40.339 but he gains the spiritual sight 00:23:40.339 --> 00:23:43.899 of being able to behold and love and treasure 00:23:43.900 --> 00:23:45.759 the true and living God. 00:23:48.759 --> 00:23:50.880 I want to just pull out a couple things for us 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:51.620 before we're done. 00:23:51.860 --> 00:23:52.660 Back at the beginning, 00:23:52.980 --> 00:23:55.759 who is this man who is now a follower of Jesus? 00:23:56.220 --> 00:23:57.920 Who's going to spend the rest of his life 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:01.519 mentoring, empowering other people to thrive? 00:24:02.040 --> 00:24:03.180 This man who ends up, 00:24:03.340 --> 00:24:04.580 we read in Acts as well, 00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:06.840 where he's fundraising for the vulnerable 00:24:06.840 --> 00:24:08.000 and the poor in Jerusalem. 00:24:08.619 --> 00:24:10.200 He who was oppressing others 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:12.779 is now himself willing to be oppressed 00:24:12.779 --> 00:24:15.140 for the sake of others' well-being and thriving. 00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:16.420 He's completely changed. 00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:18.960 And we see in Acts 9, verse 1, 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:20.119 at the opening of the passage, 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:22.259 that Saul was a man who was breathing threats 00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:23.119 and murder. 00:24:27.299 --> 00:24:28.680 Paul writes in 1 Timothy 00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:32.019 that he was saved as he was the chief of sinners, 00:24:32.140 --> 00:24:33.119 but that God saved him 00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:34.660 so that each one of us can know 00:24:34.660 --> 00:24:36.920 that none of us are beyond being saved. 00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:39.420 And the verse we've been reading over and over 00:24:39.420 --> 00:24:40.980 as we go through Romans 00:24:40.980 --> 00:24:42.460 is Romans 1, 16 to 17. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:44.360 And if you could put that on the screen, Andrew. 00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:45.340 That's the next slide. 00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:50.279 Let's read these words together. 00:24:53.240 --> 00:24:54.880 Okay, I can actually see the screen from where I am. 00:24:54.940 --> 00:24:56.560 So if you can read it aloud, that'd be great. 00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:19.000 As Paul writes, 00:25:19.559 --> 00:25:22.279 for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone. 00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:25.299 He's not just thinking of everyone 00:25:25.299 --> 00:25:26.619 of the far off in Spain 00:25:26.619 --> 00:25:28.139 or the far off in Turkey 00:25:28.139 --> 00:25:29.599 who he got to share the gospel with, 00:25:29.799 --> 00:25:32.299 but he also would be thinking of what God did 00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:33.200 in his own life. 00:25:33.559 --> 00:25:36.220 Because he was this man whose very breath was murder. 00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:38.220 And he was violent. 00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:39.700 And yet God had saved him. 00:25:40.259 --> 00:25:42.799 And as we take the time today 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:45.000 to think upon the salvation 00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:46.819 of this violent man named Paul, 00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:48.680 this should change the way 00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:51.000 that we look at those around us. 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:53.019 The way that we interact with people. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:54.640 The people that we would feel 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:56.380 like our must be beyond salvation. 00:25:56.880 --> 00:25:57.779 A couple years ago, 00:25:57.860 --> 00:26:00.480 I had the privilege of meeting someone 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:02.860 who had sexually abused some minors. 00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:05.440 And my gut reaction was just, 00:26:05.580 --> 00:26:07.180 like, I want to destroy this guy. 00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:08.279 But instead, 00:26:08.860 --> 00:26:11.500 because of the Bible's teaching 00:26:11.500 --> 00:26:13.460 on God's power to rescue 00:26:13.460 --> 00:26:14.620 and restore and transform, 00:26:14.619 --> 00:26:17.299 I was able to be able to go through 00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:18.479 the gospel with this guy. 00:26:18.979 --> 00:26:20.439 And his heart was changed, 00:26:20.639 --> 00:26:22.439 helped him turn himself into the police, 00:26:22.959 --> 00:26:25.379 helped him find professional counseling, 00:26:25.879 --> 00:26:27.819 and then was able to walk with this guy 00:26:27.819 --> 00:26:29.699 seeing God transform him. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:31.019 And so for sure, 00:26:31.099 --> 00:26:32.459 he had to face the consequences 00:26:32.459 --> 00:26:33.219 of his action 00:26:33.219 --> 00:26:35.219 and submit to all that, 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:38.019 the police and justice 00:26:38.019 --> 00:26:38.959 and all of that stuff. 00:26:39.399 --> 00:26:41.000 And there's a lot of consequences, 00:26:41.179 --> 00:26:41.559 obviously, 00:26:41.559 --> 00:26:44.019 in the justice of all of that. 00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:45.500 But it's incredible to see, 00:26:45.740 --> 00:26:48.319 even as justice came down on him, 00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:50.019 him be transformed 00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:51.599 by the power of the gospel. 00:26:52.539 --> 00:26:53.440 And I think of him 00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:54.519 as another example 00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:57.039 of what God is doing here 00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:58.400 and an example of Romans 1, 00:26:58.500 --> 00:26:59.400 16 to 17, 00:26:59.799 --> 00:27:00.839 that it's the power of God 00:27:00.839 --> 00:27:01.799 that tells of salvation 00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:03.220 to everyone who believes. 00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:05.539 And so for you and I, 00:27:05.579 --> 00:27:07.059 when we encounter people in our lives, 00:27:07.339 --> 00:27:08.440 people who hurt people, 00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:09.960 whether it's through violence 00:27:09.960 --> 00:27:11.559 or other types of abuse, 00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:13.019 this truth, 00:27:13.019 --> 00:27:13.579 this truth, 00:27:13.740 --> 00:27:15.139 Paul's conversion in Acts 9 00:27:15.139 --> 00:27:16.779 and Romans 1, 16 to 17 00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:18.299 should give us hope 00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:20.420 and change our conversations 00:27:20.420 --> 00:27:21.960 from just condemning them 00:27:21.960 --> 00:27:23.220 to being able to, 00:27:23.579 --> 00:27:23.960 for sure, 00:27:24.099 --> 00:27:24.839 seek justice, 00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:26.059 but also invite them 00:27:26.059 --> 00:27:27.200 to come to know God. 00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:29.039 It should change the way 00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:30.740 that we see the 6 o'clock news, 00:27:30.900 --> 00:27:31.619 or for me, 00:27:31.660 --> 00:27:32.819 it's not so much the 6 o'clock news, 00:27:32.879 --> 00:27:33.720 but the Twitter news 00:27:33.720 --> 00:27:34.639 that shows up on my phone. 00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:36.420 As you see headlines 00:27:36.420 --> 00:27:37.819 of people in ISIS 00:27:37.819 --> 00:27:39.059 or whatever violent, 00:27:39.179 --> 00:27:39.879 murderous people, 00:27:40.179 --> 00:27:41.379 remember Paul. 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:43.319 Remember Acts 9 00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:44.960 and let that remembering 00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:46.079 lead you to prayer. 00:27:46.619 --> 00:27:47.919 Because if it wasn't for that, 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:49.039 if it wasn't for this truth, 00:27:49.139 --> 00:27:50.059 then you would see them 00:27:50.059 --> 00:27:50.659 and just hopeless 00:27:50.659 --> 00:27:51.480 and live in fear. 00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:53.119 But there's a profound hope 00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:54.139 that replaces fear 00:27:54.139 --> 00:27:55.480 as you think of what God did 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:56.319 in Paul's life, 00:27:56.759 --> 00:27:57.839 perhaps what God has done 00:27:57.839 --> 00:27:58.579 in your life. 00:27:58.939 --> 00:27:59.619 And so it changes 00:27:59.619 --> 00:28:00.299 the way we do that. 00:28:00.339 --> 00:28:01.119 So the next point, 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:02.119 if you can put that up, 00:28:02.159 --> 00:28:03.299 is that the gospel changes 00:28:03.299 --> 00:28:04.299 the way I hear 00:28:04.299 --> 00:28:05.460 the 6 o'clock news, 00:28:05.700 --> 00:28:07.619 how I pray and speak. 00:28:07.940 --> 00:28:09.419 When I spoke to this young man, 00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:10.879 I was able to speak to him, 00:28:11.119 --> 00:28:12.139 calling him to repentance, 00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:13.599 calling him to receive 00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:14.480 forgiveness in Jesus 00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:15.759 and have his life transformed. 00:28:16.119 --> 00:28:17.220 It changes how we pray 00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:18.379 because we're able to pray 00:28:18.379 --> 00:28:19.099 about the news 00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:20.200 and the people we hear about, 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:21.680 knowing that the gospel 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:23.019 is the power of God 00:28:23.019 --> 00:28:24.659 for salvation to everyone. 00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:25.759 It changes the way 00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:26.519 we hear the news 00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:27.220 and receive it. 00:28:27.899 --> 00:28:30.000 But just before we wrap up, 00:28:30.299 --> 00:28:31.240 not only is Saul, 00:28:31.319 --> 00:28:32.720 this man who is violent 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:33.900 and then breathing murder, 00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:35.079 but he's also, 00:28:35.360 --> 00:28:36.259 another aspect to him 00:28:36.259 --> 00:28:37.140 is he's a very, 00:28:37.339 --> 00:28:38.819 very pious and learned man. 00:28:39.299 --> 00:28:40.500 He knew the scriptures 00:28:40.500 --> 00:28:41.360 better than probably 00:28:41.360 --> 00:28:42.240 anyone in the room. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:43.339 He knew them so well. 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:45.039 And he knew the prophecies 00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:46.079 that the Messiah 00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:47.240 would be born in Bethlehem, 00:28:47.299 --> 00:28:48.000 that he would be a man 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:48.839 of no recognition, 00:28:49.059 --> 00:28:50.839 that he would be one 00:28:50.839 --> 00:28:52.000 who would heal the sick 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:53.240 and raise the dead. 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:54.319 He knew all this stuff 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:55.299 and yet knowing it, 00:28:55.339 --> 00:28:56.299 he rejected Jesus. 00:28:57.319 --> 00:28:58.600 He heard the gospel 00:28:58.600 --> 00:28:59.819 profoundly preached 00:28:59.819 --> 00:29:00.600 and explained through 00:29:00.600 --> 00:29:01.259 the Old Testament, 00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:02.579 through the words of Stephen, 00:29:02.579 --> 00:29:03.980 he had heard the gospel 00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:05.299 and he rejected it. 00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.419 I think that sometimes 00:29:06.419 --> 00:29:07.240 it's easier for you 00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:08.019 and me to believe 00:29:08.019 --> 00:29:08.980 that God might save 00:29:08.980 --> 00:29:10.359 the most violent thug 00:29:10.359 --> 00:29:11.379 who has never been 00:29:11.379 --> 00:29:12.159 exposed to the gospel. 00:29:12.259 --> 00:29:13.039 If only God will share, 00:29:13.179 --> 00:29:13.759 if someone will share 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:14.480 the gospel with him. 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:15.799 But it's hard for us 00:29:15.799 --> 00:29:16.599 to believe sometimes, 00:29:16.599 --> 00:29:17.259 for those people 00:29:17.259 --> 00:29:18.759 who know the truth 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:20.159 so well and yet reject it. 00:29:20.759 --> 00:29:21.399 And so perhaps 00:29:21.399 --> 00:29:22.099 there's a church 00:29:22.099 --> 00:29:23.039 that you know of 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:24.039 where the church 00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:26.119 has become so profoundly liberal 00:29:26.119 --> 00:29:27.899 that they don't even believe 00:29:27.899 --> 00:29:29.039 the Bible is the true 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:30.179 living word of God anymore. 00:29:30.180 --> 00:29:30.500 Instead, 00:29:30.740 --> 00:29:31.580 they believe that it's just 00:29:31.580 --> 00:29:33.360 like inspiring chicken soup 00:29:33.360 --> 00:29:33.940 for the soul. 00:29:34.420 --> 00:29:36.100 And perhaps the pastor himself, 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:36.980 though he preaches 00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:38.640 some type of homily each week, 00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:39.620 he doesn't even believe 00:29:39.620 --> 00:29:41.360 Jesus really rose from the dead. 00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:42.860 And so you hear of that 00:29:42.860 --> 00:29:44.019 and it's so easy to think, 00:29:44.259 --> 00:29:44.759 okay, maybe, 00:29:44.900 --> 00:29:46.279 maybe the Lord will save 00:29:46.279 --> 00:29:47.259 this violent fellow, 00:29:47.460 --> 00:29:48.960 but not this pious man 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:50.320 who is so cold 00:29:50.320 --> 00:29:52.080 in his inner spirituality 00:29:52.080 --> 00:29:52.820 to the point 00:29:52.820 --> 00:29:54.080 that he's spiritually dead. 00:29:54.600 --> 00:29:54.759 And yet, 00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:55.840 as you look at Paul 00:29:55.839 --> 00:29:57.240 and you see this man 00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:58.199 who was exactly 00:29:58.199 --> 00:30:00.000 and even more exposed 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:00.619 to the truth 00:30:00.619 --> 00:30:02.039 and yet even more profoundly 00:30:02.039 --> 00:30:02.959 rejected it, 00:30:03.379 --> 00:30:04.379 it should give us hope 00:30:04.379 --> 00:30:05.339 to be able to pray 00:30:05.339 --> 00:30:06.439 for those family members, 00:30:06.939 --> 00:30:07.919 for those churches 00:30:07.919 --> 00:30:08.819 that we know of, 00:30:08.959 --> 00:30:10.139 for whoever it is, 00:30:10.379 --> 00:30:11.199 that the gospel 00:30:11.199 --> 00:30:12.539 is the power of God 00:30:12.539 --> 00:30:13.159 for salvation 00:30:13.159 --> 00:30:14.599 to everyone who believes, 00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:15.919 truly everyone. 00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:18.000 This really should break down 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:20.959 those walls of fear regarding 00:30:20.959 --> 00:30:21.959 or hopelessness 00:30:21.959 --> 00:30:22.679 regarding those ones 00:30:22.679 --> 00:30:23.839 we think are really beyond 00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:25.579 the pale of salvation. 00:30:27.599 --> 00:30:28.079 But, 00:30:28.339 --> 00:30:30.519 but even as we look at this, 00:30:31.959 --> 00:30:33.019 even as we see 00:30:33.019 --> 00:30:34.539 God's transformation of Paul, 00:30:34.679 --> 00:30:35.480 it's an incredible 00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:36.559 and beautiful thing. 00:30:37.819 --> 00:30:38.879 I think it's easy 00:30:38.879 --> 00:30:40.399 for us to miss 00:30:40.399 --> 00:30:42.759 what was he being saved from 00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:44.519 and what was he being saved to. 00:30:45.159 --> 00:30:46.259 Was Paul just saved 00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:47.059 from being a mean, 00:30:47.179 --> 00:30:48.339 nasty, murderous man? 00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:49.139 No. 00:30:49.899 --> 00:30:50.819 No, he was saved from 00:30:50.819 --> 00:30:51.919 so much more than that. 00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:53.880 I was chatting with some 00:30:53.880 --> 00:30:54.840 Muslim students 00:30:54.840 --> 00:30:55.720 after church on Wednesday 00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:56.920 ended a few weeks ago 00:30:56.920 --> 00:30:58.460 and we chatted for about 00:30:58.460 --> 00:30:59.080 an hour and a half 00:30:59.080 --> 00:30:59.800 about the gospel, 00:30:59.960 --> 00:31:00.920 about the Quran and the Bible 00:31:00.920 --> 00:31:02.160 and then toward the very end 00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:02.860 one of the girls said, 00:31:03.060 --> 00:31:03.840 ah, I have something 00:31:03.840 --> 00:31:04.380 I know Christians 00:31:04.380 --> 00:31:05.279 don't have an answer to. 00:31:05.720 --> 00:31:06.100 She said, 00:31:06.200 --> 00:31:08.300 Islam provides a very clear 00:31:08.300 --> 00:31:10.120 reason for why we exist, 00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:10.920 why we're alive. 00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:11.880 And she said, 00:31:11.900 --> 00:31:12.519 I don't think you have 00:31:12.519 --> 00:31:13.080 an answer to this. 00:31:13.320 --> 00:31:15.160 We know that we are alive 00:31:15.160 --> 00:31:17.220 or that the purpose of life 00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:18.360 is that life is a test. 00:31:19.019 --> 00:31:20.460 And she was very proud of that. 00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:21.860 And I just said to her, 00:31:21.900 --> 00:31:22.259 you know what, 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:23.880 what is the worst time 00:31:23.880 --> 00:31:24.759 of the school year? 00:31:25.259 --> 00:31:25.880 And she said, 00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:26.700 exam time. 00:31:27.420 --> 00:31:28.039 And I was just like, 00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:30.380 so every day of your life 00:31:30.380 --> 00:31:31.240 is exam time. 00:31:31.640 --> 00:31:32.460 Every day of your life 00:31:32.460 --> 00:31:32.880 is a test. 00:31:32.980 --> 00:31:34.100 Every day is an exam time. 00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:36.840 The anxiety in your heart, 00:31:37.000 --> 00:31:38.519 the pressure you feel, 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:39.559 oh, I must not mess up, 00:31:39.579 --> 00:31:40.400 I must not mess up. 00:31:40.900 --> 00:31:41.880 And that's not just true 00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:42.299 of Islam. 00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:43.120 Every religion, 00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:43.980 my family background, 00:31:44.120 --> 00:31:45.039 all sides is Jewish. 00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:46.799 We have 613 laws, 00:31:47.440 --> 00:31:48.200 all these mitzvahs 00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:49.519 we have to do for, 00:31:49.840 --> 00:31:51.220 not just for the very 00:31:51.220 --> 00:31:52.600 like old school religious, 00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:53.480 but even when, 00:31:53.580 --> 00:31:54.480 with Brian, 00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:55.360 we were walking the streets 00:31:55.360 --> 00:31:56.120 earlier this year. 00:31:56.519 --> 00:31:57.360 He led a bunch of us 00:31:57.360 --> 00:31:58.100 in evangelizing 00:31:58.100 --> 00:31:59.080 and we would ask people 00:31:59.080 --> 00:31:59.519 on the streets, 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:01.600 like, so if you died today, 00:32:01.640 --> 00:32:02.200 where would you go? 00:32:02.340 --> 00:32:03.240 And these people are, 00:32:03.539 --> 00:32:04.380 are people who aren't 00:32:04.380 --> 00:32:05.519 very religious or spiritual, 00:32:05.660 --> 00:32:06.539 but still in that man-made 00:32:06.539 --> 00:32:08.019 attempt to be able 00:32:08.019 --> 00:32:09.259 to connect with the divine, 00:32:09.360 --> 00:32:09.720 I guess, 00:32:10.019 --> 00:32:10.380 in a way, 00:32:10.440 --> 00:32:11.200 they would all say, 00:32:11.340 --> 00:32:12.019 I'd go to heaven. 00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:13.299 And you're like, 00:32:13.580 --> 00:32:14.039 okay, well, 00:32:14.140 --> 00:32:15.059 why would they go to heaven? 00:32:15.120 --> 00:32:15.920 Why would you go to heaven? 00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:16.220 They say, 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:16.920 I'm a good person. 00:32:17.320 --> 00:32:17.960 What they're saying 00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:18.759 is the same thing 00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:19.360 that Islam, 00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:19.840 Judaism, 00:32:20.300 --> 00:32:21.539 people around 00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:23.220 every ethnicity 00:32:23.220 --> 00:32:24.200 and tribe say, 00:32:24.560 --> 00:32:25.560 which is that basically 00:32:25.560 --> 00:32:27.100 if they can do enough good, 00:32:27.180 --> 00:32:28.120 basically it all comes down 00:32:28.120 --> 00:32:28.480 to karma, 00:32:28.539 --> 00:32:29.720 if they can do enough good, 00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:30.580 then they're going to get 00:32:30.580 --> 00:32:31.480 the reward of heaven. 00:32:31.700 --> 00:32:32.460 If they're good outweighs 00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:32.880 their bad, 00:32:32.940 --> 00:32:33.800 then they get to heaven. 00:32:34.039 --> 00:32:34.560 In other words, 00:32:34.600 --> 00:32:36.100 it's an attempt to man-made, 00:32:36.360 --> 00:32:37.860 to climb up to heaven 00:32:37.860 --> 00:32:39.160 by your own good deeds. 00:32:39.660 --> 00:32:40.400 Or you can move 00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:41.660 to more Eastern religion 00:32:41.660 --> 00:32:42.140 and thought, 00:32:42.220 --> 00:32:42.800 which is not so much 00:32:42.800 --> 00:32:43.600 about what you do, 00:32:43.800 --> 00:32:44.560 but how you think. 00:32:44.600 --> 00:32:45.240 If you can just learn 00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:46.180 to detach yourself 00:32:46.180 --> 00:32:47.759 and think a certain way, 00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:48.599 then you'll connect 00:32:48.599 --> 00:32:49.200 with nirvana. 00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:50.279 Then you get to be there. 00:32:50.700 --> 00:32:51.120 And once again, 00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:51.640 that's not so much 00:32:51.640 --> 00:32:52.720 about the good deeds you do, 00:32:52.799 --> 00:32:53.799 but with the right way 00:32:53.799 --> 00:32:54.420 you think. 00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.720 And so what you see 00:32:55.720 --> 00:32:56.660 around the globe 00:32:56.660 --> 00:32:57.620 in every ethnicity, 00:32:57.859 --> 00:32:58.180 culture, 00:32:58.220 --> 00:32:58.599 and language 00:32:58.599 --> 00:33:00.579 is that the human way 00:33:00.579 --> 00:33:01.640 to try to deal 00:33:01.640 --> 00:33:02.460 with the pressure 00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:03.259 and that sense 00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:04.480 that life is a test 00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:05.579 is to try to be able 00:33:05.579 --> 00:33:06.599 to pass that test, 00:33:06.700 --> 00:33:07.440 climb up to heaven 00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:09.019 by either our good deeds 00:33:09.019 --> 00:33:10.000 or our good thoughts. 00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:10.500 If we can learn 00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:11.120 to do right 00:33:11.120 --> 00:33:11.740 or think right, 00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:13.440 then we'll end up okay. 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:15.019 But the gospel turns it 00:33:15.019 --> 00:33:16.019 all on its head 00:33:16.019 --> 00:33:16.820 as it says, 00:33:16.920 --> 00:33:17.759 yeah, there's a test 00:33:17.759 --> 00:33:18.960 and every one of us 00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:19.600 has failed it 00:33:19.600 --> 00:33:20.700 except for Jesus. 00:33:21.059 --> 00:33:22.460 Jesus has passed the test 00:33:22.460 --> 00:33:24.779 that he who knew no sin 00:33:24.779 --> 00:33:25.500 became sin, 00:33:25.600 --> 00:33:26.460 that we might become 00:33:26.460 --> 00:33:27.600 the righteousness of God, 00:33:27.660 --> 00:33:29.160 that he has passed the test, 00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:31.080 that heaven has come down 00:33:31.080 --> 00:33:31.700 to earth 00:33:31.700 --> 00:33:33.220 in the person of Jesus. 00:33:33.580 --> 00:33:34.220 And so you and I 00:33:34.220 --> 00:33:35.120 no longer have to climb 00:33:35.120 --> 00:33:35.580 to heaven, 00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:37.180 but rather just receive 00:33:37.180 --> 00:33:38.059 what he has done 00:33:38.059 --> 00:33:39.259 for you and for me. 00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:40.600 It's an incredible thing 00:33:40.600 --> 00:33:41.380 as it turns religion 00:33:41.380 --> 00:33:42.080 on its head 00:33:42.080 --> 00:33:43.140 and because Jesus 00:33:43.140 --> 00:33:44.060 has passed the test, 00:33:44.320 --> 00:33:45.020 you and I no longer 00:33:45.020 --> 00:33:45.800 try to do right 00:33:45.800 --> 00:33:46.400 or think right 00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:47.700 in order to pass the test 00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:48.780 and get enough karma 00:33:48.780 --> 00:33:49.220 to heaven, 00:33:49.400 --> 00:33:50.420 but instead you and I 00:33:50.420 --> 00:33:51.520 are able to live a life 00:33:51.520 --> 00:33:52.560 in freedom, 00:33:52.940 --> 00:33:54.020 live a life of wholeness 00:33:54.020 --> 00:33:55.040 with meaning and purpose 00:33:55.040 --> 00:33:55.960 where we're doing right 00:33:55.960 --> 00:33:56.600 and thinking right 00:33:56.600 --> 00:33:57.700 in response to what God 00:33:57.700 --> 00:33:58.640 has done in our life. 00:33:58.960 --> 00:34:00.120 And that's what Paul found. 00:34:00.460 --> 00:34:01.180 But that's not all 00:34:01.180 --> 00:34:02.020 that Paul was saved from. 00:34:02.080 --> 00:34:02.540 He wasn't just saved 00:34:02.540 --> 00:34:03.280 from the anxiety 00:34:03.280 --> 00:34:04.500 of living life as a test, 00:34:04.760 --> 00:34:05.420 he was saved from 00:34:05.420 --> 00:34:06.760 the very wrath of God. 00:34:07.080 --> 00:34:07.700 And it's the wrath 00:34:07.700 --> 00:34:09.280 that every single one of us 00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:10.460 is awaiting, 00:34:10.460 --> 00:34:11.780 whether we believe it 00:34:11.780 --> 00:34:12.159 or not, 00:34:12.220 --> 00:34:13.139 whether we like it or not, 00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:13.900 it's the wrath 00:34:13.900 --> 00:34:14.699 every one of us 00:34:14.699 --> 00:34:15.500 is going to face 00:34:15.500 --> 00:34:16.659 unless we receive 00:34:16.659 --> 00:34:17.320 the forgiveness 00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:18.440 that comes through 00:34:18.440 --> 00:34:19.420 the death and resurrection 00:34:19.420 --> 00:34:20.059 of Jesus. 00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:22.320 That's what Paul was saved from 00:34:22.320 --> 00:34:23.960 and he was saved to 00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:26.360 a life that is fully alive, 00:34:26.780 --> 00:34:27.960 true life in Jesus 00:34:27.960 --> 00:34:30.539 as he received the joy 00:34:30.539 --> 00:34:31.699 and the meaning 00:34:31.699 --> 00:34:32.900 and the purpose 00:34:32.900 --> 00:34:34.019 of knowing Jesus. 00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:35.840 And so Paul's glory 00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:37.360 and his cherishing 00:34:37.360 --> 00:34:38.059 of the gospel 00:34:38.059 --> 00:34:39.400 wasn't just that he was saved 00:34:39.400 --> 00:34:40.420 from the wrath of God, 00:34:40.460 --> 00:34:41.500 but that he was saved 00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:42.880 to true life, 00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:43.760 true joy, 00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.539 true hope, 00:34:44.659 --> 00:34:45.139 true meaning 00:34:45.139 --> 00:34:46.519 as he came to know 00:34:46.519 --> 00:34:47.960 the true and living God. 00:34:48.760 --> 00:34:49.619 And as we think about 00:34:49.619 --> 00:34:50.500 Paul's conversion, 00:34:50.659 --> 00:34:51.360 it's easy for us, 00:34:51.400 --> 00:34:51.780 I think, 00:34:52.099 --> 00:34:53.000 for us to think that, 00:34:53.099 --> 00:34:54.280 for us really to be saved, 00:34:54.360 --> 00:34:55.260 for us really to be 00:34:55.260 --> 00:34:56.440 part of God's elect, 00:34:56.740 --> 00:34:57.519 that we must go through 00:34:57.519 --> 00:34:58.019 an experience 00:34:58.019 --> 00:34:59.420 as dramatic as Paul's 00:34:59.420 --> 00:35:01.059 where the light flashes 00:35:01.059 --> 00:35:02.099 and you hear a voice 00:35:02.099 --> 00:35:03.360 or some type of thing 00:35:03.360 --> 00:35:05.159 of some type of 00:35:05.159 --> 00:35:05.980 spiritual experience 00:35:05.980 --> 00:35:06.500 like that. 00:35:06.900 --> 00:35:07.780 But in God's mercy, 00:35:07.880 --> 00:35:08.920 the chapter just before 00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:09.720 Paul's conversion 00:35:09.720 --> 00:35:11.019 is that of the eunuch 00:35:11.019 --> 00:35:11.920 from far away, 00:35:12.840 --> 00:35:13.900 the Ethiopian eunuch. 00:35:14.360 --> 00:35:15.079 And for him, 00:35:15.260 --> 00:35:15.860 as he gets, 00:35:16.159 --> 00:35:17.000 when he gives his life, 00:35:17.139 --> 00:35:18.659 when he becomes a follower 00:35:18.659 --> 00:35:19.720 of Jesus and gets baptized, 00:35:20.119 --> 00:35:21.539 you don't see some dramatic 00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:22.460 light shine 00:35:22.460 --> 00:35:23.500 and all this kind of stuff 00:35:23.500 --> 00:35:23.900 happens. 00:35:24.139 --> 00:35:25.079 He just gets explained 00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:25.559 the Bible, 00:35:25.980 --> 00:35:27.119 he believes the message, 00:35:27.380 --> 00:35:27.880 and says, 00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:29.260 I want to follow him. 00:35:29.539 --> 00:35:30.820 And he gets baptized. 00:35:31.480 --> 00:35:32.300 And so whether you're 00:35:32.300 --> 00:35:33.300 someone in the room today 00:35:33.300 --> 00:35:34.280 who has had some 00:35:34.280 --> 00:35:34.920 dramatic experience, 00:35:35.820 --> 00:35:36.579 you're someone who 00:35:36.579 --> 00:35:37.159 you've simply, 00:35:37.460 --> 00:35:38.759 you've heard the truth, 00:35:39.039 --> 00:35:40.360 you believe the truth, 00:35:40.719 --> 00:35:42.360 and you're done 00:35:42.360 --> 00:35:44.059 with that anxiety 00:35:44.059 --> 00:35:45.360 and the fear of life 00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:46.059 of a test. 00:35:46.699 --> 00:35:47.119 And you just, 00:35:48.019 --> 00:35:49.199 as I was coming this morning, 00:35:49.239 --> 00:35:49.759 I was remembering 00:35:49.759 --> 00:35:50.500 Matthew 11 00:35:50.500 --> 00:35:51.159 where Jesus says, 00:35:51.299 --> 00:35:51.920 come to me, 00:35:51.980 --> 00:35:52.719 all who are weary, 00:35:52.960 --> 00:35:54.159 and I will give you rest. 00:35:54.639 --> 00:35:55.860 I just want to invite you today, 00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:56.699 even as in a moment 00:35:56.699 --> 00:35:57.259 we stand, 00:35:57.380 --> 00:35:57.960 and I'll pray 00:35:57.960 --> 00:35:59.199 that instead, 00:35:59.199 --> 00:36:02.039 if you have not yet 00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:06.419 had the experience 00:36:06.419 --> 00:36:07.480 of giving your life, 00:36:07.639 --> 00:36:09.039 of surrendering your life 00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:09.460 to Jesus, 00:36:09.599 --> 00:36:10.519 receiving what he's done 00:36:10.519 --> 00:36:10.899 for you, 00:36:11.079 --> 00:36:11.819 I just want to invite you 00:36:11.819 --> 00:36:13.099 to just cry out 00:36:13.099 --> 00:36:13.779 to Jesus yourself 00:36:13.779 --> 00:36:14.139 and say, 00:36:14.219 --> 00:36:14.519 Jesus, 00:36:15.079 --> 00:36:15.739 save me. 00:36:16.059 --> 00:36:17.079 Save me for myself. 00:36:17.759 --> 00:36:18.539 Save me from life 00:36:18.539 --> 00:36:19.179 as a test. 00:36:19.939 --> 00:36:20.939 I receive your life. 00:36:21.579 --> 00:36:22.939 Jesus will not turn away 00:36:22.939 --> 00:36:24.279 those who call out to him. 00:36:24.399 --> 00:36:25.960 If the way we're able 00:36:25.960 --> 00:36:26.899 to call to him 00:36:26.900 --> 00:36:28.400 and ask him for forgiveness 00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:29.559 and become his followers, 00:36:29.840 --> 00:36:31.240 not by the works that we do 00:36:31.240 --> 00:36:32.200 or the things that we think, 00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:35.639 but by what he's achieved for us. 00:36:35.700 --> 00:36:35.920 And so, 00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:36.980 if you are someone 00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:37.960 who believes in him, 00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:38.840 if you're someone 00:36:38.840 --> 00:36:40.139 that you want to follow him, 00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:41.820 fear not. 00:36:41.940 --> 00:36:43.820 No longer live life as a test, 00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:45.280 but it's time this day 00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:46.420 to finally receive 00:36:46.420 --> 00:36:47.420 his gift of life. 00:36:47.660 --> 00:36:48.800 Would you stand with me now? 00:36:48.800 --> 00:36:57.600 Heavenly Father, 00:36:58.100 --> 00:36:59.760 all throughout the world 00:36:59.760 --> 00:37:00.480 there are people 00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:01.820 oppressing other people 00:37:01.820 --> 00:37:03.840 as we human beings 00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:04.720 try hard 00:37:04.720 --> 00:37:05.900 in our own attempts 00:37:05.900 --> 00:37:07.180 to try to 00:37:07.180 --> 00:37:08.580 find meaning 00:37:08.580 --> 00:37:09.280 or purpose 00:37:09.280 --> 00:37:10.580 or connect with the divine 00:37:10.580 --> 00:37:11.460 or whatever it be. 00:37:12.039 --> 00:37:12.500 But God, 00:37:12.600 --> 00:37:13.480 thank you that you 00:37:13.480 --> 00:37:14.860 set us free from that 00:37:14.860 --> 00:37:16.740 just as you set Paul free 00:37:16.740 --> 00:37:18.420 from his oppressive way. 00:37:19.400 --> 00:37:19.660 Lord, 00:37:19.740 --> 00:37:20.860 I thank you 00:37:20.860 --> 00:37:22.180 for what you do, 00:37:22.920 --> 00:37:23.760 what you've done 00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:24.500 through the death 00:37:24.500 --> 00:37:25.019 and resurrection 00:37:25.019 --> 00:37:26.180 of your own son. 00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:27.280 And so, 00:37:27.400 --> 00:37:27.480 Lord, 00:37:27.500 --> 00:37:28.080 I want to pray 00:37:28.080 --> 00:37:29.539 with the church right now 00:37:29.539 --> 00:37:30.260 that you would come 00:37:30.260 --> 00:37:31.860 to those oppressors, 00:37:31.940 --> 00:37:32.960 those persecutors 00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:33.960 throughout the world 00:37:33.960 --> 00:37:34.800 and that you 00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:35.360 in your mercy 00:37:35.360 --> 00:37:37.060 would call them to yourself 00:37:37.060 --> 00:37:37.800 and save them. 00:37:38.519 --> 00:37:38.700 Lord, 00:37:38.740 --> 00:37:39.580 I pray for those 00:37:39.580 --> 00:37:40.280 who are being persecuted 00:37:40.280 --> 00:37:40.740 right now. 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.300 Thank you 00:37:41.300 --> 00:37:42.720 that Jesus 00:37:42.720 --> 00:37:45.640 so closely identifies 00:37:45.640 --> 00:37:46.440 with their suffering 00:37:46.440 --> 00:37:47.300 and we pray 00:37:47.300 --> 00:37:47.960 that you would give 00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:48.940 the persecuted church 00:37:48.940 --> 00:37:49.559 throughout the world 00:37:49.559 --> 00:37:50.420 relief, 00:37:50.960 --> 00:37:51.460 strength, 00:37:51.900 --> 00:37:52.179 hope, 00:37:52.380 --> 00:37:52.820 and endurance. 00:37:53.800 --> 00:37:54.199 And Lord, 00:37:54.260 --> 00:37:55.440 I pray for every one 00:37:55.440 --> 00:37:56.179 of us in the room 00:37:56.179 --> 00:38:00.119 that what Paul experienced, 00:38:00.780 --> 00:38:02.380 not just the voice 00:38:02.380 --> 00:38:03.000 or the light, 00:38:03.760 --> 00:38:04.679 but his experience 00:38:04.679 --> 00:38:06.760 of you rescuing him 00:38:06.760 --> 00:38:08.579 from his sin, 00:38:09.420 --> 00:38:10.300 rescuing him 00:38:10.300 --> 00:38:11.940 from life as a test, 00:38:12.679 --> 00:38:13.280 rescuing him 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:14.360 from a life of fear, 00:38:15.060 --> 00:38:15.800 rescuing him 00:38:15.800 --> 00:38:16.380 from a life 00:38:16.380 --> 00:38:17.440 of decay and death, 00:38:18.120 --> 00:38:18.700 rescuing him 00:38:18.700 --> 00:38:19.860 to life in you. 00:38:20.540 --> 00:38:20.760 Lord, 00:38:20.800 --> 00:38:21.560 I pray that that 00:38:21.560 --> 00:38:22.760 would not be something 00:38:22.760 --> 00:38:23.860 that any of us 00:38:23.860 --> 00:38:24.180 in the room 00:38:24.180 --> 00:38:25.260 simply hear about, 00:38:25.800 --> 00:38:26.380 but that would be 00:38:26.380 --> 00:38:27.180 something that we know 00:38:27.180 --> 00:38:28.019 for ourselves, 00:38:28.720 --> 00:38:29.680 that we would know 00:38:29.680 --> 00:38:30.480 firsthand 00:38:30.480 --> 00:38:32.380 the gospel, 00:38:33.040 --> 00:38:34.060 the power of God 00:38:34.060 --> 00:38:34.780 for salvation 00:38:34.780 --> 00:38:35.800 to everyone 00:38:35.800 --> 00:38:36.600 who believes, 00:38:37.140 --> 00:38:38.100 that you would give us 00:38:38.100 --> 00:38:39.460 that gift of faith 00:38:39.460 --> 00:38:40.820 and that you would 00:38:40.820 --> 00:38:41.720 give us that gift 00:38:41.720 --> 00:38:42.579 of eternal life 00:38:42.579 --> 00:38:43.679 that is found in Jesus, 00:38:44.300 --> 00:38:45.019 that you would help us 00:38:45.019 --> 00:38:45.780 to live that out 00:38:45.780 --> 00:38:47.019 each day of our lives 00:38:47.019 --> 00:38:48.119 for your glory 00:38:48.119 --> 00:38:49.360 and our good 00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:50.240 in Jesus' name. 00:38:50.559 --> 00:38:50.780 Amen.