WEBVTT

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 I had a lot of excitement coming into the finale because I quite like finales.

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 Christina and I don't get a chance to watch too much in terms of TV these days,

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 but I was just reminiscing on the finales that I've liked over the years.

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 Of course, growing up, I've told you before, I grew up in the late 1900s,

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 so Friends was kind of my staple.

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 It has not aged well, I'll say that, but a great show.

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 Of course, the finale, did she get on the plane or did she not get on the plane?

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 That was a big thing.

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 But there are, of course, other shows that I was deeply influenced by.

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 TVB was part of my early childhood diet as well.

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 A show called Shutsanfeiwu.

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 Has anyone heard of it, watched it?

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 Whoa, okay, aging, okay.

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 Li Fong.

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 Zhanqing.

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 I've watched Zhanqing.

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 Who watched Zhanqing?

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 How many episodes of Zhanqing were there?

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 A thousand?

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 That was a thing?

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 Oh, wow, that's a big one.

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 Of course, if you grew up in the era that I did and you watched these Chinese TV shows,

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 then you basically fluctuated your career plans from being a policeman to being a doctor to being a fireman

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 and then to being a martial arts expert.

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 And so that was what I grew up with.

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 And I always approached that finale with a lot of excitement.

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 Because it's like, whoa, this is how it finishes.

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 And then I read Acts chapters 27 and 28, which is what we're going to be going through.

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 And I'll be honest, there was some drama.

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 But it wasn't finishing how I expected it to finish.

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 And so as we're going to go through this passage here, what we're actually going to see is the end of the account of Paul.

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 And we've been with Paul for a long time.

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 Actually, trivia.

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 When was Paul first introduced?

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 Which chapter in the book of Acts?

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 Does anyone know?

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 Scanning.

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 Any brave souls?

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 Huh?

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 Nine?

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 Did you just say nine?

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 That's when he kind of got blinded.

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 So you're right.

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 But there was a mention of his name in chapter 8.

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 At the end of chapter 7.

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 Where you've got Stephen, the deacon, who gets killed.

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 And then they say, and then this man called Saul is overseeing this execution.

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 Fast forward to Acts chapter 28.

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 We've been with Paul for nearly 30 years.

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 That's why I was mildly sentimental as I was approaching this.

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 So I was like, when, we've been with him for a long time.

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 We've gone through chapter after chapter, city after city, prison after prison.

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 And we're finally reaching the end of his life.

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 And what is his finale?

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 What is his daiki go?

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 He goes to meet Caesar.

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 And so I'm like, oh, this is going to be fun.

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 This is going to be good to see how it all ends.

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 And the ending isn't quite what I expected.

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 But yet still there's so much to learn.

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 There is also still so much drama.

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 So what I'm going to do is actually, instead of reading Acts chapter 27 and 28 and getting

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 us to stand for all of that, I'm actually, I've chosen a different passage that we're

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 going to read.

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 And it's actually one of his final words in 2 Timothy.

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 And so can I invite you to stand as is our custom to read the word of the Lord.

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 We stand because we remind ourselves of the reverence and awe that we have for the word

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 of God.

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 But it's not what James is saying that's going to be important.

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 It's actually going to be the word of God that changes our lives.

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 So I want to invite JP up to read for us 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 1 to 8.

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 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and

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 the dead.

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 And by his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season,

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 reprove, rebuke, and exhort with a complete patience and teaching.

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 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itchy ears,

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 they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.

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 And they will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into the myths.

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 As for you, always be sober minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill

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 your ministry.

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 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.

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 I have fought the good fight.

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 I have finished the race.

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 I have kept the faith.

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 Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous

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 judge, will award to me on the day.

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 And not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Please take a seat.

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 Those words are precious.

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 And even as JP was reading them, I was imagining if this was a movie, I can see just orchestra

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 music in the background as he's saying, I have fought the good fight.

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 I have ran my race.

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 I've come to the end.

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 My 30 years are being poured out as a sacrifice for the kingdom of God.

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 And yet, we're going to go back now.

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 I'll give you some time, as I find it, to the end of Acts.

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 Acts chapter 27 and 28.

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 It doesn't end how I expected it to end, because I thought it was going to be about Paul finally

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 meeting Caesar, maybe converting Caesar, and then boom, Christianity explodes and springboards

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 from there.

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 But it doesn't quite end how I expected it to.

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 But yet, the story is dramatic.

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 And all we're going to do today is actually going to follow the story.

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 And through following the story, we'll see something that's very interesting.

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 And that is this.

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 And I want you to anchor on this.

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 The story isn't about Paul.

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 The story is also not about me or you.

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 The story is about God.

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 It's about the sovereignty of God.

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 It's about how God is completely in control from the beginning to the very end.

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 And you see this coming out.

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 Because I'm very conscious when we look at this book, sometimes we look at this book and

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 we go, okay, where can I find myself in this book?

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 What's the challenge that I'm facing?

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 Oh, there's a shipwreck happening.

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 Well, maybe it's going to talk to me about my shipwreck.

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 Maybe it's talking to me about my challenges that I have.

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 And whilst there are ways that we can apply it in that way, but that actually can also be

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 a dangerous thing.

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 What we're trying to do here is not to find ourselves in the story, but to find God in the

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 story.

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 And so as we look at this story as an account, and if anyone who is actually afraid of the

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 ocean and afraid of getting on a boat, this won't help that much.

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 But what we see is actually God's fingerprints, God actually being in complete control all the

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 way.

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 So we're simply just going to go through it.

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 And you can track me and I'll be tracking the time as well to hopefully we can finish

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 the two chapters by then.

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 And so it says this, chapter seven.

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 And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other

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 prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius.

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 So again, it's not about us.

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 This is actually a real live event.

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 Who wrote the book of Acts?

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 Luke.

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 He explains why he writes to Theophilus, right?

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 He's saying, I'm here to keep an account of what happened.

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 So actually you'll be able to see and generations in the future will be able to see what happened.

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 So all Luke is doing here is actually he's keeping an account and a very detailed account

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 of what happens towards the end of their journey here.

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 And what's really interesting is, and it was decided that we should sail for Italy.

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 Remember for the longest time from Acts chapter nine, so 15 and 16, it was always Paul doing

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 this, Paul doing that.

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 And suddenly Luke joins a party and says, we're going.

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 So this is just, for me, it's just encouragement that when Paul is going on his journey, he starts

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 off alone, but very quickly people join him and people who are willing to join him.

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 Where's he going?

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 He's going to Jerusalem.

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 He's going to Rome.

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 He's going to prison.

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 He's going to death.

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 Yet there are friends who are going with him.

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 Isn't that just a comfort?

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 Isn't that encouraging that we don't do this by ourselves?

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 And so he says, we are going.

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 Because remember, Luke does not need to get on this boat.

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 Because where's Paul going?

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 He's going to prison.

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 He's going to go meet Caesar.

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 This isn't going to end well.

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 And yet Luke says, I don't care.

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 I'm coming with you.

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 I'm coming with you so I can keep an account of what's happening and I can be your friend and

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 I can support you.

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 I think that is amazing.

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 And when they go, it's not just Paul.

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 There's some other prisoners as well.

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 And they're looked after by a centurion.

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 There's only two centurions that we've heard about in the book of Acts.

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 And one is in Acts chapter 10, right?

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 And Cornelius.

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 And then now we have another one called Juju.

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 Okay.

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 Juju is here.

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 He's a centurion.

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 So we have our own Juju.

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 But this one would have been much taller because there would have been a height requirement.

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 So to be a centurion.

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 So I actually searched for that.

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 It's actually six foot tall.

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 Anyway, I digress.

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 So this actually happened.

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 This actually happened and it happened in 59 AD.

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 And it happened in October, November time.

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 It happened in the fall.

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 So this is an actual account of what happened to Paul as he was going to Rome.

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 Now, he thought he was going to Rome to meet Caesar.

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 But he didn't know how.

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 He didn't know that it was going to be as a prisoner in a boat that ends up getting shipwrecked.

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 And embarking in a ship, they go.

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 And they go along a few coasts.

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 And they're accompanied not just by Luke, but by Aristarchus.

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 So there's three of them.

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 So there's Paul, there's Luke, and there's Aristarchus.

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 Where have we heard from Aristarchus?

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 We've heard of him once in Acts chapter 19 in Ephesus when there was a riot.

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 Remember there was a guy called Demetrius who was losing a lot of money

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 because he made statues of the goddess Artemis.

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 But he was getting annoyed because Paul was telling people Artemis isn't real.

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 And how dare he?

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 So that means his business, his stockpile, his warehouse of statues, he can't sell now.

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 So he starts a riot and he drags Aristarchus out into the court.

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 Okay, so that's where we see Aristarchus.

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 Again, Aristarchus doesn't need to be on this boat.

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 But he's saying, Paul, where you go, I will go with you.

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 I'm your bro, ride or die.

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 So they go.

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 So the next day we put in at Sidon and Juju, Julius, treated Paul kindly

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 and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for.

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 Recap, again, reminder.

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 Paul was a prisoner.

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 But yet the guy in charge says, hey, you're a prisoner, but I quite like you.

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 We're going to stop here.

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 And you know what I'm going to do?

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 I'm going to trust you.

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 I'm going to let you go and find your friends.

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 And so he actually lets him go.

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 And then Paul gets cared for.

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 Isn't that amazing that a prisoner would have that kind of treatment?

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 You see the favor of God on Paul again here.

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 So he puts an Apple Air tag on him and then he lets him go and tracks him.

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 But then lets Paul basically do whatever he wants.

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 And then he comes back.

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 I think that's fascinating in itself.

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 And putting out, oh, the other thing that's fascinating, Paul has friends in every city.

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 We talked about this last time.

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 You thought he was a lone ranger.

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 You thought he is doing this on his own.

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 He's fighting this good fight, running this race on his own.

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 But every city he goes to, he finds friends.

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 Isn't that amazing?

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 That he's supported.

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 That there are people who are ready to go meet him to risk their lives and to actually

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 spend time supporting him.

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 And so they go.

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 And putting out to the sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus.

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 And they basically start going around the Mediterranean to head to Rome.

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 That's the goal here.

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 Did I ever tell you that Christina and I got married on a Mediterranean cruise ship?

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 It was the cheapest way to get married.

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 Because everyone pays for themselves.

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 So it was really fun.

00:11:05.220 --> 00:11:05.639
 It was really good.

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 But then actually, at that time of year, the Mediterranean is actually not a great time.

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 Because the weather starts to turn.

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 That's why we know it was October, November.

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 And because there's a reason why.

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 So they keep sailing.

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 And then they find another boat.

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 This is verse 6.

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 They're the centurion.

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 Found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy.

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 So they actually had to change boats.

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 So they had to go from the blue line to the red line.

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 And they had to change ships.

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 And then they move on.

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 And they keep going.

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 And the word you see in ESV, it says, we sailed under the lee of Crete of Salmone.

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 The word lee simply means the side of an island.

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 The side of an island would have been the safest place.

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 Because it would have been away from the biggest winds.

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 So they would have been able to control where they were going.

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 Coasting along it, but yet still with great difficulty, we came to a place called Fairhavens.

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 Near which was the city of La Sille.

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 Interesting.

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 They're going on this.

00:11:54.020 --> 00:11:55.780
 They're going basically just curling around the island.

00:11:56.040 --> 00:11:57.140
 Trying to get to Rome now.

00:11:57.740 --> 00:11:59.200
 But then it's getting very hard.

00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:03.720
 Since much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous because even the fast was already over.

00:12:04.040 --> 00:12:05.360
 That's why we know it was in the fall.

00:12:05.940 --> 00:12:06.680
 Paul advised them.

00:12:06.780 --> 00:12:12.960
 So Paul says, the prisoner, Paul says, the one who actually has no control and no power and no influence on the boat says,

00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:15.260
 Guys, I actually don't think it's a good idea.

00:12:15.460 --> 00:12:16.640
 I think we should wait here.

00:12:18.920 --> 00:12:19.480
 What does he say?

00:12:19.540 --> 00:12:24.800
 Says, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.

00:12:26.920 --> 00:12:27.380
 Paul knows.

00:12:27.379 --> 00:12:31.120
 In 2 Corinthians, we see Paul actually says, hey, I've been beaten.

00:12:31.419 --> 00:12:32.580
 I've been thrown into prison.

00:12:32.939 --> 00:12:34.600
 I've actually had three shipwrecks already.

00:12:34.840 --> 00:12:35.820
 And that was before this one.

00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:37.659
 So he's already had three shipwrecks.

00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:39.659
 So he's an expert in this.

00:12:40.039 --> 00:12:42.159
 He's like, guys, I don't think it's a good idea that we go.

00:12:42.439 --> 00:12:43.679
 Because if we go, we're going to lose our cargo.

00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:44.939
 And we're actually going to lose lives.

00:12:45.100 --> 00:12:47.159
 We should just hang out and stay here over winter.

00:12:47.320 --> 00:12:48.379
 And we'll go afterwards.

00:12:48.779 --> 00:12:49.480
 What happens then?

00:12:49.700 --> 00:12:51.100
 They look at him and go, well, you're the prisoner.

00:12:51.100 --> 00:12:54.639
 And we have professional sailors on the boat who know what they're doing.

00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:57.779
 Plus, we don't want to stay in this place through winter.

00:12:57.879 --> 00:12:58.659
 So we're going to keep going.

00:12:58.759 --> 00:12:59.200
 Verse 11.

00:12:59.560 --> 00:13:03.860
 But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.

00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:17.680
 And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter, the majority decided to put out to sea from there on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, not the one in the U.S., a harbor of Crete facing both southwest and northwest and spend the winter there.

00:13:19.220 --> 00:13:27.560
 So instead of relying or trusting in this prophet who actually could hear and actually know what God was trying to tell them, they would trust in worldly wisdom.

00:13:27.680 --> 00:13:33.320
 They would trust in the professionals, which in some ways you can't really blame them because they were the ones put in charge here.

00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:34.720
 But anyway, they ignore him.

00:13:34.800 --> 00:13:35.700
 Of course, he's also a prisoner.

00:13:35.860 --> 00:13:36.340
 So they go.

00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:37.300
 Verse 13.

00:13:37.379 --> 00:13:41.940
 Now, when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they were like, see, it's okay.

00:13:42.400 --> 00:13:43.000
 We're fine.

00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:44.360
 We did the right thing, guys.

00:13:45.100 --> 00:13:46.660
 We're heading to the right direction.

00:13:47.140 --> 00:13:47.980
 Suddenly, it turns.

00:13:48.060 --> 00:13:50.320
 They anchored and sailed along Crete, close to the shore.

00:13:50.500 --> 00:13:51.180
 But verse 14.

00:13:51.280 --> 00:13:56.620
 But soon, a tempestuous wind called the northeaster struck down from the land.

00:13:57.420 --> 00:13:59.640
 So a T-10 comes into town.

00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:02.780
 So Typhoon 10 comes, and now they can't control.

00:14:02.779 --> 00:14:09.100
 What they thought was going okay, when they thought they had made the right decision, now they realize we probably should listen to that prisoner.

00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:16.799
 So they completely lose control, and the ship gets caught, and basically they give up, and they just have to follow wherever the wind takes them.

00:14:16.980 --> 00:14:18.639
 So they reach a small island called Korda.

00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:20.879
 We manage with difficulty to secure the ship's boat.

00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:22.159
 So it wasn't going well.

00:14:22.259 --> 00:14:26.019
 So the first thing they do was, hey, that lifeboat is just hanging off our boat.

00:14:26.179 --> 00:14:26.860
 Let's secure it.

00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:27.620
 Let's bring it back in.

00:14:27.620 --> 00:14:30.259
 Let's make sure that we have this as our backup.

00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:31.240
 So they bring it back in.

00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:32.720
 But then it carries on.

00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:34.799
 After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergo the ship.

00:14:35.159 --> 00:14:39.620
 Then fearing they would run aground on the situs, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along.

00:14:40.679 --> 00:14:44.279
 Since they were violently storm-tossed, they began next day to jettison the cargo.

00:14:44.279 --> 00:14:48.699
 So day one, they're like, let's bring the lifeboat back in, just in case.

00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:50.360
 Day two, it's not looking good.

00:14:50.620 --> 00:14:53.039
 Let's throw all the cargo off.

00:14:53.339 --> 00:14:55.240
 Let's throw all the goods that we were supposed to ship off.

00:14:55.740 --> 00:14:57.759
 Let's not worry about the consequences.

00:14:58.139 --> 00:14:59.120
 Let's just survive this.

00:14:59.319 --> 00:15:00.000
 So they throw it off.

00:15:00.279 --> 00:15:02.059
 Day three, they're like, oh, it's not going well.

00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:03.199
 Let's throw all the tackle off.

00:15:03.259 --> 00:15:06.100
 The tackle is basically the equipment that was used to steer the ship.

00:15:06.379 --> 00:15:07.740
 Let's get rid of those things too.

00:15:08.459 --> 00:15:09.720
 It doesn't look good, guys.

00:15:09.720 --> 00:15:15.259
 Yes, we best clear out this boat so we can have our highest chance of survival here.

00:15:16.899 --> 00:15:23.540
 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.

00:15:25.420 --> 00:15:27.100
 Actually, does anyone get motion sickness here?

00:15:28.560 --> 00:15:29.160
 Big thing.

00:15:30.420 --> 00:15:31.680
 It's really bad.

00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:33.340
 I have it really bad too.

00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:35.960
 When we were still living in England, we'd visit, of course, the Mediterranean.

00:15:36.100 --> 00:15:36.840
 We'd go to all these places.

00:15:36.840 --> 00:15:40.780
 I remember one time we went to the Algarve and we went to go out to see dolphins.

00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:42.080
 Well, that's what the hope was.

00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:43.480
 My family saw the dolphins.

00:15:43.680 --> 00:15:47.820
 I was sat inside the cabin just wanting to throw up my intestines.

00:15:48.660 --> 00:15:49.720
 Though I did find out.

00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:52.019
 The guy, he gave me this trick.

00:15:52.139 --> 00:15:54.340
 He said, use a water bottle and put it on the back of your neck.

00:15:54.379 --> 00:15:55.019
 Has anyone heard of that?

00:15:55.820 --> 00:15:56.480
 It worked.

00:15:57.220 --> 00:15:58.139
 I miss the dolphins.

00:15:59.200 --> 00:15:59.899
 But it worked.

00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:00.740
 Anyway.

00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:03.900
 All hope was lost.

00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:04.660
 Why?

00:16:04.780 --> 00:16:06.680
 Because by now, it's probably a week in.

00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:08.600
 With no food.

00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:11.500
 With no hope of steering wherever they needed to go.

00:16:12.100 --> 00:16:14.379
 And so they were just stranded, floating in the ocean.

00:16:15.220 --> 00:16:21.240
 Can you imagine professionals who have grown up on the sea deciding, hey, we have no chance now.

00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:23.820
 Any chance of survival is gone.

00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:27.780
 And since they had been without food for a long time, verse 21, Paul stands up.

00:16:27.779 --> 00:16:32.620
 And then he says, guys, I told you so.

00:16:34.339 --> 00:16:35.779
 Men, you should have listened to me.

00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:39.720
 And not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss.

00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:43.040
 Can you just imagine?

00:16:43.040 --> 00:16:44.120
 The storm is still going.

00:16:44.180 --> 00:16:46.620
 They haven't seen the sun or the stars.

00:16:47.220 --> 00:16:48.399
 So the storms are just so wild.

00:16:48.420 --> 00:16:49.700
 It's just dark the whole time.

00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:54.040
 And they can't even sit in a place still.

00:16:54.039 --> 00:16:57.779
 And yet Paul stands up and says, hey, guys, one, I told you so.

00:16:58.179 --> 00:16:58.939
 But it's okay.

00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:00.120
 Stay calm.

00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:07.220
 Because just this evening, an angel of the Lord stood with me and said these words to me.

00:17:09.079 --> 00:17:09.980
 Verse 24.

00:17:09.980 --> 00:17:11.940
 Oh, actually, verse 23 first.

00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:18.599
 For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship.

00:17:21.220 --> 00:17:22.339
 Isn't that just beautiful?

00:17:23.299 --> 00:17:24.960
 This guy is in the eye of the storm.

00:17:25.579 --> 00:17:27.319
 Everyone else has lost all hope.

00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:29.680
 Completely abandoned any hope of being saved.

00:17:30.620 --> 00:17:34.620
 He says, I had God stand next to me.

00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:37.240
 And this God I belong to and I worship.

00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:40.160
 I have a personal relationship with this God.

00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:42.579
 And that's why I have this peace.

00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:50.299
 Wouldn't it be great if we as Christians, whenever we are in storm, that we can stand and go, hey, that we're in a storm right now.

00:17:51.099 --> 00:17:52.880
 But yet I just feel complete peace.

00:17:52.980 --> 00:17:53.120
 Why?

00:17:53.259 --> 00:17:56.819
 Because there is a God whom I belong to, who I worship, who I completely trust.

00:17:58.140 --> 00:18:00.720
 And he says, do not be afraid, Paul.

00:18:00.819 --> 00:18:02.559
 You must stand before Caesar.

00:18:02.900 --> 00:18:05.480
 And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.

00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:10.779
 So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.

00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:13.880
 But we must run aground on some island.

00:18:13.960 --> 00:18:19.400
 He says, this very night, while you guys were throwing off all the things on the boat to try and survive,

00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:21.579
 or you're just lying there now because you've given up,

00:18:22.700 --> 00:18:27.460
 God stood in our midst and told me, I still have a mission.

00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:29.019
 I must meet Caesar.

00:18:29.420 --> 00:18:32.120
 And because of that, you guys are all going to be saved as well.

00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:33.259
 Isn't that pretty cool?

00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:37.579
 Verse 27.

00:18:38.259 --> 00:18:43.460
 When the 14th night had come, they'd been on this ship floating for two weeks.

00:18:44.619 --> 00:18:45.220
 No food.

00:18:47.619 --> 00:18:49.579
 They were driven across the Adriatic Sea.

00:18:49.900 --> 00:18:52.299
 About midnight, the sailors suspected that they were nearing land.

00:18:52.379 --> 00:18:56.420
 So as they were getting close to some land, the sailors, the professionals,

00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:58.819
 who thought they knew they were doing, started to hear.

00:18:58.819 --> 00:19:01.740
 What it was, was they started to hear that the waves were crashing differently.

00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:03.279
 Well, before there were no waves.

00:19:03.639 --> 00:19:04.500
 It would just be the ocean.

00:19:04.819 --> 00:19:09.579
 But they started to hear a different sound, which was, oh, it sounds like the water is crashing against some land.

00:19:10.379 --> 00:19:13.179
 So they heard it, and so they used their expertise, and they said, well, let's check it out.

00:19:13.180 --> 00:19:18.700
 So they lowered the anchor, and what they would do is lower the anchor, and then they would see how far the actual ocean bed was.

00:19:19.060 --> 00:19:19.920
 And they did it once.

00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:22.660
 So they took a sounding and found 20 fathoms.

00:19:23.019 --> 00:19:25.980
 And a little farther on, they took a sounding again and found 15 fathoms.

00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:29.880
 That means they were getting closer and closer to land.

00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:33.440
 And just when you thought that would be enough, and fearing that we might run on the rocks,

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:37.180
 they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come.

00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:39.680
 They were like, guys, I think we're getting closer.

00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:42.080
 Maybe there is some hope.

00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:43.640
 And so they start praying.

00:19:44.580 --> 00:19:46.100
 Because before, they couldn't even pray.

00:19:46.420 --> 00:19:47.340
 They were like, that's it, we're done.

00:19:47.840 --> 00:19:49.019
 But now they start praying.

00:19:49.180 --> 00:19:50.259
 But I wonder who they're praying to.

00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:52.480
 I think they're praying to all kinds of gods.

00:19:53.420 --> 00:19:55.720
 Any god that will help them, they're praying for gods.

00:19:56.279 --> 00:19:58.259
 Like, can you, can you, please save us.

00:19:58.660 --> 00:20:01.600
 God of fertility, God of, God of business, God of work, everyone.

00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:03.459
 God, please, who has a god?

00:20:03.779 --> 00:20:04.799
 Bring out the Pokemon cards.

00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:06.059
 Let's pray to each of those Pokemon.

00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:07.459
 Let's see if that will help too.

00:20:08.699 --> 00:20:09.679
 So they're praying to everyone.

00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:11.119
 And this tells me something else.

00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:16.500
 That actually, again, it was the podcast that I listened to that Chris recommended last week.

00:20:16.879 --> 00:20:18.799
 And actually, it quoted a C.S. Lewis quote, which is,

00:20:18.899 --> 00:20:20.799
 there are no atheists in the trenches.

00:20:21.819 --> 00:20:23.339
 There are no atheists in the trenches.

00:20:23.579 --> 00:20:25.079
 You can say that you don't believe in God.

00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:27.179
 You can say that you're okay, that you've made your own way,

00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:28.819
 that you work very hard to get to where you are.

00:20:28.819 --> 00:20:31.960
 But actually, the moment life goes out of control, the moment there is suffering,

00:20:32.059 --> 00:20:34.339
 the moment there is sickness, there are no atheists then.

00:20:34.460 --> 00:20:37.799
 Because we all know, deep down inside us, there's something that we must appeal to

00:20:37.799 --> 00:20:39.519
 that is out of our control.

00:20:39.939 --> 00:20:42.960
 Someone out there is bigger and has more power than us.

00:20:43.019 --> 00:20:44.679
 There are no atheists in the trenches.

00:20:44.879 --> 00:20:48.960
 So these sailors, who ignored this prophet, then decide just to pray to whoever.

00:20:49.460 --> 00:20:52.599
 But only Paul was praying to the God who could actually save them.

00:20:52.899 --> 00:20:54.439
 But these sailors did something interesting.

00:20:54.579 --> 00:20:55.639
 They did something very cheeky.

00:20:55.640 --> 00:20:57.360
 They said, we're getting close to land.

00:20:57.620 --> 00:20:59.259
 Let's try and get there.

00:21:00.340 --> 00:21:04.220
 But when I say, let us try and get there, they just meant themselves.

00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:07.500
 There were 276 people on this boat.

00:21:07.740 --> 00:21:11.520
 But the sailors, verse 30, as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship

00:21:11.520 --> 00:21:16.680
 and had lowered the ship's boat into the sea under the pretense of laying out anchors from the boat.

00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:20.820
 So the sailors would tell everyone else, guys, I think we're getting close to land.

00:21:20.920 --> 00:21:23.759
 I think we need to anchor and find our way to get onto that land.

00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:25.980
 So they would tell people that's what they were doing.

00:21:26.059 --> 00:21:30.599
 But what they were actually doing was lowering the lifeboats so that they could sneak off themselves.

00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:36.740
 And then Paul, I don't know whether he just observes and sees or whether God told him.

00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:39.440
 He says, verse 31,

00:21:39.859 --> 00:21:41.619
 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers,

00:21:42.059 --> 00:21:45.619
 unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.

00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:49.339
 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it go.

00:21:49.339 --> 00:21:52.559
 So just when they thought they could escape,

00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:59.480
 Paul snitches on them and says, well, you can't let them off this boat.

00:22:00.159 --> 00:22:02.720
 And actually, as we were talking about this passage as a team this last week,

00:22:02.939 --> 00:22:04.379
 it was Gabriel who brought this up.

00:22:04.899 --> 00:22:05.639
 Isn't it interesting?

00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:09.220
 Because if you just rewind a little bit to what Paul said God told him,

00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:10.259
 or the angel of the Lord told him,

00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:12.359
 which is that all these men will be saved.

00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:14.939
 God has granted you all those who sail with you.

00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:17.140
 And so no one will actually die.

00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:19.940
 And yet just a few verses later,

00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:25.400
 Paul says, hey, you will only be saved if you listen to me.

00:22:26.059 --> 00:22:28.720
 If you will, you will only be saved if you trust me,

00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:31.920
 or rather you will only be saved if you have faith in the God

00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:34.600
 who told me that you're going to be okay.

00:22:35.820 --> 00:22:38.920
 This speaks a little bit into the sovereignty of God and his desire,

00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:41.140
 which is that his plan is for all of us to be saved.

00:22:41.140 --> 00:22:46.560
 But one of the requirements for us all to be saved is that we must still trust him.

00:22:47.740 --> 00:22:50.040
 Because if we don't choose to trust him,

00:22:50.080 --> 00:22:52.060
 even though it's his desire for us to be saved,

00:22:52.360 --> 00:22:56.320
 if we deliberately choose to not trust him and to find our own way out,

00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:59.680
 then we won't actually be saved.

00:23:01.400 --> 00:23:03.380
 Of course, if I'm the sailors, I'm distraught,

00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:06.080
 because I thought I was going to make a way out.

00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:09.500
 And yet this prisoner snitches on us.

00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:12.879
 And now we're all stuck on the boat together.

00:23:13.399 --> 00:23:14.439
 As day was about to dawn,

00:23:14.859 --> 00:23:16.559
 and Paul urged them all to take some food,

00:23:16.659 --> 00:23:18.039
 saying, today is the 14th day.

00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:19.339
 It's been two weeks that you've not eaten.

00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:21.939
 Therefore, I urge you to take some food,

00:23:22.659 --> 00:23:23.639
 for it will give you strength,

00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:26.759
 for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.

00:23:26.899 --> 00:23:28.019
 And when he said these things,

00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:29.419
 he took bread and gave thanks to God,

00:23:29.939 --> 00:23:30.980
 and he began to eat.

00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:34.099
 So he says, hey, you've not eaten for two weeks.

00:23:34.099 --> 00:23:36.740
 You must eat so you can be strong,

00:23:36.919 --> 00:23:38.000
 so you can survive this.

00:23:38.379 --> 00:23:40.819
 Because remember, my God said that you will be safe.

00:23:41.879 --> 00:23:45.519
 My God said that no hair on your head will perish.

00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:47.679
 Not of great comfort to me,

00:23:48.399 --> 00:23:50.759
 but of great comfort to you or Aaron.

00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:53.699
 I mean, Aaron and I and the rest of us,

00:23:53.799 --> 00:23:57.279
 that promise came too late.

00:23:58.779 --> 00:24:00.159
 But then what we see here

00:24:00.159 --> 00:24:03.539
 is really interesting.

00:24:04.099 --> 00:24:05.319
 Who wrote the book of Acts again?

00:24:06.399 --> 00:24:06.879
 Luke.

00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:09.519
 What book did Luke also write?

00:24:10.579 --> 00:24:11.559
 The book of Luke.

00:24:12.740 --> 00:24:14.939
 Just entertain me for two minutes

00:24:14.939 --> 00:24:17.039
 as we take a little bit of a diversion.

00:24:17.939 --> 00:24:18.980
 Luke chapter 21.

00:24:21.919 --> 00:24:25.259
 So Luke quotes Paul in that chapter,

00:24:26.379 --> 00:24:28.919
 but he's not actually quoting Paul.

00:24:28.920 --> 00:24:31.620
 He's actually quoting God.

00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:33.779
 He's actually quoting Jesus.

00:24:33.900 --> 00:24:34.860
 Because that phrase,

00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:36.360
 that phrase,

00:24:36.800 --> 00:24:38.460
 if you look at Luke chapter 21,

00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:39.759
 verse 10,

00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:43.940
 Jesus is foretelling wars and persecution.

00:24:45.080 --> 00:24:46.200
 Let me quickly read it to us.

00:24:46.620 --> 00:24:48.180
 Luke chapter 21, verse 10.

00:24:48.259 --> 00:24:49.120
 And then he said to them,

00:24:49.259 --> 00:24:50.680
 nations will rise against nation

00:24:50.680 --> 00:24:52.000
 and kingdom against kingdom.

00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:53.560
 There will be great earthquakes

00:24:53.559 --> 00:24:54.679
 and in various places,

00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:55.740
 famines and pestilences.

00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:56.779
 And there will be terrors

00:24:56.779 --> 00:24:57.940
 and great signs from heaven.

00:24:58.279 --> 00:24:59.179
 But before all this,

00:24:59.220 --> 00:25:00.299
 they will lay their hands on you

00:25:00.299 --> 00:25:01.159
 and persecute you,

00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:03.099
 delivering you up to the synagogues

00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:03.639
 and prisons.

00:25:03.819 --> 00:25:05.399
 And you will be brought before kings

00:25:05.399 --> 00:25:06.859
 and governors for my namesake.

00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:08.179
 What a pep talk.

00:25:09.179 --> 00:25:10.319
 What a way to hype up his crew

00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:11.159
 just before he leaves.

00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:14.080
 This will be your opportunity

00:25:14.080 --> 00:25:14.820
 to bear witness.

00:25:15.019 --> 00:25:15.940
 Settle it, therefore,

00:25:16.060 --> 00:25:16.580
 in your minds,

00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:17.600
 not to meditate before

00:25:17.600 --> 00:25:18.360
 and how to answer.

00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:19.380
 For I will give you

00:25:19.380 --> 00:25:20.140
 a mouth and wisdom

00:25:20.140 --> 00:25:21.320
 which none of your adversaries

00:25:21.320 --> 00:25:22.140
 will be able to withstand

00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:22.720
 or contradict.

00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:24.100
 You will be delivered up

00:25:24.100 --> 00:25:25.180
 even by parents and brothers

00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:26.640
 and relatives and friends

00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:27.300
 and some of you,

00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:28.800
 they will put to death.

00:25:29.580 --> 00:25:31.279
 You will be hated by all

00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:32.680
 for my namesake.

00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:36.380
 The pep talk of a lifetime.

00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:40.240
 But, verse 18,

00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:41.759
 but not a hair of your head

00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:42.859
 will perish.

00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:44.880
 By endurance,

00:25:45.099 --> 00:25:46.339
 you will gain your lives.

00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:49.140
 Luke's writing this account

00:25:49.140 --> 00:25:49.859
 on the shipwreck,

00:25:50.420 --> 00:25:51.539
 saying what Paul said,

00:25:52.059 --> 00:25:53.579
 but you better know

00:25:53.579 --> 00:25:54.859
 that he also remembers

00:25:54.859 --> 00:25:55.839
 that this line

00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:57.819
 was taken from Jesus' mouth himself.

00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:59.579
 That there was a warning

00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:00.839
 that suffering will come.

00:26:01.079 --> 00:26:01.880
 That there was a warning

00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:02.920
 that God will be with them.

00:26:03.299 --> 00:26:04.460
 But with suffering,

00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:06.180
 will then eventually lead

00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:06.940
 to perseverance,

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:07.819
 character, and hope.

00:26:07.880 --> 00:26:08.420
 With suffering,

00:26:08.420 --> 00:26:09.900
 it will eventually lead

00:26:09.900 --> 00:26:10.340
 to glory.

00:26:10.440 --> 00:26:11.540
 What he's saying here is

00:26:11.540 --> 00:26:12.440
 there is no glory

00:26:12.440 --> 00:26:13.160
 without suffering.

00:26:15.080 --> 00:26:16.220
 Don't we sometimes

00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:17.360
 approach the Christian faith

00:26:17.360 --> 00:26:17.780
 saying,

00:26:17.880 --> 00:26:18.880
 God, if I follow you,

00:26:19.019 --> 00:26:20.200
 if I do everything right,

00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:21.300
 then you will bless me.

00:26:22.259 --> 00:26:23.580
 And you look at this passage,

00:26:23.700 --> 00:26:24.420
 whether it's Jesus

00:26:24.420 --> 00:26:26.000
 talking in Luke chapter 21,

00:26:26.180 --> 00:26:27.460
 or it's what's happening

00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:28.580
 on the ship,

00:26:28.660 --> 00:26:29.280
 on the shipwreck,

00:26:29.420 --> 00:26:30.160
 two weeks in,

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:31.080
 without any food,

00:26:31.480 --> 00:26:32.740
 it's the same.

00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:34.600
 And yet here he says,

00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:36.639
 not even a hair

00:26:36.639 --> 00:26:37.559
 is going to be perishing

00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:38.379
 from your head.

00:26:39.899 --> 00:26:40.799
 What he's saying is

00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:41.699
 you will gain your life.

00:26:42.980 --> 00:26:44.119
 Even though you think

00:26:44.119 --> 00:26:45.879
 you're not going to,

00:26:46.740 --> 00:26:47.919
 I will save you.

00:26:48.919 --> 00:26:50.219
 But not until

00:26:50.219 --> 00:26:53.379
 your purpose is carried out.

00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:55.879
 And there will be suffering.

00:26:55.880 --> 00:26:56.460
 I wonder,

00:26:56.680 --> 00:26:58.280
 I wonder how many of us

00:26:58.280 --> 00:27:00.260
 actually take that to heart.

00:27:01.700 --> 00:27:02.980
 One of my favorite passages

00:27:02.980 --> 00:27:03.860
 in scripture is Paul

00:27:03.860 --> 00:27:05.340
 writing to the Corinthians

00:27:05.340 --> 00:27:06.260
 in the second letter

00:27:06.260 --> 00:27:07.320
 in chapter four.

00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:07.660
 He says,

00:27:07.820 --> 00:27:08.400
 do not lose heart

00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:10.000
 for our outer selves

00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:10.640
 are wasting away

00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:11.280
 day by day,

00:27:11.640 --> 00:27:12.380
 but inner selves

00:27:12.380 --> 00:27:13.120
 are being renewed

00:27:13.120 --> 00:27:14.280
 day by day.

00:27:15.360 --> 00:27:16.740
 For the light momentary

00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:17.380
 afflictions

00:27:17.380 --> 00:27:18.560
 that we're experiencing

00:27:18.560 --> 00:27:19.220
 right now,

00:27:19.380 --> 00:27:20.300
 whatever storm it is,

00:27:20.380 --> 00:27:21.380
 whatever challenge it is,

00:27:21.480 --> 00:27:22.000
 whatever valley

00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:22.780
 of the shadow of death

00:27:22.780 --> 00:27:23.520
 that we're going through

00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:23.960
 right now

00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:24.879
 are nothing,

00:27:25.019 --> 00:27:25.700
 are nothing

00:27:25.700 --> 00:27:26.319
 when compared

00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:27.599
 to the eternal weight

00:27:27.599 --> 00:27:28.579
 of glory

00:27:28.579 --> 00:27:29.799
 that awaits us.

00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:34.500
 When you look

00:27:34.500 --> 00:27:35.319
 at Paul's life,

00:27:36.259 --> 00:27:36.839
 when you look

00:27:36.839 --> 00:27:37.819
 at how many times

00:27:37.819 --> 00:27:38.559
 he has suffered,

00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:39.799
 when you look

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:40.759
 at how many times

00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:41.599
 he's been flogged,

00:27:41.680 --> 00:27:42.420
 thrown into prison,

00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:43.900
 shipwreck after shipwreck,

00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:45.460
 and yet he keeps saying

00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:46.200
 the same thing

00:27:46.200 --> 00:27:47.180
 that none of this,

00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.180
 none of this

00:27:48.180 --> 00:27:49.200
 is going to compare

00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:50.059
 at all.

00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:51.839
 It'll be as a feather

00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:53.399
 when compared

00:27:53.399 --> 00:27:54.000
 to the eternal

00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:55.119
 weight of glory

00:27:55.119 --> 00:27:56.339
 that awaits us.

00:27:56.419 --> 00:27:56.819
 So therefore,

00:27:56.959 --> 00:27:57.139
 what?

00:27:57.559 --> 00:27:58.179
 I press on

00:27:58.179 --> 00:27:58.759
 toward the goal

00:27:58.759 --> 00:27:59.740
 of Christ Jesus.

00:28:04.179 --> 00:28:04.939
 Not only that,

00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:05.959
 not only does he

00:28:05.959 --> 00:28:06.439
 have that hope,

00:28:06.500 --> 00:28:07.079
 he's trying to share

00:28:07.079 --> 00:28:08.019
 that hope with other people.

00:28:08.399 --> 00:28:09.319
 So two weeks in,

00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:10.720
 he lifts up the bread

00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:11.699
 and he gives thanks

00:28:11.699 --> 00:28:12.379
 to God and says,

00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:13.899
 God, thank you for this.

00:28:13.959 --> 00:28:14.439
 There is nothing

00:28:14.439 --> 00:28:15.240
 to give thanks for.

00:28:15.819 --> 00:28:17.000
 Two weeks on an ocean

00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:18.759
 with motion sickness

00:28:18.759 --> 00:28:19.539
 and no food.

00:28:19.539 --> 00:28:22.539
 And yet here he does,

00:28:22.619 --> 00:28:23.259
 he gives thanks.

00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:24.519
 They were all encouraged

00:28:24.519 --> 00:28:25.759
 and ate some food themselves.

00:28:26.279 --> 00:28:26.980
 We were in all

00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:29.399
 276 persons in the ship.

00:28:30.139 --> 00:28:31.079
 And when they had eaten enough,

00:28:31.159 --> 00:28:31.859
 they lightened the ship,

00:28:31.980 --> 00:28:32.659
 throwing out the wheat

00:28:32.659 --> 00:28:33.259
 into the sea.

00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:34.379
 They were so encouraged,

00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:34.720
 they were like,

00:28:34.779 --> 00:28:35.480
 okay, I think we're coming

00:28:35.480 --> 00:28:36.539
 to the end of it.

00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:38.299
 Let's throw out

00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:39.200
 everything else that we have.

00:28:40.879 --> 00:28:41.539
 276 people.

00:28:42.440 --> 00:28:43.180
 On that boat,

00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:43.539
 276,

00:28:44.399 --> 00:28:45.159
 we can only say

00:28:45.159 --> 00:28:45.759
 for certain

00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:46.579
 that there were three

00:28:46.579 --> 00:28:47.799
 who trusted in God.

00:28:47.799 --> 00:28:49.460
 Paul, Luke,

00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:50.379
 and Aristarchus.

00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:52.419
 That's three to 276.

00:28:52.879 --> 00:28:53.680
 The ratio there

00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:54.619
 is one to 92

00:28:54.619 --> 00:28:56.359
 of Christians.

00:28:56.619 --> 00:28:57.359
 I wonder what

00:28:57.359 --> 00:28:58.139
 your ratio is.

00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:00.839
 When you go back

00:29:00.839 --> 00:29:01.480
 into your workplace,

00:29:01.579 --> 00:29:02.039
 when you go back

00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:02.680
 into your families,

00:29:02.940 --> 00:29:03.519
 I wonder what

00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:04.299
 your ratio is

00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:05.919
 as someone who believes

00:29:05.919 --> 00:29:06.319
 in Christ

00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:07.419
 and around those

00:29:07.419 --> 00:29:07.980
 who do not.

00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:10.180
 What we see here

00:29:10.180 --> 00:29:10.740
 is the ratio

00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:12.000
 is not really for him.

00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:12.659
 The favors,

00:29:12.779 --> 00:29:13.259
 the odds are not

00:29:13.259 --> 00:29:13.980
 really for him here.

00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:15.200
 And yet you better believe

00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:16.539
 as this boat

00:29:16.539 --> 00:29:17.940
 approaches the shore

00:29:17.940 --> 00:29:19.140
 that all of these people

00:29:19.140 --> 00:29:20.019
 are going to trust in God

00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:21.220
 or at least have respect

00:29:21.220 --> 00:29:22.140
 that this God is out there.

00:29:23.059 --> 00:29:23.200
 Right?

00:29:25.620 --> 00:29:26.700
 And so what happens here

00:29:26.700 --> 00:29:27.059
 is this.

00:29:27.620 --> 00:29:28.200
 Now when it was day,

00:29:28.259 --> 00:29:29.420
 they did not recognize the land,

00:29:29.500 --> 00:29:30.360
 but they noticed a bay

00:29:30.360 --> 00:29:31.360
 with a beach.

00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:32.440
 And so they're like,

00:29:32.500 --> 00:29:33.519
 okay, let's do this.

00:29:33.980 --> 00:29:34.759
 Let's get as close

00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:35.819
 as we can as possible,

00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:36.700
 lower the anchor,

00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:37.299
 and then maybe

00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:38.120
 we can all get off.

00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:38.980
 But again,

00:29:39.559 --> 00:29:40.660
 that wasn't Paul's promise.

00:29:40.660 --> 00:29:41.620
 That wasn't God's promise

00:29:41.620 --> 00:29:41.980
 to Paul.

00:29:42.380 --> 00:29:42.779
 Paul said,

00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:43.660
 none of you will die,

00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:45.240
 but the ship is going to go.

00:29:46.320 --> 00:29:47.180
 Isn't that interesting?

00:29:47.500 --> 00:29:48.600
 That God will save us,

00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:49.519
 but he won't save

00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:51.220
 the established institutions

00:29:51.220 --> 00:29:51.860
 and all the things

00:29:51.860 --> 00:29:52.279
 that we have

00:29:52.279 --> 00:29:53.779
 that we rely on right now.

00:29:53.960 --> 00:29:54.960
 He won't save those things.

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:56.400
 That is not in his interest

00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:57.700
 to save those things.

00:29:58.019 --> 00:29:58.920
 It's not in his interest

00:29:58.920 --> 00:29:59.820
 to save your career

00:29:59.820 --> 00:30:00.940
 or to save your ambitions

00:30:00.940 --> 00:30:01.920
 or to save this or that

00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.900
 or to save all the things

00:30:02.900 --> 00:30:03.779
 or your bank accounts.

00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:05.259
 His interest,

00:30:05.460 --> 00:30:06.220
 his only interest

00:30:06.220 --> 00:30:06.759
 is in you

00:30:06.759 --> 00:30:07.680
 and in your soul.

00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:09.340
 And so the ship

00:30:09.340 --> 00:30:10.019
 doesn't make it.

00:30:10.560 --> 00:30:11.360
 So they try

00:30:11.360 --> 00:30:12.120
 as much as they can

00:30:12.120 --> 00:30:12.500
 to do it,

00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:13.640
 but the ship still crashes.

00:30:13.660 --> 00:30:14.660
 And it has no way

00:30:14.660 --> 00:30:15.460
 of getting to the land.

00:30:15.820 --> 00:30:16.580
 And so basically

00:30:16.580 --> 00:30:17.259
 when they all crash,

00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:18.279
 they're all in the water.

00:30:18.600 --> 00:30:19.259
 Verse 42,

00:30:19.540 --> 00:30:20.240
 the soldier's plan

00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:21.120
 was to kill the prisoners

00:30:21.120 --> 00:30:22.420
 lest any should swim away

00:30:22.420 --> 00:30:22.880
 and escape.

00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:23.340
 Remember,

00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:24.560
 these soldiers,

00:30:24.740 --> 00:30:25.640
 they were in charge

00:30:25.640 --> 00:30:26.259
 of these prisoners

00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:27.100
 and what would happen

00:30:27.100 --> 00:30:27.900
 if they lost a prisoner?

00:30:28.779 --> 00:30:29.519
 They themselves

00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:30.019
 would get punished

00:30:30.019 --> 00:30:30.420
 and killed.

00:30:30.759 --> 00:30:31.259
 So they're like,

00:30:31.300 --> 00:30:32.120
 well, better you than me.

00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:32.960
 Let's just kill

00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:33.500
 all of them now.

00:30:34.300 --> 00:30:34.980
 And this is where

00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:35.980
 Juju steps in again.

00:30:36.400 --> 00:30:37.160
 Julius says,

00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:37.400
 no,

00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:38.880
 we've got to listen

00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:39.440
 to this guy.

00:30:40.259 --> 00:30:41.480
 This guy is on to something.

00:30:41.820 --> 00:30:42.860
 We need to protect him.

00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:44.319
 And so he does protect him,

00:30:44.579 --> 00:30:45.299
 but the centurion

00:30:45.299 --> 00:30:46.240
 wishing to save Paul

00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:47.139
 kept them from carrying

00:30:47.139 --> 00:30:47.740
 out their plan.

00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:48.599
 He ordered those

00:30:48.599 --> 00:30:49.059
 who could swim

00:30:49.059 --> 00:30:50.159
 to jump overboard first

00:30:50.159 --> 00:30:51.279
 and make for the land

00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:52.519
 and the rest on planks

00:30:52.519 --> 00:30:53.419
 or on pieces of ship.

00:30:53.879 --> 00:30:54.759
 And so it was

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:55.740
 that all were brought

00:30:55.740 --> 00:30:56.859
 safely to the land.

00:30:57.479 --> 00:30:58.559
 Where did they end up?

00:30:58.799 --> 00:30:59.459
 They ended up

00:30:59.459 --> 00:31:00.179
 on this tiny,

00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:00.799
 tiny island

00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:02.500
 in the Mediterranean

00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:03.699
 called Malta.

00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:05.159
 Who's been to Malta before?

00:31:06.519 --> 00:31:07.000
 A few.

00:31:07.319 --> 00:31:07.859
 I personally

00:31:07.859 --> 00:31:08.459
 haven't been to Malta,

00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:09.299
 but I have a good friend

00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:09.639
 who actually

00:31:09.640 --> 00:31:10.759
 goes there regularly.

00:31:11.259 --> 00:31:11.460
 He says,

00:31:11.520 --> 00:31:12.400
 this is this beautiful island.

00:31:13.420 --> 00:31:14.240
 This beautiful island

00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:14.720
 that actually

00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:15.460
 with a lot of

00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:15.960
 very kind,

00:31:16.100 --> 00:31:16.560
 nice people

00:31:16.560 --> 00:31:17.640
 that we also see

00:31:17.640 --> 00:31:18.020
 in scripture.

00:31:18.320 --> 00:31:19.020
 Malta's one of those

00:31:19.020 --> 00:31:19.880
 countries that actually

00:31:19.880 --> 00:31:20.520
 was the first

00:31:20.520 --> 00:31:21.340
 to actually have

00:31:21.340 --> 00:31:21.820
 Christianity.

00:31:22.060 --> 00:31:22.240
 Why?

00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:23.500
 Because of this shipwreck.

00:31:24.780 --> 00:31:26.080
 The history of their church

00:31:26.080 --> 00:31:26.880
 goes all the way back

00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:29.340
 to AD 59 slash 60.

00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:32.080
 And they showed

00:31:32.080 --> 00:31:32.680
 this group,

00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:34.180
 this 276

00:31:34.180 --> 00:31:35.600
 unusual kindness.

00:31:35.700 --> 00:31:36.880
 We're into chapter 28 now.

00:31:36.960 --> 00:31:37.060
 Hey,

00:31:37.080 --> 00:31:37.620
 that was pretty fast.

00:31:37.780 --> 00:31:38.360
 Chapter 28.

00:31:38.359 --> 00:31:39.699
 The native people

00:31:39.699 --> 00:31:40.099
 showed us

00:31:40.099 --> 00:31:41.000
 unusual kindness

00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:42.199
 and later it says

00:31:42.199 --> 00:31:42.979
 they entertained us

00:31:42.979 --> 00:31:43.519
 hospitably

00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:45.419
 and they kindled a fire

00:31:45.419 --> 00:31:46.139
 and welcomed us all

00:31:46.139 --> 00:31:46.839
 because it had begun

00:31:46.839 --> 00:31:47.919
 to rain and was cold.

00:31:48.399 --> 00:31:48.819
 Those of you

00:31:48.819 --> 00:31:49.679
 who grew up in Hong Kong,

00:31:49.939 --> 00:31:50.619
 October, November

00:31:50.619 --> 00:31:51.419
 is a beautiful,

00:31:51.539 --> 00:31:52.099
 beautiful time

00:31:52.099 --> 00:31:53.000
 weather-wise, right?

00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:53.500
 Of course,

00:31:53.559 --> 00:31:53.879
 this week

00:31:53.879 --> 00:31:54.399
 we've been hit

00:31:54.399 --> 00:31:54.879
 with the humidity

00:31:54.879 --> 00:31:55.919
 and we're all grieving

00:31:55.919 --> 00:31:56.679
 because of that.

00:31:57.319 --> 00:31:58.139
 But if you grew up

00:31:58.139 --> 00:31:58.939
 in Europe like me,

00:31:59.059 --> 00:31:59.740
 October, November

00:31:59.740 --> 00:32:00.799
 is when things

00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:01.539
 start to get dark.

00:32:02.479 --> 00:32:03.179
 The clocks change.

00:32:03.619 --> 00:32:04.299
 You don't see the sun

00:32:04.299 --> 00:32:05.000
 and if you go to work,

00:32:05.059 --> 00:32:05.619
 you go to work

00:32:05.619 --> 00:32:06.000
 when it's dark

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:06.619
 and you finish work

00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:07.699
 and it's still dark, right?

00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:09.420
 And so it wasn't

00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:09.840
 a good time

00:32:09.840 --> 00:32:10.500
 so it was getting cold.

00:32:11.360 --> 00:32:12.140
 And so what do they do?

00:32:13.080 --> 00:32:13.860
 The Maltese,

00:32:14.039 --> 00:32:14.880
 they actually host

00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:15.400
 these people

00:32:15.400 --> 00:32:15.640
 and say,

00:32:15.740 --> 00:32:16.720
 let's keep you warm.

00:32:17.660 --> 00:32:18.019
 Interestingly,

00:32:18.259 --> 00:32:19.019
 Paul himself

00:32:19.019 --> 00:32:20.120
 goes to help

00:32:20.120 --> 00:32:20.900
 with the fire.

00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:21.779
 The prisoner

00:32:21.779 --> 00:32:22.480
 in chains

00:32:22.480 --> 00:32:23.640
 goes to help

00:32:23.640 --> 00:32:24.319
 and what happens here,

00:32:24.380 --> 00:32:24.779
 verse 3,

00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:25.860
 when Paul had gathered

00:32:25.860 --> 00:32:26.940
 a bundle of sticks

00:32:26.940 --> 00:32:27.900
 and put them on the fire,

00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:29.380
 a viper came out

00:32:29.380 --> 00:32:29.980
 because of the heat

00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:31.100
 and fastened on his hand.

00:32:33.360 --> 00:32:34.299
 Isn't that just the case?

00:32:34.360 --> 00:32:34.779
 When you're trying

00:32:34.779 --> 00:32:35.460
 to help other people,

00:32:35.559 --> 00:32:35.840
 when you're trying

00:32:35.840 --> 00:32:36.360
 to gather sticks

00:32:36.359 --> 00:32:37.339
 to help people stay warm,

00:32:37.619 --> 00:32:38.459
 to look after people,

00:32:38.639 --> 00:32:39.619
 that's when the attacks come.

00:32:40.639 --> 00:32:41.259
 And so the viper

00:32:41.259 --> 00:32:41.899
 comes out

00:32:41.899 --> 00:32:42.819
 and wraps on his hand.

00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:44.059
 Really interestingly,

00:32:44.419 --> 00:32:44.879
 these people,

00:32:44.979 --> 00:32:45.859
 the natives on the island,

00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:46.559
 they look at that

00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:47.059
 and they think,

00:32:47.199 --> 00:32:47.379
 okay,

00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:48.259
 we know exactly

00:32:48.259 --> 00:32:49.079
 what's happening here.

00:32:49.399 --> 00:32:49.759
 This guy,

00:32:49.879 --> 00:32:50.399
 verse 4,

00:32:50.619 --> 00:32:51.459
 no doubt this man

00:32:51.459 --> 00:32:51.919
 is a murderer

00:32:51.919 --> 00:32:52.839
 and though he has escaped

00:32:52.839 --> 00:32:53.319
 from the sea,

00:32:53.740 --> 00:32:54.859
 justice has not

00:32:54.859 --> 00:32:55.759
 allowed him to live.

00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:58.700
 How many of us

00:32:58.700 --> 00:32:59.319
 have felt that?

00:32:59.960 --> 00:33:01.039
 When we look at someone

00:33:01.039 --> 00:33:02.279
 and bad is happening

00:33:02.279 --> 00:33:02.599
 to them,

00:33:02.680 --> 00:33:02.759
 go,

00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:03.000


00:33:03.599 --> 00:33:04.420
 that's because

00:33:04.420 --> 00:33:05.640
 they are naughty people.

00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:08.059
 Because they're naughty people,

00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:09.619
 then they are getting

00:33:09.619 --> 00:33:10.519
 what they deserve.

00:33:11.160 --> 00:33:11.920
 We have trouble

00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:12.680
 in believing

00:33:12.680 --> 00:33:13.859
 that good things

00:33:13.859 --> 00:33:14.680
 happen to bad people

00:33:14.680 --> 00:33:15.460
 and that bad things

00:33:15.460 --> 00:33:16.259
 happen to good people.

00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:16.859
 Of course,

00:33:16.900 --> 00:33:17.640
 when we think about

00:33:17.640 --> 00:33:18.099
 those things,

00:33:18.359 --> 00:33:19.480
 we deem ourselves

00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:20.259
 as the good people.

00:33:20.660 --> 00:33:21.379
 So when bad things

00:33:21.379 --> 00:33:21.900
 happen to us,

00:33:21.940 --> 00:33:22.779
 we're outraged

00:33:22.779 --> 00:33:24.019
 that they would happen

00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:24.240
 to us.

00:33:24.359 --> 00:33:24.619
 Me?

00:33:25.420 --> 00:33:26.160
 I've been at church

00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:26.879
 all my life.

00:33:27.339 --> 00:33:28.000
 I've been serving

00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:28.639
 in youth group

00:33:28.639 --> 00:33:29.420
 on the worship tier

00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:30.099
 and now this happens

00:33:30.099 --> 00:33:30.480
 to me?

00:33:31.900 --> 00:33:32.240
 You see,

00:33:32.299 --> 00:33:33.559
 they had got it wrong.

00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:35.779
 That isn't how

00:33:35.779 --> 00:33:36.500
 things work.

00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:38.119
 Jesus himself says

00:33:38.119 --> 00:33:38.480
 in Matthew

00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:38.920
 that actually

00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:40.339
 the sun shines

00:33:40.339 --> 00:33:41.299
 on the righteous

00:33:41.299 --> 00:33:42.240
 and the unrighteous.

00:33:42.460 --> 00:33:43.059
 The rain falls

00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:43.660
 on the righteous

00:33:43.660 --> 00:33:44.480
 and the unrighteous

00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:45.440
 just because you are

00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:46.220
 a follower of Christ.

00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:47.639
 Just because you are

00:33:47.639 --> 00:33:47.980
 the one,

00:33:48.220 --> 00:33:49.139
 even though you're in chains,

00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:49.819
 you're still loving

00:33:49.819 --> 00:33:50.220
 other people

00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:50.960
 and trying to build

00:33:50.960 --> 00:33:51.799
 the fire for them

00:33:51.799 --> 00:33:52.480
 to keep them warm,

00:33:52.839 --> 00:33:53.639
 the attacks will still

00:33:53.640 --> 00:33:55.140
 come against you.

00:33:56.120 --> 00:33:56.500
 And actually,

00:33:56.620 --> 00:33:57.380
 it isn't the gospel

00:33:57.380 --> 00:33:58.380
 that good things

00:33:58.380 --> 00:33:59.100
 happen to good people.

00:33:59.220 --> 00:34:00.080
 That is not the gospel.

00:34:01.180 --> 00:34:01.300
 Okay?

00:34:01.380 --> 00:34:02.080
 What is the gospel?

00:34:02.320 --> 00:34:03.040
 The gospel is

00:34:03.040 --> 00:34:03.800
 that the worst thing

00:34:03.800 --> 00:34:04.900
 happened to the best person.

00:34:05.960 --> 00:34:06.920
 That is the gospel.

00:34:07.600 --> 00:34:08.340
 That the only one

00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:08.980
 who is good,

00:34:09.160 --> 00:34:09.400
 Jesus,

00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:11.000
 had this happen to him

00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:11.800
 so that we,

00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:12.960
 those who don't deserve it,

00:34:13.539 --> 00:34:14.240
 now get to live

00:34:14.240 --> 00:34:14.740
 as he lived.

00:34:16.119 --> 00:34:16.920
 So these guys

00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:17.840
 don't really get it

00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:18.180
 so they're like,

00:34:18.280 --> 00:34:18.559
 oh,

00:34:18.840 --> 00:34:20.380
 he escaped the shipwreck,

00:34:20.720 --> 00:34:21.880
 he escaped the two weeks

00:34:21.880 --> 00:34:23.119
 but he's still going to die.

00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:23.879
 Why?

00:34:23.980 --> 00:34:24.779
 Because he's a bad person.

00:34:24.839 --> 00:34:25.799
 He must be a murderer.

00:34:26.099 --> 00:34:27.159
 But they watch this snake

00:34:27.159 --> 00:34:28.099
 come off his arm

00:34:28.099 --> 00:34:29.019
 and then fall

00:34:29.019 --> 00:34:30.039
 and they're waiting.

00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:30.619
 Can you just imagine

00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:31.159
 those people

00:34:31.159 --> 00:34:31.339
 like,

00:34:31.420 --> 00:34:31.599
 oh,

00:34:31.699 --> 00:34:32.619
 we've seen this before.

00:34:33.019 --> 00:34:34.440
 This happened to so-and-so's son.

00:34:34.920 --> 00:34:35.079
 Oh,

00:34:35.179 --> 00:34:36.159
 let's give him a few minutes

00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:36.719
 and he'll be gone.

00:34:37.500 --> 00:34:37.900
 And yet,

00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:39.900
 Paul is alive and well.

00:34:40.960 --> 00:34:41.420
 And it's funny

00:34:41.420 --> 00:34:42.379
 how quickly they change.

00:34:42.500 --> 00:34:42.920
 They go from,

00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:43.500
 he's a murderer

00:34:43.500 --> 00:34:44.460
 to he's a god.

00:34:46.059 --> 00:34:46.339
 They're like,

00:34:46.519 --> 00:34:47.559
 there is special favor

00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:48.699
 on this man.

00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:50.059
 And so what happens here is,

00:34:50.839 --> 00:34:51.279
 they all,

00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:51.900
 verse six,

00:34:51.960 --> 00:34:52.580
 they were waiting for him

00:34:52.580 --> 00:34:53.060
 to swell up

00:34:53.060 --> 00:34:53.920
 or suddenly fall down

00:34:53.920 --> 00:34:54.940
 but when they had waited

00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:55.440
 a long time

00:34:55.440 --> 00:34:56.320
 and saw no misfortune

00:34:56.320 --> 00:34:56.740
 come to him,

00:34:56.780 --> 00:34:57.580
 they changed their minds

00:34:57.580 --> 00:34:59.860
 and said that he was a god.

00:35:00.980 --> 00:35:01.340
 Now,

00:35:01.420 --> 00:35:01.900
 in the neighborhood

00:35:01.900 --> 00:35:02.440
 of that place

00:35:02.440 --> 00:35:03.100
 were lands belonging

00:35:03.100 --> 00:35:03.800
 to the chief man

00:35:03.800 --> 00:35:04.380
 of the island.

00:35:04.660 --> 00:35:05.320
 So the chief guy

00:35:05.320 --> 00:35:06.019
 is called Publius

00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:07.820
 who received as an entertainer

00:35:07.820 --> 00:35:09.380
 hospitably for three days.

00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:10.600
 So actually,

00:35:10.680 --> 00:35:11.540
 they stay in Malta

00:35:11.540 --> 00:35:12.180
 for these three days.

00:35:12.280 --> 00:35:13.240
 They go to the chief's house

00:35:13.240 --> 00:35:13.940
 and they live there

00:35:13.940 --> 00:35:14.960
 and it actually so happens

00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:15.740
 that the chief's dad

00:35:15.740 --> 00:35:16.500
 is really sick

00:35:16.500 --> 00:35:17.579
 and what does Paul do?

00:35:17.659 --> 00:35:18.440
 Even as a prisoner,

00:35:19.260 --> 00:35:19.559
 he's like,

00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:20.780
 let me help this man.

00:35:21.079 --> 00:35:22.159
 Can you see the relentlessness

00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:22.619
 of Paul?

00:35:22.980 --> 00:35:23.219
 He's like,

00:35:23.260 --> 00:35:23.380
 look,

00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:25.000
 I have a bigger purpose.

00:35:25.239 --> 00:35:25.760
 I have something

00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:26.940
 really important to do

00:35:26.940 --> 00:35:28.019
 and yet I'm going to stop

00:35:28.019 --> 00:35:29.539
 and I still care for you.

00:35:29.800 --> 00:35:30.539
 I'm going to look after you

00:35:30.539 --> 00:35:31.800
 and I'm going to heal your dad.

00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:32.380
 It reminds me

00:35:32.380 --> 00:35:33.400
 a little bit of Jesus.

00:35:33.820 --> 00:35:35.199
 Jesus came to earth

00:35:35.199 --> 00:35:36.420
 with this sole mission

00:35:36.420 --> 00:35:37.320
 to save mankind,

00:35:37.639 --> 00:35:39.099
 to pay the ransom for many.

00:35:40.219 --> 00:35:40.599
 Luke 4,

00:35:40.679 --> 00:35:40.960
 he says,

00:35:41.059 --> 00:35:42.320
 I must go to the other towns

00:35:42.320 --> 00:35:42.599
 as well

00:35:42.599 --> 00:35:43.699
 to preach the good news

00:35:43.699 --> 00:35:44.719
 of Christ,

00:35:45.019 --> 00:35:45.940
 of the kingdom of God.

00:35:45.940 --> 00:35:46.940
 And yet he would

00:35:46.940 --> 00:35:47.980
 constantly get interrupted,

00:35:48.599 --> 00:35:49.500
 constantly get stopped

00:35:49.500 --> 00:35:50.800
 and still be very willing

00:35:50.800 --> 00:35:52.179
 to help the people around him.

00:35:52.500 --> 00:35:53.440
 I wonder whether for us

00:35:53.440 --> 00:35:55.059
 when we have our big life plans,

00:35:55.599 --> 00:35:56.519
 are we willing to stop

00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:57.539
 and still care for those

00:35:57.539 --> 00:35:58.539
 immediately around us?

00:36:00.340 --> 00:36:01.740
 Paul's plan was to get to Rome,

00:36:03.000 --> 00:36:04.099
 to stand in front of Caesar

00:36:04.099 --> 00:36:06.159
 and yet accidentally

00:36:06.159 --> 00:36:07.019
 he ends up saving

00:36:07.019 --> 00:36:07.599
 a whole island,

00:36:08.720 --> 00:36:09.000
 Malta.

00:36:09.820 --> 00:36:11.059
 My friend who I was asking

00:36:11.059 --> 00:36:11.480
 about this,

00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:12.700
 he said Malta is actually

00:36:12.700 --> 00:36:14.599
 96% Christian.

00:36:15.940 --> 00:36:16.860
 In fact,

00:36:17.240 --> 00:36:18.280
 the Catholic faith

00:36:18.280 --> 00:36:19.539
 is still so strong there.

00:36:20.179 --> 00:36:20.760
 It still,

00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:23.079
 you could describe

00:36:23.079 --> 00:36:23.840
 a godly state.

00:36:25.500 --> 00:36:26.519
 But remember,

00:36:26.619 --> 00:36:27.179
 it started off

00:36:27.179 --> 00:36:27.960
 not that way.

00:36:28.220 --> 00:36:29.139
 Before the shipwreck,

00:36:29.579 --> 00:36:30.579
 that wasn't the case.

00:36:30.659 --> 00:36:31.440
 Can you see again

00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:32.380
 the sovereignty of God?

00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:33.900
 That if this shipwreck

00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:34.420
 didn't happen,

00:36:34.500 --> 00:36:35.260
 the people of this island

00:36:35.260 --> 00:36:36.019
 would not be saved?

00:36:37.619 --> 00:36:38.420
 And yet here we go.

00:36:38.840 --> 00:36:39.639
 And so what happens is

00:36:39.639 --> 00:36:40.679
 they stay on the other house

00:36:40.679 --> 00:36:42.219
 and not only that,

00:36:42.599 --> 00:36:43.460
 when the chief's dad

00:36:43.460 --> 00:36:44.000
 gets healed,

00:36:44.319 --> 00:36:45.379
 everyone else on the island

00:36:45.379 --> 00:36:45.699
 is like,

00:36:45.899 --> 00:36:46.119
 whoa!

00:36:47.419 --> 00:36:48.000
 And so they bring

00:36:48.000 --> 00:36:48.819
 all their relatives,

00:36:49.239 --> 00:36:49.879
 all their friends

00:36:49.879 --> 00:36:50.339
 who were sick

00:36:50.339 --> 00:36:51.539
 and the rest of the people

00:36:51.539 --> 00:36:52.079
 on the island

00:36:52.079 --> 00:36:52.839
 who had diseases

00:36:52.839 --> 00:36:54.359
 also came and were cured

00:36:54.359 --> 00:36:56.919
 by accident.

00:36:57.399 --> 00:36:58.579
 At least in Paul's mind,

00:36:59.019 --> 00:36:59.859
 this whole island

00:36:59.859 --> 00:37:00.799
 gets saved

00:37:00.799 --> 00:37:02.299
 because of this shipwreck.

00:37:03.159 --> 00:37:04.279
 The sovereignty of God,

00:37:04.519 --> 00:37:05.059
 brothers and sisters.

00:37:05.699 --> 00:37:07.000
 They also honored us greatly

00:37:07.000 --> 00:37:08.699
 and when we were about to sail,

00:37:08.940 --> 00:37:09.639
 they put on board

00:37:09.639 --> 00:37:10.420
 whatever we needed.

00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:11.059
 At this point,

00:37:12.599 --> 00:37:13.679
 I'm looking at Paul going,

00:37:13.880 --> 00:37:15.039
 Paul, just stay.

00:37:15.480 --> 00:37:16.460
 You could be the king of Malta.

00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:17.460
 You could start

00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:18.519
 a nice church in Malta.

00:37:19.079 --> 00:37:19.639
 You can call it

00:37:19.639 --> 00:37:20.420
 Malta the Gathering

00:37:20.420 --> 00:37:21.579
 and you can just hang out there,

00:37:22.139 --> 00:37:23.679
 be respected and be loved,

00:37:23.759 --> 00:37:24.380
 no more prison

00:37:24.380 --> 00:37:26.019
 and just live there.

00:37:26.099 --> 00:37:26.840
 It's a nice place.

00:37:27.099 --> 00:37:27.840
 Just get through the winter

00:37:27.840 --> 00:37:28.420
 and it'll be nice

00:37:28.420 --> 00:37:29.960
 and yet Paul doesn't stay.

00:37:30.019 --> 00:37:30.559
 He never stays.

00:37:31.340 --> 00:37:31.599
 In fact,

00:37:31.679 --> 00:37:32.860
 none of the people

00:37:32.860 --> 00:37:33.759
 in the book of Acts

00:37:33.759 --> 00:37:34.440
 end up staying

00:37:34.440 --> 00:37:35.599
 where they are most comfortable.

00:37:36.159 --> 00:37:37.559
 They just keep on going

00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:39.780
 and it tires me out reading it

00:37:39.780 --> 00:37:41.480
 and yet it's not tiring for them

00:37:41.480 --> 00:37:42.159
 because they just have

00:37:42.159 --> 00:37:43.820
 this relentless push

00:37:43.820 --> 00:37:46.119
 towards the mission.

00:37:47.280 --> 00:37:48.139
 So after three months,

00:37:48.260 --> 00:37:49.260
 they do set sail

00:37:49.260 --> 00:37:50.280
 and they head off

00:37:50.280 --> 00:37:51.320
 and they end up in a verse,

00:37:51.380 --> 00:37:52.099
 verse 13,

00:37:52.200 --> 00:37:52.800
 end up in a place

00:37:52.800 --> 00:37:54.500
 called Butioli

00:37:54.500 --> 00:37:56.500
 and there we found brothers

00:37:56.500 --> 00:37:57.139
 and were invited

00:37:57.139 --> 00:37:57.740
 to stay with them

00:37:57.740 --> 00:37:58.679
 for seven days again.

00:37:59.340 --> 00:38:00.400
 Everywhere he goes,

00:38:01.159 --> 00:38:01.760
 I would love that.

00:38:01.820 --> 00:38:02.480
 Everywhere I go,

00:38:02.480 --> 00:38:03.159
 there's a whole group

00:38:03.159 --> 00:38:03.880
 of people that welcome.

00:38:04.820 --> 00:38:05.019
 Say,

00:38:05.099 --> 00:38:05.920
 we've heard of what you've done.

00:38:06.019 --> 00:38:06.900
 We love what you've done

00:38:06.900 --> 00:38:08.300
 and we're here to support you

00:38:08.300 --> 00:38:08.860
 and care for you.

00:38:09.320 --> 00:38:10.079
 And so they keep going

00:38:10.079 --> 00:38:11.340
 and there we found brothers there

00:38:11.340 --> 00:38:12.960
 and when we came to Rome,

00:38:13.200 --> 00:38:14.019
 a whole other group

00:38:14.019 --> 00:38:15.679
 come to look after him as well.

00:38:16.639 --> 00:38:17.460
 What an encouragement.

00:38:17.599 --> 00:38:17.780
 Actually,

00:38:17.860 --> 00:38:18.480
 you see here,

00:38:18.800 --> 00:38:19.260
 this Paul,

00:38:20.059 --> 00:38:20.720
 this Paul

00:38:20.720 --> 00:38:21.960
 who survived everything

00:38:21.960 --> 00:38:23.480
 on seeing them,

00:38:23.599 --> 00:38:24.159
 Paul thanked God

00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:24.840
 and took courage.

00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:26.139
 He needed his friends

00:38:26.139 --> 00:38:27.179
 to give him courage.

00:38:27.920 --> 00:38:28.820
 He needed his friends

00:38:28.820 --> 00:38:29.579
 to keep pushing

00:38:29.579 --> 00:38:31.119
 on the road as well.

00:38:31.119 --> 00:38:31.480
 Now,

00:38:31.559 --> 00:38:32.380
 this group from Rome

00:38:32.380 --> 00:38:33.380
 are particularly different.

00:38:33.699 --> 00:38:33.920
 Actually,

00:38:34.699 --> 00:38:35.940
 Paul starts a lot of churches.

00:38:36.119 --> 00:38:37.779
 He's the most prolific church planter

00:38:37.779 --> 00:38:39.079
 in the history of the church.

00:38:39.779 --> 00:38:40.119
 Ephesus,

00:38:40.359 --> 00:38:40.599
 Corinth,

00:38:40.759 --> 00:38:40.920
 all these,

00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:41.500
 Philippi,

00:38:41.579 --> 00:38:42.139
 he starts all these.

00:38:42.380 --> 00:38:42.819
 But Rome,

00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:43.480
 he doesn't start.

00:38:44.460 --> 00:38:45.619
 Rome is actually not part

00:38:45.619 --> 00:38:46.539
 of his CV.

00:38:47.199 --> 00:38:48.299
 The believers in Rome,

00:38:48.599 --> 00:38:49.239
 they would have been,

00:38:49.279 --> 00:38:50.019
 if we go all the way

00:38:50.019 --> 00:38:50.880
 back to Acts 2,

00:38:51.779 --> 00:38:52.699
 when the Jews

00:38:52.699 --> 00:38:53.380
 would all gather

00:38:53.380 --> 00:38:53.859
 in Jerusalem

00:38:53.859 --> 00:38:55.179
 where Pentecost happens,

00:38:55.500 --> 00:38:56.420
 it says there were also

00:38:56.420 --> 00:38:57.259
 Jews from Rome.

00:38:57.860 --> 00:38:58.520
 These would have been

00:38:58.520 --> 00:38:58.960
 the people

00:38:58.960 --> 00:39:00.160
 who were filled

00:39:00.160 --> 00:39:00.780
 with the Holy Spirit

00:39:00.780 --> 00:39:01.700
 back at Pentecost

00:39:01.700 --> 00:39:03.080
 and went back to Rome

00:39:03.080 --> 00:39:04.480
 and started living it

00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:05.180
 by the Spirit,

00:39:05.700 --> 00:39:06.420
 focusing on Jesus.

00:39:06.820 --> 00:39:07.700
 So it was this group

00:39:07.700 --> 00:39:09.120
 that came to hang out with him.

00:39:09.760 --> 00:39:10.320
 So they would have been

00:39:10.320 --> 00:39:10.840
 new to him.

00:39:11.100 --> 00:39:11.340
 Though he,

00:39:11.440 --> 00:39:11.640
 of course,

00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:12.800
 we see a letter

00:39:12.800 --> 00:39:13.620
 that he wrote to them

00:39:13.620 --> 00:39:14.840
 called the Book of Romans now.

00:39:15.200 --> 00:39:16.060
 And so he gets to Rome

00:39:16.060 --> 00:39:17.040
 and from there,

00:39:17.240 --> 00:39:17.840
 when we came into Rome,

00:39:17.940 --> 00:39:18.420
 Paul was allowed

00:39:18.420 --> 00:39:19.360
 to stay by himself

00:39:19.360 --> 00:39:19.960
 with the soldier

00:39:19.960 --> 00:39:20.640
 who guarded him.

00:39:21.280 --> 00:39:21.960
 Which prisoner

00:39:21.960 --> 00:39:22.840
 gets to do that?

00:39:23.560 --> 00:39:23.740
 Hey,

00:39:23.800 --> 00:39:24.460
 you are a prisoner,

00:39:24.620 --> 00:39:25.400
 you are finally in Rome,

00:39:25.460 --> 00:39:26.000
 you're going to be tried

00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:26.440
 by Caesar

00:39:26.440 --> 00:39:27.360
 and yet here's

00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:28.059
 your own house.

00:39:28.960 --> 00:39:29.559
 And you can live

00:39:29.559 --> 00:39:30.000
 in this house

00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:30.559
 by yourself.

00:39:30.659 --> 00:39:31.400
 You don't even need

00:39:31.400 --> 00:39:32.059
 to share the room

00:39:32.059 --> 00:39:32.440
 with anyone

00:39:32.440 --> 00:39:33.099
 or share the flat

00:39:33.099 --> 00:39:33.500
 with anyone.

00:39:33.800 --> 00:39:34.539
 All you need to do

00:39:34.539 --> 00:39:35.599
 is have a guard with you.

00:39:36.760 --> 00:39:37.039
 Now,

00:39:37.179 --> 00:39:38.360
 there are inconveniences

00:39:38.360 --> 00:39:38.700
 to that

00:39:38.700 --> 00:39:39.420
 because historians

00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:40.639
 believe most likely

00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:41.539
 he would have had

00:39:41.539 --> 00:39:42.220
 to have been chained

00:39:42.220 --> 00:39:43.139
 to that guard.

00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:45.159
 But can you imagine

00:39:45.159 --> 00:39:46.200
 being chained to Paul?

00:39:47.500 --> 00:39:48.460
 Can you imagine

00:39:48.460 --> 00:39:50.119
 spending 24-7

00:39:50.119 --> 00:39:51.420
 with this guy

00:39:51.420 --> 00:39:52.260
 who just would not

00:39:52.260 --> 00:39:52.820
 shut up

00:39:52.820 --> 00:39:54.260
 about the kingdom of God?

00:39:55.039 --> 00:39:55.960
 You see in the Book

00:39:55.960 --> 00:39:56.539
 of Philippi

00:39:56.539 --> 00:39:57.780
 chapter 1 verse 12

00:39:57.780 --> 00:39:58.059
 he says,

00:39:58.340 --> 00:39:58.980
 I want you to know

00:39:58.980 --> 00:39:59.159
 brothers,

00:39:59.240 --> 00:39:59.699
 what has happened

00:39:59.699 --> 00:39:59.960
 to me

00:39:59.960 --> 00:40:00.800
 has really served

00:40:00.800 --> 00:40:01.639
 to advance the gospel

00:40:01.639 --> 00:40:03.559
 to all the imperial guard.

00:40:03.679 --> 00:40:04.320
 Everyone knows

00:40:04.320 --> 00:40:04.980
 why I'm here now.

00:40:05.119 --> 00:40:05.960
 I keep telling the guy

00:40:05.960 --> 00:40:06.679
 who's chained to me

00:40:06.679 --> 00:40:07.840
 why I'm here

00:40:07.840 --> 00:40:08.539
 and I'm sharing

00:40:08.539 --> 00:40:09.360
 the gospel with them.

00:40:09.800 --> 00:40:10.280
 Can you imagine

00:40:10.280 --> 00:40:10.699
 just being,

00:40:10.820 --> 00:40:11.440
 oh my goodness,

00:40:11.920 --> 00:40:12.420
 it's my turn

00:40:12.420 --> 00:40:12.980
 with Paul again.

00:40:14.119 --> 00:40:14.679
 Though I would have

00:40:14.679 --> 00:40:15.460
 thought there'd be

00:40:15.460 --> 00:40:15.940
 other people

00:40:15.940 --> 00:40:16.300
 who'd be like,

00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:16.639
 hey,

00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:17.639
 get yourself chained

00:40:17.639 --> 00:40:18.280
 to this guy.

00:40:19.179 --> 00:40:19.980
 There's something special,

00:40:20.179 --> 00:40:20.960
 there's something different

00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:22.220
 about this guy.

00:40:23.019 --> 00:40:23.679
 Stay to him

00:40:23.679 --> 00:40:24.460
 and you'll see

00:40:24.460 --> 00:40:25.159
 something interesting.

00:40:27.000 --> 00:40:27.899
 What if

00:40:27.899 --> 00:40:30.159
 someone was chained

00:40:30.159 --> 00:40:30.839
 to us?

00:40:31.379 --> 00:40:32.719
 What would they see?

00:40:34.719 --> 00:40:35.699
 If someone

00:40:35.699 --> 00:40:36.599
 was chained

00:40:36.599 --> 00:40:37.139
 to you,

00:40:37.319 --> 00:40:37.679
 Alex Lee,

00:40:37.839 --> 00:40:38.799
 what would they see

00:40:38.799 --> 00:40:39.719
 about your life?

00:40:41.179 --> 00:40:42.219
 What would they see

00:40:42.219 --> 00:40:43.279
 your love being?

00:40:44.960 --> 00:40:45.819
 Alex is currently

00:40:45.819 --> 00:40:47.019
 going through Lent,

00:40:47.099 --> 00:40:48.059
 so he's quit all

00:40:48.059 --> 00:40:49.319
 kind of online sports

00:40:49.319 --> 00:40:50.359
 kind of entertainment

00:40:50.359 --> 00:40:50.960
 and all that,

00:40:51.099 --> 00:40:52.019
 because he's an avid,

00:40:52.099 --> 00:40:53.119
 avid sports follower,

00:40:53.119 --> 00:40:53.859
 so he wouldn't

00:40:53.859 --> 00:40:54.199
 see that,

00:40:54.259 --> 00:40:54.480
 they wouldn't

00:40:54.480 --> 00:40:54.859
 see that.

00:40:57.440 --> 00:40:58.859
 But if a soldier

00:40:58.859 --> 00:40:59.299
 was chained

00:40:59.299 --> 00:40:59.759
 to Matthew,

00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:01.719
 what would they see?

00:41:03.759 --> 00:41:04.599
 I ask myself

00:41:04.599 --> 00:41:05.099
 that question.

00:41:05.239 --> 00:41:05.920
 If I had a soldier

00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:06.559
 chained to me

00:41:06.559 --> 00:41:07.259
 24-7,

00:41:07.359 --> 00:41:07.920
 what would they see

00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:08.579
 about my life

00:41:08.579 --> 00:41:09.019
 and would it

00:41:09.019 --> 00:41:09.559
 point to Jesus?

00:41:12.500 --> 00:41:13.480
 My greatest fear

00:41:13.480 --> 00:41:13.839
 is that they

00:41:13.839 --> 00:41:14.460
 were chained to me

00:41:14.460 --> 00:41:15.239
 and my life

00:41:15.239 --> 00:41:15.839
 would look nothing

00:41:15.839 --> 00:41:16.859
 different to this.

00:41:18.019 --> 00:41:18.259
 Oh,

00:41:18.380 --> 00:41:18.900
 you have this

00:41:18.900 --> 00:41:19.519
 good news

00:41:19.519 --> 00:41:20.480
 and yet you don't

00:41:20.480 --> 00:41:20.940
 really live

00:41:20.940 --> 00:41:21.619
 in this good news,

00:41:21.679 --> 00:41:22.119
 you look just

00:41:22.119 --> 00:41:22.759
 the same as me,

00:41:22.760 --> 00:41:23.280
 you struggle

00:41:23.280 --> 00:41:24.060
 just in the same

00:41:24.060 --> 00:41:24.240
 way.

00:41:25.040 --> 00:41:25.460
 In fact,

00:41:26.260 --> 00:41:27.060
 there's areas

00:41:27.060 --> 00:41:27.660
 of hypocrisy

00:41:27.660 --> 00:41:28.080
 about you

00:41:28.080 --> 00:41:28.500
 that I don't

00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:29.060
 actually like,

00:41:29.120 --> 00:41:29.460
 so whatever

00:41:29.460 --> 00:41:30.160
 God that you

00:41:30.160 --> 00:41:30.820
 worship,

00:41:31.140 --> 00:41:31.580
 whatever book

00:41:31.580 --> 00:41:32.100
 that you read,

00:41:32.220 --> 00:41:32.700
 I don't really

00:41:32.700 --> 00:41:33.240
 want to read that

00:41:33.240 --> 00:41:33.620
 because it doesn't

00:41:33.620 --> 00:41:34.120
 really bring any

00:41:34.120 --> 00:41:34.440
 change.

00:41:34.640 --> 00:41:35.240
 That's the thing

00:41:35.240 --> 00:41:35.920
 that I'm most

00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:36.420
 afraid of.

00:41:37.520 --> 00:41:37.900
 And yet,

00:41:37.940 --> 00:41:38.100
 Paul,

00:41:38.180 --> 00:41:38.560
 we know

00:41:38.560 --> 00:41:40.000
 whoever's

00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:40.600
 chained to him

00:41:40.600 --> 00:41:41.980
 is going to hear

00:41:41.980 --> 00:41:42.600
 about the good

00:41:42.600 --> 00:41:43.120
 news of Jesus

00:41:43.120 --> 00:41:43.440
 Christ,

00:41:43.940 --> 00:41:44.540
 who's going to

00:41:44.540 --> 00:41:45.200
 be impacted

00:41:45.200 --> 00:41:46.140
 and everyone

00:41:46.140 --> 00:41:47.040
 who meets him.

00:41:47.039 --> 00:41:51.079
 there's no

00:41:51.079 --> 00:41:51.639
 halfway house

00:41:51.639 --> 00:41:51.940
 with Paul.

00:41:52.860 --> 00:41:53.420
 You either

00:41:53.420 --> 00:41:53.840
 are just

00:41:53.840 --> 00:41:54.519
 astonished by

00:41:54.519 --> 00:41:54.920
 what he does

00:41:54.920 --> 00:41:55.360
 and you think

00:41:55.360 --> 00:41:55.719
 that he's a

00:41:55.719 --> 00:41:56.619
 God or you

00:41:56.619 --> 00:41:57.079
 want to kill

00:41:57.079 --> 00:41:57.420
 him because

00:41:57.420 --> 00:41:57.800
 it's so

00:41:57.800 --> 00:41:58.480
 offensive to

00:41:58.480 --> 00:41:58.699
 you.

00:42:01.440 --> 00:42:01.900
 So he

00:42:01.900 --> 00:42:02.340
 stays there.

00:42:02.779 --> 00:42:03.539
 He stays there

00:42:03.539 --> 00:42:03.840
 and then he

00:42:03.840 --> 00:42:04.380
 invites the

00:42:04.380 --> 00:42:05.000
 Jewish leaders

00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:05.599
 and he invites

00:42:05.599 --> 00:42:05.940
 the church

00:42:05.940 --> 00:42:06.300
 over there

00:42:06.300 --> 00:42:06.860
 and he

00:42:06.860 --> 00:42:07.179
 basically,

00:42:07.460 --> 00:42:07.900
 what happens

00:42:07.900 --> 00:42:08.279
 here is,

00:42:08.880 --> 00:42:09.420
 from verse

00:42:09.420 --> 00:42:09.779
 23,

00:42:09.880 --> 00:42:10.099
 we're going to

00:42:10.099 --> 00:42:10.420
 fast forward

00:42:10.420 --> 00:42:10.759
 a little bit,

00:42:10.820 --> 00:42:11.199
 from morning

00:42:11.199 --> 00:42:11.599
 till evening

00:42:11.599 --> 00:42:12.159
 he expounded

00:42:12.159 --> 00:42:12.460
 to them,

00:42:12.619 --> 00:42:13.139
 testifying to

00:42:13.139 --> 00:42:13.440
 the kingdom

00:42:13.440 --> 00:42:13.759
 of God

00:42:13.760 --> 00:42:14.080
 and trying

00:42:14.080 --> 00:42:14.560
 to convince

00:42:14.560 --> 00:42:15.000
 them about

00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:15.340
 Jesus,

00:42:15.700 --> 00:42:16.080
 both from

00:42:16.080 --> 00:42:16.420
 the law

00:42:16.420 --> 00:42:16.880
 of Moses

00:42:16.880 --> 00:42:17.540
 and from

00:42:17.540 --> 00:42:18.380
 the prophets.

00:42:19.300 --> 00:42:20.000
 What we see

00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:20.520
 here is that

00:42:20.520 --> 00:42:21.540
 people come

00:42:21.540 --> 00:42:22.720
 to hear about

00:42:22.720 --> 00:42:23.180
 the gospel

00:42:23.180 --> 00:42:23.820
 from Paul,

00:42:24.340 --> 00:42:24.760
 the Jewish

00:42:24.760 --> 00:42:25.380
 leaders and

00:42:25.380 --> 00:42:25.740
 the church

00:42:25.740 --> 00:42:26.040
 in Rome

00:42:26.040 --> 00:42:27.120
 themselves and

00:42:27.120 --> 00:42:27.540
 again the

00:42:27.540 --> 00:42:27.880
 same thing

00:42:27.880 --> 00:42:28.240
 happens.

00:42:28.580 --> 00:42:29.020
 Some are

00:42:29.020 --> 00:42:29.440
 convinced,

00:42:29.660 --> 00:42:30.200
 verse 24,

00:42:30.460 --> 00:42:30.920
 some are

00:42:30.920 --> 00:42:31.460
 convinced and

00:42:31.460 --> 00:42:32.320
 others disbelieved.

00:42:32.800 --> 00:42:33.320
 So even

00:42:33.320 --> 00:42:34.140
 towards the end

00:42:34.140 --> 00:42:34.680
 of his life,

00:42:35.100 --> 00:42:35.540
 Paul is doing

00:42:35.540 --> 00:42:35.940
 the same

00:42:35.940 --> 00:42:36.260
 message.

00:42:37.140 --> 00:42:37.820
 In different

00:42:37.820 --> 00:42:38.280
 ways,

00:42:38.440 --> 00:42:38.940
 by the way,

00:42:40.280 --> 00:42:40.820
 in 1 Corinthians

00:42:40.820 --> 00:42:41.400
 9 he says

00:42:41.400 --> 00:42:41.760
 that to the

00:42:41.760 --> 00:42:42.260
 Jews I'm a Jew,

00:42:42.340 --> 00:42:42.680
 to the Greeks

00:42:42.680 --> 00:42:43.100
 I'm a Greek,

00:42:43.099 --> 00:42:44.319
 last week we

00:42:44.319 --> 00:42:44.819
 saw that actually

00:42:44.819 --> 00:42:45.500
 to the Pharisees

00:42:45.500 --> 00:42:45.940
 he would speak

00:42:45.940 --> 00:42:46.460
 like this,

00:42:46.559 --> 00:42:47.480
 to the Sadducees

00:42:47.480 --> 00:42:47.880
 like this,

00:42:47.940 --> 00:42:48.440
 to the Greeks

00:42:48.440 --> 00:42:49.199
 like this,

00:42:49.400 --> 00:42:49.839
 so he would

00:42:49.839 --> 00:42:50.480
 change the way

00:42:50.480 --> 00:42:50.920
 he speaks,

00:42:51.179 --> 00:42:51.579
 which actually

00:42:51.579 --> 00:42:52.099
 tells me one

00:42:52.099 --> 00:42:52.239
 thing,

00:42:52.299 --> 00:42:52.480
 and I was

00:42:52.480 --> 00:42:53.299
 talking to a

00:42:53.299 --> 00:42:53.619
 friend about

00:42:53.619 --> 00:42:54.539
 this yesterday,

00:42:54.880 --> 00:42:55.139
 that actually

00:42:55.139 --> 00:42:55.679
 sometimes when

00:42:55.679 --> 00:42:56.219
 we watch how

00:42:56.219 --> 00:42:56.779
 people share

00:42:56.779 --> 00:42:57.139
 the gospel,

00:42:57.299 --> 00:42:57.779
 sometimes it's

00:42:57.779 --> 00:42:58.079
 a little bit

00:42:58.079 --> 00:42:58.579
 distasteful,

00:42:58.799 --> 00:42:59.259
 sometimes it's

00:42:59.259 --> 00:43:00.239
 the same thing

00:43:00.239 --> 00:43:00.659
 every time.

00:43:01.579 --> 00:43:02.519
 But what he's

00:43:02.519 --> 00:43:02.900
 seeing here,

00:43:02.920 --> 00:43:03.519
 what we see here

00:43:03.519 --> 00:43:04.039
 is that if we're

00:43:04.039 --> 00:43:04.360
 going to share

00:43:04.360 --> 00:43:05.139
 the gospel that's

00:43:05.139 --> 00:43:05.619
 led by the

00:43:05.619 --> 00:43:06.059
 Holy Spirit,

00:43:06.239 --> 00:43:06.480
 there are

00:43:06.480 --> 00:43:07.019
 different ways

00:43:07.019 --> 00:43:07.659
 to share the

00:43:07.659 --> 00:43:08.259
 same message.

00:43:08.719 --> 00:43:09.380
 And we have

00:43:09.380 --> 00:43:10.000
 to be sensitive

00:43:13.099 --> 00:43:13.759
 and we can't

00:43:13.759 --> 00:43:14.179
 just go around

00:43:14.179 --> 00:43:14.739
 bashing people

00:43:14.739 --> 00:43:15.019
 around the

00:43:15.019 --> 00:43:15.719
 heads with the

00:43:15.719 --> 00:43:15.940
 Bible.

00:43:16.440 --> 00:43:17.279
 We rely on the

00:43:17.279 --> 00:43:17.779
 Holy Spirit and

00:43:17.779 --> 00:43:18.079
 go, what does

00:43:18.079 --> 00:43:18.559
 that person

00:43:18.559 --> 00:43:20.219
 actually need to

00:43:20.219 --> 00:43:20.420
 hear?

00:43:20.679 --> 00:43:21.539
 How can I care

00:43:21.539 --> 00:43:22.299
 for that person

00:43:22.299 --> 00:43:23.860
 and share the

00:43:23.860 --> 00:43:24.599
 gospel in a way

00:43:24.599 --> 00:43:25.219
 that actually they

00:43:25.219 --> 00:43:26.099
 understand, that

00:43:26.099 --> 00:43:26.559
 they can actually

00:43:26.559 --> 00:43:27.679
 connect to, all

00:43:27.679 --> 00:43:28.460
 while completely

00:43:28.460 --> 00:43:29.079
 saying, look,

00:43:29.239 --> 00:43:29.659
 whether they

00:43:29.659 --> 00:43:30.199
 actually accept

00:43:30.199 --> 00:43:30.940
 it or not is

00:43:30.940 --> 00:43:31.400
 not in my

00:43:31.400 --> 00:43:31.759
 control.

00:43:32.199 --> 00:43:32.719
 The greatest

00:43:32.719 --> 00:43:33.360
 church planter in

00:43:33.360 --> 00:43:34.339
 the world still

00:43:34.339 --> 00:43:35.279
 had, even to the

00:43:35.279 --> 00:43:36.259
 very end, people

00:43:36.259 --> 00:43:36.880
 who were convinced

00:43:36.880 --> 00:43:37.539
 and people who

00:43:37.539 --> 00:43:38.079
 disbelieved.

00:43:38.179 --> 00:43:39.139
 It is okay when

00:43:39.139 --> 00:43:39.819
 you go to that

00:43:39.819 --> 00:43:40.799
 relative and you

00:43:40.799 --> 00:43:41.420
 share with them the

00:43:41.420 --> 00:43:42.139
 gospel and they

00:43:42.139 --> 00:43:42.980
 say, I don't

00:43:43.099 --> 00:43:44.319
 care, you say,

00:43:44.440 --> 00:43:45.460
 okay, but I

00:43:45.460 --> 00:43:46.059
 will still always

00:43:46.059 --> 00:43:46.659
 care about you.

00:43:48.319 --> 00:43:48.980
 Let us be

00:43:48.980 --> 00:43:50.159
 prepared for that

00:43:50.159 --> 00:43:51.259
 kind of response.

00:43:51.799 --> 00:43:52.219
 And the mixed

00:43:52.219 --> 00:43:52.940
 responses that we

00:43:52.940 --> 00:43:53.739
 got last week from

00:43:53.739 --> 00:43:54.900
 Felix and from

00:43:54.900 --> 00:43:56.759
 King Agrippa, these

00:43:56.759 --> 00:43:57.679
 will be happening

00:43:57.679 --> 00:43:58.819
 to us too.

00:43:59.759 --> 00:44:00.119
 And so it

00:44:00.119 --> 00:44:00.679
 happens and then

00:44:00.679 --> 00:44:01.480
 he quotes

00:44:01.480 --> 00:44:03.420
 scripture, Isaiah,

00:44:03.900 --> 00:44:04.599
 and basically what

00:44:04.599 --> 00:44:05.159
 he's saying here is

00:44:05.159 --> 00:44:05.719
 go to his people

00:44:05.719 --> 00:44:06.159
 and say you

00:44:06.159 --> 00:44:07.039
 will indeed hear

00:44:07.039 --> 00:44:07.380
 but never

00:44:07.380 --> 00:44:07.960
 understand and

00:44:07.960 --> 00:44:08.400
 you will indeed

00:44:08.400 --> 00:44:09.099
 see but never

00:44:09.099 --> 00:44:09.980
 perceive that there

00:44:09.980 --> 00:44:10.679
 are people whose

00:44:10.679 --> 00:44:11.360
 hearts are just

00:44:11.360 --> 00:44:12.159
 simply not there.

00:44:12.159 --> 00:44:13.259
 Here's a quick

00:44:13.259 --> 00:44:13.440
 tip.

00:44:13.899 --> 00:44:14.699
 When we go and

00:44:14.699 --> 00:44:15.359
 share the gospel or

00:44:15.359 --> 00:44:15.960
 when we're about to

00:44:15.960 --> 00:44:16.659
 go to something where

00:44:16.659 --> 00:44:17.199
 we know there's

00:44:17.199 --> 00:44:18.059
 someone there who we

00:44:18.059 --> 00:44:18.639
 might need to share

00:44:18.639 --> 00:44:19.699
 the gospel with, pray

00:44:19.699 --> 00:44:20.500
 for that first and

00:44:20.500 --> 00:44:20.779
 first.

00:44:21.440 --> 00:44:22.059
 Ask for the Holy

00:44:22.059 --> 00:44:22.799
 Spirit to move them

00:44:22.799 --> 00:44:23.500
 because it's not going

00:44:23.500 --> 00:44:24.420
 to be your words that

00:44:24.420 --> 00:44:25.019
 convinces them.

00:44:25.099 --> 00:44:25.559
 It's going to be the

00:44:25.559 --> 00:44:26.719
 Holy Spirit doing

00:44:26.719 --> 00:44:27.899
 something in them

00:44:27.899 --> 00:44:29.219
 already and maybe you

00:44:29.219 --> 00:44:30.139
 just get to be a part

00:44:30.139 --> 00:44:30.399
 of it.

00:44:31.139 --> 00:44:32.259
 So you ask the Holy

00:44:32.259 --> 00:44:33.500
 Spirit, hey, I'm about

00:44:33.500 --> 00:44:34.599
 to meet this uncle and

00:44:34.599 --> 00:44:36.099
 this uncle is a pain in

00:44:36.099 --> 00:44:38.359
 the backside and he is

00:44:38.359 --> 00:44:40.239
 so arrogant and he

00:44:40.239 --> 00:44:40.819
 thinks he knows

00:44:40.820 --> 00:44:43.539
 everything but God if

00:44:43.539 --> 00:44:44.059
 there's something that

00:44:44.059 --> 00:44:45.740
 you want me to do, if

00:44:45.740 --> 00:44:46.420
 there's something that

00:44:46.420 --> 00:44:47.180
 you want me to say,

00:44:48.300 --> 00:44:50.200
 would you tell me?

00:44:51.180 --> 00:44:53.780
 I'm listening and still

00:44:53.780 --> 00:44:54.519
 be prepared that it

00:44:54.519 --> 00:44:54.920
 won't work.

00:44:55.620 --> 00:44:56.180
 Therefore let it be

00:44:56.180 --> 00:44:57.420
 known to you that this

00:44:57.420 --> 00:44:58.400
 salvation of God which

00:44:58.400 --> 00:44:59.220
 was first to the Jews

00:44:59.220 --> 00:44:59.880
 but because you've

00:44:59.880 --> 00:45:00.940
 rejected it now is

00:45:00.940 --> 00:45:01.700
 being sent to the

00:45:01.700 --> 00:45:03.559
 Gentiles and they will

00:45:03.559 --> 00:45:04.260
 listen.

00:45:04.760 --> 00:45:06.019
 He lives there for two

00:45:06.019 --> 00:45:08.740
 years, welcomed all who

00:45:08.740 --> 00:45:09.760
 came to him, proclaiming

00:45:09.760 --> 00:45:10.360
 the kingdom of God,

00:45:11.320 --> 00:45:12.100
 teaching about Lord

00:45:12.100 --> 00:45:13.100
 Jesus with all boldness

00:45:13.100 --> 00:45:14.040
 and without hindrance,

00:45:14.900 --> 00:45:16.680
 full stop, end of

00:45:16.680 --> 00:45:18.500
 chapter, end of book.

00:45:20.920 --> 00:45:21.820
 And just like when I

00:45:21.820 --> 00:45:23.180
 watch a TV show, the

00:45:23.180 --> 00:45:25.140
 finale finishes and it

00:45:25.140 --> 00:45:25.980
 just stops and I was

00:45:25.980 --> 00:45:28.400
 like, but what about

00:45:28.400 --> 00:45:28.740
 Caesar?

00:45:30.340 --> 00:45:31.760
 We've been waiting for

00:45:32.580 --> 00:45:32.980
 Caesar.

00:45:32.980 --> 00:45:37.000
 Okay, so I'm not a very

00:45:37.000 --> 00:45:38.099
 creative, artsy kind of

00:45:38.099 --> 00:45:39.099
 person but I know there

00:45:39.099 --> 00:45:40.480
 are here who, those of

00:45:40.480 --> 00:45:41.599
 you who are.

00:45:42.159 --> 00:45:42.679
 Have you watched those

00:45:42.679 --> 00:45:43.539
 movies that are really

00:45:43.539 --> 00:45:44.579
 creative and kind of in

00:45:44.579 --> 00:45:45.360
 the festival kind of

00:45:45.360 --> 00:45:46.699
 films that just end when

00:45:46.699 --> 00:45:47.360
 they're not supposed to

00:45:47.360 --> 00:45:49.219
 end and you just finish

00:45:49.219 --> 00:45:52.119
 and you're like, what just

00:45:52.119 --> 00:45:52.579
 happened there?

00:45:52.659 --> 00:45:53.719
 Okay, I am not those kind

00:45:53.719 --> 00:45:54.599
 of Venice Film Festival

00:45:54.599 --> 00:45:54.960
 people.

00:45:55.340 --> 00:45:56.699
 I'm a Hugh Grant kind of

00:45:56.699 --> 00:45:58.719
 rom-com person where there's

00:45:58.719 --> 00:46:00.199
 a good high and then there's

00:46:00.199 --> 00:46:01.539
 a low but it always finishes

00:46:01.539 --> 00:46:01.820
 high.

00:46:01.820 --> 00:46:03.100
 I just need that finish.

00:46:04.140 --> 00:46:05.320
 I just need Hugh Grant

00:46:05.320 --> 00:46:07.539
 to learn that he's hopeless

00:46:07.539 --> 00:46:09.100
 without this girl and so

00:46:09.100 --> 00:46:09.680
 they get together.

00:46:10.480 --> 00:46:11.320
 Two weeks notice.

00:46:11.440 --> 00:46:12.300
 I highly recommend it.

00:46:12.340 --> 00:46:12.820
 It's a great film.

00:46:15.100 --> 00:46:16.720
 I need that and yet here

00:46:16.720 --> 00:46:17.660
 it just stopped.

00:46:20.360 --> 00:46:21.080
 Do you get what I'm

00:46:21.080 --> 00:46:21.300
 saying?

00:46:22.019 --> 00:46:22.720
 Isn't this a little bit

00:46:22.720 --> 00:46:23.660
 like, huh?

00:46:25.059 --> 00:46:25.880
 And then as I was

00:46:25.880 --> 00:46:28.840
 pondering over this, it

00:46:28.840 --> 00:46:30.900
 made me think, it's one

00:46:30.900 --> 00:46:31.800
 of those times where you

00:46:31.800 --> 00:46:33.519
 sit in the film and the

00:46:33.519 --> 00:46:35.519
 movie just stops and the

00:46:35.519 --> 00:46:38.700
 screen goes black and then

00:46:38.700 --> 00:46:39.560
 it turns into a mirror.

00:46:42.200 --> 00:46:43.380
 The movie stops and you're

00:46:43.380 --> 00:46:45.240
 expecting Paul to be the

00:46:45.240 --> 00:46:46.740
 one that saves Western

00:46:46.740 --> 00:46:47.220
 civilization.

00:46:48.300 --> 00:46:49.820
 You're expecting Paul to be

00:46:49.820 --> 00:46:50.780
 the one that shares the

00:46:50.780 --> 00:46:52.120
 gospel in such eloquent ways

00:46:52.120 --> 00:46:53.700
 to Caesar that it ends up

00:46:53.700 --> 00:46:54.940
 causing Caesar to change the

00:46:54.940 --> 00:46:56.039
 whole religion of the Roman

00:46:56.039 --> 00:46:56.400
 Empire.

00:46:56.580 --> 00:46:57.800
 That ends up spreading the

00:46:57.800 --> 00:46:58.640
 gospel to the rest of the

00:46:58.640 --> 00:46:59.740
 world and that we can just

00:46:59.739 --> 00:47:01.739
 sit here on this nice comfy

00:47:01.739 --> 00:47:03.719
 cinema seat and just watch

00:47:03.719 --> 00:47:04.979
 the kingdom of God move and

00:47:04.979 --> 00:47:05.519
 leave it there.

00:47:05.979 --> 00:47:07.500
 And in reality, the movie

00:47:07.500 --> 00:47:08.379
 stops there.

00:47:08.500 --> 00:47:10.219
 It blacks out, turns into a

00:47:10.219 --> 00:47:11.359
 mirror and then looks at you

00:47:11.359 --> 00:47:14.179
 and I and says, now it's your

00:47:14.179 --> 00:47:14.439
 turn.

00:47:16.199 --> 00:47:16.639
 Psych.

00:47:17.000 --> 00:47:18.099
 It was never about Paul.

00:47:18.099 --> 00:47:20.980
 It was about you.

00:47:20.980 --> 00:47:21.039
 It was about you.

00:47:21.039 --> 00:47:24.440
 It was about you, Sybil.

00:47:24.920 --> 00:47:26.440
 It was about you, Bill.

00:47:27.099 --> 00:47:28.679
 It was about you, Ethan.

00:47:30.039 --> 00:47:32.880
 The kingdom of God keeps moving

00:47:32.880 --> 00:47:35.619
 and it's not about the people

00:47:35.619 --> 00:47:37.500
 who carry the message, but it's

00:47:37.500 --> 00:47:39.380
 the message itself that is

00:47:39.380 --> 00:47:39.980
 unstoppable.

00:47:41.460 --> 00:47:43.199
 And that message, that word was

00:47:43.199 --> 00:47:44.420
 the one that became flesh.

00:47:44.420 --> 00:47:46.700
 That message is Jesus Christ

00:47:46.700 --> 00:47:48.700
 himself and Jesus Christ keeps

00:47:48.700 --> 00:47:52.320
 moving with or without us.

00:47:53.440 --> 00:47:55.659
 I think that's why Luke decides

00:47:55.659 --> 00:47:57.460
 we're done here.

00:47:59.720 --> 00:48:01.159
 I would have wanted to find out

00:48:01.159 --> 00:48:02.480
 what happens to Paul, if I'm

00:48:02.480 --> 00:48:02.720
 honest.

00:48:03.680 --> 00:48:05.180
 Now later we do, historians

00:48:05.180 --> 00:48:06.519
 believe that actually he ends up

00:48:06.519 --> 00:48:07.840
 in Rome and actually he ends up

00:48:07.840 --> 00:48:08.820
 actually being able to leave.

00:48:09.119 --> 00:48:09.320
 Why?

00:48:09.500 --> 00:48:11.019
 Because in Rome, he writes quite a

00:48:11.019 --> 00:48:12.159
 few letters to the churches in

00:48:12.159 --> 00:48:12.460
 the past.

00:48:12.460 --> 00:48:14.340
 So Ephesians, Philippians, these

00:48:14.340 --> 00:48:15.940
 were him writing it during these

00:48:15.940 --> 00:48:17.179
 two years under house arrest.

00:48:17.920 --> 00:48:19.019
 And actually he says to the

00:48:19.019 --> 00:48:20.139
 church in Philippi, I can't wait

00:48:20.139 --> 00:48:20.960
 to come and see you again.

00:48:21.240 --> 00:48:22.380
 I'm going to send Timothy to you

00:48:22.380 --> 00:48:23.599
 first, but I'm going to come and

00:48:23.599 --> 00:48:24.599
 hang out with you afterwards as

00:48:24.599 --> 00:48:24.740
 well.

00:48:25.619 --> 00:48:26.940
 So actually I'm encouraged.

00:48:27.059 --> 00:48:27.900
 Actually Paul doesn't get

00:48:27.900 --> 00:48:28.380
 arrested here.

00:48:28.440 --> 00:48:29.300
 He doesn't die here.

00:48:29.599 --> 00:48:31.220
 So he actually gets to leave and

00:48:31.220 --> 00:48:32.980
 then he goes and historians

00:48:32.980 --> 00:48:33.960
 believe he then gets to go to

00:48:33.960 --> 00:48:36.260
 Spain where he continues to

00:48:36.260 --> 00:48:38.099
 spread the gospel and have tapas.

00:48:38.460 --> 00:48:40.599
 And from there, he actually has a

00:48:40.599 --> 00:48:42.420
 good few years of where he

00:48:42.420 --> 00:48:44.420
 continues to share the gospel

00:48:44.420 --> 00:48:46.579
 without hindrance until what we

00:48:46.579 --> 00:48:48.259
 believe is Emperor Nero in 64.

00:48:48.519 --> 00:48:49.659
 So it's four or five years after

00:48:49.659 --> 00:48:51.360
 this, he actually ends up in front

00:48:51.360 --> 00:48:51.980
 of Nero again.

00:48:52.420 --> 00:48:53.880
 And then that's when he gets close

00:48:53.880 --> 00:48:54.339
 to his end.

00:48:54.719 --> 00:48:56.219
 And that's when he gets put into a

00:48:56.219 --> 00:48:56.440
 dungeon.

00:48:57.159 --> 00:48:59.199
 And that's when he writes those

00:48:59.199 --> 00:49:01.639
 words that JP read for us at the

00:49:01.639 --> 00:49:01.920
 beginning.

00:49:02.480 --> 00:49:03.639
 That I have fought the good fight.

00:49:03.639 --> 00:49:07.639
 And I've poured myself out and I

00:49:07.639 --> 00:49:09.159
 am now reaching my end.

00:49:10.699 --> 00:49:12.039
 And that's where I get emotional.

00:49:12.139 --> 00:49:13.039
 That's where I get sentimental.

00:49:13.199 --> 00:49:15.359
 I'm like, man, he's reached the

00:49:15.359 --> 00:49:18.279
 end and yet he's still pressing on

00:49:18.279 --> 00:49:19.480
 in the same way.

00:49:20.239 --> 00:49:22.119
 But he's still very much a human

00:49:22.119 --> 00:49:22.480
 being.

00:49:22.679 --> 00:49:22.900
 Why?

00:49:23.199 --> 00:49:24.839
 Because he tells Timothy in 2

00:49:24.839 --> 00:49:26.539
 Timothy, this is probably his final

00:49:26.539 --> 00:49:26.779
 letter.

00:49:26.859 --> 00:49:28.759
 He says, please come to me soon.

00:49:29.920 --> 00:49:31.359
 Do your best to come to me soon.

00:49:31.360 --> 00:49:33.280
 And when you come to me, can you

00:49:33.280 --> 00:49:33.900
 bring my coat?

00:49:35.079 --> 00:49:36.140
 Why bring my coat?

00:49:36.240 --> 00:49:37.500
 Because this dungeon is cold.

00:49:39.680 --> 00:49:41.160
 And can you bring with me my books

00:49:41.160 --> 00:49:41.500
 as well?

00:49:42.000 --> 00:49:43.140
 Because I still want to read.

00:49:43.980 --> 00:49:44.920
 I still want to grow.

00:49:45.079 --> 00:49:45.800
 I still want to learn.

00:49:47.000 --> 00:49:49.820
 Others left me the first time I met

00:49:49.820 --> 00:49:50.079
 Caesar.

00:49:50.180 --> 00:49:51.440
 But you have stayed with me.

00:49:51.640 --> 00:49:53.599
 Would you come and spend my final few

00:49:53.599 --> 00:49:54.960
 days with me?

00:49:58.260 --> 00:49:59.960
 Later, after writing that letter,

00:50:00.400 --> 00:50:01.340
 he will then be dragged out.

00:50:01.360 --> 00:50:02.460
 And be executed.

00:50:04.579 --> 00:50:05.340
 Till the end.

00:50:06.340 --> 00:50:08.320
 Till the end, Paul continues to go.

00:50:08.480 --> 00:50:12.440
 How does he have that kind of peace?

00:50:15.280 --> 00:50:16.599
 I think we can go all the way back.

00:50:16.680 --> 00:50:18.039
 And this is where the emotional part

00:50:18.039 --> 00:50:18.820
 of the movie will come.

00:50:19.079 --> 00:50:21.120
 Where all his old scenes flashback.

00:50:22.140 --> 00:50:23.180
 The moment he's trying to kill.

00:50:23.340 --> 00:50:24.440
 The moment he's overseeing the

00:50:24.440 --> 00:50:25.300
 execution of Stephen.

00:50:25.500 --> 00:50:26.960
 The moment he gets blinded in

00:50:26.960 --> 00:50:27.480
 Damascus.

00:50:27.680 --> 00:50:28.960
 The moment he goes to all these

00:50:28.960 --> 00:50:30.099
 different houses and meets all these

00:50:30.099 --> 00:50:30.559
 different people.

00:50:30.699 --> 00:50:31.940
 Teaches all these people in Athens,

00:50:32.079 --> 00:50:32.400
 in Ephesus.

00:50:32.719 --> 00:50:34.659
 And then you see, just at the end,

00:50:34.719 --> 00:50:35.400
 he's in the dungeon.

00:50:35.759 --> 00:50:37.059
 And then you can just see this play out

00:50:37.059 --> 00:50:38.000
 as a movie.

00:50:38.219 --> 00:50:39.739
 And Paul says, this is not the end

00:50:39.739 --> 00:50:40.739
 for me.

00:50:41.019 --> 00:50:42.519
 Why does he have that kind of peace?

00:50:42.619 --> 00:50:44.239
 It's because he met Jesus Christ.

00:50:44.239 --> 00:50:47.719
 Because he encountered him and had his life

00:50:47.719 --> 00:50:48.579
 completely changed.

00:50:48.659 --> 00:50:50.979
 That he was once blind, but now that he sees,

00:50:51.059 --> 00:50:53.259
 he was once lost, but then he was found.

00:50:54.619 --> 00:50:56.139
 That's why he was so selfless.

00:50:56.259 --> 00:50:57.599
 That's why he was so fierce.

00:50:59.799 --> 00:51:03.619
 How do we keep that peace and stand firm

00:51:03.619 --> 00:51:05.479
 in the midst of the storm?

00:51:05.480 --> 00:51:10.440
 We do it because we recognize that we're not

00:51:10.440 --> 00:51:12.019
 stood there alone.

00:51:13.300 --> 00:51:15.900
 That in the middle of that storm,

00:51:16.679 --> 00:51:19.300
 an angel of the Lord stands right next to Paul

00:51:19.300 --> 00:51:22.199
 and reminds him of his purpose,

00:51:23.179 --> 00:51:25.000
 reminds him of where he's going

00:51:25.000 --> 00:51:27.539
 and reminds him who is in control.

00:51:27.539 --> 00:51:31.199
 Many of you know my favorite book

00:51:31.199 --> 00:51:32.159
 is the book of Philippians.

00:51:32.380 --> 00:51:34.199
 And at the end of that, he says, rejoice.

00:51:34.440 --> 00:51:36.460
 Again, I will say, rejoice.

00:51:37.960 --> 00:51:40.360
 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.

00:51:40.840 --> 00:51:42.059
 The Lord is at hand.

00:51:42.340 --> 00:51:44.300
 Do not be anxious about anything,

00:51:44.940 --> 00:51:47.400
 but in everything, with prayer and supplication,

00:51:47.500 --> 00:51:48.860
 with thanksgiving, let your requests

00:51:48.860 --> 00:51:49.779
 be made known to God.

00:51:49.779 --> 00:51:53.159
 And the peace of God that surpasses understanding

00:51:53.159 --> 00:51:56.099
 will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

00:51:56.099 --> 00:51:58.519
 So you can stand in that storm

00:51:58.519 --> 00:52:02.920
 knowing that Christ himself stands right there with you

00:52:02.920 --> 00:52:04.400
 and that will give you peace.

00:52:04.639 --> 00:52:06.360
 That passage, do not be anxious about anything.

00:52:06.980 --> 00:52:07.420
 I love it.

00:52:07.460 --> 00:52:08.319
 We put it in a fridge magnet.

00:52:08.500 --> 00:52:10.599
 We put on key rings to remind ourselves

00:52:10.599 --> 00:52:11.299
 to not be anxious.

00:52:11.500 --> 00:52:12.319
 But what's the key there?

00:52:12.400 --> 00:52:14.139
 I don't think it's even do not be anxious.

00:52:14.420 --> 00:52:15.819
 I think it's a few verses before,

00:52:15.920 --> 00:52:17.079
 a few words before that says,

00:52:17.079 --> 00:52:18.619
 the Lord is at hand.

00:52:19.440 --> 00:52:20.920
 Do not be anxious about anything.

00:52:21.719 --> 00:52:24.239
 The Lord is near, so you don't have to be anxious.

00:52:24.639 --> 00:52:25.960
 You don't have to be anxious

00:52:25.960 --> 00:52:28.619
 because right there in the middle of your storm

00:52:28.619 --> 00:52:29.880
 is Christ holding your hand.

00:52:30.699 --> 00:52:32.500
 Paul can stand in that storm

00:52:32.500 --> 00:52:34.220
 and not be afraid and said,

00:52:34.320 --> 00:52:36.480
 I will not lose and you will not lose any more hairs

00:52:36.480 --> 00:52:40.740
 because this guy stood right here,

00:52:42.019 --> 00:52:42.780
 is with us.

00:52:43.920 --> 00:52:46.179
 Because the thing that you fear the most,

00:52:46.740 --> 00:52:47.639
 death itself,

00:52:48.340 --> 00:52:50.860
 the thing that you're worried about

00:52:50.860 --> 00:52:52.559
 whilst you're stood in this storm right now,

00:52:53.079 --> 00:52:54.019
 you can take heart.

00:52:54.019 --> 00:52:54.340
 Why?

00:52:54.579 --> 00:52:56.940
 Because this guy was thrown into the storm for us.

00:52:58.199 --> 00:53:00.539
 And because he was thrown into the storm for us

00:53:00.539 --> 00:53:02.079
 and he dealt with that death,

00:53:02.300 --> 00:53:03.820
 the death now has no more sting

00:53:03.820 --> 00:53:05.199
 and then he rises again

00:53:05.199 --> 00:53:06.519
 so we can stand here

00:53:06.519 --> 00:53:07.739
 and not be anxious about anything.

00:53:08.059 --> 00:53:09.139
 We can give thanks.

00:53:09.539 --> 00:53:10.500
 We can take communion

00:53:10.500 --> 00:53:12.159
 in front of 272 people

00:53:12.159 --> 00:53:13.179
 who don't know Christ.

00:53:13.559 --> 00:53:13.860
 Why?

00:53:14.119 --> 00:53:15.619
 Because we know who Jesus is

00:53:15.619 --> 00:53:17.539
 and we know what Jesus did for us.

00:53:18.880 --> 00:53:19.739
 Isn't that powerful?

00:53:20.780 --> 00:53:21.579
 Isn't that beautiful?

00:53:21.579 --> 00:53:23.139
 Doesn't that charge you

00:53:23.139 --> 00:53:26.299
 to go out and share that good news?

00:53:27.960 --> 00:53:30.539
 That in your boat is Christ himself.

00:53:32.599 --> 00:53:33.799
 Jesus himself says,

00:53:33.960 --> 00:53:34.819
 I am the greater Jonah.

00:53:37.259 --> 00:53:39.539
 Jonah was thrown into the storm

00:53:39.539 --> 00:53:42.239
 to satisfy the wrath of God.

00:53:42.239 --> 00:53:45.139
 And yet Christ comes along and says,

00:53:45.319 --> 00:53:46.559
 I was,

00:53:46.719 --> 00:53:48.039
 I am the greater Jonah.

00:53:48.719 --> 00:53:50.739
 And because I was thrown into the storm,

00:53:51.379 --> 00:53:52.939
 you now don't have to worry

00:53:52.939 --> 00:53:54.539
 about your storms

00:53:54.539 --> 00:53:58.079
 and continue to fight the good fight

00:53:58.079 --> 00:53:59.939
 to run the race.

00:53:59.940 --> 00:54:02.460
 So as Christians,

00:54:02.960 --> 00:54:04.800
 we can cope with suffering.

00:54:05.360 --> 00:54:06.420
 We can deal with suffering

00:54:06.420 --> 00:54:07.280
 because we know that

00:54:07.280 --> 00:54:08.300
 without suffering,

00:54:08.500 --> 00:54:09.320
 there is no glory.

00:54:10.300 --> 00:54:11.659
 That we have a suffering servant,

00:54:12.179 --> 00:54:12.860
 a suffering king

00:54:12.860 --> 00:54:15.179
 who took on all the pain,

00:54:15.240 --> 00:54:16.200
 who took on all the grief,

00:54:17.480 --> 00:54:19.200
 who took on the consequences of our sin

00:54:19.200 --> 00:54:21.220
 and yet rose again.

00:54:23.460 --> 00:54:25.280
 For those who have friends who ask,

00:54:25.280 --> 00:54:27.579
 well, if there is a good God,

00:54:27.659 --> 00:54:29.059
 why is there so much evil?

00:54:29.659 --> 00:54:33.340
 We cannot let God off the hook with evil.

00:54:33.960 --> 00:54:34.539
 You can say,

00:54:34.759 --> 00:54:38.639
 well, Jesus himself is God's answer to that evil.

00:54:39.920 --> 00:54:42.880
 That he did not let evil off the hook.

00:54:43.019 --> 00:54:46.159
 In fact, Jesus himself was placed on the hook.

00:54:47.539 --> 00:54:48.659
 In God, we have someone

00:54:48.659 --> 00:54:50.299
 who is willing to stand with us in the storm,

00:54:50.619 --> 00:54:52.139
 to sit with us in the mud

00:54:52.139 --> 00:54:55.519
 because he died the death that we deserved

00:54:55.519 --> 00:54:57.019
 so we would have the life

00:54:57.019 --> 00:54:59.139
 and life to the full.

00:55:02.619 --> 00:55:03.739
 And the story finishes.

00:55:05.300 --> 00:55:06.000
 Acts is done.

00:55:08.900 --> 00:55:11.139
 There's movements in churches.

00:55:11.360 --> 00:55:13.679
 I mean, Acts 29 is one of them, right?

00:55:13.759 --> 00:55:16.259
 Where, hey, you don't have to sit here

00:55:16.259 --> 00:55:17.699
 and wonder where this finale ends

00:55:17.699 --> 00:55:18.639
 because it hasn't ended

00:55:18.639 --> 00:55:22.340
 because that black screen is now in a mirror

00:55:22.340 --> 00:55:23.920
 and it looks at you and I

00:55:23.920 --> 00:55:26.260
 and says, what will you do?

00:55:26.260 --> 00:55:29.520
 First, it was Pentecost.

00:55:30.100 --> 00:55:30.960
 Then it was Stephen.

00:55:31.540 --> 00:55:32.380
 Then it was Peter.

00:55:33.040 --> 00:55:33.940
 Then it was Paul.

00:55:34.540 --> 00:55:35.680
 Then it was Cornelius.

00:55:36.480 --> 00:55:37.700
 Then it was Aristarchus.

00:55:37.699 --> 00:55:39.399
 Then it was Luke.

00:55:40.219 --> 00:55:41.079
 And now it is you.

00:55:42.299 --> 00:55:43.099
 And now it is me.

00:55:46.319 --> 00:55:48.219
 It's never been about the acts of the apostles.

00:55:48.399 --> 00:55:50.099
 It's always been about the acts of the Holy Spirit

00:55:50.099 --> 00:55:51.059
 through the apostles.

00:55:51.500 --> 00:55:53.639
 The acts of the Holy Spirit through you and I.

00:55:55.639 --> 00:55:58.399
 And as we finish this series on the book of Acts,

00:55:59.059 --> 00:56:00.480
 and as we look, today is Palm Sunday

00:56:00.480 --> 00:56:02.739
 where we prepare our hearts

00:56:02.739 --> 00:56:03.919
 for the entrance of Christ,

00:56:04.599 --> 00:56:05.439
 the triumphal entry.

00:56:05.440 --> 00:56:09.760
 Let us spend that time now pondering

00:56:09.760 --> 00:56:11.720
 on the power of the cross

00:56:11.720 --> 00:56:15.119
 because it isn't going to be lofty speech or wisdom.

00:56:15.380 --> 00:56:17.099
 It will not be your eloquent words

00:56:17.099 --> 00:56:18.500
 that will argue that uncle down

00:56:18.500 --> 00:56:21.059
 or that colleague who doesn't care.

00:56:21.780 --> 00:56:23.700
 It will be the Holy Spirit that moves hearts.

00:56:24.440 --> 00:56:26.280
 And can we pray for those people?

00:56:28.119 --> 00:56:30.599
 Because whilst we have Jesus in our boat,

00:56:31.700 --> 00:56:32.880
 Mark 4 says, remember,

00:56:32.880 --> 00:56:36.099
 and on that lake when he calmed the storms,

00:56:36.640 --> 00:56:38.200
 there were other boats as well.

00:56:38.200 --> 00:56:41.059
 There are people in your influence,

00:56:41.240 --> 00:56:42.079
 in your sphere,

00:56:42.360 --> 00:56:43.360
 in your workplace,

00:56:43.519 --> 00:56:44.300
 in your families

00:56:44.300 --> 00:56:46.140
 that are in their boats,

00:56:46.640 --> 00:56:47.280
 terrified,

00:56:48.000 --> 00:56:49.720
 with all hope lost.

00:56:52.119 --> 00:56:53.400
 And in our boat,

00:56:53.780 --> 00:56:54.619
 there is Jesus.

00:56:55.059 --> 00:56:55.260
 What?

00:56:57.119 --> 00:56:59.220
 So if you've not got any motivation

00:56:59.219 --> 00:57:00.159
 to share the gospel,

00:57:00.299 --> 00:57:01.319
 then think about that.

00:57:02.119 --> 00:57:03.159
 That you face your storms

00:57:03.159 --> 00:57:04.119
 with Christ in your boat

00:57:04.119 --> 00:57:05.359
 and yet there are other boats out there

00:57:05.359 --> 00:57:07.099
 that have no hope.

00:57:08.579 --> 00:57:09.459
 Let us share it.

00:57:10.980 --> 00:57:11.799
 I'll spend a moment now

00:57:11.799 --> 00:57:13.219
 just to pray and reflect

00:57:13.219 --> 00:57:13.939
 on the word of God

00:57:13.939 --> 00:57:15.859
 and then we'll respond in song.

00:57:15.860 --> 00:57:34.579
 So Lord, the movie

00:57:34.579 --> 00:57:37.620
 comes to a seemingly awkward

00:57:37.620 --> 00:57:38.579
 and abrupt end

00:57:38.579 --> 00:57:42.800
 until we realize

00:57:42.800 --> 00:57:44.099
 that it's not ended yet.

00:57:44.099 --> 00:57:50.900
 that there are more chapters

00:57:50.900 --> 00:57:52.179
 being written right now

00:57:52.179 --> 00:57:52.900
 as we speak

00:57:52.900 --> 00:57:55.420
 detailing the acts

00:57:55.420 --> 00:57:56.099
 of the Holy Spirit

00:57:56.099 --> 00:57:57.799
 through your people.

00:58:03.500 --> 00:58:04.059
 Speak.

00:58:04.460 --> 00:58:05.380
 Your servants are listening.

00:58:07.519 --> 00:58:08.420
 Fill us up

00:58:08.420 --> 00:58:09.759
 and send us out.

00:58:09.759 --> 00:58:09.860
 Amen.

00:58:09.860 --> 00:58:09.920
 Amen.

00:58:14.099 --> 00:58:15.099
 And we cling on to

00:58:15.099 --> 00:58:16.019
 the promise,

00:58:16.860 --> 00:58:19.099
 the truth.

00:58:20.000 --> 00:58:20.400
 The Lord,

00:58:20.500 --> 00:58:21.319
 you remain sovereign

00:58:21.319 --> 00:58:24.000
 over us,

00:58:24.779 --> 00:58:26.019
 over all our circumstances.

00:58:30.659 --> 00:58:31.819
 And just like Jesus

00:58:31.819 --> 00:58:33.380
 is in the Garden of Gethsemane,

00:58:33.759 --> 00:58:37.819
 we declare,

00:58:38.259 --> 00:58:39.159
 sometimes in pain,

00:58:39.319 --> 00:58:43.299
 yet not my will,

00:58:43.940 --> 00:58:44.579
 but yours.

00:58:45.599 --> 00:58:46.779
 We entrust ourselves

00:58:46.779 --> 00:58:48.179
 to your sovereign plan.

00:58:48.179 --> 00:58:48.279
 Amen.

00:58:48.279 --> 00:58:48.279


00:58:48.279 --> 00:58:48.279


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00:58:48.279 --> 00:58:48.279


00:58:48.280 --> 00:59:18.260
 Thank you.