WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.080 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:11.599 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, redistribution, or any other 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:15.280 use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:22.620 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:25.640 --> 00:00:26.539 Good morning. 00:00:26.740 --> 00:00:27.820 I'm Terri Cochie. 00:00:27.820 --> 00:00:31.859 I'm part of the North Berkeley and Wednesday Women's Community Groups. 00:00:32.359 --> 00:00:38.140 And today's scripture reading is from the book of Acts, chapter 17, verses 1 through 15, 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:39.539 as printed in the liturgy. 00:00:40.659 --> 00:00:47.320 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, 00:00:47.719 --> 00:00:49.320 where there was a Jewish synagogue. 00:00:50.519 --> 00:00:57.140 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days, he reasoned with 00:00:57.140 --> 00:01:02.719 them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:03.079 the dead. 00:01:04.060 --> 00:01:08.460 This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah, he said. 00:01:09.460 --> 00:01:14.920 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing 00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:17.519 Greeks and quite a few prominent women. 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:20.500 But other Jews were jealous. 00:01:20.500 --> 00:01:27.340 So they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a 00:01:27.340 --> 00:01:28.439 riot in the city. 00:01:28.439 --> 00:01:34.780 They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the 00:01:34.780 --> 00:01:35.099 crowd. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:41.120 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:42.159 officials, shouting, 00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:49.640 These men, who have caused trouble all over the world, have now come here, and Jason has 00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:51.000 welcomed them into his house. 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:57.340 They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus. 00:01:58.420 --> 00:02:03.200 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:08.020 Then they made Jason and the others post-bond and let them go. 00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:13.900 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:17.199 On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:24.000 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:30.219 the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul 00:02:30.219 --> 00:02:31.079 said was true. 00:02:32.099 --> 00:02:38.560 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:39.459 many Greek men. 00:02:40.459 --> 00:02:45.719 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, 00:02:45.719 --> 00:02:50.740 some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:57.400 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 00:02:58.199 --> 00:03:04.039 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and 00:03:04.039 --> 00:03:06.740 Timothy to join him as soon as possible. 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:09.020 This is the word of the Lord. 00:03:09.699 --> 00:03:10.759 Thanks be to God. 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:10.979 Amen. 00:03:10.979 --> 00:03:11.039 Amen. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:11.979 Amen. 00:03:11.979 --> 00:03:12.039 Amen. 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:12.099 Amen. 00:03:15.719 --> 00:03:16.719 Amen. 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:19.099 Thank you, Terry, for that scripture reading again. 00:03:19.359 --> 00:03:19.960 My name's Andrew. 00:03:20.039 --> 00:03:21.080 I'm one of the pastors here. 00:03:21.639 --> 00:03:24.879 And it's my privilege and honor to share God's word with you today. 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:26.340 Would you join me in prayer? 00:03:28.599 --> 00:03:32.599 Lord God, we are so thankful that you're a God who speaks. 00:03:33.579 --> 00:03:35.259 You're a God who has spoken to us. 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:41.120 You've given us the scriptures and we just pray that you would give us ears to hear, hearts 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:43.979 to receive what you have for us in your word today. 00:03:44.060 --> 00:03:46.419 We pray all these things in the strong name of Jesus. 00:03:47.060 --> 00:03:47.340 Amen. 00:03:48.699 --> 00:03:53.899 Well, Christ Church, I'm coming up here with tons of trepidation and insecurity having to 00:03:53.899 --> 00:03:57.340 follow after Christine's sermon last week from Posture the City, right? 00:03:57.439 --> 00:03:59.239 That was pretty amazing, right? 00:03:59.240 --> 00:04:01.060 But here we go, right? 00:04:01.180 --> 00:04:06.300 Continuing our series in the book of Acts, we're considering as a church what it looks 00:04:06.300 --> 00:04:10.020 like to bear witness to Christ, both in word and in deed, right? 00:04:10.040 --> 00:04:15.140 So last week, we talked about foster children, how we can care for them in this city, and 00:04:15.140 --> 00:04:19.139 that was a discussion of how we could bear witness to Christ in deed. 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:24.480 But today, here as we look at Acts chapter 17, the focus is shifting to how we can bear 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:26.300 witness to Christ with words. 00:04:26.300 --> 00:04:30.060 We're going to look at Paul's method of communicating the gospel. 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:33.840 We're going to ask the question, how did Paul evangelize, all right? 00:04:34.139 --> 00:04:35.340 Evangelize is a fancy word. 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:36.860 It means good newsing. 00:04:36.980 --> 00:04:38.879 How did Paul good news? 00:04:38.980 --> 00:04:42.340 How did he share this incredibly great, life-changing news about Jesus? 00:04:42.420 --> 00:04:43.540 We're going to ask, how did he do it? 00:04:43.740 --> 00:04:44.480 What was his method? 00:04:44.840 --> 00:04:48.360 And Acts chapter 17 is going to help us answer this question. 00:04:49.080 --> 00:04:52.780 So if you'll turn with me to verse 1, I want us to notice the first thing he does upon 00:04:52.780 --> 00:04:55.879 entering Thessalonica and then Berea, okay? 00:04:55.879 --> 00:04:58.219 We've seen it again and again throughout Acts. 00:04:58.500 --> 00:04:59.540 Verse 2 says, 00:05:00.219 --> 00:05:05.819 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days, he reasoned with 00:05:05.819 --> 00:05:07.699 them from the scriptures. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:13.439 All right, and at this point, you might just think, okay, yeah, so what, right? 00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:17.180 Isn't this what a Christian missionary just does? 00:05:17.259 --> 00:05:21.719 They open the Bible with people and show them what it says and try to persuade them to believe 00:05:21.719 --> 00:05:22.120 it, right? 00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:27.840 Well, yes, that's true, but also not exactly, and not so simplistically, not so impersonally. 00:05:28.259 --> 00:05:34.019 As we will see next week when Paul is in a non-Jewish context, appearing before the Greek philosophers 00:05:34.019 --> 00:05:39.280 of Athens, and as we already saw in Acts chapter 14, right, when he was in Lystra and they worshipped 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:45.179 him as the god Hermes, Paul's method inside and outside the synagogue are actually quite 00:05:45.179 --> 00:05:46.179 distinct, right? 00:05:46.219 --> 00:05:47.019 They're quite distinct. 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:53.719 He doesn't have one single mechanical, robotic, one-size-fits-all gospel presentation for everybody. 00:05:54.299 --> 00:05:58.939 You know, he doesn't embark on the Romans road every single time or tell people the four 00:05:58.939 --> 00:06:05.339 spiritual laws or use that colorful wordless book or the bracelet or quote John 3, 16 every 00:06:05.339 --> 00:06:05.939 single time. 00:06:06.019 --> 00:06:12.660 And don't get me wrong, none of these ways are bad to share about Jesus, but they all come 00:06:12.660 --> 00:06:17.379 out of very particular contexts in which people were trying to meet very particular needs. 00:06:17.379 --> 00:06:22.139 And we need to recognize that according to Paul's method and example, to bear witness 00:06:22.139 --> 00:06:28.379 about Christ is not just to impersonally spout off and regurgitate a list of Christian 00:06:28.379 --> 00:06:31.339 beliefs for people to receive or reject. 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:38.139 But Paul's strategy is not simply to communicate propositions, but to engage in the art of persuasion, 00:06:38.659 --> 00:06:40.319 to engage people's hearts. 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:44.399 So yes, sometimes he will open up the scriptures like here in the Jewish synagogue. 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:49.479 And as we will see next week at other times, he doesn't even open up the scriptures, doesn't 00:06:49.479 --> 00:06:53.919 even cite the scriptures without at all neglecting the truth of the scriptures. 00:06:54.739 --> 00:07:00.739 But what he does do every single time, every single time, is he always engages the highest 00:07:00.739 --> 00:07:05.939 allegiances of people's hearts and minds, their highest sources of authority. 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:10.279 He addresses the things that matter the most to people, the things that they value the most, 00:07:10.379 --> 00:07:12.879 the things that most control their lives. 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:17.879 So for the Greeks, it was their Greek philosophy or perhaps their Greek gods, right? 00:07:18.339 --> 00:07:20.980 But for those in this Jewish synagogue, it's not Zeus. 00:07:21.219 --> 00:07:22.180 It's not Hermes. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:23.819 It's not the wisdom of Socrates. 00:07:24.680 --> 00:07:25.439 It's the scriptures. 00:07:26.100 --> 00:07:26.639 It's the scriptures. 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:32.100 So again, Paul is coming into these Jewish synagogues doing Bible studies, not just because this 00:07:32.100 --> 00:07:34.100 is what Christian missionaries do. 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:34.800 No. 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:39.779 He's opening up the scriptures with the Jewish people because he's being strategic. 00:07:39.779 --> 00:07:43.919 He's meeting them where they're at, where their allegiances are, where their highest sources 00:07:43.919 --> 00:07:45.259 of authority are. 00:07:45.339 --> 00:07:48.959 And this is so important for us to understand the method of Apostle Paul. 00:07:49.159 --> 00:07:54.059 And it's so important for us as we implement our own method of bearing witness to Christ with 00:07:54.059 --> 00:07:55.000 our words. 00:07:55.119 --> 00:07:57.539 We don't just go about disseminating information. 00:07:57.799 --> 00:08:01.159 We don't hold up a big sign just saying, Jesus loves you, repent of your sins. 00:08:01.259 --> 00:08:01.959 John 3, 16. 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:03.459 We don't throw Bibles at people. 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:07.539 We don't scatter pamphlets and tracts out on the streets and just think, okay, I've 00:08:07.539 --> 00:08:08.339 done my job. 00:08:08.759 --> 00:08:08.939 No. 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:10.919 We get to know people intimately. 00:08:11.500 --> 00:08:13.259 And we learn what they most value. 00:08:13.659 --> 00:08:18.319 And we discern what has the greatest hold upon their hearts and their heads and their 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:18.599 hands. 00:08:18.659 --> 00:08:24.120 And we meet them there, all the while seeking to show them how the good news of Jesus truly 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:30.099 and most satisfyingly addresses their deepest needs, their deepest longings, their deepest 00:08:30.099 --> 00:08:30.779 concerns. 00:08:30.779 --> 00:08:34.899 And I like to call this method the method of subversive fulfillment. 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:36.620 Subversive fulfillment. 00:08:36.740 --> 00:08:41.579 Now, I plan to talk more about this strategy of subversive fulfillment when we get to Paul's 00:08:41.579 --> 00:08:43.000 speech at Athens next week. 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:49.139 But today, we're going to focus on the unique allegiance, the unique source of authority that 00:08:49.139 --> 00:08:54.639 Paul recognized here in the Jewish synagogue, and that was the scriptures, which they believed 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:54.819 what? 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:56.799 To be the very word of God. 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:02.559 So today, we're going to look at Paul's evangelistic method in the Jewish scriptures where he engages 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:07.759 their deepest allegiances, and then he points them to Christ and Christ's alternative kingdom. 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:10.439 All right, so here are my three points for today. 00:09:10.599 --> 00:09:14.240 First, the starting point for God's people is God's word. 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:18.360 Second, the main point of God's word is God's son. 00:09:18.940 --> 00:09:22.639 And third, the end point of God's son is God's kingdom. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:26.840 All right, so first, the starting point for God's people is God's word. 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:28.879 Again, Paul meets people where they're at. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:31.700 So in this Jewish synagogue, he starts with the scriptures. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:36.700 Now, the question I want to ask, though, is why did the Jewish people, including Paul, 00:09:36.939 --> 00:09:41.679 and including our Savior, Jesus Christ himself, why did they have such a high view of the scriptures? 00:09:42.500 --> 00:09:45.120 Why did they have such a high view of the scriptures? 00:09:46.019 --> 00:09:51.320 Why did they have such a strong allegiance and so completely submit themselves to these 00:09:51.320 --> 00:09:54.460 ancient collections of writings in a book? 00:09:55.080 --> 00:09:55.399 Why? 00:09:56.220 --> 00:09:56.480 Why? 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:59.820 Well, we have to understand the Jewish view of the scriptures. 00:10:00.300 --> 00:10:03.680 And actually, not simply how the Jewish people viewed the scriptures, but from the beginning, 00:10:03.820 --> 00:10:07.800 how the whole people of God have faithfully viewed the scriptures. 00:10:07.980 --> 00:10:12.620 And we could do multiple, you know, graduate-level courses on this, but here's my best, you know, 00:10:12.680 --> 00:10:14.139 sermon-length shot at it, okay? 00:10:14.220 --> 00:10:14.659 Let's go. 00:10:14.940 --> 00:10:18.320 Systematic Theology 101, the doctrine of God's word. 00:10:19.240 --> 00:10:24.800 Now, the people of God's understanding of God's word, actually, it goes further back to 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:28.759 even before the scriptures came into existence, right? 00:10:28.819 --> 00:10:34.339 It all starts, actually, with the triune God, who from eternity, even before creation, even 00:10:34.339 --> 00:10:40.779 before the development of human language, Father, Son, and Spirit have always spoken and communicated 00:10:40.779 --> 00:10:45.719 amongst themselves words of love and joy and harmony and glory and honor. 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:49.300 And this is where our understanding of the word of God has to start. 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.920 It has to start with the triune God who speaks. 00:10:52.300 --> 00:10:54.940 In fact, God's breath has always existed, right? 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:55.480 The Holy Spirit. 00:10:55.580 --> 00:10:57.300 And what does John's gospel call the Son? 00:10:57.660 --> 00:10:59.480 In the beginning was the word. 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:01.360 And the word was with God. 00:11:01.580 --> 00:11:02.879 And the word was God. 00:11:03.060 --> 00:11:04.440 And the word became flesh. 00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:09.060 So it all starts with this vocal, triune God who speaks from all eternity. 00:11:09.620 --> 00:11:14.300 And yet, also, who decided to speak a creative word. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:20.720 He decided to create the whole universe with another word, a creative word. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:21.980 By his word, he said what? 00:11:22.180 --> 00:11:22.800 Let there be. 00:11:23.500 --> 00:11:25.280 And literally, the rest was history. 00:11:25.380 --> 00:11:30.520 The heavens and the earth, the creation of the universe, including some creatures, right? 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:35.960 Made in his very own image, filled with his very breath, and thus, in many ways, like him, 00:11:36.220 --> 00:11:39.360 creative and communicative human beings. 00:11:40.220 --> 00:11:45.899 And so this triune God, he continued to speak, not just amongst himself, and not just a creative 00:11:45.899 --> 00:11:50.960 word of creation, but he also continued to speak covenantal words, relational words, expressing 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:55.720 his will to these creatures, starting with the first of them, Adam and Eve. 00:11:55.740 --> 00:11:58.539 He said, be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. 00:11:58.539 --> 00:12:03.819 Spread the image of God across the face of the earth, and this was his first word to humanity. 00:12:04.279 --> 00:12:09.679 Exercise your God-given authority over creation for your good and for my glory. 00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:15.079 But the thing is, with the freedom and authority that were given to the first human beings, these 00:12:15.079 --> 00:12:22.059 exalted creatures made in God's image, they defied God's authority and shattered God's image 00:12:22.059 --> 00:12:25.000 by questioning and disobeying God's word. 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:30.419 The very word that made them, the very breath that brought them life, and all creation with 00:12:30.419 --> 00:12:37.000 them was plunged into a state of brokenness and death, because God's word had been disregarded. 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:38.500 But you know what? 00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:44.480 This is the beauty of the gospel, that the triune God, who from eternity was not content to speak 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:48.879 words of glory and praise just amongst himself, who did not have to speak words of creation, 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:54.759 and who certainly did not have to speak words of redemption, this triune God resolved, and 00:12:54.759 --> 00:13:01.500 he committed himself to speak words of hope and redemption into his fallen creation. 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:08.120 To creatures who had disregarded his word, he spoke another word to us, not merely a word 00:13:08.120 --> 00:13:13.000 of righteousness and justice and truth, but a word of grace, a word of hope. 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:18.240 He spoke to them a word about a savior, the savior, the offspring of the woman who would 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:21.840 conquer evil once and for all at great cost to himself. 00:13:22.659 --> 00:13:28.039 And as God's people awaited this savior to reverse the fall, God continued to speak to 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:34.139 them words of truth and grace, progressively clearer and clearer promises about this coming 00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:39.000 savior and about this plan to make them heirs of his glorious, imperishable kingdom. 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:43.820 And as the writer of Hebrews says, God spoke to them in various ways and at various times 00:13:43.820 --> 00:13:48.200 and especially through Moses and the prophets who would follow after him. 00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:53.460 And it was there, right there, in the beginning of this prophetic tradition, beginning with 00:13:53.460 --> 00:13:59.539 Moses, that God commanded his people to start recording many of the things that he had spoken 00:13:59.539 --> 00:13:59.860 to them. 00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:01.379 And that's where we get the Ten Commandments. 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:03.100 That's where we get the law of Moses. 00:14:03.100 --> 00:14:08.940 And inspired by God's spirit, the people of God continued to record the words and the acts 00:14:08.940 --> 00:14:14.180 and the deeds of God amongst them, including his greatest word, his greatest word, his greatest 00:14:14.180 --> 00:14:19.259 act in history, his grand and final act of redemption in Jesus Christ. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:23.379 And Christ Church, that is how we got this Bible. 00:14:23.920 --> 00:14:25.879 That's how we got this Bible. 00:14:25.879 --> 00:14:34.519 Jesus recognized the Jewish scriptures of the Old Testament and his chosen spirit-filled 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:40.139 apostles completed this written revelation from God about him with the New Testament. 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:43.279 That's what we have right here in the Bible, in the scriptures. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:49.279 But what you also have to understand is that for God's people, this book wasn't simply like 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:50.980 just any other book. 00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:53.919 All you have to do is read the longest chapter in this book. 00:14:53.919 --> 00:15:00.019 It's Psalm 119, and you'll notice the crazy high regard that God's people have always 00:15:00.019 --> 00:15:03.379 had for the scriptures as the very word of God. 00:15:03.479 --> 00:15:08.279 They viewed it as holding the very truth and righteousness and authority and power and eternality 00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:09.819 of God himself. 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:11.939 Psalm 119, verse 89 says, 00:15:12.219 --> 00:15:14.299 Your word, Lord, is eternal. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:16.819 It stands firm in the heavens. 00:15:17.479 --> 00:15:22.079 They viewed the scriptures as righteous, as trustworthy as God himself. 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:23.120 Verse 137, 00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:26.259 You are righteous, Lord, and your laws are right. 00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:28.620 The statutes you have laid down are righteous. 00:15:28.780 --> 00:15:29.879 They are fully trustworthy. 00:15:30.800 --> 00:15:35.340 And based on this view of the word of God as right and true and trustworthy, they sought 00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:38.780 to see everything else in light of the word of God. 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:39.660 All reality. 00:15:40.100 --> 00:15:44.480 They held up to the light, to the authoritative standard of the scriptures. 00:15:45.340 --> 00:15:45.920 Verse 105, 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:49.879 Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. 00:15:50.319 --> 00:15:54.799 They put all their hope, even for salvation, in this word from God, in the scriptures. 00:15:54.959 --> 00:15:59.099 My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word. 00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:04.839 And get this, it wasn't some old, cold, authoritative book of laws for them to follow to, you know, 00:16:04.899 --> 00:16:05.740 get saved. 00:16:06.219 --> 00:16:07.399 But it was truly sweet. 00:16:07.959 --> 00:16:10.059 And it was truly liberating to the people of God. 00:16:10.139 --> 00:16:10.659 Verse 103, 00:16:10.659 --> 00:16:14.399 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. 00:16:14.459 --> 00:16:14.939 Verse 45, 00:16:15.219 --> 00:16:20.339 I walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. 00:16:21.299 --> 00:16:25.519 Christ, this is how the people of God, including Paul, including Jesus himself, 00:16:25.719 --> 00:16:32.079 this is how we have always been meant to view the scriptures as our starting point. 00:16:32.740 --> 00:16:36.419 Submitting ourselves to the law, orienting ourselves around this wisdom. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:38.319 This is how the people of God saw the scriptures, 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:42.080 and they saw the history and the trajectory of Israel's recorded story, 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:46.500 which culminated in Christ and was worked out in the history of the church. 00:16:46.580 --> 00:16:49.320 They saw this story as integral with their very own stories, 00:16:49.379 --> 00:16:54.560 and not just their own stories, but central to the very plot line of world history. 00:16:55.700 --> 00:16:59.620 See, the starting point for God's people always has to be God's word. 00:17:00.040 --> 00:17:01.900 It's always been God's word for God's people. 00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:04.500 Their highest, most righteous, most trustworthy, 00:17:04.500 --> 00:17:08.960 the eternal authority from God himself, recorded and written for us 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:12.500 by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit here in the scriptures. 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:14.940 See, that's what this is. 00:17:15.380 --> 00:17:16.819 That's what we have here in the Bible. 00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:18.579 This is the word of God. 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:20.039 Words of truth. 00:17:20.619 --> 00:17:21.299 Words of life. 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:22.319 Words of hope. 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:23.200 Words of redemption. 00:17:24.099 --> 00:17:26.400 And that's what we're committed to here at Christ Church. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:27.779 Not the ways of culture. 00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:32.059 Not the ways of human social progress and evolution. 00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:35.779 No, we are committed primarily, ultimately, to the word of God, 00:17:36.039 --> 00:17:37.579 recorded here in the scriptures. 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:40.359 But maybe now some of you are skeptical. 00:17:40.940 --> 00:17:41.579 You're still skeptical. 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:44.619 You're like, okay, that sounds nice, but really, how do you know? 00:17:45.179 --> 00:17:45.839 How do you know? 00:17:45.899 --> 00:17:47.679 How do you know that this is the word of God? 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:51.559 Andrew, all I've heard you say so far is that the so-called people of God 00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:53.740 have viewed the scriptures as the word of God 00:17:53.740 --> 00:17:57.559 because according to these same scriptures, God has said so. 00:17:57.559 --> 00:18:02.960 But surely you cannot expect me to just accept this circular reasoning, right? 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:05.480 And I understand how for many of us, 00:18:05.579 --> 00:18:09.519 this just sounds like a huge and impossible leap of faith to take. 00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:12.500 Even for those of us who genuinely want to believe, 00:18:12.639 --> 00:18:16.399 but just can't shake our doubts and can't shake our skepticism. 00:18:16.700 --> 00:18:17.240 I get it. 00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:21.919 And I fully admit that, yes, I believe that the scriptures are God's authoritative, 00:18:22.099 --> 00:18:24.799 trustworthy, and good word because they say they are. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:29.680 And because the Jesus that they testify to also believe this about the scriptures. 00:18:29.819 --> 00:18:32.879 But maybe for you, this is still, in the words of Bertrand Russell, 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:35.680 not enough evidence, right? 00:18:36.019 --> 00:18:37.799 Maybe it's still not enough evidence for you. 00:18:38.119 --> 00:18:40.099 And if this is you today, I get it. 00:18:40.379 --> 00:18:40.779 I get it. 00:18:40.779 --> 00:18:41.500 I really do. 00:18:42.220 --> 00:18:46.299 But may I, as gently as I can, can I just honestly ask you, 00:18:47.159 --> 00:18:51.579 well then, what would constitute enough evidence? 00:18:51.579 --> 00:18:57.559 Would it be being there on Mount Sinai with Moses receiving the Ten Commandments? 00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:58.519 Would that do it? 00:18:59.240 --> 00:19:03.799 How about the empty tomb or the over 500 eyewitnesses of the risen Christ? 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:09.960 If you had every shred of evidence you could possibly think to ask for, 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:13.000 would it truly be enough? 00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:17.160 Or is the issue actually not a lack of evidence, 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:23.319 but rather are humanistic, naturalistic, enlightenment-shaped standards 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:26.119 of arriving at knowledge and certainty in the first place? 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:30.380 Standards that themselves are unverifiable and unproven. 00:19:31.279 --> 00:19:33.140 Really consider, what is the fruit? 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:37.279 What is the fruit of an unwavering dogmatic skepticism? 00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:39.039 What is the fruit of it? 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:43.720 Or might C.S. Lewis be right when he said that to see through everything 00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:45.420 is to see nothing at all? 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:51.059 I mean, by such dogmatic skepticism, how do we know anything at all, really? 00:19:51.159 --> 00:19:51.920 Think about that, for reals. 00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:54.839 How do we know anything at all if we're just committed to doubt? 00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:58.079 The New York Times says one thing, and the Wall Street Journal says another. 00:19:58.359 --> 00:19:59.180 CNN says this. 00:19:59.379 --> 00:20:00.240 Fox News says that. 00:20:00.420 --> 00:20:02.240 One academic interprets the data this way. 00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:04.019 Another interprets it that way. 00:20:04.019 --> 00:20:08.200 The Islamic fundamentalists dogmatically insist that they know the truth about God, 00:20:08.299 --> 00:20:12.859 and the secular agnostic dogmatically insist that we can't know the truth about God. 00:20:13.579 --> 00:20:14.500 Whom shall we believe? 00:20:15.180 --> 00:20:16.980 To whom shall we turn? 00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:21.119 When will we ever be free to lay down our doubts? 00:20:21.900 --> 00:20:24.819 Or when might it be time to doubt our doubts? 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:27.980 What should be our starting point? 00:20:28.519 --> 00:20:32.599 This is the question that we all have to answer by faith. 00:20:32.599 --> 00:20:35.859 Even if you don't consider yourself a person of faith, 00:20:35.939 --> 00:20:38.899 and you, I would argue, naively, but genuinely believe 00:20:38.899 --> 00:20:42.699 that everything you do is purely rational and neutral and objective, 00:20:43.459 --> 00:20:47.000 you still ultimately have to answer this question when you get to the bottom of it. 00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:51.179 What is the starting point that you are putting your faith upon? 00:20:52.179 --> 00:20:54.059 For those who confess that Jesus is Lord, 00:20:54.159 --> 00:20:57.379 the starting point for God's people is God's Word. 00:20:58.039 --> 00:21:00.919 And if you haven't started there, I want to invite you to start there with us today. 00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:02.220 We have a scripture reading plan. 00:21:02.300 --> 00:21:03.740 You could start with us in the epistles. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:05.880 The reading plan for this week is in the liturgy. 00:21:06.140 --> 00:21:07.620 Start reading the Bible with us. 00:21:08.220 --> 00:21:12.039 And really, I don't say any of this to belittle those of us who struggle with doubt, 00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:15.420 or who have difficulty embracing scripture as God's Word. 00:21:16.200 --> 00:21:18.380 But I do hope to challenge all of us 00:21:18.380 --> 00:21:21.279 to consider the question that we need to return to all the time. 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:24.519 By what light, by what ultimate authority, 00:21:24.899 --> 00:21:29.359 do we judge what is true and real and good and beautiful? 00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:34.079 One thing I love about this passage in Acts chapter 17 is verse 11, 00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:39.319 where it says that the Bereans were of even more noble character than those in Thessalonica. 00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:43.980 Not because they accepted Paul's Word like uncritical dummies, 00:21:43.980 --> 00:21:47.420 but because they eagerly received Paul's message, 00:21:47.819 --> 00:21:51.900 examining it daily, holding it up to the light of the scriptures. 00:21:52.660 --> 00:21:54.819 They subjected even an apostle's word, 00:21:54.900 --> 00:21:57.740 even someone who had personal experience with Jesus, 00:21:57.960 --> 00:22:00.160 who the whole church spoke well of and sent to them, 00:22:00.500 --> 00:22:03.660 they subjected even this guy to the scriptures. 00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:05.779 And they were commended for it. 00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:07.160 Paul commended them for it. 00:22:07.360 --> 00:22:08.460 Luke commended them for it. 00:22:08.460 --> 00:22:11.120 And you know, I know many of us are wrestling with doubt, 00:22:11.240 --> 00:22:13.980 unsure about the Bible and its claims about Jesus. 00:22:14.779 --> 00:22:15.960 But as a pastor here at Christ Church, 00:22:16.039 --> 00:22:18.360 please hear me say that I'm so glad you're here. 00:22:18.660 --> 00:22:20.039 I'm so glad you're here to work that out. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:23.000 And I don't think that it's an accident that you're sitting here today. 00:22:23.100 --> 00:22:26.519 And I want to invite you again to examine the scriptures with us, 00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:27.579 like the Bereans. 00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:30.360 This isn't a place where you have to check your head at the door. 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:32.600 It's a place to wrestle with your hardest questions. 00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:33.620 Bring them. 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:35.500 Bring them to the Word of God. 00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:38.640 And see what God might have to say in the scriptures. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:41.460 Paul went into these synagogues. 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:45.319 And it says in verses 2 and 3 that he reasoned with them from the scriptures. 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:47.720 And he explained and proved all types of things. 00:22:47.799 --> 00:22:50.440 He went deep with these people into God's Word. 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:56.160 And I and Jonathan and our elders and many people here are committed to doing the same thing 00:22:56.160 --> 00:23:00.900 with any of you who are interested in exploring the claims of Christianity. 00:23:01.779 --> 00:23:04.920 I know there are some things in the Bible that are hard to understand. 00:23:04.920 --> 00:23:07.440 The Bible itself admits that. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:08.660 So email me. 00:23:08.779 --> 00:23:10.259 My email is in the liturgy. 00:23:10.340 --> 00:23:11.519 Let's talk about it. 00:23:11.580 --> 00:23:15.539 I love getting emails from many of you about what the Bible says and how to understand it. 00:23:15.580 --> 00:23:17.800 Even your emails that critique my sermons. 00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:19.039 I love those too. 00:23:20.580 --> 00:23:22.060 Yeah, there are tons of those guys. 00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:25.220 But you know why I love those too? 00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:27.480 Because it's an opportunity. 00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:29.660 Because it doesn't matter what I say. 00:23:30.320 --> 00:23:31.200 That's the whole point. 00:23:31.620 --> 00:23:33.740 It matters what God has said in the scriptures. 00:23:33.740 --> 00:23:38.380 And I love your critiques of my sermons because that's an opportunity for us as the people of God, 00:23:38.460 --> 00:23:41.559 as the community of faith, to have as our starting point the Word of God. 00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:43.200 To open up the scriptures together. 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:47.000 To take every thought captive to Christ and His Word in the scriptures. 00:23:47.740 --> 00:23:51.079 Because again, the starting point for God's people is God's Word. 00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:54.000 Written and recorded right here in the scriptures. 00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:57.700 Alright, now I think for the past couple sermons I've tended to do this. 00:23:57.700 --> 00:24:00.559 I've just spent like over 90% of the sermon on my first point. 00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:03.779 So I promise I'm going to be super brief about these next two. 00:24:04.220 --> 00:24:09.200 Alright, I've just tried to persuade us that the scriptures are God's true and trustworthy Word. 00:24:09.580 --> 00:24:09.819 Right? 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:12.360 But what I also love about the scriptures, 00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:15.840 and I think what actually wins most people over, 00:24:16.340 --> 00:24:18.160 is not simply their truthfulness, 00:24:18.840 --> 00:24:19.660 but their beauty. 00:24:20.299 --> 00:24:21.880 And their redemptive hope. 00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:26.220 See, while the starting point for God's people is God's trustworthy Word, 00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:30.540 the main point of God's Word is God's saving Son. 00:24:31.220 --> 00:24:35.220 Paul wasn't just trying to prove that his interpretation of scripture was right and true, 00:24:35.320 --> 00:24:36.960 therefore worthy of belief. 00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:39.440 But that word here in verse 3 explaining, 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:43.880 it can also be translated unfolding or revealing. 00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:48.980 He was opening their eyes to the beauty of the content of the scriptures, 00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:51.680 revealing to them the main point of God's Word. 00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:53.520 The main point being, verse 3, 00:24:53.620 --> 00:24:55.960 that Jesus is the Messiah, 00:24:56.120 --> 00:24:59.320 the anointed King that they'd always been waiting for. 00:24:59.980 --> 00:25:01.320 And this wasn't just the main point. 00:25:01.700 --> 00:25:03.040 The main point also in verse 3, 00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:04.760 it's not just that Jesus was the Messiah, 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:06.460 but that this Messiah, verse 3, 00:25:07.040 --> 00:25:09.860 had to suffer and rise from the dead. 00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.480 This was Paul's message. 00:25:11.580 --> 00:25:13.300 The main point of God's Word. 00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:15.920 And it was a radical message if you think about it. 00:25:16.540 --> 00:25:17.520 How could it be, right? 00:25:17.520 --> 00:25:19.520 How could it be that the Messiah who would come 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:22.240 and establish an everlasting kingdom of shalom? 00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:26.099 How could it be that he had to suffer and taste death? 00:25:26.339 --> 00:25:29.180 And especially if this Messiah was somehow the Son of God, 00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:30.339 as Paul surely preached, 00:25:30.579 --> 00:25:34.339 how could it be that the Son of God had to suffer death? 00:25:34.339 --> 00:25:37.579 And oh man, you know I want to preach more on this, 00:25:37.619 --> 00:25:38.699 because this is the gospel. 00:25:39.500 --> 00:25:41.159 This is the gospel that the Son of God, 00:25:41.379 --> 00:25:44.720 who by his very divine nature never had to suffer, 00:25:45.779 --> 00:25:50.000 lovingly committed himself to do what he never had to do. 00:25:50.699 --> 00:25:51.659 He had to suffer, 00:25:51.799 --> 00:25:53.679 not because of anything intrinsic in himself, 00:25:53.879 --> 00:25:55.059 not because he deserved it, 00:25:55.059 --> 00:25:58.980 but because of his great covenantal love for us, 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.740 by which he committed himself to take on flesh 00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:07.259 and uphold the most insane promise of all time, 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:10.099 to put death to death in his own body, 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:13.079 to pay for our sins on a cross, 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:14.579 sins not his own, 00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:18.579 sins of his undeserving yet somehow dearly loved people. 00:26:19.539 --> 00:26:20.599 This is the gospel. 00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:21.960 This is the gospel. 00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:24.120 This is the main point of God's word. 00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:25.819 It's God's saving Son, 00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:28.460 the message of the unexpected Messiah 00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:31.539 who had to suffer and rise again, 00:26:31.940 --> 00:26:33.640 foreshadowed throughout all the scriptures, 00:26:34.140 --> 00:26:35.380 Jesus the Messiah, 00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:37.360 the suffering servant of Isaiah, 00:26:37.660 --> 00:26:39.799 the ultimate exiled Israelite, 00:26:39.860 --> 00:26:41.100 the cursed one hung on a tree, 00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:43.220 the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, 00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:45.380 the Davidic King whose resurrection kingdom 00:26:45.380 --> 00:26:47.039 is imperishable. 00:26:48.100 --> 00:26:49.900 This is what Paul was preaching 00:26:49.900 --> 00:26:52.860 in the synagogues from the scriptures, 00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:55.460 the saving Son of God. 00:26:56.320 --> 00:26:58.940 And guess what that kind of a message produced? 00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:00.900 The message of a Messiah 00:27:00.900 --> 00:27:02.820 who doesn't just dominate for you, 00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:04.980 but wins by suffering for you, 00:27:05.019 --> 00:27:05.759 even through death, 00:27:05.880 --> 00:27:07.460 and then rises from the dead 00:27:07.460 --> 00:27:09.300 to an imperishable life. 00:27:09.960 --> 00:27:11.080 Let me tell you what that does, 00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:12.560 what it did there in Thessalonica, 00:27:12.740 --> 00:27:14.080 and what it continues to do today, 00:27:14.120 --> 00:27:15.280 and what I pray it does here 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:17.039 at Christ Church in the East Bay. 00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:20.139 It establishes an upside-down kingdom. 00:27:20.879 --> 00:27:22.119 And this brings me to my conclusion, 00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:23.700 the end point of God's Son 00:27:23.700 --> 00:27:24.859 is God's kingdom. 00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:27.279 As Paul opened up God's word 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:29.779 and revealed God's suffering Son, 00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:32.119 verse 4 says that a large number 00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:33.519 of not just Jewish people, 00:27:34.139 --> 00:27:36.259 but Greeks and prominent women, 00:27:36.700 --> 00:27:39.399 a socially and ethnically diverse group of people 00:27:39.399 --> 00:27:40.279 were persuaded, 00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:42.799 and they joined this new people of God. 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.119 And then the Jewish establishment 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:47.399 and the common marketplace crowd, 00:27:47.619 --> 00:27:48.839 who were both quite content 00:27:48.839 --> 00:27:51.539 with the previous status quo social order, 00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:53.240 they got jealous, it says. 00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:56.019 And they felt threatened by this new message 00:27:56.019 --> 00:27:57.019 and this new people, 00:27:57.139 --> 00:27:58.819 threatened by this new kingdom 00:27:58.819 --> 00:28:01.399 that disrupted their comfortable social order. 00:28:02.159 --> 00:28:02.759 So what did they do? 00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:04.240 They complained to the city officials. 00:28:04.680 --> 00:28:05.819 Even these Jewish people 00:28:05.819 --> 00:28:08.079 who should have despised the kingdom of Caesar, 00:28:08.399 --> 00:28:09.700 they found common cause 00:28:09.700 --> 00:28:11.200 against the kingdom of God, 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:12.500 against the kingdom of Jesus, 00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:13.299 and they complained 00:28:13.299 --> 00:28:15.480 that Paul was defying Caesar 00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:18.319 and proclaiming another king named Jesus. 00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:21.240 And they accused Paul of causing trouble, 00:28:21.380 --> 00:28:22.240 it says, verse 6, 00:28:22.460 --> 00:28:23.799 causing trouble all over the world, 00:28:23.880 --> 00:28:25.160 or as some translations say, 00:28:25.579 --> 00:28:27.940 of turning the world upside down. 00:28:29.160 --> 00:28:31.359 And let me just end here by saying this. 00:28:31.940 --> 00:28:34.799 Christchurch, might it be so among us as well 00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:36.019 here in the East Bay? 00:28:36.680 --> 00:28:38.680 Might it be so amongst us as well? 00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:40.819 Would our commitment to the sure scriptures 00:28:40.819 --> 00:28:43.679 and our adoration of the saving son 00:28:43.679 --> 00:28:46.839 and our citizenship in his subversive kingdom 00:28:46.839 --> 00:28:48.559 so provoke this place 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:51.319 that the most unlikely of people 00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:54.220 are united here in the name of Jesus? 00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:58.160 and may every ruler in every corner of the kingdom of darkness 00:28:58.160 --> 00:29:02.339 jealously accuse us of turning the world upside down, 00:29:02.759 --> 00:29:05.500 as we are actually turning the world right side up 00:29:05.500 --> 00:29:07.880 by bearing faithful witness to the good news 00:29:07.880 --> 00:29:08.940 of the one true king, 00:29:09.460 --> 00:29:11.519 the crucified and risen Christ. 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:12.700 Let's pray. 00:29:15.859 --> 00:29:17.440 Lord, we thank you for your word. 00:29:18.019 --> 00:29:19.079 As we sang this morning, 00:29:19.180 --> 00:29:20.240 what more could you say 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:22.379 than to us that you have already said? 00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:23.819 You have sent your son 00:29:23.819 --> 00:29:26.039 and you've given us your scriptures 00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:27.680 and you speak to us by your spirit 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:28.799 and we love you for that. 00:29:29.700 --> 00:29:31.400 We especially love that you don't speak 00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:33.559 just words of truth and justice and righteousness, 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:35.539 you don't speak words of condemnation, 00:29:35.539 --> 00:29:37.319 but you speak words of grace 00:29:37.319 --> 00:29:40.039 and hope and redemption 00:29:40.039 --> 00:29:43.720 to incredibly undeserving people like us. 00:29:44.639 --> 00:29:45.920 We love that about you, God, 00:29:45.960 --> 00:29:47.879 and we ask that you would build your kingdom here, 00:29:48.460 --> 00:29:51.379 your subversive kingdom around this radical truth 00:29:51.379 --> 00:29:54.799 that the king of the world has died for his people. 00:29:55.839 --> 00:29:57.480 The king of the world who didn't have to 00:29:57.480 --> 00:30:00.000 committed himself so that he did have to 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:02.480 because of his love for us. 00:30:03.139 --> 00:30:04.899 Transform us, we pray, Lord God. 00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:07.240 We pray all these things in the name of your son. 00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:08.420 Amen.