WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.060 Turn with me in your Bibles to Acts 19. 00:00:07.060 --> 00:00:10.580 So I want to take a little bit of credit for the bear song, 00:00:10.580 --> 00:00:10.560 ! 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.439 I want to take a little bit of credit for the bear song and dedication to that night or that morning. 00:00:34.259 --> 00:00:39.579 But I only think the only person that was actually still here that was there was Daniel Swanson. 00:00:39.740 --> 00:00:40.740 I don't remember looking for him. 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:42.140 But he was there. 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:46.820 But I promise, he'll tell you that he did, but he slept through the whole incident. 00:00:48.060 --> 00:00:51.280 So I was like, you probably would be eaten if we didn't wake you up. 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:56.219 But the bear stole my backpack and ran up a hill. 00:00:56.219 --> 00:01:02.159 And me and Daniel Gentry and another guy chased it up the hill and threw things at it. 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:04.560 And it eventually left. 00:01:04.659 --> 00:01:09.980 So there's a nice little hole, like claw hole, in the back of my military backpack downstairs. 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:12.379 That bear's like trying to dig around. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:16.920 I forgot that I left a little candy bar or something on the bottom of that because it was covered up. 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:21.120 So don't do that when you go camping. 00:01:21.780 --> 00:01:24.219 But take some credit for that song. 00:01:26.219 --> 00:01:31.200 We're going to be in Acts 19, kind of finishing up our time in Ephesus together. 00:01:32.340 --> 00:01:35.420 So before we do, though, just join me in a word of prayer. 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:44.019 Lord, we still ourselves before you this morning. 00:01:44.019 --> 00:01:56.379 coming from busy weeks where stress and the approval of others and the seeking after the world. 00:01:57.859 --> 00:02:05.739 We have come this morning with your people hoping to have our spirits refreshed and renewed. 00:02:05.739 --> 00:02:09.659 And that is something that we cannot do naturally. 00:02:10.719 --> 00:02:16.560 And it's something that only you, through your word and by the power of the Spirit, can do. 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:23.519 So we ask you to work in our hearts and our minds, Lord, to renew our faith. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:30.380 To strengthen us, Lord, to leave here later and to go into weeks for. 00:02:31.900 --> 00:02:34.680 To live for your glory and wherever we go, Father. 00:02:35.719 --> 00:02:40.140 So give us eyes to see and ears to hear this morning. 00:02:41.100 --> 00:02:43.740 And use this as you see fit. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:45.980 In Christ's name, amen. 00:02:45.979 --> 00:02:46.099 Amen. 00:02:47.539 --> 00:02:52.199 So, if you recall, we started in chapter 19. 00:02:52.459 --> 00:02:55.139 And this is when Paul first came into Ephesus. 00:02:56.500 --> 00:03:01.519 And Ephesus, just a tad review and then plus a little more. 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:06.039 But the biggest city in Asia Minor is on the east side of the Aegean Sea. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:09.239 And it was the capital of the Roman province of Asia. 00:03:10.339 --> 00:03:12.959 Fifth largest city in the entire empire. 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:19.939 And so a big, big place for the gospel to go to be exported into Asia. 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:22.120 Kind of the launch pad into Asia. 00:03:22.920 --> 00:03:29.080 And so there is a lot in Ephesus that is really still there today that you can go and see. 00:03:30.180 --> 00:03:35.219 But most of all, I would say there was the Temple of Artemis. 00:03:35.719 --> 00:03:38.620 Which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. 00:03:38.740 --> 00:03:39.939 And a lot of it still remains today. 00:03:39.939 --> 00:03:43.340 I tried to find some cool pictures to get into. 00:03:43.740 --> 00:03:45.500 So, for whatever those. 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:50.539 That's what it looked like during the time of Paul. 00:03:50.539 --> 00:03:57.039 And it was built definitely several centuries before, like B.C. 00:03:58.039 --> 00:04:05.539 But it was a huge structure that was the boast of the ancient world. 00:04:05.899 --> 00:04:10.099 And it was bigger than all the temples and stuff in Athens and Rome. 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:12.060 It was really a huge deal. 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:16.180 And so all this was dedicated to Artemis. 00:04:16.620 --> 00:04:18.560 So you can flip to the next slide. 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:20.560 And that's what remains of it today. 00:04:20.660 --> 00:04:25.100 So there's the glory of Artemis kind of destroyed over the centuries, right? 00:04:25.100 --> 00:04:32.240 But I have a friend, one of my best friends over in Ireland, Mark, who actually was there. 00:04:32.320 --> 00:04:37.320 And he was telling me he was just getting his mind in the narrative while he was walking around all that. 00:04:37.420 --> 00:04:42.580 Just thinking about how the gospel changed that culture and changed that city. 00:04:42.579 --> 00:04:57.120 And so I think it would be helpful, not just for the sake of blather, but to actually know who Artemis mythically was because it had an impact on the ancient world. 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:02.279 And so Artemis was the Greek name of the goddess. 00:05:02.439 --> 00:05:04.019 Diana was the Roman name. 00:05:04.500 --> 00:05:07.000 She was the mythical daughter of Zeus. 00:05:07.000 --> 00:05:13.639 And her name kind of comes from a combination of meaning safe and sound. 00:05:14.139 --> 00:05:17.220 So she was the goddess who brought help and brought aid to people. 00:05:17.819 --> 00:05:19.720 And she was depicted carrying a bow. 00:05:20.220 --> 00:05:21.079 She was a huntress. 00:05:21.300 --> 00:05:23.680 She had a hunting dog with her. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:37.860 And she was really known for protection, but particularly for women and for women in childbirth and protector of the virginity of young girls. 00:05:38.840 --> 00:05:44.519 And she had a lot of masculine type characteristics about her. 00:05:44.519 --> 00:05:49.439 And so even today, she's kind of seen as like a goddess of feminism in a lot of ways. 00:05:50.479 --> 00:05:56.740 And she's also known as like the goddess of wild animals and nature. 00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:04.919 Like, you know, just that wild, rugged, you know, woman that we all see depicted in movies today that really isn't real, but it's on TV anyway. 00:06:04.920 --> 00:06:08.780 So that's kind of where a lot of that comes from. 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:11.860 And so that was Artemis. 00:06:11.960 --> 00:06:16.920 And that's who these people cling to, who they worshiped. 00:06:17.860 --> 00:06:21.240 And it was a cult that lasted for thousands of years. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:27.300 And so that's where the controversy is over, like a lot of this. 00:06:27.379 --> 00:06:33.319 But it also spills into the amphitheater that's also in Ephesus, which is another picture. 00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:35.139 It's still there today. 00:06:36.040 --> 00:06:37.639 A huge amphitheater. 00:06:38.259 --> 00:06:44.379 It could hold around 20,000 people, which is pretty remarkable in that time. 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:48.579 It had an emperor's box when the emperor actually came and visited. 00:06:49.420 --> 00:07:01.920 And like most amphitheaters in the Roman world, they were used for musical concerts, for plays, for gladiatorial combat, and dramas, whatever. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:08.699 But also, it was a place where religious, political, and philosophical things could be discussed. 00:07:09.540 --> 00:07:12.420 And that's a lot of what we see in our text today. 00:07:12.860 --> 00:07:15.259 But this is where the riot kind of happened. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:16.860 This is all where it kind of went down. 00:07:16.860 --> 00:07:28.840 And so I'm not like really big on doing this, but I actually thought about showing a video clip from a movie 00:07:28.840 --> 00:07:34.379 where it actually shows like mob hysteria and how scary it actually can be. 00:07:34.860 --> 00:07:37.199 It's a terrifying thing to encounter. 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:43.439 And in our text today, that's kind of what we're coming up with was this riot that was in Ephesus. 00:07:44.180 --> 00:07:49.959 But it was time for, in God's providence, for the evangelism of Asia to begin. 00:07:50.259 --> 00:07:51.939 And it started here in Ephesus. 00:07:52.759 --> 00:07:55.759 It was, again, the launching pad for the gospel. 00:07:56.319 --> 00:07:58.300 It's also where Paul wrote 1 Corinthians. 00:07:58.300 --> 00:08:00.300 So that's a big deal. 00:08:01.420 --> 00:08:06.879 And I don't know if a lot of you know this, but the Colossian church wasn't really planted by Paul. 00:08:06.980 --> 00:08:13.720 It was planted by people who came to know Christ in Ephesus, and they took it to Colossae, which is pretty cool. 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:18.980 And so that's why Paul's like, wow, this church was planted, and I've heard about them. 00:08:19.060 --> 00:08:21.920 So he writes to them. 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:27.439 And so a lot of unique things about his time in Ephesus. 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:32.440 He spent a little over two years there probably, and then came back, I think, another time. 00:08:33.139 --> 00:08:39.820 But thus far in chapter 19, we see that Paul came in, and he encounters some disciples of John the Baptist. 00:08:40.580 --> 00:08:42.460 That's in verses 1 through 7. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:48.800 And he basically tells them Jesus was the one that John was pointing to. 00:08:48.860 --> 00:08:50.580 And they were like, great, let's follow Jesus. 00:08:50.580 --> 00:08:53.379 So the quick summary of that. 00:08:54.320 --> 00:09:01.100 Then afterwards, he went into the synagogue, 8 through 10, and he taught about Christ in the synagogue and in the hall of Tyrannus. 00:09:02.340 --> 00:09:11.240 And then finally, well, not finally, but 11 through 12, God used Paul to heal many people and do miraculous acts to give testimony to the gospel. 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:27.560 And then kind of a scary but also comical story of following that of some Jewish exorcists who really were willing to kind of lash on to, they saw Paul casting out demons in the name of Jesus. 00:09:27.700 --> 00:09:28.740 And they thought, we should try that. 00:09:29.259 --> 00:09:32.980 So they tried to invoke the name of Jesus without really knowing Jesus. 00:09:32.980 --> 00:09:37.460 And the demon beat the tar out of them and humiliated them. 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:39.940 So that's what's kind of happened. 00:09:40.820 --> 00:09:46.800 But connecting to last week is the last segment that we went through. 00:09:46.799 --> 00:10:02.859 And this is where we see in 17 through 20, I think, after that, that many people renounced their sorcery and their magic and burned their spell books because of the miraculous acts that were happening in the name of Christ. 00:10:03.859 --> 00:10:06.639 That's, let's see. 00:10:06.819 --> 00:10:08.399 Sorry, I'm just picking this up right here. 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:20.399 Let's just start reading in verse 17 today and we'll read through the rest of the chapter and we'll just start walking through it together. 00:10:21.620 --> 00:10:22.679 So it says, 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:32.500 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 00:10:32.500 --> 00:10:39.639 And also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 00:10:40.419 --> 00:10:47.139 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:53.379 And they counted the value of them and found that it came to 50,000 pieces of silver. 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:58.779 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. 00:10:58.779 --> 00:11:02.779 That is a lot of money in the ancient world. 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:08.860 And so that's kind of what launched this next part. 00:11:08.959 --> 00:11:18.199 So people were coming to know Christ and now there's going to be a backlash to the believers becoming too salty for some of the people in Ephesus. 00:11:18.839 --> 00:11:21.279 So it goes into the next section, verse 21. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:30.699 Now after these events, Paul resolved in the spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem saying, 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:34.100 After I have been there, I must also see Rome. 00:11:34.679 --> 00:11:43.039 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Eratos, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:47.639 So this is kind of an outline of the rest of the book of Acts, sort of, where he wants to go. 00:11:48.259 --> 00:11:49.679 Rome eventually ends up in Rome. 00:11:51.179 --> 00:11:57.299 About that time, there arose no little disturbance concerning the way. 00:11:58.099 --> 00:12:06.519 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 00:12:06.519 --> 00:12:11.240 There he gathered together with the workmen and similar trades and said, 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:16.480 Men, you know that this business, we have our wealth. 00:12:17.439 --> 00:12:23.360 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but also, but in almost all of Asia, 00:12:23.500 --> 00:12:31.500 this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people saying that the gods made with hands are not gods. 00:12:31.500 --> 00:12:39.659 And there is danger, not only in that this trade of ours may come into disrepute, 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:45.460 but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, 00:12:46.379 --> 00:12:53.379 and that she may even be disposed from her magnificence, she whom all of Asia and the world worship. 00:12:54.179 --> 00:12:57.980 When they heard this, they were enraged and were crying out, 00:12:57.980 --> 00:13:00.720 Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:03.200 So the city was filled with confusion, 00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:06.460 and they rushed together into the theater, 00:13:07.259 --> 00:13:09.600 dragging with them Gaius and Atreus, 00:13:10.659 --> 00:13:13.379 Macedonians who were with Paul's companions and travel. 00:13:14.139 --> 00:13:17.340 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, 00:13:17.899 --> 00:13:19.480 the disciples would not let him. 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:22.399 And even some of the Erastic, 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:24.460 Erastic, I can't remember this word right, sorry, 00:13:25.220 --> 00:13:26.960 who were his friends, 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:30.560 said to him and urging him not to venture into the theater. 00:13:31.340 --> 00:13:33.279 Now some cried one thing, 00:13:33.779 --> 00:13:34.340 some another, 00:13:34.560 --> 00:13:36.480 for the assembly was in confusion, 00:13:37.259 --> 00:13:39.940 and most of them did not know why they had come together. 00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:42.100 That sounds like a typical riot, 00:13:42.180 --> 00:13:42.899 like why are we here? 00:13:43.560 --> 00:13:44.659 I'm just yelling again. 00:13:45.620 --> 00:13:46.500 So 33, 00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:48.620 some of the crowd prompted Alexander, 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:50.960 whom the Jews had put forward, 00:13:51.779 --> 00:13:53.620 and Alexander, motioning with his hand, 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:55.580 wanted to make a defense to the crowd. 00:13:56.299 --> 00:13:58.320 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, 00:13:59.000 --> 00:13:59.980 for about two hours, 00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:02.840 but when they recognized that he was a Jew, 00:14:03.179 --> 00:14:04.139 for about two hours, 00:14:04.200 --> 00:14:05.580 they all cried out in one voice, 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:07.779 Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:11.179 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:11.679 he said, 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.459 he said, 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:14.439 Men of Ephesus, 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:16.859 who is there who does not know 00:14:16.859 --> 00:14:18.819 that the city of the Ephesians 00:14:18.819 --> 00:14:21.799 is temple keeper of the great Artemis, 00:14:22.439 --> 00:14:25.799 and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? 00:14:26.679 --> 00:14:29.000 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, 00:14:29.099 --> 00:14:31.239 you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 00:14:32.079 --> 00:14:34.139 For you have brought these men here, 00:14:34.819 --> 00:14:38.259 who neither are sacrilegious nor blasphemous of our goddess. 00:14:38.259 --> 00:14:42.480 If, therefore, Demetrius and the craftsmen with him 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:44.220 have a complaint against anyone, 00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:45.840 the courts are open, 00:14:46.500 --> 00:14:47.740 and there are proconsuls. 00:14:48.379 --> 00:14:50.539 Let them bring charges against one another. 00:14:51.179 --> 00:14:52.819 But if you seek anything further, 00:14:53.460 --> 00:14:55.360 it shall be settled in a regular assembly, 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:59.299 for we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, 00:15:00.139 --> 00:15:02.580 since there is no cause that we can give 00:15:02.580 --> 00:15:04.000 to justify this commotion. 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:06.259 And when he has said these things, 00:15:06.259 --> 00:15:08.460 he dismissed the assembly. 00:15:10.460 --> 00:15:11.080 All right? 00:15:11.220 --> 00:15:13.100 So that's kind of the background. 00:15:13.259 --> 00:15:13.919 That's the story. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:15.740 So we're just going to walk through this 00:15:15.740 --> 00:15:17.379 just through a series of questions 00:15:17.379 --> 00:15:19.799 and then draw out some application. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:22.100 Question number one, 00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:23.980 real simple, 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:25.039 but what caused the riot? 00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:26.500 Let's kind of break the narrative down. 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:27.600 Like, what caused the riot? 00:15:28.659 --> 00:15:30.039 Can you see this really clearly 00:15:30.039 --> 00:15:33.339 in verses 23 through 27? 00:15:34.539 --> 00:15:37.219 And a man named Demetrius, 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:38.759 who built these, 00:15:39.299 --> 00:15:40.339 he was a silversmith, 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:43.779 and built these little tiny goddess idols of Artemis 00:15:43.779 --> 00:15:45.719 that could be placed in the homes of people, 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:48.179 so they could kind of worship an image of Artemis 00:15:48.179 --> 00:15:49.419 in their own homes 00:15:49.419 --> 00:15:52.979 and ask for protection inside their homes. 00:15:53.699 --> 00:15:55.500 He's furious because he's basically 00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:57.259 seeing what Paul's preaching 00:15:57.259 --> 00:15:58.620 as a threat to his welfare 00:15:58.620 --> 00:16:01.899 and the welfare of the other tradesmen in Ephesus. 00:16:01.899 --> 00:16:04.059 And so he thought, 00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:06.079 this has got to stop. 00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:07.939 I'm hearing my pocketbook is, 00:16:08.519 --> 00:16:08.899 you know, 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:10.819 is getting really bad right now, 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:13.319 and I have to cause a commotion. 00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:14.779 So that's what this is about. 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:19.720 It's about the gospel is bringing down idolatry. 00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:20.679 Right? 00:16:20.779 --> 00:16:21.840 He's angry 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:24.539 because even a lot of these other people 00:16:24.539 --> 00:16:25.539 have been converted, 00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:27.939 renouncing their idolatry, 00:16:28.139 --> 00:16:29.519 burning their spell books, 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:32.500 and the gospel is taking over. 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:34.699 And so just note that 00:16:34.699 --> 00:16:36.939 when real change happens in the culture, 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:40.439 there can be a lot of backlash from people 00:16:40.439 --> 00:16:43.059 because it's going to seem as a threat 00:16:43.059 --> 00:16:44.879 to how many of them are making their living. 00:16:46.019 --> 00:16:48.039 And so that's the most simple one we have. 00:16:48.079 --> 00:16:48.659 What caused it? 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:52.879 Well, that was the threat to his money making, 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:55.439 at least the great civic pride 00:16:55.439 --> 00:16:56.460 and religious pride 00:16:56.460 --> 00:16:59.299 that the city had as a whole of Artemis 00:16:59.299 --> 00:17:00.039 was being threatened. 00:17:00.339 --> 00:17:02.719 So this is sort of what caused the riot. 00:17:03.359 --> 00:17:04.619 We're going to spend most of the time 00:17:04.619 --> 00:17:06.019 in the next two questions, though. 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:08.319 What are, 00:17:08.839 --> 00:17:09.960 question number two, 00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:13.259 what are the characteristics of the riot? 00:17:14.779 --> 00:17:16.819 Verse 28 through 34. 00:17:17.539 --> 00:17:18.460 Kind of see this. 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:20.299 So what are some things you can kind of draw out? 00:17:20.299 --> 00:17:24.819 What characterizes this mob hysteria? 00:17:24.819 --> 00:17:26.839 All right, well, 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:28.839 you see very clearly in verse 28, 00:17:29.740 --> 00:17:30.039 they were, 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:31.679 the mob was enraged. 00:17:32.679 --> 00:17:33.079 Okay? 00:17:33.899 --> 00:17:36.480 So this word means like anger boiling up 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:37.500 and soon overflowing. 00:17:37.679 --> 00:17:40.339 You can kind of picture like anger building up 00:17:40.339 --> 00:17:41.679 and then coming out of a, 00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:43.500 like a pot on the stove. 00:17:44.139 --> 00:17:45.099 A picture of that, 00:17:45.179 --> 00:17:48.639 but also the rage that a drunkard feels 00:17:48.639 --> 00:17:50.819 that eventually leads him to destroy himself. 00:17:50.819 --> 00:17:52.599 So it's almost like blind. 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:54.299 They've lost all sense. 00:17:54.419 --> 00:17:57.359 They're being controlled by the rage they feel. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:01.619 Mindless fury characterizes riots. 00:18:02.179 --> 00:18:04.659 And they're indiscriminate about violence. 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:07.139 That's why a lot of innocent bystanders 00:18:07.139 --> 00:18:08.899 are always either hurt or killed in riots. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:09.480 They're just, 00:18:09.639 --> 00:18:12.659 they're just sort of in the wake of it all. 00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:15.220 But just understand that, 00:18:15.939 --> 00:18:17.139 learning this myself, 00:18:17.140 --> 00:18:19.440 the anger blinds us from reason. 00:18:20.140 --> 00:18:21.140 We can't think. 00:18:21.300 --> 00:18:22.380 We can't stop and say, 00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:25.280 let me step back and assess a situation 00:18:25.280 --> 00:18:26.280 and then solve it. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:30.460 It's allowing sin to overcome us 00:18:30.460 --> 00:18:33.759 or we can't actually reason with one another. 00:18:34.540 --> 00:18:35.720 So we become unreasonable. 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:38.540 Scripture says in Proverbs 29, 10, 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:43.300 bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless 00:18:43.300 --> 00:18:45.500 and seek the life of the upright. 00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:49.000 And so this is a great example of that. 00:18:49.339 --> 00:18:54.039 Mob hysteria that is characterized by anger. 00:18:55.339 --> 00:18:57.920 So secondly, under this, 00:18:58.180 --> 00:19:00.359 another characteristic is confusion. 00:19:01.380 --> 00:19:05.920 Verse 29 is very clear. 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:07.039 Immense confusion. 00:19:07.660 --> 00:19:08.619 So if you can just kind of picture, 00:19:09.420 --> 00:19:10.519 you know, in the ancient world, 00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:11.680 there's no social media. 00:19:11.819 --> 00:19:14.079 No one can kind of actually explain what's going on. 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:18.240 And people are rushing to the theater in anger 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:19.779 and they grab their buddies and say, 00:19:19.819 --> 00:19:20.579 hey, this is happening. 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:21.439 Come join us. 00:19:21.460 --> 00:19:22.359 And he's like, all right, 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:24.379 let's go yell and let's go, 00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:26.019 you know, get crazy. 00:19:26.699 --> 00:19:27.960 But they don't really know 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:28.879 why they're even there. 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:29.799 That's what it kind of says. 00:19:29.879 --> 00:19:30.659 Like a lot of them are like, 00:19:31.079 --> 00:19:32.659 what are we doing here again? 00:19:33.199 --> 00:19:34.399 And they're just yelling, 00:19:34.679 --> 00:19:35.500 yelling and yelling. 00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:37.259 And so confusion. 00:19:37.259 --> 00:19:41.420 And they even dragged two of Paul's friends violently 00:19:41.420 --> 00:19:44.140 into there without any kind of trial 00:19:44.140 --> 00:19:46.019 or asking them what they were about. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:49.160 They didn't actually sit down and ask. 00:19:49.220 --> 00:19:51.500 It was just, again, confusion. 00:19:52.980 --> 00:19:54.359 And then another thing you can note 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:57.140 is they were also pretty close-minded. 00:19:58.140 --> 00:20:00.299 See that in 33 and 34. 00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:03.000 Alexander, who was a Jew, 00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:04.900 he came out to kind of, 00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:05.740 he motioned his hand. 00:20:05.740 --> 00:20:07.480 They kind of wanted to get the attention of the crowd. 00:20:08.299 --> 00:20:10.200 But they recognized he was a Jew 00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:12.000 and just sort of pushed him aside 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:15.900 and didn't want to even hear what he had to say. 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:19.880 So it's very unclear what Alexander's motive was. 00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:21.539 Maybe he wanted to be like, 00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:23.660 look, we're not, you know, 00:20:24.019 --> 00:20:25.900 we're monotheistic, 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:27.480 but we're not Christians. 00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:31.339 So don't put us in the same boat as these guys, 00:20:31.420 --> 00:20:32.900 like we really quite don't know yet. 00:20:32.900 --> 00:20:36.500 But this is really interesting. 00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:39.480 Some of the word I have a hard time pronouncing. 00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:43.560 Azerarchs? 00:20:43.720 --> 00:20:45.000 Yeah, I think that's the right way to say it. 00:20:46.500 --> 00:20:48.100 That's pretty bad for a history major. 00:20:48.280 --> 00:20:49.500 I'm pretty embarrassed by that. 00:20:49.560 --> 00:20:50.300 I need to go look that up. 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:54.900 But they were the keepers and promoters 00:20:54.900 --> 00:20:57.680 of the imperial cult throughout the empire. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:59.259 They were very wealthy. 00:20:59.900 --> 00:21:01.060 They were very prestigious. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:03.460 If they spoke, people listened. 00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:05.019 And isn't that interesting 00:21:05.019 --> 00:21:06.720 that they actually came and protected Paul? 00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:09.519 It kind of is mind-boggling. 00:21:10.560 --> 00:21:12.120 But even in my own life, 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:13.140 as I know personally, 00:21:13.220 --> 00:21:15.320 some of you that I've had conversations with, 00:21:15.840 --> 00:21:17.740 you've won this kind of favor 00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:19.440 through your life 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:21.720 with unbelievers 00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:24.019 that they would almost come to your defense 00:21:24.019 --> 00:21:24.860 if you were attacked. 00:21:24.859 --> 00:21:28.079 And it's kind of like 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:30.039 the president of an atheist group 00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:31.599 who you befriended 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:33.319 and gained their trust 00:21:33.319 --> 00:21:34.719 and had conversations with 00:21:34.719 --> 00:21:36.719 kind of rushing to your aid 00:21:36.719 --> 00:21:37.740 and protecting you 00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:40.019 from like an atheist group 00:21:40.019 --> 00:21:40.919 who's trying to mob you. 00:21:41.699 --> 00:21:42.319 And be like, look, 00:21:43.139 --> 00:21:44.359 we may disagree with this guy, 00:21:44.399 --> 00:21:44.899 but let me tell you, 00:21:44.939 --> 00:21:45.639 he's a good guy. 00:21:45.879 --> 00:21:46.839 Like, stay away from him. 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:47.500 Chill out. 00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:49.939 And that's kind of what 00:21:49.939 --> 00:21:50.779 these men were doing. 00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:51.979 They were protecting Paul 00:21:51.979 --> 00:21:54.459 from this riot. 00:21:54.859 --> 00:21:56.279 And even knowing 00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:57.419 that he was a Roman citizen, 00:21:57.559 --> 00:21:58.299 like we can't have 00:21:58.299 --> 00:22:00.299 this kind of reflect on us 00:22:00.299 --> 00:22:01.639 as a city either. 00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:05.079 So, very close-minded. 00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:06.799 They're just sort of blinded again 00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:09.240 by sin and by pride. 00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:11.579 Then, finally, 00:22:12.439 --> 00:22:13.419 question number three, 00:22:14.519 --> 00:22:15.579 what is the outcome 00:22:15.579 --> 00:22:16.979 of the riot? 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:20.119 35 through 41. 00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:22.359 Of all people, 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:23.319 right? 00:22:23.459 --> 00:22:23.939 Isn't it interesting 00:22:23.939 --> 00:22:24.699 that the people 00:22:24.699 --> 00:22:25.419 you least expect 00:22:25.419 --> 00:22:26.000 can stand up 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:28.019 and actually change the situation, 00:22:28.959 --> 00:22:31.639 but was the town clerk. 00:22:32.939 --> 00:22:34.539 He was the chief administrative 00:22:34.539 --> 00:22:35.519 officer of the city. 00:22:35.619 --> 00:22:36.799 He was kind of like 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:37.399 the liaison 00:22:37.399 --> 00:22:39.099 between the Roman officials 00:22:39.099 --> 00:22:40.239 and the city officials. 00:22:40.500 --> 00:22:41.419 They were there. 00:22:41.420 --> 00:22:44.259 And he was really worried. 00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:44.779 Like, 00:22:45.140 --> 00:22:46.220 if we make a ruckus, 00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:48.480 if we are accused of rioting, 00:22:48.600 --> 00:22:49.360 this could get back 00:22:49.360 --> 00:22:50.100 to Claudius. 00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:51.880 Claudius could get angry. 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:53.160 That could come back on us. 00:22:53.880 --> 00:22:54.539 Let's stop. 00:22:55.320 --> 00:22:55.720 You know, 00:22:55.740 --> 00:22:56.480 calm down. 00:22:56.580 --> 00:22:57.720 Take a deep breath, guys. 00:23:00.259 --> 00:23:00.800 He's like, 00:23:00.840 --> 00:23:02.120 we all know Artemis is real. 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:03.340 We all know she's the stuff. 00:23:03.420 --> 00:23:03.680 Okay? 00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:04.519 Like, 00:23:04.560 --> 00:23:05.440 and then we got the meteor 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:06.060 to even prove 00:23:06.060 --> 00:23:06.880 that she's the stuff. 00:23:07.380 --> 00:23:09.460 It was like a sacred meteor 00:23:09.460 --> 00:23:10.620 that had kind of fallen there. 00:23:10.619 --> 00:23:11.459 So, 00:23:11.739 --> 00:23:12.079 I mean, 00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:13.479 if we believe that's not to be true, 00:23:13.559 --> 00:23:14.319 then why are we scared? 00:23:14.419 --> 00:23:15.299 Just calm down. 00:23:15.459 --> 00:23:15.619 Like, 00:23:16.219 --> 00:23:17.239 we're all together here, 00:23:17.699 --> 00:23:20.079 but it's not okay for us 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:21.199 to be rash. 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:21.519 Like, 00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:22.299 let's be reasonable. 00:23:23.059 --> 00:23:23.899 And he kind of gets everybody 00:23:23.899 --> 00:23:24.659 to kind of just 00:23:24.659 --> 00:23:26.459 chill out and listen. 00:23:27.479 --> 00:23:28.419 And then he says, 00:23:28.919 --> 00:23:29.239 look, 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:30.099 the courts are open. 00:23:30.659 --> 00:23:32.459 If Demetrius and his homies 00:23:32.459 --> 00:23:33.339 really have a problem, 00:23:33.439 --> 00:23:34.859 they can go to the court 00:23:34.859 --> 00:23:36.319 and take Paul 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:36.979 and whoever else 00:23:36.979 --> 00:23:38.019 and they can go deal with this 00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:39.599 in a peaceful manner. 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:41.740 There's pro-consuls there 00:23:41.740 --> 00:23:42.639 who are basically 00:23:42.639 --> 00:23:43.599 sort of like the judges 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:45.419 and they'll hear the complaint. 00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:47.079 But if there's a problem, 00:23:47.179 --> 00:23:47.279 like, 00:23:47.339 --> 00:23:48.079 we're going to deal with this 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:49.939 like lawful Roman citizens 00:23:49.939 --> 00:23:51.679 and y'all are going to stop 00:23:51.679 --> 00:23:52.980 rioting 00:23:52.980 --> 00:23:53.500 and they just go, 00:23:54.339 --> 00:23:55.439 all right. 00:23:55.719 --> 00:23:58.279 And everything sort of subsides. 00:23:58.819 --> 00:24:00.659 But it's very interesting, 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:01.019 though, 00:24:01.619 --> 00:24:04.539 that Luke gives a long account here 00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:06.399 to show how there's like 00:24:06.399 --> 00:24:07.579 careful reasoning 00:24:07.579 --> 00:24:10.220 on the part of the court 00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:12.139 to show that the Christian gospel 00:24:12.139 --> 00:24:13.779 wasn't contrary to Roman law. 00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:14.799 Like, 00:24:14.859 --> 00:24:15.019 look, 00:24:15.059 --> 00:24:16.079 they can go make a defense. 00:24:16.259 --> 00:24:16.579 They haven't, 00:24:16.639 --> 00:24:17.559 they even says 00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:19.139 they haven't done anything 00:24:19.139 --> 00:24:20.039 blasphemous. 00:24:20.579 --> 00:24:21.059 Right? 00:24:21.180 --> 00:24:22.299 Go and deal with them 00:24:22.299 --> 00:24:24.019 in the right way. 00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:25.119 So, 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:26.099 that was the outcome. 00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:27.079 It subsided. 00:24:27.079 --> 00:24:27.879 It subsided. 00:24:29.059 --> 00:24:29.419 So, 00:24:30.579 --> 00:24:31.220 in closing, 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:33.379 not really in closing, 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:33.740 but, 00:24:34.519 --> 00:24:35.039 now like, 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:35.759 to really draw out 00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:36.500 some application 00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:37.659 because you're reading this 00:24:37.659 --> 00:24:39.619 and a lot of commentators 00:24:39.619 --> 00:24:39.919 are like, 00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:40.279 just like, 00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:41.779 yep, 00:24:41.939 --> 00:24:42.599 there was a riot. 00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:44.519 Great. 00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:44.980 So, 00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:46.519 how are we supposed to apply this 00:24:46.519 --> 00:24:48.059 unless we actually encounter a riot? 00:24:49.439 --> 00:24:49.879 So, 00:24:50.599 --> 00:24:51.799 which I have one time 00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:53.519 in my life 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:54.119 and I wasn't the, 00:24:54.159 --> 00:24:56.460 I wasn't the one being attacked. 00:24:56.460 --> 00:24:57.700 It was in Belfast 00:24:57.700 --> 00:24:59.680 and it was when Protestants 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:00.500 and Catholics were, 00:25:01.120 --> 00:25:01.799 like, 00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:02.880 seriously beating the snot 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:03.480 out of each other 00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:05.180 and we had three girls 00:25:05.180 --> 00:25:05.920 stuck in a car 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:07.240 in the middle of it 00:25:07.240 --> 00:25:07.980 trying to go home. 00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:09.079 So, 00:25:09.140 --> 00:25:10.220 being the brave men we are, 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:11.059 me and my friend Mark 00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.420 went up there 00:25:11.420 --> 00:25:12.160 and got them out of the car 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:12.600 and we ran. 00:25:13.460 --> 00:25:13.680 So, 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:15.900 but yeah, 00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:16.720 mob violence. 00:25:17.559 --> 00:25:18.299 Very scary 00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:19.220 to be a part of. 00:25:20.500 --> 00:25:20.860 So, 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:23.200 I have some application 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:25.180 and I was lost. 00:25:25.259 --> 00:25:25.519 I was like, 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:25.740 Lord, 00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:26.440 what do I do here? 00:25:26.460 --> 00:25:27.100 And finally, 00:25:28.120 --> 00:25:28.620 I think, 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:30.980 through the words of Alistair Begg 00:25:30.980 --> 00:25:31.660 and some others, 00:25:31.819 --> 00:25:33.100 I began to kind of form, 00:25:34.059 --> 00:25:35.500 this is what we can learn about this 00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:36.140 as a church, 00:25:36.980 --> 00:25:38.299 as believers 00:25:38.299 --> 00:25:41.299 and as citizens of America. 00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:43.460 All right? 00:25:44.940 --> 00:25:45.460 But, 00:25:46.120 --> 00:25:48.299 think about how the church in America, 00:25:48.460 --> 00:25:49.360 I should say the West, 00:25:49.460 --> 00:25:50.460 but especially America, 00:25:50.819 --> 00:25:51.840 has tried 00:25:51.840 --> 00:25:53.640 politically 00:25:53.640 --> 00:25:55.900 to change our culture. 00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:58.100 It's failing. 00:25:58.160 --> 00:25:58.640 Right? 00:25:59.380 --> 00:25:59.640 Right? 00:25:59.640 --> 00:25:59.680 Right? 00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:02.340 There is a huge failure 00:26:02.340 --> 00:26:03.440 of conservative, 00:26:03.840 --> 00:26:04.580 religious, 00:26:05.100 --> 00:26:05.520 right 00:26:05.520 --> 00:26:07.580 in a lot of ways. 00:26:08.280 --> 00:26:08.500 So, 00:26:08.600 --> 00:26:09.640 I'm going to suggest to you, 00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:10.780 kind of as a premise here, 00:26:11.320 --> 00:26:13.720 that Christians in America today 00:26:13.720 --> 00:26:15.600 seek to change culture 00:26:15.600 --> 00:26:16.580 more like 00:26:16.580 --> 00:26:18.440 the rioting Ephesians 00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:22.220 than the gospel, 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:23.799 peace-loving, 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:25.600 truthful, 00:26:25.820 --> 00:26:26.480 but wise, 00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:27.240 shrewd, 00:26:27.600 --> 00:26:28.299 humility, 00:26:29.299 --> 00:26:30.200 preachers of the gospel 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:30.680 nephesis. 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:32.960 And it's true. 00:26:33.840 --> 00:26:34.759 It's just true. 00:26:34.980 --> 00:26:35.920 We're more like 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:37.039 the rioting Ephesians 00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:39.960 than the humble gospel servants. 00:26:40.940 --> 00:26:42.000 And we've failed 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:43.500 as a church 00:26:43.500 --> 00:26:44.460 probably over the last 00:26:44.460 --> 00:26:45.200 two generations 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:46.259 to really bring about 00:26:46.259 --> 00:26:47.320 real change 00:26:47.320 --> 00:26:48.720 in our culture. 00:26:50.039 --> 00:26:51.320 And so many 00:26:51.320 --> 00:26:52.299 in the U.S. 00:26:52.320 --> 00:26:53.440 who identify as 00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:55.259 evangelical Christians, 00:26:56.200 --> 00:26:56.860 they really, 00:26:57.100 --> 00:26:58.220 if you really look close 00:26:58.220 --> 00:26:59.080 and watch their life, 00:26:59.160 --> 00:26:59.900 watch how they think, 00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:01.300 watch their worldview, 00:27:02.420 --> 00:27:03.160 you'll see that 00:27:03.160 --> 00:27:04.080 they're more 00:27:04.080 --> 00:27:05.100 trying to follow 00:27:05.100 --> 00:27:05.860 traditional 00:27:05.860 --> 00:27:07.500 American culture 00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:08.320 rather than 00:27:08.320 --> 00:27:09.160 what God's Word 00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:09.759 says 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:11.280 a lot of the time. 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:13.820 And they identify 00:27:13.820 --> 00:27:14.940 themselves more 00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:15.340 with 00:27:15.340 --> 00:27:16.480 the red, 00:27:16.580 --> 00:27:16.700 white, 00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:17.140 and blue 00:27:17.140 --> 00:27:17.540 than 00:27:17.540 --> 00:27:19.220 the cross. 00:27:20.360 --> 00:27:21.500 And they're more 00:27:21.500 --> 00:27:23.320 concerned with, 00:27:23.360 --> 00:27:24.160 and this isn't a pun 00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:25.280 on any candidate, 00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:25.600 okay? 00:27:26.080 --> 00:27:27.380 I just stole his slogan 00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:28.140 because that's what 00:27:28.140 --> 00:27:29.360 we're trying to do. 00:27:29.500 --> 00:27:29.640 But 00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:31.000 more Christians 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:31.700 seem to be more 00:27:31.700 --> 00:27:32.180 concerned about 00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:32.740 making America 00:27:32.740 --> 00:27:33.360 great again 00:27:33.360 --> 00:27:33.880 than making 00:27:33.880 --> 00:27:35.180 Christ great 00:27:35.180 --> 00:27:36.360 again in America. 00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:37.820 And that isn't 00:27:37.820 --> 00:27:38.420 a pun on Trump. 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:38.800 If you've ever 00:27:38.800 --> 00:27:39.120 Trump, 00:27:39.300 --> 00:27:39.960 no problem. 00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:40.900 That's not what 00:27:40.900 --> 00:27:41.380 I'm trying to say. 00:27:41.460 --> 00:27:41.780 But like, 00:27:41.860 --> 00:27:42.540 that cannot be 00:27:42.540 --> 00:27:43.160 our focus 00:27:43.160 --> 00:27:44.680 as the church. 00:27:44.800 --> 00:27:45.320 You are not 00:27:45.320 --> 00:27:46.140 citizens of this 00:27:46.140 --> 00:27:46.520 world. 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.080 You are citizens 00:27:48.080 --> 00:27:48.660 of the kingdom 00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:49.180 of God. 00:27:49.180 --> 00:27:49.220 people. 00:27:50.820 --> 00:27:51.900 And a 00:27:51.900 --> 00:27:53.519 professor at 00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:54.259 Southern Seminary 00:27:54.259 --> 00:27:55.279 named Russell Moore, 00:27:55.380 --> 00:27:55.740 he kind of 00:27:55.740 --> 00:27:56.340 wrote this 00:27:56.340 --> 00:27:58.000 about some 00:27:58.000 --> 00:27:58.480 evangelical 00:27:58.480 --> 00:27:59.200 movements 00:27:59.200 --> 00:27:59.960 in America. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:02.140 And he said, 00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:03.480 politically, 00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:04.100 it was about 00:28:04.100 --> 00:28:04.779 getting back 00:28:04.779 --> 00:28:05.440 to the real 00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:06.000 America. 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:07.480 the times 00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:08.259 before the 00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:08.640 sexual 00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:09.339 revolution. 00:28:10.339 --> 00:28:10.799 The order 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:11.359 they had in 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:11.720 mind, 00:28:11.819 --> 00:28:12.259 at least for 00:28:12.259 --> 00:28:12.740 America, 00:28:13.460 --> 00:28:14.099 wasn't the 00:28:14.099 --> 00:28:14.660 sort of new 00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:15.579 order envisioned 00:28:15.579 --> 00:28:16.339 by the Sermon on 00:28:16.339 --> 00:28:16.759 the Mount, 00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:18.359 or in the 00:28:18.359 --> 00:28:19.059 Revelation of 00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:19.599 Patmos, 00:28:20.220 --> 00:28:20.720 it was about 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:21.440 getting back 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:21.900 to the 00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:22.359 vaguely 00:28:22.359 --> 00:28:22.980 Protestant 00:28:22.980 --> 00:28:24.759 civil religion 00:28:24.759 --> 00:28:25.799 of our 00:28:25.799 --> 00:28:26.559 Judeo-Christian 00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:27.240 values. 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:28.539 Alright? 00:28:28.700 --> 00:28:29.259 So he's saying 00:28:29.259 --> 00:28:30.359 that this 00:28:30.359 --> 00:28:30.879 really isn't 00:28:30.879 --> 00:28:32.460 about following 00:28:32.460 --> 00:28:33.019 the gospel. 00:28:33.339 --> 00:28:33.640 It's really 00:28:33.640 --> 00:28:34.279 not about 00:28:34.279 --> 00:28:34.660 the word 00:28:34.660 --> 00:28:35.119 of God 00:28:35.119 --> 00:28:36.200 or living 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:36.920 out as 00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:37.440 the church, 00:28:37.539 --> 00:28:37.980 the Sermon 00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:38.539 on the Mount. 00:28:39.140 --> 00:28:39.740 It's more 00:28:39.740 --> 00:28:40.400 about we've 00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:40.599 got to get 00:28:40.599 --> 00:28:41.059 back to 00:28:41.059 --> 00:28:41.480 America. 00:28:42.119 --> 00:28:42.299 Right? 00:28:43.019 --> 00:28:43.920 And as a 00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:44.379 Southerner, 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:44.960 and as a 00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:45.299 guy who grew 00:28:45.299 --> 00:28:45.619 up in the 00:28:45.619 --> 00:28:45.960 South, 00:28:46.440 --> 00:28:46.680 and a 00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:46.900 guy who 00:28:46.900 --> 00:28:47.200 was very 00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:47.880 patriotic, 00:28:48.440 --> 00:28:48.900 like that's 00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:49.200 me, 00:28:49.320 --> 00:28:49.640 I was that 00:28:49.640 --> 00:28:49.940 guy, 00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:52.080 I've learned 00:28:52.080 --> 00:28:53.080 in a lot 00:28:53.080 --> 00:28:53.500 of ways 00:28:53.500 --> 00:28:54.100 just how 00:28:54.100 --> 00:28:55.500 flawed a 00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:55.880 lot of my 00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:56.560 thinking was. 00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:57.120 Like this 00:28:57.120 --> 00:28:58.200 is the 00:28:58.200 --> 00:28:58.600 filter, 00:28:59.320 --> 00:28:59.640 right? 00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:01.060 Not what we 00:29:01.060 --> 00:29:01.680 see in here, 00:29:01.759 --> 00:29:02.220 out here. 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:05.580 And the 00:29:05.580 --> 00:29:06.180 conservative 00:29:06.180 --> 00:29:07.500 religious right 00:29:07.500 --> 00:29:09.420 activism really 00:29:09.420 --> 00:29:10.360 reveals that it's 00:29:10.360 --> 00:29:11.360 not a theological 00:29:11.360 --> 00:29:12.039 or gospel 00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:12.519 movement, 00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:13.420 it's the 00:29:13.420 --> 00:29:14.100 political one, 00:29:14.600 --> 00:29:15.380 one that really 00:29:15.380 --> 00:29:16.120 even includes 00:29:16.120 --> 00:29:16.539 people who 00:29:16.539 --> 00:29:17.059 don't believe 00:29:17.059 --> 00:29:17.319 what we 00:29:17.319 --> 00:29:17.720 believe at 00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:18.039 all, 00:29:18.180 --> 00:29:18.519 like 00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:19.859 Orthodox 00:29:19.859 --> 00:29:20.460 Jews, 00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:21.859 and Roman 00:29:21.859 --> 00:29:22.299 Catholics, 00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:22.980 and Latter-day 00:29:22.980 --> 00:29:23.339 Saints, 00:29:23.399 --> 00:29:23.759 they're all 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:24.200 part of that 00:29:24.200 --> 00:29:24.559 conservative 00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:25.019 movement, 00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:25.879 and we 00:29:25.879 --> 00:29:26.559 don't serve 00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:27.139 the same 00:29:27.139 --> 00:29:27.920 savior. 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:29.980 So it's just 00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:30.480 good to show 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:30.859 you that it's 00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:31.379 not a 00:29:31.379 --> 00:29:32.519 theological, 00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:35.440 led by God's 00:29:35.440 --> 00:29:36.159 word kind 00:29:36.159 --> 00:29:36.659 of movement. 00:29:37.019 --> 00:29:38.139 It's not about 00:29:38.139 --> 00:29:39.759 the kingdom 00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:40.299 of God. 00:29:40.759 --> 00:29:41.579 It's just a 00:29:41.579 --> 00:29:42.019 conservative 00:29:42.019 --> 00:29:42.519 movement. 00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:42.579 movement, 00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:43.740 and it's 00:29:43.740 --> 00:29:44.200 about getting 00:29:44.200 --> 00:29:44.559 back to 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:45.160 traditional 00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:45.819 American 00:29:45.819 --> 00:29:46.819 religious life 00:29:46.819 --> 00:29:47.519 rather than 00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:48.740 transformed 00:29:48.740 --> 00:29:49.539 lives by 00:29:49.539 --> 00:29:50.779 the gospel. 00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:52.799 Another 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:54.259 cultural 00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:55.039 commentator 00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:56.779 wrote this 00:29:56.779 --> 00:29:58.240 about the 00:29:58.240 --> 00:29:58.819 conservative 00:29:58.819 --> 00:29:59.420 religious 00:29:59.420 --> 00:30:00.799 groups in 00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:01.259 America 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:03.019 saying that 00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:03.480 they're basically 00:30:03.480 --> 00:30:04.259 failing to 00:30:04.259 --> 00:30:04.960 change culture. 00:30:05.160 --> 00:30:05.779 This is kind 00:30:05.779 --> 00:30:06.119 of like what 00:30:06.119 --> 00:30:06.539 he says. 00:30:06.539 --> 00:30:08.420 he says, 00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:10.440 their inability 00:30:10.440 --> 00:30:11.480 to use their 00:30:11.480 --> 00:30:12.460 political power 00:30:12.460 --> 00:30:13.759 to lower the 00:30:13.759 --> 00:30:14.639 abortion rates, 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:16.339 install a 00:30:16.339 --> 00:30:16.799 sense of 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:17.579 obedience and 00:30:17.579 --> 00:30:18.279 respect for 00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:19.059 authority among 00:30:19.059 --> 00:30:19.500 teenagers, 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:21.559 and urge the 00:30:21.559 --> 00:30:22.159 courts and 00:30:22.159 --> 00:30:23.099 legislatures to 00:30:23.099 --> 00:30:23.700 give special 00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:25.139 recognition to 00:30:25.139 --> 00:30:25.819 Christianity's 00:30:25.819 --> 00:30:27.240 power role in 00:30:27.240 --> 00:30:29.059 America creates 00:30:29.059 --> 00:30:29.879 among them a 00:30:29.879 --> 00:30:31.220 perpetual outrage 00:30:31.220 --> 00:30:31.759 machine. 00:30:32.759 --> 00:30:33.599 Because we 00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:34.059 failed. 00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:35.319 And what do we 00:30:35.319 --> 00:30:35.579 do? 00:30:35.659 --> 00:30:36.220 We get angry. 00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:36.700 We turn to 00:30:36.700 --> 00:30:38.600 the mob at 00:30:38.600 --> 00:30:38.960 Ephesus. 00:30:40.299 --> 00:30:40.920 That's what 00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:41.299 happens. 00:30:41.380 --> 00:30:41.980 And that's why 00:30:41.980 --> 00:30:43.900 there's a lot 00:30:43.900 --> 00:30:44.339 of negative 00:30:44.339 --> 00:30:45.180 thinking towards 00:30:45.180 --> 00:30:45.620 the church 00:30:45.620 --> 00:30:46.000 today. 00:30:46.420 --> 00:30:46.819 Some of it 00:30:46.819 --> 00:30:48.200 is right. 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:48.660 We're being 00:30:48.660 --> 00:30:49.579 persecuted for 00:30:49.579 --> 00:30:50.740 Christ's sake 00:30:50.740 --> 00:30:51.480 in some cases, 00:30:51.579 --> 00:30:51.779 right? 00:30:52.500 --> 00:30:52.940 The way it 00:30:52.940 --> 00:30:53.299 should be. 00:30:53.360 --> 00:30:53.799 But some of 00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:54.319 it is just 00:30:54.319 --> 00:30:55.640 because we 00:30:55.640 --> 00:30:57.140 refuse to 00:30:57.140 --> 00:30:58.039 identify or 00:30:58.039 --> 00:30:58.680 talk to anybody 00:30:58.680 --> 00:30:59.000 who doesn't 00:30:59.000 --> 00:30:59.440 share our 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:00.100 political view. 00:31:01.319 --> 00:31:01.620 Right? 00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:03.980 So forget 00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:04.539 all that. 00:31:04.700 --> 00:31:05.160 Stop. 00:31:06.220 --> 00:31:06.940 Stop. 00:31:08.140 --> 00:31:08.960 We need to 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:10.579 look to the 00:31:10.579 --> 00:31:11.400 example of our 00:31:11.400 --> 00:31:11.940 brothers and 00:31:11.940 --> 00:31:13.579 sisters and 00:31:13.579 --> 00:31:14.779 Paul and 00:31:14.779 --> 00:31:15.180 even our 00:31:15.180 --> 00:31:16.660 Lord, like 00:31:16.660 --> 00:31:17.279 how he 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:17.799 handled this 00:31:17.799 --> 00:31:18.180 stuff in 00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:18.480 Ephesus. 00:31:19.019 --> 00:31:19.700 So what we 00:31:19.700 --> 00:31:20.240 don't see, 00:31:20.339 --> 00:31:20.940 let's kind of 00:31:20.940 --> 00:31:21.539 replay the 00:31:21.539 --> 00:31:21.700 tape. 00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:22.000 What we 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:23.519 don't see in 00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:25.240 Ephesus is 00:31:25.240 --> 00:31:26.019 Paul gathering 00:31:26.019 --> 00:31:26.980 a mob crowd 00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:27.559 to go and 00:31:27.559 --> 00:31:28.980 boycott and 00:31:28.980 --> 00:31:29.500 picket the 00:31:29.500 --> 00:31:29.900 temple of 00:31:29.900 --> 00:31:30.400 Artemis. 00:31:31.059 --> 00:31:31.620 Right? 00:31:31.619 --> 00:31:33.219 doesn't do 00:31:33.219 --> 00:31:33.519 that. 00:31:34.399 --> 00:31:35.859 He allows the 00:31:35.859 --> 00:31:36.639 gospel to 00:31:36.639 --> 00:31:37.359 bring down the 00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:38.359 idolatry, the 00:31:38.359 --> 00:31:39.019 sin of Ephesus 00:31:39.019 --> 00:31:39.559 as well as 00:31:39.559 --> 00:31:39.859 anywhere. 00:31:40.739 --> 00:31:41.419 So you don't 00:31:41.419 --> 00:31:41.959 hear him saying 00:31:41.959 --> 00:31:43.279 so, forget 00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:43.739 preaching the 00:31:43.739 --> 00:31:44.039 gospel. 00:31:44.139 --> 00:31:44.719 That takes too 00:31:44.719 --> 00:31:45.139 long. 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:46.019 It's too 00:31:46.019 --> 00:31:46.419 difficult. 00:31:47.099 --> 00:31:47.579 We don't have 00:31:47.579 --> 00:31:48.159 any power to 00:31:48.159 --> 00:31:48.799 make it work. 00:31:49.899 --> 00:31:50.479 Let's forget 00:31:50.479 --> 00:31:51.299 that and let's 00:31:51.299 --> 00:31:51.819 get a group of 00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:52.639 people to go and 00:31:52.639 --> 00:31:53.039 picket the 00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:54.379 temple and we'll 00:31:54.379 --> 00:31:54.939 shout and 00:31:54.939 --> 00:31:56.219 chant and let 00:31:56.219 --> 00:31:56.859 them know we're 00:31:56.859 --> 00:31:57.659 opposed to what 00:31:57.659 --> 00:31:59.319 we stand for and 00:31:59.319 --> 00:31:59.879 we'll shout them 00:31:59.879 --> 00:32:00.079 down. 00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:00.359 We'll show 00:32:00.359 --> 00:32:00.759 them just how 00:32:00.759 --> 00:32:01.899 stupid it is to 00:32:01.899 --> 00:32:03.299 worship an image 00:32:03.299 --> 00:32:04.259 made of marble 00:32:04.259 --> 00:32:05.019 or stone. 00:32:05.879 --> 00:32:06.460 Paul for 00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:06.720 mayor. 00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:07.199 You know, 00:32:07.259 --> 00:32:08.240 like, that's 00:32:08.240 --> 00:32:08.960 not how they're 00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:09.419 dealing with 00:32:09.419 --> 00:32:09.699 this. 00:32:10.879 --> 00:32:11.099 Right? 00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:12.659 They, it 00:32:12.659 --> 00:32:13.299 sounds more 00:32:13.299 --> 00:32:13.740 like, we 00:32:13.740 --> 00:32:14.299 sound more like 00:32:14.299 --> 00:32:14.819 the sinful 00:32:14.819 --> 00:32:15.839 idolaters and 00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:16.460 how we handle 00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:17.019 this stuff. 00:32:18.059 --> 00:32:19.159 So, not by 00:32:19.159 --> 00:32:20.159 political rallies 00:32:20.159 --> 00:32:21.779 or boycotts or 00:32:21.779 --> 00:32:22.759 denunciations, 00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:24.319 carrying signs, 00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:27.480 living in a 00:32:27.480 --> 00:32:28.519 very self-righteous 00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:29.279 manner like the 00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:29.899 Pharisees would 00:32:29.900 --> 00:32:30.140 be. 00:32:30.860 --> 00:32:31.220 We don't 00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:31.980 attack people. 00:32:32.800 --> 00:32:34.140 Rather, we 00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:34.680 see Paul and 00:32:34.680 --> 00:32:35.180 other Christians 00:32:35.180 --> 00:32:35.780 speaking the 00:32:35.780 --> 00:32:37.640 truth in love 00:32:37.640 --> 00:32:38.920 and persuading 00:32:38.920 --> 00:32:39.580 others by the 00:32:39.580 --> 00:32:40.259 power of God. 00:32:40.420 --> 00:32:40.900 That's like what 00:32:40.900 --> 00:32:41.320 we see. 00:32:41.900 --> 00:32:42.259 That's what 00:32:42.259 --> 00:32:43.140 caused all this 00:32:43.140 --> 00:32:43.620 to happen. 00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:44.860 Right? 00:32:45.620 --> 00:32:48.259 So, one 00:32:48.259 --> 00:32:48.960 place to turn, 00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:50.140 look at 1 00:32:50.140 --> 00:32:51.060 Peter 3 and 00:32:51.060 --> 00:32:52.380 3.15. 00:32:52.480 --> 00:32:53.120 Very familiar, 00:32:54.460 --> 00:32:56.320 but here's the 00:32:56.320 --> 00:32:56.820 question I want 00:32:56.820 --> 00:32:57.220 you to ask. 00:32:57.220 --> 00:32:58.620 do I do this 00:32:58.620 --> 00:32:59.900 in my life? 00:33:02.779 --> 00:33:03.759 And does the 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:04.779 church do this? 00:33:04.839 --> 00:33:06.120 1 Peter 3.15. 00:33:06.119 --> 00:33:14.299 But in your 00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:15.179 hearts, honor 00:33:15.179 --> 00:33:16.579 Christ the 00:33:16.579 --> 00:33:17.219 Lord as 00:33:17.219 --> 00:33:17.699 holy, 00:33:19.019 --> 00:33:19.879 always being 00:33:19.879 --> 00:33:20.799 prepared to make 00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:21.519 a defense to 00:33:21.519 --> 00:33:22.059 anyone who 00:33:22.059 --> 00:33:23.839 asks you for 00:33:23.839 --> 00:33:24.519 the reason for 00:33:24.519 --> 00:33:25.019 the hope that 00:33:25.019 --> 00:33:25.599 is in you. 00:33:26.559 --> 00:33:26.919 Amen. 00:33:27.139 --> 00:33:27.559 We're all ready 00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:27.959 to do that. 00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:28.359 We're all ready 00:33:28.359 --> 00:33:28.739 to fight, 00:33:28.819 --> 00:33:29.000 right? 00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:31.119 Yet, do this 00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:31.819 with gentleness 00:33:31.819 --> 00:33:32.980 and respect, 00:33:33.740 --> 00:33:34.779 having a good 00:33:34.779 --> 00:33:35.339 conscience, 00:33:35.960 --> 00:33:36.759 so that when 00:33:36.759 --> 00:33:37.819 you are slandered, 00:33:39.140 --> 00:33:39.700 those who 00:33:39.700 --> 00:33:40.539 revile you, 00:33:40.920 --> 00:33:41.339 your good 00:33:41.339 --> 00:33:41.980 behavior in 00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:42.619 Christ may be 00:33:42.619 --> 00:33:43.539 put to shame, 00:33:44.140 --> 00:33:44.539 for it is 00:33:44.539 --> 00:33:45.400 better to suffer 00:33:45.400 --> 00:33:46.339 for doing good 00:33:46.339 --> 00:33:48.160 if that should 00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:49.319 be God's will 00:33:49.319 --> 00:33:50.359 than for doing 00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:50.700 evil. 00:33:51.859 --> 00:33:52.279 And that's 00:33:52.279 --> 00:33:52.680 what was 00:33:52.680 --> 00:33:53.039 happening. 00:33:53.240 --> 00:33:54.000 They spoke 00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:55.000 the truth. 00:33:55.099 --> 00:33:55.319 They didn't 00:33:55.319 --> 00:33:56.059 back down from 00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:56.500 the truth, 00:33:56.500 --> 00:33:57.319 but they 00:33:57.319 --> 00:33:57.900 spoke it in 00:33:57.900 --> 00:33:58.400 a way that 00:33:58.400 --> 00:33:59.779 won their 00:33:59.779 --> 00:34:00.220 hearers. 00:34:00.279 --> 00:34:00.539 They were 00:34:00.539 --> 00:34:02.319 persuasive in 00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:02.960 how they 00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:03.359 spoke, 00:34:04.259 --> 00:34:04.559 right? 00:34:04.940 --> 00:34:06.940 And I 00:34:06.940 --> 00:34:07.440 could read, 00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:07.819 I'll read 00:34:07.819 --> 00:34:09.039 Philippians 2.13 00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:09.860 through 15 to 00:34:09.860 --> 00:34:10.059 you, 00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:11.099 very similar. 00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:12.699 Do all 00:34:12.699 --> 00:34:13.280 things without 00:34:13.280 --> 00:34:14.099 grumbling or 00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:14.780 disputing, 00:34:15.400 --> 00:34:16.119 that you may be 00:34:16.119 --> 00:34:17.000 blameless and 00:34:17.000 --> 00:34:17.360 innocent, 00:34:18.579 --> 00:34:18.960 all right? 00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:20.000 Children of 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:20.599 God without 00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:21.380 blemish in the 00:34:21.380 --> 00:34:21.900 midst of a 00:34:21.900 --> 00:34:22.460 crooked and 00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:23.440 twisted generation 00:34:23.440 --> 00:34:24.900 among whom 00:34:24.900 --> 00:34:25.599 you shine as 00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:26.000 lights, 00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:27.159 in the world. 00:34:28.420 --> 00:34:29.000 So please 00:34:29.000 --> 00:34:29.559 hear me say, 00:34:29.639 --> 00:34:30.260 I'm not saying 00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:30.780 this isn't a 00:34:30.780 --> 00:34:31.219 sermon about 00:34:31.219 --> 00:34:31.579 this, 00:34:31.780 --> 00:34:31.920 okay? 00:34:31.940 --> 00:34:32.320 This isn't a 00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:32.900 sermon about 00:34:32.900 --> 00:34:33.739 should Christians 00:34:33.739 --> 00:34:34.340 be involved in 00:34:34.340 --> 00:34:34.860 politics. 00:34:35.679 --> 00:34:36.639 That's not what 00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:37.119 the sermon's 00:34:37.119 --> 00:34:37.420 about. 00:34:37.539 --> 00:34:38.159 I'm just saying 00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:38.739 that like if 00:34:38.739 --> 00:34:39.719 you want to 00:34:39.719 --> 00:34:40.639 see a culture 00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:42.039 and a nation 00:34:42.039 --> 00:34:42.460 and a world 00:34:42.460 --> 00:34:42.880 change, 00:34:42.920 --> 00:34:43.500 it comes by 00:34:43.500 --> 00:34:43.940 the power of 00:34:43.940 --> 00:34:44.360 the gospel. 00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:44.739 It's not 00:34:44.739 --> 00:34:45.179 going to come 00:34:45.179 --> 00:34:46.539 by a lot 00:34:46.539 --> 00:34:46.940 of the stuff 00:34:46.940 --> 00:34:47.820 that's associated 00:34:47.820 --> 00:34:49.420 with contemporary 00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:50.619 evangelicalism. 00:34:52.239 --> 00:34:55.599 And so you 00:34:55.599 --> 00:34:56.259 look and you 00:34:56.259 --> 00:34:57.279 see that these 00:34:57.279 --> 00:34:58.420 believers here 00:34:58.420 --> 00:34:58.799 in Ephesus, 00:34:58.900 --> 00:34:59.139 they were 00:34:59.139 --> 00:34:59.779 blameless. 00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:01.259 In verse 37, 00:35:01.380 --> 00:35:01.699 look what he 00:35:01.699 --> 00:35:02.079 says, 00:35:03.139 --> 00:35:03.639 for you have 00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:04.179 brought these 00:35:04.179 --> 00:35:05.519 men here who 00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:05.900 are neither 00:35:05.900 --> 00:35:06.900 sacrilegious nor 00:35:06.900 --> 00:35:07.719 blasphemous about 00:35:07.719 --> 00:35:08.119 our God. 00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:09.239 So they were 00:35:09.239 --> 00:35:09.860 able to talk 00:35:09.860 --> 00:35:10.639 about Christ in 00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:12.440 a way that 00:35:12.440 --> 00:35:13.360 wasn't personally 00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:14.440 insulting to 00:35:14.440 --> 00:35:14.739 them. 00:35:15.460 --> 00:35:15.860 Now did they 00:35:15.860 --> 00:35:16.299 preach against 00:35:16.299 --> 00:35:16.940 idolatry? 00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:17.679 Yes they did. 00:35:18.519 --> 00:35:19.400 But they did it 00:35:19.400 --> 00:35:20.039 in a manner that 00:35:20.039 --> 00:35:20.759 was respectful, 00:35:21.559 --> 00:35:21.900 right? 00:35:21.900 --> 00:35:22.880 so they 00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:23.300 could walk 00:35:23.300 --> 00:35:24.720 away with a 00:35:24.720 --> 00:35:25.440 clear conscience. 00:35:26.260 --> 00:35:27.460 So they 00:35:27.460 --> 00:35:28.079 could not 00:35:28.079 --> 00:35:28.720 really accuse 00:35:28.720 --> 00:35:29.680 them of the 00:35:29.680 --> 00:35:30.340 crimes committed. 00:35:31.059 --> 00:35:31.579 So they 00:35:31.579 --> 00:35:32.039 allowed the 00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:32.660 gospel to 00:35:32.660 --> 00:35:33.320 bring down 00:35:33.320 --> 00:35:33.900 the sinful 00:35:33.900 --> 00:35:34.360 system. 00:35:35.320 --> 00:35:36.079 Very similar, 00:35:37.260 --> 00:35:37.940 very similar. 00:35:38.119 --> 00:35:38.639 Why did 00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:39.619 Jesus not come 00:35:39.619 --> 00:35:40.139 as a political 00:35:40.139 --> 00:35:40.940 activist to 00:35:40.940 --> 00:35:41.680 end slavery 00:35:41.680 --> 00:35:42.220 and to end 00:35:42.220 --> 00:35:43.200 a lot of 00:35:43.200 --> 00:35:43.740 other bad 00:35:43.740 --> 00:35:44.160 things that 00:35:44.160 --> 00:35:44.639 were happening 00:35:44.639 --> 00:35:45.099 in the ancient 00:35:45.099 --> 00:35:45.460 world? 00:35:46.200 --> 00:35:46.840 Well he knew 00:35:46.840 --> 00:35:48.619 that his 00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:49.099 word, 00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:50.780 his message 00:35:50.780 --> 00:35:51.140 through the 00:35:51.140 --> 00:35:51.519 gospel, 00:35:52.180 --> 00:35:52.640 that if that 00:35:52.640 --> 00:35:53.360 was unleashed 00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:53.740 that would 00:35:53.740 --> 00:35:54.800 transform culture 00:35:54.800 --> 00:35:55.540 and slavery 00:35:55.540 --> 00:35:56.080 would naturally 00:35:56.080 --> 00:35:56.400 die. 00:35:57.420 --> 00:35:58.260 So he treated 00:35:58.260 --> 00:35:59.440 the problem 00:35:59.440 --> 00:36:00.580 like the real 00:36:00.580 --> 00:36:01.280 disease and 00:36:01.280 --> 00:36:01.880 not just the 00:36:01.880 --> 00:36:02.240 symptoms. 00:36:03.160 --> 00:36:03.680 He knew that 00:36:03.680 --> 00:36:04.320 if sin was 00:36:04.320 --> 00:36:04.960 dealt with, 00:36:05.720 --> 00:36:06.340 men would 00:36:06.340 --> 00:36:06.680 treat each 00:36:06.680 --> 00:36:07.019 other with 00:36:07.019 --> 00:36:07.880 love and 00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:09.340 respect and 00:36:09.340 --> 00:36:10.820 kindness and 00:36:10.820 --> 00:36:11.160 not with 00:36:11.160 --> 00:36:11.460 hatred. 00:36:12.340 --> 00:36:13.140 So he allowed 00:36:13.140 --> 00:36:13.900 the gospel to 00:36:13.900 --> 00:36:14.540 bring it down. 00:36:15.600 --> 00:36:16.120 And we've 00:36:16.120 --> 00:36:16.760 got to change 00:36:16.760 --> 00:36:17.380 how we think. 00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:18.180 We know that 00:36:18.180 --> 00:36:20.100 homosexuality 00:36:20.100 --> 00:36:20.640 could be another 00:36:20.639 --> 00:36:21.319 example of 00:36:21.319 --> 00:36:21.539 this. 00:36:21.659 --> 00:36:23.059 Most people 00:36:23.059 --> 00:36:23.779 who I know 00:36:23.779 --> 00:36:24.619 and I've 00:36:24.619 --> 00:36:25.039 encountered 00:36:25.039 --> 00:36:25.699 who are 00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:26.819 homosexual, 00:36:27.039 --> 00:36:27.279 they have 00:36:27.279 --> 00:36:29.279 very closed 00:36:29.279 --> 00:36:29.799 views of 00:36:29.799 --> 00:36:30.319 the church 00:36:30.319 --> 00:36:31.259 because all 00:36:31.259 --> 00:36:31.879 they've received 00:36:31.879 --> 00:36:33.940 is the bad 00:36:33.940 --> 00:36:34.480 news and not 00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:34.759 the good 00:36:34.759 --> 00:36:35.099 news. 00:36:35.819 --> 00:36:36.719 You guys are 00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:37.099 terrible, 00:36:37.319 --> 00:36:37.759 you guys are 00:36:37.759 --> 00:36:38.099 going to 00:36:38.099 --> 00:36:38.359 hell, 00:36:39.000 --> 00:36:39.619 your lifestyle 00:36:39.619 --> 00:36:40.259 is terrible, 00:36:40.480 --> 00:36:40.839 a very 00:36:40.839 --> 00:36:41.779 self-righteous 00:36:41.779 --> 00:36:43.239 condemning 00:36:43.239 --> 00:36:43.719 approach, 00:36:43.819 --> 00:36:44.279 more like the 00:36:44.279 --> 00:36:45.000 Pharisees of 00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:45.279 old. 00:36:46.639 --> 00:36:47.900 And Paul 00:36:47.900 --> 00:36:48.440 followed the 00:36:48.440 --> 00:36:49.440 pattern of 00:36:49.440 --> 00:36:49.860 Christ. 00:36:50.659 --> 00:36:51.119 He spoke 00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:51.559 the truth 00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:52.139 with loving 00:36:52.139 --> 00:36:53.280 tenderness 00:36:53.280 --> 00:36:54.320 and a 00:36:54.320 --> 00:36:54.740 sincere 00:36:54.740 --> 00:36:55.559 invitation to 00:36:55.559 --> 00:36:56.000 come and be 00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:56.940 transformed by 00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:57.599 the gospel. 00:36:58.599 --> 00:36:58.780 Right? 00:36:59.860 --> 00:37:00.340 Yesterday, 00:37:01.360 --> 00:37:01.880 Kathleen and 00:37:01.880 --> 00:37:02.280 I were on 00:37:02.280 --> 00:37:02.599 the way up 00:37:02.599 --> 00:37:03.300 to Blairsville 00:37:03.300 --> 00:37:03.820 and we 00:37:03.820 --> 00:37:04.240 picked a 00:37:04.240 --> 00:37:04.700 woman up 00:37:04.700 --> 00:37:05.000 on the 00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:05.599 off-ramp 00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:06.760 who was 00:37:06.760 --> 00:37:07.159 running. 00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:08.720 And she 00:37:08.720 --> 00:37:09.159 had nothing 00:37:09.159 --> 00:37:09.740 but one 00:37:09.740 --> 00:37:10.079 shirt in 00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:10.440 her hand. 00:37:11.460 --> 00:37:11.940 And she 00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:12.340 looked pretty 00:37:12.340 --> 00:37:12.639 desperate, 00:37:12.780 --> 00:37:13.000 so we 00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:13.420 stopped. 00:37:13.420 --> 00:37:15.019 and she 00:37:15.019 --> 00:37:16.780 said she 00:37:16.780 --> 00:37:17.099 didn't have 00:37:17.099 --> 00:37:17.579 any signs 00:37:17.579 --> 00:37:18.079 of drugs 00:37:18.079 --> 00:37:18.700 or alcohol. 00:37:20.220 --> 00:37:20.940 She said 00:37:20.940 --> 00:37:21.240 she was 00:37:21.240 --> 00:37:21.960 running from 00:37:21.960 --> 00:37:23.180 a man who 00:37:23.180 --> 00:37:23.500 was beating 00:37:23.500 --> 00:37:24.840 her and 00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:25.460 she wanted 00:37:25.460 --> 00:37:26.019 to go home 00:37:26.019 --> 00:37:26.760 to Bryson 00:37:26.760 --> 00:37:27.099 City. 00:37:28.500 --> 00:37:29.579 And so we 00:37:29.579 --> 00:37:29.960 sat and 00:37:29.960 --> 00:37:30.500 listened to 00:37:30.500 --> 00:37:30.920 a very 00:37:30.920 --> 00:37:31.460 sad, 00:37:31.700 --> 00:37:32.920 dark story 00:37:32.920 --> 00:37:34.840 and she 00:37:34.840 --> 00:37:35.220 said she 00:37:35.220 --> 00:37:35.559 wanted to 00:37:35.559 --> 00:37:36.059 get home 00:37:36.059 --> 00:37:36.480 to her 00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:38.579 wife back 00:37:38.579 --> 00:37:39.059 in Bryson 00:37:39.059 --> 00:37:39.380 City. 00:37:39.380 --> 00:37:42.539 And I 00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:42.880 was kind 00:37:42.880 --> 00:37:43.300 of weighing 00:37:43.300 --> 00:37:43.780 sometimes 00:37:43.780 --> 00:37:44.140 it's a 00:37:44.140 --> 00:37:44.800 discredit for 00:37:44.800 --> 00:37:45.059 me to 00:37:45.059 --> 00:37:45.380 say I'm 00:37:45.380 --> 00:37:45.780 a pastor. 00:37:46.500 --> 00:37:47.019 Sometimes I 00:37:47.019 --> 00:37:47.360 just rather 00:37:47.360 --> 00:37:47.800 them not 00:37:47.800 --> 00:37:48.420 know because 00:37:48.420 --> 00:37:48.840 then they'll 00:37:48.840 --> 00:37:49.539 begin to 00:37:49.539 --> 00:37:49.940 carry a lot 00:37:49.940 --> 00:37:50.280 of negative 00:37:50.280 --> 00:37:50.700 thinking. 00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:51.980 But at 00:37:51.980 --> 00:37:52.260 least in 00:37:52.260 --> 00:37:52.860 the situation 00:37:52.860 --> 00:37:53.579 I judged 00:37:53.579 --> 00:37:54.039 that she 00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:54.539 might actually 00:37:54.539 --> 00:37:55.320 respect that 00:37:55.320 --> 00:37:55.539 so I'm 00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:55.760 just going 00:37:55.760 --> 00:37:56.039 to say 00:37:56.039 --> 00:37:56.220 it. 00:37:56.480 --> 00:37:57.619 So I 00:37:57.619 --> 00:37:58.720 said that's 00:37:58.720 --> 00:37:59.019 what I 00:37:59.019 --> 00:37:59.300 did. 00:38:00.220 --> 00:38:00.539 And she 00:38:00.539 --> 00:38:00.680 goes, 00:38:00.720 --> 00:38:01.140 oh really? 00:38:01.360 --> 00:38:02.240 Well, I'm 00:38:02.240 --> 00:38:02.579 dying to 00:38:02.579 --> 00:38:02.760 know. 00:38:02.860 --> 00:38:03.119 Like what 00:38:03.119 --> 00:38:03.380 do you 00:38:03.380 --> 00:38:03.660 think? 00:38:03.760 --> 00:38:04.039 Like is 00:38:04.039 --> 00:38:04.500 God okay 00:38:04.500 --> 00:38:04.820 with 00:38:04.820 --> 00:38:06.680 homosexuality? 00:38:06.760 --> 00:38:06.900 And I'm 00:38:06.900 --> 00:38:07.059 like, 00:38:07.140 --> 00:38:08.680 here we 00:38:08.680 --> 00:38:08.860 go. 00:38:09.380 --> 00:38:12.940 And Kathleen 00:38:12.940 --> 00:38:13.380 will tell 00:38:13.380 --> 00:38:14.800 you that I 00:38:14.800 --> 00:38:15.240 didn't back 00:38:15.240 --> 00:38:15.640 down from 00:38:15.640 --> 00:38:16.180 saying God 00:38:16.180 --> 00:38:16.380 is not 00:38:16.380 --> 00:38:16.760 okay with 00:38:16.760 --> 00:38:17.680 it. 00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:19.280 It's sin. 00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:19.740 It's against 00:38:19.740 --> 00:38:20.079 what he 00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:20.440 says. 00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:21.300 But I 00:38:21.300 --> 00:38:21.660 also want 00:38:21.660 --> 00:38:21.880 you to 00:38:21.880 --> 00:38:22.260 know that 00:38:22.260 --> 00:38:22.599 I'm just 00:38:22.599 --> 00:38:22.980 as sinful 00:38:22.980 --> 00:38:23.340 as you 00:38:23.340 --> 00:38:23.599 are. 00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:23.920 And that 00:38:23.920 --> 00:38:24.420 anything I 00:38:24.420 --> 00:38:25.820 do is 00:38:25.820 --> 00:38:26.900 my sin 00:38:26.900 --> 00:38:27.260 is no 00:38:27.260 --> 00:38:27.980 cleaner or 00:38:27.980 --> 00:38:28.420 better than 00:38:28.420 --> 00:38:28.760 yours. 00:38:29.340 --> 00:38:29.700 My 00:38:29.700 --> 00:38:30.480 heterosexual 00:38:30.480 --> 00:38:31.140 lust or 00:38:31.140 --> 00:38:31.900 idolatry is 00:38:31.900 --> 00:38:32.500 no better in 00:38:32.500 --> 00:38:33.079 God's eyes 00:38:33.079 --> 00:38:33.420 than your 00:38:33.420 --> 00:38:34.340 homosexuality. 00:38:35.300 --> 00:38:36.619 And she 00:38:36.619 --> 00:38:36.920 said she 00:38:36.920 --> 00:38:37.260 was going 00:38:37.260 --> 00:38:37.820 to a church 00:38:37.820 --> 00:38:38.420 that loved 00:38:38.420 --> 00:38:38.780 her and 00:38:38.780 --> 00:38:39.019 welcomed 00:38:39.019 --> 00:38:39.300 her. 00:38:39.800 --> 00:38:40.160 I don't 00:38:40.160 --> 00:38:40.400 know what 00:38:40.400 --> 00:38:40.700 that really 00:38:40.700 --> 00:38:41.099 means. 00:38:41.099 --> 00:38:41.400 If they're 00:38:41.400 --> 00:38:42.059 like approving 00:38:42.059 --> 00:38:42.440 or if 00:38:42.440 --> 00:38:42.559 they're 00:38:42.559 --> 00:38:44.039 saying come 00:38:44.039 --> 00:38:44.280 and be 00:38:44.280 --> 00:38:44.519 with us 00:38:44.519 --> 00:38:45.119 anyway even 00:38:45.119 --> 00:38:45.320 though we 00:38:45.320 --> 00:38:45.660 don't agree 00:38:45.660 --> 00:38:46.119 with you. 00:38:46.900 --> 00:38:47.579 But she 00:38:47.579 --> 00:38:48.140 said that 00:38:48.140 --> 00:38:48.820 for the 00:38:48.820 --> 00:38:49.380 most part 00:38:49.380 --> 00:38:49.740 she and 00:38:49.740 --> 00:38:51.019 her partner 00:38:51.019 --> 00:38:51.460 have only 00:38:51.460 --> 00:38:51.840 received 00:38:51.840 --> 00:38:52.579 condemnation 00:38:52.579 --> 00:38:53.440 from believers 00:38:53.440 --> 00:38:53.840 and not 00:38:53.840 --> 00:38:54.900 like you 00:38:54.900 --> 00:38:55.260 need a 00:38:55.260 --> 00:38:55.519 savior. 00:38:55.720 --> 00:38:55.860 And I 00:38:55.860 --> 00:38:56.160 told her 00:38:56.160 --> 00:38:56.880 you need 00:38:56.880 --> 00:38:57.860 Jesus. 00:38:58.119 --> 00:38:58.380 Like you 00:38:58.380 --> 00:38:58.579 need, 00:38:58.760 --> 00:38:59.280 we need 00:38:59.280 --> 00:39:00.280 the savior. 00:39:01.119 --> 00:39:01.380 And it 00:39:01.380 --> 00:39:01.680 was kind 00:39:01.680 --> 00:39:02.039 of a 00:39:02.039 --> 00:39:02.380 spence 00:39:02.380 --> 00:39:02.660 she hadn't 00:39:02.660 --> 00:39:03.280 heard before 00:39:03.280 --> 00:39:03.760 obviously. 00:39:03.940 --> 00:39:04.200 She just 00:39:04.200 --> 00:39:04.519 hears 00:39:04.519 --> 00:39:05.699 you're 00:39:05.699 --> 00:39:06.360 okay in 00:39:06.360 --> 00:39:06.800 your sin 00:39:06.800 --> 00:39:07.539 or you're 00:39:07.539 --> 00:39:09.340 condemned. 00:39:09.699 --> 00:39:09.980 She doesn't 00:39:09.980 --> 00:39:10.579 hear the 00:39:10.579 --> 00:39:11.139 good news. 00:39:12.139 --> 00:39:12.659 And it's 00:39:12.659 --> 00:39:13.139 easier for 00:39:13.139 --> 00:39:14.579 us to be 00:39:14.579 --> 00:39:15.320 outraged and 00:39:15.320 --> 00:39:15.860 try to change 00:39:15.860 --> 00:39:16.320 a culture 00:39:16.320 --> 00:39:17.860 through rioting 00:39:17.860 --> 00:39:18.340 and picketing 00:39:18.340 --> 00:39:20.239 and political 00:39:20.239 --> 00:39:20.960 whatever. 00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:22.440 but it's 00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:23.159 harder to 00:39:23.159 --> 00:39:23.599 sit down 00:39:23.599 --> 00:39:24.179 and talk 00:39:24.179 --> 00:39:24.679 through the 00:39:24.679 --> 00:39:25.340 gospel of 00:39:25.340 --> 00:39:25.820 somebody. 00:39:26.920 --> 00:39:27.380 Something that 00:39:27.380 --> 00:39:27.840 you have no 00:39:27.840 --> 00:39:28.579 control over. 00:39:28.820 --> 00:39:29.260 Something that 00:39:29.260 --> 00:39:30.539 God has to 00:39:30.539 --> 00:39:31.840 change a 00:39:31.840 --> 00:39:32.199 sinner's 00:39:32.199 --> 00:39:32.519 heart. 00:39:33.659 --> 00:39:33.980 And if 00:39:33.980 --> 00:39:34.340 we're not 00:39:34.340 --> 00:39:34.980 careful we're 00:39:34.980 --> 00:39:35.400 going to 00:39:35.400 --> 00:39:35.940 produce a 00:39:35.940 --> 00:39:36.559 generation of 00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:38.280 angry men 00:39:38.280 --> 00:39:38.619 and women 00:39:38.619 --> 00:39:39.340 who try to 00:39:39.340 --> 00:39:39.840 advance 00:39:39.840 --> 00:39:40.740 man-made 00:39:40.740 --> 00:39:41.960 cultural 00:39:41.960 --> 00:39:42.740 Christianity 00:39:42.740 --> 00:39:43.940 through 00:39:43.940 --> 00:39:44.480 outrage, 00:39:44.639 --> 00:39:44.900 picketing, 00:39:45.039 --> 00:39:45.559 and rioting 00:39:45.559 --> 00:39:46.500 rather than 00:39:46.500 --> 00:39:47.940 the tenderness, 00:39:48.860 --> 00:39:49.320 wisdom, 00:39:50.679 --> 00:39:50.940 boldness, 00:39:50.960 --> 00:39:51.980 and persuasive 00:39:51.980 --> 00:39:52.659 words of 00:39:52.659 --> 00:39:53.119 Jesus of 00:39:53.119 --> 00:39:53.539 Nazareth. 00:39:54.679 --> 00:39:55.240 Okay? 00:39:55.360 --> 00:39:56.019 So we have to 00:39:56.019 --> 00:39:56.699 stop and ask 00:39:56.699 --> 00:39:57.260 ourselves, 00:39:58.079 --> 00:39:58.659 what's going to 00:39:58.659 --> 00:39:59.320 ultimately change 00:39:59.320 --> 00:39:59.960 culture in the 00:39:59.960 --> 00:40:00.300 world? 00:40:01.139 --> 00:40:01.780 And it is 00:40:01.780 --> 00:40:02.599 Christ and 00:40:02.599 --> 00:40:03.059 the gospel. 00:40:04.079 --> 00:40:04.860 So let's not 00:40:04.860 --> 00:40:06.220 be like the 00:40:06.220 --> 00:40:07.119 angry Ephesians. 00:40:07.320 --> 00:40:07.920 Let's be 00:40:07.920 --> 00:40:09.039 heralds of 00:40:09.039 --> 00:40:09.780 the good news. 00:40:12.099 --> 00:40:12.800 I think I'll 00:40:12.800 --> 00:40:13.380 stop there 00:40:13.380 --> 00:40:13.800 before I get 00:40:13.800 --> 00:40:14.320 in more trouble. 00:40:14.559 --> 00:40:15.039 Come and talk 00:40:15.039 --> 00:40:15.300 later. 00:40:16.559 --> 00:40:17.240 Let's pray 00:40:17.240 --> 00:40:17.559 together.