WEBVTT

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 Father, as always, our perennial prayer is that we would be those that read your word and submit to it,

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 live underneath it, not to manipulate it, to say something it doesn't say, to fit our comfortability.

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 And this morning, Lord, it's no different. We pray that prayer.

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 And Lord, we also pray that as we explore Acts 14 and ask the question,

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 what is authentic Christianity, Lord, that you would help both to correct misunderstandings,

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 but also to bolster and strengthen our faith.

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 And Lord, we pray all of this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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 Amen.

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 One of the things that my parents did for my brother and I is that we're very thankful for

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 was start us working at a very young age.

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 We, my mom had a business and we both wore a sandwich board up and down the main drag of our town

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 with so much embarrassment, but whatever, $5 an hour from cash in your pocket,

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 you can get you over some embarrassment awfully quick.

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 But it started with the next job and the next job anyways.

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 As we, as, as we made money, my parents very wisely, now that I'm a parent, said,

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 listen, if you want stuff, you buy it. It's on you.

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 We're not buying you anything. Food, of course, shelter, of course, even some clothes.

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 But if you want something, it's on you.

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 So I get to high school. I want to play basketball, but I want to look the part as well.

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 So I find a pair of, of basketball shoes on eBay.

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 And this is like early eBay.

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 I asked my parents if they could use a credit card.

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 I would pay them back.

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 And I got these, I don't know, I think they were like Jordan sixes or something,

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 but they, they match our school colors.

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 They look great.

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 And then they arrived in the mail and I paid way more than I wanted to, but whatever.

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 Look good, feel good, do good.

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 And the logo for Michael Jordan, it's called the Jump Man, had a much bigger head than what it ought to have had.

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 And I think it might have even been like a mirror image.

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 So it was backwards.

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 I put on the shoes and instantly they cramped my feet.

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 I think I lost a toenail.

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 I was in denial.

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 I have, I have a pair of Jordans.

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 I'm feeling good about life until I bring them to school and I get torched because I have fake Nikes.

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 I bring up this story just to illustrate how there is a huge difference between something that is authentic and something that is fake.

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 And the fake could even look really good.

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 Fake things now are very hard to distinguish between real things.

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 There's a giant, massive online market for fake items.

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 And to tell the difference between real and fake, you have to go to the source, the authentic source, whatever that company is,

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 and basically see what they have created.

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 See their authentic product.

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 And then you can look at the fake one.

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 You can see the differences.

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 Authentic Christianity is found in the Acts of the Apostles.

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 We need to be careful, and I've said this in the past, we need to be careful that as we read Acts,

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 we don't read every story, every speech, every action of the Apostles as prescriptive in how to run the church

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 or how to live out the faith.

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 Some of it is descriptive.

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 But by and large, you can sit down over a couple days, read through Acts,

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 and get a pretty good idea of what the Christian faith is about.

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 And a core aspect of the authentic Christian faith is that it is costly.

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 It is not an easy ride.

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 It is not easy street.

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 It is costly.

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 I mean, there are other forms of Christianity that aren't costly.

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 Forms of Christianity that can be kind of tacked on to existing spiritual beliefs.

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 Christianity that ends up looking a lot like other spiritual beliefs.

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 Christianity that is really light on the Bible.

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 Light on the Old Testament.

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 Light on Jesus.

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 Light on morality.

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 Light on morality.

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 The type of Christianity like this is not an authentic Christianity.

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 It's a fake Christianity.

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 It's not authentic.

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 Because it is way too easy.

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 And it doesn't cost.

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 I think this is both a beautiful reality and a difficult reality for us.

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 Because on one hand, we live in a culture that values authenticity.

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 However we want to define it, by and large, we would still say,

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 we are people that value authentic things and authentic people.

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 Integral things.

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 Integral people.

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 Integral people.

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 One philosopher calls what we live in today as the age of authenticity.

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 But it's also difficult because we live in an age of hyper-individualism.

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 Where we can decide our own path.

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 Dr. Steve Griffin, he's in the new year, God willing,

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 he's going to lead us in a Sunday morning catechism,

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 distilling a four-part sermon series he did.

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 This past summer in the downtown church.

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 And he said one of the things that marks this type of spirituality,

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 this hyper-individualistic spirituality,

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 is that the journey is the one we make it.

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 It is less about the destination, but the path that we tread.

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 This is what matters the most.

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 So on one hand, we have this deep desire for authenticity.

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 But on the other hand, we don't want to be told what to do.

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 We want to chart our own path.

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 We want to curate our own life.

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 And these two things are exclusive to one another.

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 So we're going to jump into Acts 14 this morning.

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 And we're going to continue reading about the missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas.

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 We will see in this story what authentic Christianity is and what it does.

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 I've broken up the text into three different points.

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 Hopefully this helps us to understand and organize our thoughts as we read through it.

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 The first thing Acts chapter 14 will help us to understand is that authentic Christianity is disruptive.

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 It disrupts existing belief structures.

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 The second thing is that it brings freedom.

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 But freedom from vain pursuits.

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 We'll see that this is called idolatry later on in the chapter.

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 And then finally, like I've mentioned before, authentic Christianity is costly,

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 but incredibly meaningful and joyful.

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 If you have a Acts scripture journal, you can turn with me to page 82.

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 And we will begin looking at Acts 14.

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 And if you haven't got one, if you want to grab one, go grab one.

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 You're not going to interrupt me.

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 You can just stand up and grab one from the welcome table at any time.

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 So just a bit of a background.

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 Our missionaries journey up to Iconium.

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 So if you remember, they went from Antioch, which there's many different Antiochs,

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 so it can get confusing, but this is Antioch, kind of in the southeast.

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 They sail up to Cyprus.

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 They spend time in Cyprus.

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 And then they sail a bit north into what is Galatia, what is modern-day Turkey now.

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 And they're doing a bit of a tour, so to speak.

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 They journey up now to Iconium.

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 Interestingly, Iconium is a Greek city in the Roman Empire.

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 So Rome is Latin, but there's still Greek pockets within the Roman Empire.

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 And this Iconium is an agricultural and commercial hub.

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 Today it still exists.

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 And it's not some kind of dinky town.

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 It is the sixth largest city in Turkey.

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 And it's known as Kanye.

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 I'm sure I'm not saying it properly.

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 But it has some 2.5 million people.

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 It's a huge place.

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 Similarly, it's an economic hub in the modern-day country of Turkey.

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 As a bit of a background, let's jump into it.

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 We'll look just at verse 1, and then we'll pause.

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 Now at Iconium, they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way

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 that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

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 Actually, we'll read verse 2 as well.

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 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

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 That is, Paul and Barnabas and the other believers.

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 If you remember last week, Paul said in no uncertain terms that the mission of God is turning away from the Jews.

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 It's going to the Gentiles, and yet we find that the missionaries continue to proclaim the gospel to both Jews and Greeks.

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 They're proclaiming the gospel message, and they're doing it persuasively,

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 both in terms of communicating in a clear way, but also in the power of the Holy Spirit.

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 This is what it is implied here in verses 1 and 2.

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 With a proclamation of the gospel, people believe.

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 Just pause really quick here.

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 The term here for belief is not something to quickly gloss over or to define it in modern-day terms.

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 Belief in verse 1 is referring to those that come to faith,

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 and it carries with it a changing of a worldview, a different way of thinking.

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 It carries with them not this trivial gathering of knowledge about the gospel,

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 but rather that they entrust themselves to a new reality.

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 True belief, as we see in the epistle that St. James wrote,

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 that true faith changes us.

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 It means that we do good works.

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 We are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

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 We think differently.

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 We begin to think differently.

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 We entrust ourselves to the one true God and his rule and reign over our lives.

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 Because this is what this belief is talking to.

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 It's an active belief.

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 It's an active entrusting ourselves to the one true God.

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 As they heard the gospel message, it became real to them,

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 and therefore it required them to shift their allegiances from their previously held belief systems.

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 So again, we see that belief here.

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 It's not just described as the gathering of knowledge,

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 although it certainly is that.

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 But it is the gathering of knowledge that points us to God himself,

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 compelling us to entrust ourselves to him,

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 to bend a knee to his kingship,

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 and our allegiances, our values, our desires begin to shift and change.

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 Interesting.

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 The interesting thing here with...

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 Sorry, pause right there.

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 Look with me again at verse 2.

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 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles

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 and poisoned their minds against their brothers.

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 What's interesting, so in chapter, or in verse 1,

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 the disciples, or the apostles, proclaim the gospel.

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 People believe.

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 We've defined what that belief looks like.

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 But then it says that the unbelieving Jews,

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 the unbelieving Jews,

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 seek to poison the minds of those that have come to faith.

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 In the original language, I'm no Greek scholar.

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 In the original language, however, there's an interesting bit here,

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 because the language used...

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 The word used for belief in verse 1

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 is not the word that is used to describe unbelief in verse 2.

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 It's not the same root word.

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 And in this case, it rather emphasizes a disobedience,

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 which is to say they did not embrace the message.

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 They did not embrace the God who the message proclaimed.

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 For they knew in doing so that their currently held beliefs

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 and the system, their worldview, would be upended.

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 And it's not as if they considered this,

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 it simply wasn't for them.

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 What we see here is, again,

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 not a passive disobedience or a passive unbelief,

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 but an active one.

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 For these people, we see here,

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 are not satisfied that this message is false for them,

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 but it must be false for everybody.

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 And here is where we understand

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 the dynamic between a public and private faith

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 and how this idea is a very novel one

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 in the history of mankind.

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 Because as people come to faith,

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 it changes who they are,

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 it changes the things they value,

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 and social interactions begin to shift.

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 And for people that are choosing to not believe,

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 that are actively disobeying

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 and going against the gospel message

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 and who Christ is,

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 and ultimately who God is,

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 even though they would claim an orthodoxy themselves,

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 their entire world is being threatened.

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 And they're not standing for it.

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 So we see that in the previous chapter,

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 like in the previous chapter,

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 disobedience, disbelief,

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 and opposition to the gospel,

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 they're all connected.

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 They're interwoven.

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 And it's not as if they considered this,

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 this faith, like I said,

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 and it just wasn't for them.

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 There is no tolerance here.

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 Tolerance, interestingly,

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 even though it seems not the case anymore,

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 but tolerance is very much a Christian virtue.

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 They are intolerant.

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 There has to be a uniformity in their belief system.

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 And this just plays to,

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 or communicates to us,

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 the reality that the gospel is disruptive.

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 True, authentic Christianity

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 is a very disruptive proposition.

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 Because it isn't simply the forgiveness of sins

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 and a ticket to heaven,

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 although it certainly is that.

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 It's glorious and beautiful and wonderful,

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 having our sins forgiven,

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 promise of heaven.

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 But at its core,

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 the gospel and authentic Christianity,

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 it beckons us to die.

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 And I've said this a couple weeks in a row now,

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 but it beckons us to die.

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 To die to our old ways,

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 to our old allegiances,

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 to our old desires,

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 and to embrace, rather,

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 the freedom that is in Christ.

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 But,

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 that will be disruptive.

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 What ends up happening,

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 what ends up happening is that,

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 as Christ becomes king,

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 we become

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 still citizens of the country,

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 the region,

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 the state that we live in,

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 but our allegiances

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 do not find their end

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 in whatever government that governs.

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 It gets bumped up to the next level.

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 And when that happens,

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 it threatens the status quo.

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 It threatens the very social fabric

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 that we live in.

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 It beckons us,

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 this gospel,

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 to forsake all that which we hold dear,

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 that which we think will give us real happiness,

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 that which we think will give us

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 a comfortable religious experience,

00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:10.359
 that which we think promises us

00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:11.440
 a degree of happiness

00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:12.120
 and prestige

00:17:12.120 --> 00:17:13.019
 and recognition

00:17:13.019 --> 00:17:14.920
 and momentary joy.

00:17:15.120 --> 00:17:15.380
 Rather,

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.539
 it calls us

00:17:16.539 --> 00:17:18.880
 to not participate

00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:20.700
 in the public

00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:22.720
 differently than in the private.

00:17:23.840 --> 00:17:24.120
 It says,

00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:25.799
 as we embrace God

00:17:25.799 --> 00:17:28.100
 through Jesus Christ,

00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:29.539
 it changes our heart

00:17:29.539 --> 00:17:31.500
 and it changes our lives.

00:17:32.200 --> 00:17:33.900
 It means we become citizens of heaven

00:17:33.900 --> 00:17:36.340
 so that we seek out

00:17:36.340 --> 00:17:37.320
 to live God's will

00:17:37.320 --> 00:17:39.700
 on earth as it is in heaven.

00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:43.180
 So there's opposition.

00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:46.299
 It causes a disunity,

00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:47.259
 so to speak.

00:17:47.340 --> 00:17:48.000
 It's disruptive.

00:17:49.460 --> 00:17:51.279
 We are told that this is actually

00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:52.340
 not the right way to go

00:17:52.340 --> 00:17:53.279
 and we find ourselves,

00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:54.759
 and if you've been a Christian

00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:56.360
 for a long time,

00:17:56.519 --> 00:17:57.740
 so maybe you've had

00:17:57.740 --> 00:17:59.860
 a wonderful experience with Christ

00:17:59.860 --> 00:18:00.819
 and then,

00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:01.480
 as they say,

00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:02.380
 reality hits

00:18:02.380 --> 00:18:04.560
 and Christianity becomes hard.

00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:05.820
 It's not as joyful anymore.

00:18:06.740 --> 00:18:09.040
 We come to see the faith

00:18:09.040 --> 00:18:11.140
 as still a beautiful thing,

00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:11.940
 but as a battle

00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:13.280
 and as a struggle

00:18:13.280 --> 00:18:15.840
 between what the predominant

00:18:15.840 --> 00:18:18.220
 ethos of our culture says

00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:20.200
 and what God's word says.

00:18:22.860 --> 00:18:24.160
 Influencers and elites

00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:25.360
 and cultural leaders

00:18:25.360 --> 00:18:27.940
 of today aren't much different

00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:30.340
 than the unbelieving Jews

00:18:30.340 --> 00:18:31.700
 in Iconium.

00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:34.660
 They say that we should

00:18:34.660 --> 00:18:37.340
 not follow Christianity,

00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:38.360
 that it is a lie,

00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:39.160
 and actually,

00:18:39.539 --> 00:18:40.299
 they are not going to be

00:18:40.299 --> 00:18:41.160
 indifferent to it.

00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:43.440
 Do not pursue the kingdom of God.

00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:45.200
 Instead, pursue pleasure

00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:46.960
 in this life above all.

00:18:47.059 --> 00:18:48.820
 This is the things

00:18:48.820 --> 00:18:49.420
 that we are told.

00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:51.400
 Keep church,

00:18:52.120 --> 00:18:53.420
 even enjoy a bit of religion,

00:18:53.420 --> 00:18:55.900
 but do not let it interfere

00:18:55.900 --> 00:18:57.100
 or infringe.

00:18:58.600 --> 00:18:59.700
 So don't be hardcore.

00:19:01.240 --> 00:19:02.360
 Don't be all in.

00:19:02.800 --> 00:19:03.680
 Don't be extreme.

00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:05.600
 Think about your job.

00:19:06.120 --> 00:19:06.980
 Think about your promotion.

00:19:07.840 --> 00:19:08.600
 Think about the things

00:19:08.600 --> 00:19:09.700
 you'll miss out on.

00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:10.920
 Think about your friends.

00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:12.820
 Think about how you'll be viewed.

00:19:13.640 --> 00:19:14.900
 Chase your dream at any cost.

00:19:16.060 --> 00:19:16.900
 Have your own heaven

00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:18.460
 here on earth.

00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:22.240
 And by the way,

00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:22.720
 I'll just say

00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:23.480
 it's very compelling.

00:19:24.600 --> 00:19:25.839
 It is a very,

00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:27.460
 very compelling message

00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:29.960
 that we are flooded with

00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:31.380
 day in and day out.

00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:33.200
 Our eyes

00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:35.319
 take in so much.

00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:38.079
 And we want it.

00:19:38.539 --> 00:19:39.279
 I want it.

00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:42.500
 But this is not true north.

00:19:42.620 --> 00:19:43.680
 This isn't a guiding star.

00:19:44.279 --> 00:19:45.400
 This is a broken compass.

00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:49.360
 This does not point us to life.

00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:52.299
 We just spin around

00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:55.639
 we have no destination.

00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.859
 We live for the moment

00:19:57.859 --> 00:19:59.539
 and the moment seems to

00:19:59.539 --> 00:20:00.619
 never fully deliver.

00:20:01.740 --> 00:20:03.220
 So how do we resist

00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:04.220
 such falsities?

00:20:04.220 --> 00:20:08.259
 When we know the truth

00:20:08.259 --> 00:20:09.360
 but struggle to live

00:20:09.360 --> 00:20:10.299
 according to the truth,

00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:12.579
 how do we embrace

00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:13.519
 the truth?

00:20:14.660 --> 00:20:15.980
 When we feel like our minds

00:20:15.980 --> 00:20:16.819
 are being poisoned

00:20:16.819 --> 00:20:18.860
 like the Iconians.

00:20:22.380 --> 00:20:24.240
 Look at verse 3 with me.

00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:26.539
 We'll touch on this

00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:27.960
 later on in verse 22,

00:20:28.100 --> 00:20:29.460
 but in verse 33.

00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:30.960
 So they,

00:20:31.059 --> 00:20:32.059
 that is Paul and Barnabas,

00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:33.579
 remain for a long time

00:20:33.579 --> 00:20:35.140
 speaking boldly for the Lord

00:20:35.140 --> 00:20:36.660
 who bore witness

00:20:36.660 --> 00:20:38.340
 to the word of his grace,

00:20:39.019 --> 00:20:40.480
 granting signs and wonders

00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:42.299
 to be done by their hands.

00:20:43.180 --> 00:20:44.079
 The missionaries remain.

00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:46.980
 They are building up the believers

00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:48.140
 by teaching them

00:20:48.140 --> 00:20:49.960
 and catechizing them

00:20:49.960 --> 00:20:50.920
 and helping them

00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:52.559
 to understand the faith

00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:53.299
 and understand

00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:54.379
 how to differentiate

00:20:54.379 --> 00:20:55.960
 between the authentic

00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:56.859
 and the fake,

00:20:57.639 --> 00:20:58.359
 the real

00:20:58.359 --> 00:21:00.980
 and the less than real,

00:21:01.139 --> 00:21:01.799
 the substance

00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:03.480
 and the shadow

00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:04.319
 that claims to be

00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:04.859
 the substance.

00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:09.399
 They remind the people

00:21:09.399 --> 00:21:11.019
 that God has saved them

00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:12.419
 because he is sovereign

00:21:12.419 --> 00:21:12.919
 and mighty

00:21:12.919 --> 00:21:14.700
 but that he is not finished

00:21:14.700 --> 00:21:15.799
 but instead

00:21:15.799 --> 00:21:17.139
 by his Holy Spirit

00:21:17.139 --> 00:21:18.339
 he will strengthen them

00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:19.039
 and guide them.

00:21:20.839 --> 00:21:22.059
 In verse 22,

00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:24.159
 if you want to turn there

00:21:24.159 --> 00:21:24.779
 really quickly,

00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:26.679
 we get a little idea

00:21:26.679 --> 00:21:29.599
 of how the apostles

00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:30.419
 will do this

00:21:30.419 --> 00:21:32.399
 in the power of the Lord.

00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:33.599
 It says that they will

00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:35.460
 strengthen their souls.

00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:37.099
 They will encourage them

00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:38.500
 to continue in the faith

00:21:38.500 --> 00:21:39.319
 which is to say

00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:43.059
 that it is really easy

00:21:43.059 --> 00:21:44.679
 to not continue in the faith.

00:21:44.680 --> 00:21:49.340
 It is really easy

00:21:49.340 --> 00:21:51.100
 to get burdened down

00:21:51.100 --> 00:21:52.420
 and to have our souls

00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:53.100
 get weak.

00:21:54.740 --> 00:21:56.320
 And here it is

00:21:56.320 --> 00:21:57.680
 and we're going to touch on this

00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:58.799
 with our last point.

00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:00.600
 And saying,

00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:01.980
 this is the latter part

00:22:01.980 --> 00:22:02.539
 of verse 22,

00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:03.460
 and saying that

00:22:03.460 --> 00:22:04.560
 through many tribulations

00:22:04.560 --> 00:22:05.180
 we must enter

00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:05.820
 the kingdom of God

00:22:05.820 --> 00:22:06.480
 which is to say

00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:08.680
 it is a costly faith.

00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:11.259
 And that can wear

00:22:11.259 --> 00:22:12.360
 the soul

00:22:12.360 --> 00:22:14.720
 down to its nub

00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:15.680
 and we can be quick

00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:16.320
 to just say

00:22:16.320 --> 00:22:17.420
 I can't do this.

00:22:18.860 --> 00:22:19.440
 God,

00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:20.740
 again,

00:22:20.940 --> 00:22:21.860
 by inspiration

00:22:21.860 --> 00:22:24.640
 and guidance

00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:25.720
 of the apostles here

00:22:25.720 --> 00:22:29.160
 is bolstering his church

00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:31.080
 and helping them

00:22:31.080 --> 00:22:31.680
 to endure.

00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:33.779
 He is strengthening

00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:34.620
 their souls,

00:22:35.620 --> 00:22:36.440
 encouraging them,

00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:37.840
 reminding them,

00:22:39.720 --> 00:22:40.400
 uplifting them.

00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:42.360
 So as we believe

00:22:42.360 --> 00:22:43.259
 the gospel message

00:22:43.259 --> 00:22:44.460
 and as we entrust

00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.440
 our eternal future

00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:47.340
 to God Almighty,

00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:48.720
 we can be sure

00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:49.620
 that he will never

00:22:49.620 --> 00:22:50.539
 abandon us.

00:22:53.120 --> 00:22:53.620
 And this is where

00:22:53.620 --> 00:22:54.360
 we'll transition

00:22:54.360 --> 00:22:55.559
 to the second point.

00:22:55.720 --> 00:22:57.400
 The gospel will always divide

00:22:57.400 --> 00:22:59.080
 because it always calls

00:22:59.080 --> 00:22:59.820
 for a belief

00:22:59.820 --> 00:23:00.380
 and allegiance

00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:01.880
 to the ultimate authority.

00:23:02.580 --> 00:23:02.980
 And by the way,

00:23:03.019 --> 00:23:03.519
 that doesn't mean

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.620
 we can't be good citizens.

00:23:04.840 --> 00:23:05.580
 I think that makes us

00:23:05.580 --> 00:23:06.380
 better citizens.

00:23:07.420 --> 00:23:09.700
 This section then ends,

00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:10.660
 and I'm not going to read it,

00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:12.059
 I'll just narrate it for you.

00:23:12.120 --> 00:23:12.860
 This section ends

00:23:12.860 --> 00:23:14.580
 with an attempted lynching

00:23:14.580 --> 00:23:16.980
 that causes the missionaries

00:23:16.980 --> 00:23:18.320
 to flee to the next town

00:23:18.320 --> 00:23:19.400
 where the gospel

00:23:19.400 --> 00:23:20.400
 continues to spread.

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:22.019
 And as it does so,

00:23:22.100 --> 00:23:22.960
 we'll see that

00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:24.420
 authentic Christianity

00:23:24.420 --> 00:23:26.100
 also offers freedom

00:23:26.100 --> 00:23:28.860
 from vain things,

00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:31.180
 specifically idolatry.

00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:31.680
 Look with me,

00:23:31.720 --> 00:23:32.940
 verses 8 to 18,

00:23:33.059 --> 00:23:34.279
 and we'll just actually read

00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:35.200
 verses 8 to 10.

00:23:36.700 --> 00:23:37.420
 Now at Lystra,

00:23:37.539 --> 00:23:38.519
 there was a man sitting

00:23:38.519 --> 00:23:39.859
 who could not use his feet.

00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:41.339
 He was crippled from birth

00:23:41.339 --> 00:23:42.839
 and had never walked.

00:23:43.619 --> 00:23:44.940
 He listened to Paul speaking

00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:47.059
 and Paul,

00:23:47.259 --> 00:23:48.319
 looking intently at him

00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:50.319
 and seeing that he had faith

00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:51.200
 to be made well,

00:23:51.399 --> 00:23:52.539
 said in a loud voice,

00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:54.139
 stand upright on your feet.

00:23:54.140 --> 00:23:55.700
 And he sprang up

00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:56.400
 and began walking.

00:23:57.280 --> 00:23:58.580
 This healing is similar

00:23:58.580 --> 00:23:59.460
 to that of Peter

00:23:59.460 --> 00:24:00.680
 and the lame beggar

00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:03.100
 in Acts chapter 3

00:24:03.100 --> 00:24:04.880
 when the disciples

00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:05.820
 were still in Jerusalem.

00:24:06.680 --> 00:24:08.400
 The miracle was a sign

00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:09.020
 that confirmed

00:24:09.020 --> 00:24:10.020
 the gospel message.

00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:12.100
 Let's continue on.

00:24:12.140 --> 00:24:13.780
 Verse 11 and following.

00:24:14.780 --> 00:24:16.320
 And when the crowd saw

00:24:16.320 --> 00:24:17.460
 what Paul had done,

00:24:18.100 --> 00:24:19.259
 they lifted up their voices,

00:24:19.560 --> 00:24:21.480
 saying in Lycaonian,

00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:24.599
 the gods have come down to us

00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:25.880
 in the likeness of men.

00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:27.839
 Barnabas they called Zeus

00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:29.000
 and Paul Hermes

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:30.960
 because he was the chief speaker

00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:32.860
 and the priest of Zeus,

00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:35.079
 whose temple was at the entrance

00:24:35.079 --> 00:24:35.660
 to the city,

00:24:35.779 --> 00:24:37.319
 brought oxen and garland

00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:37.900
 to the gates

00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:39.539
 and wanted to offer sacrifice

00:24:39.539 --> 00:24:40.759
 with the crowds.

00:24:42.200 --> 00:24:43.860
 But when the apostles Barnabas

00:24:43.860 --> 00:24:44.860
 and Paul heard of it,

00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:45.860
 they tore their garments

00:24:45.860 --> 00:24:47.099
 and rushed out into the crowd,

00:24:47.220 --> 00:24:47.620
 crying out,

00:24:48.059 --> 00:24:50.059
 men, why are you doing these things?

00:24:50.500 --> 00:24:51.400
 I'll pause here.

00:24:52.120 --> 00:24:53.500
 Unlike King Herod,

00:24:54.440 --> 00:24:56.779
 who delighted in being called God,

00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:59.200
 Paul and Barnabas

00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:00.779
 are mortified by such a thing.

00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:02.640
 This is an example

00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:06.039
 of a prescriptive instance in Acts.

00:25:06.460 --> 00:25:07.400
 I don't know if anybody

00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:10.480
 has mistook you for a god.

00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:13.480
 If ever, this is the way you react.

00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:15.500
 Maybe not tearing your garments,

00:25:15.740 --> 00:25:17.039
 but it has to mortify you.

00:25:17.360 --> 00:25:18.220
 You have to scream out,

00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:18.860
 no, not I.

00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:20.480
 And that's what's happening here.

00:25:21.460 --> 00:25:22.920
 Clearly, they don't understand

00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:24.279
 the local language.

00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:26.360
 But soon as they see

00:25:26.360 --> 00:25:27.360
 the priests come out,

00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:28.860
 they understand what's happening.

00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:30.980
 They understand that they are seen

00:25:30.980 --> 00:25:32.420
 not as men, but as gods.

00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:34.940
 They are wanting none of it.

00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:37.539
 They cry out,

00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:38.640
 don't you dare.

00:25:39.600 --> 00:25:41.080
 We are men just like you.

00:25:42.500 --> 00:25:43.799
 This is blasphemy.

00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:46.480
 And then, all of a sudden,

00:25:46.639 --> 00:25:47.299
 there's an opportunity

00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:48.399
 to proclaim the gospel.

00:25:49.159 --> 00:25:50.759
 But what is interesting

00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:53.480
 is that unlike the recorded sermon,

00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:55.440
 Paul's recorded sermon in Acts 13,

00:25:55.879 --> 00:25:57.440
 you'll notice, as we read,

00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:58.500
 no mention of scripture,

00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:00.859
 no mention of the prophets,

00:26:01.579 --> 00:26:03.240
 no mention of the history of Israel,

00:26:03.379 --> 00:26:04.599
 no mention of Jesus

00:26:04.599 --> 00:26:05.899
 in the sermon.

00:26:06.740 --> 00:26:07.299
 What gives?

00:26:07.460 --> 00:26:07.700
 Okay.

00:26:07.700 --> 00:26:10.319
 Let's take a look at this.

00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:13.480
 Actually, before I go on,

00:26:14.360 --> 00:26:15.380
 I'll read it,

00:26:15.420 --> 00:26:16.500
 and then I'll comment.

00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:20.779
 This is Paul speaking.

00:26:20.779 --> 00:26:22.119
 We also are men

00:26:22.119 --> 00:26:23.420
 of like nature with you.

00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:25.359
 We bring you good news

00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:26.240
 that you should turn

00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:27.680
 from these vain things

00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:28.639
 to a living God

00:26:28.639 --> 00:26:29.960
 who made the heaven

00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:30.559
 and the earth

00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:31.139
 and the sea

00:26:31.139 --> 00:26:32.160
 and all that is in them.

00:26:32.940 --> 00:26:33.879
 In past generations,

00:26:34.539 --> 00:26:35.319
 he, that is God,

00:26:35.420 --> 00:26:36.539
 allowed all the nations

00:26:36.539 --> 00:26:37.720
 to walk in their own ways.

00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:39.740
 Yet he did not leave himself

00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:40.639
 without witness,

00:26:41.319 --> 00:26:42.079
 for he did good

00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:43.660
 by giving you rains from heaven

00:26:43.660 --> 00:26:44.660
 and fruitful seasons,

00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:46.539
 satisfying your hearts

00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:48.619
 with food and gladness.

00:26:48.619 --> 00:26:52.219
 What we see here

00:26:52.219 --> 00:26:53.500
 is that Paul

00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:55.799
 is understanding his audience.

00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:57.139
 These people

00:26:57.139 --> 00:26:59.099
 have never heard

00:26:59.099 --> 00:27:01.339
 of the God of scripture.

00:27:01.679 --> 00:27:02.359
 If they did,

00:27:02.899 --> 00:27:04.859
 clearly it has not affected them.

00:27:04.979 --> 00:27:08.019
 It is not in the social fabric,

00:27:08.179 --> 00:27:08.859
 so to speak.

00:27:09.559 --> 00:27:10.539
 They don't understand

00:27:10.539 --> 00:27:11.479
 the history of Israel.

00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:12.859
 They don't understand Jesus.

00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:13.919
 They've never heard of him.

00:27:14.399 --> 00:27:15.839
 So Paul, understanding this,

00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:17.579
 he takes a couple steps back.

00:27:18.619 --> 00:27:20.419
 And then what he does

00:27:20.419 --> 00:27:23.279
 is he appeals to universals,

00:27:24.059 --> 00:27:26.739
 also gets on their level

00:27:26.739 --> 00:27:27.839
 and in their belief system.

00:27:30.099 --> 00:27:32.039
 Historically, in the church,

00:27:32.139 --> 00:27:34.459
 we've understood the word of God

00:27:34.459 --> 00:27:36.119
 as containing two books.

00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:37.599
 The scriptures,

00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:38.939
 what we have,

00:27:38.959 --> 00:27:39.779
 well, this is just Acts,

00:27:39.879 --> 00:27:40.479
 but the scriptures,

00:27:41.159 --> 00:27:42.219
 the entirety of the Bible,

00:27:42.419 --> 00:27:43.859
 Old and New Testament,

00:27:43.859 --> 00:27:45.939
 but also the book of nature,

00:27:46.899 --> 00:27:47.740
 which is to say

00:27:47.740 --> 00:27:49.379
 that God has revealed himself

00:27:49.379 --> 00:27:50.359
 in his creation.

00:27:51.559 --> 00:27:52.779
 You'll understand it

00:27:52.779 --> 00:27:53.379
 if you're familiar

00:27:53.379 --> 00:27:55.339
 with the beginning of Psalm 19.

00:27:56.079 --> 00:27:56.979
 The heavens declare

00:27:56.979 --> 00:27:58.099
 the glory of God

00:27:58.099 --> 00:27:59.279
 and the sky above

00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:01.899
 proclaims his handiwork.

00:28:01.900 --> 00:28:04.140
 This is not to say,

00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:04.460
 though,

00:28:04.620 --> 00:28:06.780
 that somebody can come

00:28:06.780 --> 00:28:08.220
 to a saving faith in Jesus

00:28:08.220 --> 00:28:10.480
 without hearing the name of Jesus,

00:28:10.940 --> 00:28:12.380
 but just that God has

00:28:12.380 --> 00:28:14.600
 sprinkled evidence

00:28:14.600 --> 00:28:15.780
 and woven evidence

00:28:15.780 --> 00:28:18.120
 of who he is

00:28:18.120 --> 00:28:18.920
 in his character

00:28:18.920 --> 00:28:21.080
 and in his characteristics

00:28:21.080 --> 00:28:23.140
 all throughout his created order.

00:28:23.140 --> 00:28:27.420
 that somebody who truly is not,

00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:32.480
 that dives deep into biology

00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:36.400
 or into understanding the cosmos,

00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:38.440
 it's not very long

00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:40.300
 before they're dumbfounded

00:28:40.300 --> 00:28:42.400
 at the complexity

00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:45.820
 and nature of how cells operate

00:28:45.820 --> 00:28:47.620
 or how vast the universe is

00:28:47.620 --> 00:28:50.060
 or how if one aspect

00:28:50.060 --> 00:28:51.500
 of the world's tilt

00:28:51.500 --> 00:28:53.259
 or a degree off

00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:54.319
 with its oxygen

00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:55.859
 or whatever it may be,

00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:56.660
 the gravity,

00:28:57.119 --> 00:28:58.420
 life ceases to exist,

00:28:58.640 --> 00:29:00.259
 that God's fingertips

00:29:00.259 --> 00:29:02.200
 are everywhere in his creation,

00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:04.720
 testifying to who he is.

00:29:07.539 --> 00:29:09.119
 The evidence of God

00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:11.420
 is seen everywhere,

00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:13.559
 specifically that he is transcendent,

00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:15.119
 all-powerful,

00:29:15.220 --> 00:29:16.119
 that he is sovereign,

00:29:16.859 --> 00:29:19.920
 and that he is limitless

00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:21.259
 with time and space.

00:29:21.500 --> 00:29:24.779
 So acknowledging a higher power,

00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:25.400
 like I said,

00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:26.420
 does not lead us

00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:27.579
 to salvation to Christ,

00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:28.680
 but what it does do

00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:30.240
 is it lays the foundation

00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:31.579
 to then appeal

00:29:31.579 --> 00:29:32.319
 to the scriptures,

00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:33.799
 that there is a God

00:29:33.799 --> 00:29:35.079
 and that he has then

00:29:35.079 --> 00:29:35.980
 revealed himself

00:29:35.980 --> 00:29:37.960
 in a very specific way,

00:29:38.019 --> 00:29:38.900
 not in a general way,

00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:40.160
 but in a specific way

00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:41.220
 to all them

00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:41.819
 that would hear

00:29:41.819 --> 00:29:43.160
 the gospel message,

00:29:43.880 --> 00:29:45.319
 all them that he would

00:29:45.319 --> 00:29:46.160
 draw to himself.

00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:49.240
 So this scene

00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:50.140
 is very instructive

00:29:50.140 --> 00:29:51.140
 for us in Canada,

00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:53.160
 I think,

00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:55.640
 for Christians,

00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:56.600
 because increasingly,

00:29:57.200 --> 00:29:58.480
 my generation,

00:29:59.340 --> 00:30:00.259
 millennials,

00:30:01.140 --> 00:30:02.460
 and the next generation,

00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:03.259
 Gen Z,

00:30:03.900 --> 00:30:04.620
 and I don't know

00:30:04.620 --> 00:30:06.060
 the generations after,

00:30:06.800 --> 00:30:08.240
 but there are some,

00:30:09.060 --> 00:30:09.840
 and there'll be more,

00:30:09.839 --> 00:30:10.959
 increasingly,

00:30:10.959 --> 00:30:12.099
 increasingly,

00:30:12.299 --> 00:30:12.919
 they don't know

00:30:12.919 --> 00:30:13.459
 the Bible.

00:30:16.859 --> 00:30:18.679
 There are no grandmas

00:30:18.679 --> 00:30:19.639
 who are taking kids

00:30:19.639 --> 00:30:20.199
 to church.

00:30:21.779 --> 00:30:23.599
 There's multiple generations

00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:24.519
 that have gone,

00:30:25.679 --> 00:30:27.419
 that have not darkened

00:30:27.419 --> 00:30:28.220
 a church door.

00:30:28.220 --> 00:30:31.240
 And it's not to say that,

00:30:32.140 --> 00:30:32.720
 and by the way,

00:30:32.759 --> 00:30:33.319
 I'll just say that

00:30:33.319 --> 00:30:34.380
 for new Canadians

00:30:34.380 --> 00:30:35.140
 and immigrants,

00:30:35.360 --> 00:30:36.620
 it's very similar,

00:30:37.079 --> 00:30:38.039
 especially people coming

00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:39.380
 from parts of Asia,

00:30:41.100 --> 00:30:43.200
 definitely in parts

00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:43.779
 of the Middle East

00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:44.579
 where there's misconceptions

00:30:44.579 --> 00:30:45.500
 about Christianity,

00:30:46.279 --> 00:30:47.500
 but by and large,

00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:49.180
 there's a huge

00:30:49.180 --> 00:30:50.360
 and ever-growing segment

00:30:50.360 --> 00:30:51.620
 of our country

00:30:51.620 --> 00:30:54.440
 that we can appeal

00:30:54.440 --> 00:30:55.000
 to Jesus,

00:30:55.220 --> 00:30:55.819
 we can appeal

00:30:55.819 --> 00:30:56.519
 to the scriptures,

00:30:57.440 --> 00:30:58.039
 we can appeal

00:30:58.039 --> 00:30:59.159
 to the history of Israel,

00:30:59.879 --> 00:31:01.000
 and it will be,

00:31:01.200 --> 00:31:03.399
 it'll be a different language.

00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.440
 It's not to say

00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:07.659
 that there isn't a place

00:31:07.659 --> 00:31:08.980
 to proclaim the Gospels

00:31:08.980 --> 00:31:09.839
 very specifically,

00:31:10.299 --> 00:31:11.659
 but it's important

00:31:11.659 --> 00:31:12.319
 that we know

00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:13.200
 who we're speaking to.

00:31:15.539 --> 00:31:16.180
 By the way,

00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:16.920
 this isn't to say

00:31:16.920 --> 00:31:17.639
 that Canadians,

00:31:17.879 --> 00:31:18.480
 by and large,

00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:19.700
 are not spiritual.

00:31:20.759 --> 00:31:21.859
 Canadians are very spiritual.

00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:26.500
 They're spiritual

00:31:26.500 --> 00:31:28.019
 in very new ways.

00:31:28.039 --> 00:31:30.139
 many Canadians

00:31:30.139 --> 00:31:31.659
 seek out religious experiences.

00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:34.299
 Many Canadians

00:31:34.299 --> 00:31:35.779
 have belief structures.

00:31:37.319 --> 00:31:38.379
 Many Canadians

00:31:38.379 --> 00:31:39.319
 are increasingly

00:31:39.319 --> 00:31:40.639
 interested in

00:31:40.639 --> 00:31:41.500
 a self-curated

00:31:41.500 --> 00:31:42.200
 spirituality.

00:31:42.779 --> 00:31:43.000
 Again,

00:31:43.039 --> 00:31:43.599
 I'm talking in

00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:44.420
 generalities here.

00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:46.079
 But what is common

00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:47.559
 is that the spiritual

00:31:47.559 --> 00:31:48.220
 landscape

00:31:48.220 --> 00:31:50.180
 increasingly has

00:31:50.180 --> 00:31:51.159
 little recollection

00:31:51.159 --> 00:31:51.700
 of the scriptures.

00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:51.799
 scriptures.

00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:56.220
 We come back to Paul

00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:57.220
 and his message.

00:31:57.960 --> 00:31:58.940
 We consider it

00:31:58.940 --> 00:31:59.519
 once more,

00:31:59.740 --> 00:32:00.180
 and we'll notice

00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:00.799
 two things.

00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:01.319
 First,

00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:04.100
 in proclaiming

00:32:04.100 --> 00:32:05.160
 this

00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:07.160
 pre-Gospel message,

00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:08.120
 if you want to call it that,

00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:09.140
 this foundational,

00:32:09.779 --> 00:32:11.160
 this spiritual foundational,

00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:12.799
 foundation message

00:32:12.799 --> 00:32:13.360
 that he is

00:32:13.360 --> 00:32:14.580
 proclaiming,

00:32:14.620 --> 00:32:15.360
 we'll notice two things.

00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:15.959
 The first thing

00:32:15.959 --> 00:32:17.159
 is that Paul

00:32:17.159 --> 00:32:17.839
 is making it clear

00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:18.639
 that all roads

00:32:18.639 --> 00:32:19.199
 do not lead

00:32:19.199 --> 00:32:20.059
 in the same direction.

00:32:22.379 --> 00:32:23.240
 That all roads

00:32:23.240 --> 00:32:23.899
 do not lead

00:32:23.899 --> 00:32:25.439
 to the same destination.

00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:28.539
 Existing roads

00:32:28.539 --> 00:32:28.899
 are like,

00:32:29.179 --> 00:32:30.139
 as I mentioned,

00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:31.859
 Steve Griffin says,

00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:33.319
 or the roads

00:32:33.319 --> 00:32:33.799
 we make

00:32:33.799 --> 00:32:34.479
 as we journey.

00:32:34.480 --> 00:32:36.380
 The worship

00:32:36.380 --> 00:32:36.880
 of Zeus

00:32:36.880 --> 00:32:37.539
 and Hermes

00:32:37.539 --> 00:32:38.900
 was no regional

00:32:38.900 --> 00:32:39.360
 religion,

00:32:39.519 --> 00:32:40.140
 but the state

00:32:40.140 --> 00:32:41.079
 religion of

00:32:41.079 --> 00:32:42.480
 ancient Greece,

00:32:42.839 --> 00:32:43.980
 which was adopted

00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:44.700
 by Rome.

00:32:44.860 --> 00:32:45.660
 Paul calls this

00:32:45.660 --> 00:32:46.599
 belief system

00:32:46.599 --> 00:32:49.279
 not a good way

00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:50.200
 to get to heaven,

00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:51.559
 but a vain way

00:32:51.559 --> 00:32:52.400
 to get to heaven,

00:32:53.079 --> 00:32:54.039
 which is to say

00:32:54.039 --> 00:32:55.339
 it is not a way

00:32:55.339 --> 00:32:55.980
 to get to heaven.

00:32:57.019 --> 00:32:58.559
 It is idolatry.

00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:01.860
 Paul says that

00:33:01.860 --> 00:33:04.339
 every belief

00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:04.720
 system

00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:05.259
 that does not

00:33:05.259 --> 00:33:06.159
 have a foundation

00:33:06.159 --> 00:33:07.919
 in the one

00:33:07.919 --> 00:33:08.659
 true God,

00:33:09.339 --> 00:33:10.240
 and later on

00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:11.539
 he will proclaim

00:33:11.539 --> 00:33:12.059
 the gospel,

00:33:12.539 --> 00:33:13.240
 but in the one

00:33:13.240 --> 00:33:13.740
 true God

00:33:13.740 --> 00:33:14.759
 it is vain,

00:33:15.539 --> 00:33:16.259
 and it is full

00:33:16.259 --> 00:33:17.199
 of empty promises.

00:33:18.459 --> 00:33:18.919
 A belief

00:33:18.919 --> 00:33:19.539
 that purports

00:33:19.539 --> 00:33:20.240
 to have power

00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:21.199
 to sustain

00:33:21.199 --> 00:33:23.720
 and make humanity

00:33:23.720 --> 00:33:24.439
 flourish,

00:33:25.439 --> 00:33:26.019
 it will only

00:33:26.019 --> 00:33:26.839
 come up short.

00:33:27.799 --> 00:33:28.480
 There's only one

00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:28.919
 creator

00:33:28.919 --> 00:33:30.519
 that is transcendent,

00:33:30.599 --> 00:33:31.299
 only one creator

00:33:31.299 --> 00:33:32.220
 who is all-powerful,

00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:32.959
 only one creator

00:33:32.959 --> 00:33:33.740
 that is just,

00:33:33.740 --> 00:33:34.980
 completely good,

00:33:35.160 --> 00:33:35.740
 benevolent,

00:33:36.140 --> 00:33:37.039
 who sustains

00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:37.740
 all life,

00:33:38.599 --> 00:33:39.140
 and everything

00:33:39.140 --> 00:33:39.620
 else,

00:33:39.859 --> 00:33:40.559
 the apostle Paul

00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:40.940
 says,

00:33:41.279 --> 00:33:41.859
 is vanity.

00:33:43.400 --> 00:33:44.420
 The second thing

00:33:44.420 --> 00:33:44.880
 is this,

00:33:45.400 --> 00:33:46.059
 that we can glean

00:33:46.059 --> 00:33:47.000
 from Paul's

00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:48.000
 short little message

00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:48.599
 here from verses

00:33:48.599 --> 00:33:49.480
 15 to 17,

00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:50.500
 it's this,

00:33:52.059 --> 00:33:53.039
 it is good news

00:33:53.039 --> 00:33:53.519
 to turn away

00:33:53.519 --> 00:33:54.019
 from vanity.

00:33:55.779 --> 00:33:56.920
 It is good news.

00:33:56.920 --> 00:33:59.600
 It's not a,

00:33:59.600 --> 00:34:00.800
 it's not like a

00:34:00.800 --> 00:34:02.539
 kind of good thing

00:34:02.539 --> 00:34:03.279
 to turn towards

00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:03.680
 Christ,

00:34:04.420 --> 00:34:05.779
 and to abandon

00:34:05.779 --> 00:34:07.779
 your existing

00:34:07.779 --> 00:34:08.500
 belief systems

00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:09.119
 that are vain.

00:34:09.539 --> 00:34:09.780
 No,

00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:10.760
 it is good news,

00:34:10.860 --> 00:34:11.980
 it's life itself.

00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:15.539
 It is a good thing,

00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:17.039
 and the only good thing,

00:34:17.099 --> 00:34:17.960
 to turn towards

00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:19.039
 the one true

00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:19.720
 living God,

00:34:20.380 --> 00:34:21.840
 which by implication

00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:22.920
 means other faiths

00:34:23.659 --> 00:34:24.800
 and spiritualities

00:34:24.800 --> 00:34:26.200
 are not good news.

00:34:26.620 --> 00:34:27.500
 There's good news

00:34:27.500 --> 00:34:28.640
 and there's not good news,

00:34:29.300 --> 00:34:29.980
 and Paul is,

00:34:31.060 --> 00:34:31.940
 he is leaving

00:34:31.940 --> 00:34:33.060
 no room for gray.

00:34:36.480 --> 00:34:37.320
 I'm going to throw

00:34:37.320 --> 00:34:38.980
 a term here,

00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:39.920
 and I've heard it before,

00:34:40.080 --> 00:34:41.220
 but I'll say

00:34:41.220 --> 00:34:42.160
 I came up with it

00:34:42.160 --> 00:34:43.680
 in my preparation.

00:34:43.820 --> 00:34:45.380
 This is gospel triumphalism.

00:34:46.580 --> 00:34:48.500
 Who wants to talk

00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:49.260
 about triumphalism?

00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:50.060
 I don't.

00:34:50.940 --> 00:34:51.400
 I want to say,

00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:51.760
 hey listen,

00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:52.420
 I'm a part of the

00:34:52.420 --> 00:34:54.780
 community of citizens,

00:34:54.800 --> 00:34:57.039
 I don't want to boast

00:34:57.039 --> 00:34:58.420
 about how I'm better

00:34:58.420 --> 00:34:59.260
 than other people,

00:35:00.220 --> 00:35:02.240
 or that my belief system

00:35:02.240 --> 00:35:03.539
 is far superior

00:35:03.539 --> 00:35:04.380
 than everybody else.

00:35:04.980 --> 00:35:06.900
 They're on a one-way ticket

00:35:06.900 --> 00:35:07.880
 to perdition.

00:35:09.300 --> 00:35:10.440
 But the Apostle Paul

00:35:10.440 --> 00:35:10.880
 is saying,

00:35:12.220 --> 00:35:12.620
 no, no, no,

00:35:12.720 --> 00:35:13.700
 gospel triumphalism

00:35:13.700 --> 00:35:14.360
 is a real thing.

00:35:16.640 --> 00:35:17.760
 It goes without saying

00:35:17.760 --> 00:35:18.280
 that this is not

00:35:18.280 --> 00:35:19.100
 a popular sentiment

00:35:19.100 --> 00:35:19.620
 in Canada.

00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:21.440
 It means that Islam

00:35:21.440 --> 00:35:22.640
 is not good news.

00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:24.059
 It isn't.

00:35:25.519 --> 00:35:26.659
 It means centering

00:35:26.659 --> 00:35:28.139
 one's chakra

00:35:28.139 --> 00:35:30.379
 is not good news.

00:35:30.500 --> 00:35:31.819
 It means salvation

00:35:31.819 --> 00:35:33.119
 through keeping the law,

00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:35.159
 the Mosaic law.

00:35:35.259 --> 00:35:36.599
 It is not good news.

00:35:36.879 --> 00:35:38.379
 It means indigenous

00:35:38.379 --> 00:35:39.980
 spirituality, friends.

00:35:40.099 --> 00:35:41.079
 It's not good news.

00:35:43.699 --> 00:35:44.920
 It means treating

00:35:44.920 --> 00:35:46.319
 politicians as saviors

00:35:46.319 --> 00:35:47.639
 and political movements

00:35:47.639 --> 00:35:48.460
 as salvific.

00:35:48.819 --> 00:35:50.460
 That's not good news.

00:35:50.460 --> 00:35:51.920
 It means embracing

00:35:51.920 --> 00:35:54.220
 expressive individualism.

00:35:54.400 --> 00:35:55.480
 It's not good news.

00:35:55.579 --> 00:35:58.320
 It means easy Christianity

00:35:58.320 --> 00:35:59.539
 is not good news.

00:36:00.699 --> 00:36:01.539
 It's heavy.

00:36:04.300 --> 00:36:05.420
 Apostle Paul is making

00:36:05.420 --> 00:36:06.260
 a case here that

00:36:06.260 --> 00:36:07.720
 gospel triumphalism

00:36:07.720 --> 00:36:08.220
 is real.

00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:12.460
 But just pause real quick

00:36:12.460 --> 00:36:13.720
 because before we go on,

00:36:14.059 --> 00:36:14.900
 this triumphalism,

00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:16.039
 it is not rooted

00:36:16.039 --> 00:36:17.300
 in bigotry or pride,

00:36:17.539 --> 00:36:18.960
 but rather in humility

00:36:18.960 --> 00:36:19.460
 and love.

00:36:20.360 --> 00:36:20.740
 Why?

00:36:21.619 --> 00:36:23.139
 Because the triune God

00:36:23.139 --> 00:36:25.139
 made himself known.

00:36:25.980 --> 00:36:27.380
 Not because he needed

00:36:27.380 --> 00:36:28.440
 us to know him.

00:36:30.240 --> 00:36:32.260
 Not because he wanted

00:36:32.260 --> 00:36:33.360
 us to love him.

00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:35.539
 But out of a pure act

00:36:35.539 --> 00:36:37.340
 of love.

00:36:37.420 --> 00:36:38.440
 Out of a pure act

00:36:38.440 --> 00:36:39.019
 of mercy.

00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:40.880
 That he did not want

00:36:40.880 --> 00:36:41.740
 to see us

00:36:41.740 --> 00:36:44.420
 thrash around madly

00:36:44.420 --> 00:36:46.900
 in a bottomless ocean

00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:49.039
 with no life preservers,

00:36:49.180 --> 00:36:49.820
 with no hope

00:36:49.820 --> 00:36:50.579
 of salvation.

00:36:50.740 --> 00:36:51.700
 He did not want that,

00:36:51.800 --> 00:36:52.280
 but rather

00:36:52.280 --> 00:36:54.380
 he extended salvation

00:36:54.380 --> 00:36:55.200
 to us.

00:36:57.639 --> 00:36:58.440
 It's not to say

00:36:58.440 --> 00:36:59.059
 that we are better

00:36:59.059 --> 00:36:59.680
 than our neighbors.

00:36:59.820 --> 00:37:00.180
 It's to say

00:37:00.180 --> 00:37:01.059
 that we're all,

00:37:01.680 --> 00:37:02.440
 apart from Christ,

00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:02.980
 hopeless.

00:37:04.180 --> 00:37:05.420
 Gospel triumphalism.

00:37:06.159 --> 00:37:07.340
 The very thing

00:37:07.340 --> 00:37:10.539
 that satisfies

00:37:10.539 --> 00:37:11.160
 our deepest

00:37:11.160 --> 00:37:12.160
 heart longings,

00:37:12.620 --> 00:37:14.500
 without which

00:37:14.500 --> 00:37:15.079
 we will never

00:37:15.079 --> 00:37:15.780
 be satisfied.

00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:17.300
 We will never

00:37:17.300 --> 00:37:17.840
 have hope.

00:37:19.900 --> 00:37:20.420
 However,

00:37:20.500 --> 00:37:21.140
 this will not come

00:37:21.140 --> 00:37:21.740
 without a cost.

00:37:21.840 --> 00:37:22.400
 I've talked about

00:37:22.400 --> 00:37:23.340
 costly Christianity

00:37:23.340 --> 00:37:25.180
 a bit already.

00:37:25.400 --> 00:37:26.780
 Now we'll look at it

00:37:26.780 --> 00:37:28.019
 in verses 19

00:37:28.019 --> 00:37:28.680
 and following.

00:37:29.380 --> 00:37:30.900
 As we have already seen,

00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:32.760
 authentic Christianity

00:37:32.760 --> 00:37:33.740
 is disruptive.

00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:35.000
 It chines light

00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:35.680
 into darkness.

00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:36.559
 The darkness

00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:37.419
 doesn't like having,

00:37:37.839 --> 00:37:38.500
 the things hiding

00:37:38.500 --> 00:37:38.940
 in the darkness

00:37:38.940 --> 00:37:39.579
 don't like having

00:37:39.579 --> 00:37:40.500
 the light shine on them.

00:37:41.079 --> 00:37:41.699
 There is,

00:37:41.879 --> 00:37:43.839
 there is opposition

00:37:43.839 --> 00:37:45.219
 and it will come

00:37:45.219 --> 00:37:45.940
 and it is guaranteed.

00:37:46.279 --> 00:37:46.919
 So we'll get into

00:37:46.919 --> 00:37:47.799
 our third point here

00:37:47.799 --> 00:37:49.539
 that authentic Christianity

00:37:49.539 --> 00:37:50.139
 is costly,

00:37:50.299 --> 00:37:51.379
 but I want to emphasize

00:37:51.379 --> 00:37:52.519
 but it is joyful.

00:37:53.299 --> 00:37:53.759
 Look with me

00:37:53.759 --> 00:37:54.879
 at verses 19

00:37:54.879 --> 00:37:55.440
 and following.

00:37:58.219 --> 00:37:59.299
 But the Jews,

00:37:59.619 --> 00:38:00.839
 that is the unbelieving Jews

00:38:00.839 --> 00:38:01.940
 from earlier in the chapter,

00:38:02.119 --> 00:38:03.279
 came from Antioch

00:38:03.279 --> 00:38:03.960
 and Iconium

00:38:03.960 --> 00:38:05.559
 and having persuaded

00:38:05.559 --> 00:38:06.340
 the crowds,

00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:07.279
 they stoned Paul.

00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:08.659
 They dragged him

00:38:08.659 --> 00:38:09.279
 out of the city,

00:38:10.079 --> 00:38:11.579
 supposing that he was dead.

00:38:12.820 --> 00:38:13.659
 But when the disciples

00:38:13.659 --> 00:38:14.519
 gathered about him,

00:38:14.599 --> 00:38:15.199
 he rose up

00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:15.960
 and entered the city

00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:16.960
 and on the next day

00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:17.719
 he went on

00:38:17.719 --> 00:38:18.460
 with Barnabas

00:38:18.460 --> 00:38:19.380
 to Derbe.

00:38:20.279 --> 00:38:21.119
 When they had preached

00:38:21.119 --> 00:38:22.219
 the gospel to that city

00:38:22.219 --> 00:38:24.219
 and had made many disciples,

00:38:24.400 --> 00:38:25.360
 they returned to Lystra

00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:26.579
 and to Iconium

00:38:26.579 --> 00:38:27.559
 and to Antioch,

00:38:28.099 --> 00:38:29.019
 strengthening the souls

00:38:29.019 --> 00:38:29.699
 of the disciples,

00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:30.539
 encouraging them

00:38:30.539 --> 00:38:31.659
 to continue in the faith

00:38:31.659 --> 00:38:33.159
 and saying that

00:38:33.159 --> 00:38:34.460
 through many tribulations

00:38:34.460 --> 00:38:35.259
 we must enter

00:38:35.259 --> 00:38:36.319
 the kingdom of God

00:38:36.319 --> 00:38:37.579
 and when they had

00:38:37.579 --> 00:38:38.440
 appointed elders

00:38:38.440 --> 00:38:40.199
 for them in every church

00:38:40.199 --> 00:38:41.739
 with prayer and fasting,

00:38:41.879 --> 00:38:42.899
 they committed them

00:38:42.899 --> 00:38:43.920
 to the Lord

00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:45.339
 in whom they had believed.

00:38:46.339 --> 00:38:47.539
 The mob returns.

00:38:49.699 --> 00:38:52.039
 This is not a judicial group.

00:38:52.679 --> 00:38:53.319
 They are not trying

00:38:53.319 --> 00:38:54.420
 to put Paul

00:38:54.420 --> 00:38:55.519
 and Barnabas

00:38:55.519 --> 00:38:56.179
 on trial.

00:38:56.519 --> 00:38:56.859
 Rather,

00:38:56.860 --> 00:38:57.860
 they stone Paul.

00:38:58.800 --> 00:38:59.920
 They are filled

00:38:59.920 --> 00:39:00.800
 with malice

00:39:00.800 --> 00:39:01.400
 and anger

00:39:01.400 --> 00:39:02.059
 and greed.

00:39:02.940 --> 00:39:03.680
 The poison

00:39:03.680 --> 00:39:04.460
 that they are trying

00:39:04.460 --> 00:39:05.240
 to poison

00:39:05.240 --> 00:39:07.460
 the believers with

00:39:07.460 --> 00:39:08.240
 in Iconium,

00:39:08.700 --> 00:39:10.340
 it is raging

00:39:10.340 --> 00:39:11.400
 through their veins.

00:39:13.340 --> 00:39:14.120
 They are coming

00:39:14.120 --> 00:39:14.559
 for blood

00:39:14.559 --> 00:39:15.140
 and that's what

00:39:15.140 --> 00:39:15.700
 they're going to get.

00:39:17.160 --> 00:39:17.640
 Paul,

00:39:17.840 --> 00:39:18.519
 he is stoned.

00:39:18.700 --> 00:39:19.500
 They think he is dead.

00:39:19.579 --> 00:39:20.059
 They drag him

00:39:20.059 --> 00:39:20.700
 out of the city,

00:39:21.160 --> 00:39:22.760
 which is to say

00:39:22.760 --> 00:39:23.700
 that he is refuse.

00:39:25.019 --> 00:39:26.059
 He doesn't die.

00:39:26.059 --> 00:39:27.039
 Nowhere, by the way,

00:39:27.119 --> 00:39:27.599
 in this,

00:39:27.840 --> 00:39:28.400
 I mean maybe,

00:39:28.860 --> 00:39:29.920
 but this doesn't seem

00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:30.880
 to be a miraculous

00:39:30.880 --> 00:39:31.900
 healing of Paul.

00:39:32.440 --> 00:39:33.440
 It just seems to be

00:39:33.440 --> 00:39:34.900
 in their blood lust.

00:39:35.639 --> 00:39:36.860
 The mob didn't

00:39:36.860 --> 00:39:38.039
 finish the job.

00:39:39.239 --> 00:39:40.460
 So Paul and Barnabas,

00:39:40.980 --> 00:39:42.559
 they flee

00:39:42.559 --> 00:39:44.840
 as the crowd

00:39:44.840 --> 00:39:47.460
 failed to kill Paul

00:39:47.460 --> 00:39:48.400
 and they're on their way

00:39:48.400 --> 00:39:49.940
 back to Italia

00:39:49.940 --> 00:39:52.820
 to sail back to Antioch

00:39:52.820 --> 00:39:53.519
 to return back

00:39:53.519 --> 00:39:54.239
 to the church

00:39:54.239 --> 00:39:55.340
 that is there

00:39:55.340 --> 00:39:56.220
 to report

00:39:56.220 --> 00:39:57.059
 on what has happened

00:39:57.059 --> 00:39:57.620
 because the church

00:39:57.620 --> 00:39:57.980
 was the one

00:39:57.980 --> 00:39:58.720
 that commissioned them

00:39:58.720 --> 00:40:00.220
 to go on this

00:40:00.220 --> 00:40:00.880
 missionary journey

00:40:00.880 --> 00:40:02.860
 and as they return,

00:40:03.000 --> 00:40:03.720
 they're on the second

00:40:03.720 --> 00:40:04.480
 part of the journey,

00:40:04.860 --> 00:40:06.480
 which is to say

00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:06.940
 that they're going

00:40:06.940 --> 00:40:07.940
 to do a tour

00:40:07.940 --> 00:40:08.900
 all the way back

00:40:08.900 --> 00:40:10.039
 to encourage

00:40:10.039 --> 00:40:11.440
 the believers.

00:40:13.440 --> 00:40:14.180
 They want to

00:40:14.180 --> 00:40:14.760
 strengthen them.

00:40:15.059 --> 00:40:15.780
 They want to remind

00:40:15.780 --> 00:40:17.500
 them that the gospel

00:40:17.500 --> 00:40:18.160
 is costly

00:40:18.160 --> 00:40:19.000
 and by the way,

00:40:19.420 --> 00:40:20.240
 Paul here will say,

00:40:21.120 --> 00:40:22.039
 just in case you

00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:22.740
 don't believe me,

00:40:22.739 --> 00:40:25.299
 he himself testifies

00:40:25.299 --> 00:40:26.439
 to the costliness

00:40:26.439 --> 00:40:27.899
 of the gospel.

00:40:29.099 --> 00:40:30.000
 And why does the gospel

00:40:30.000 --> 00:40:30.839
 have to be costly?

00:40:31.919 --> 00:40:32.939
 Because we follow

00:40:32.939 --> 00:40:34.099
 a king who has paid

00:40:34.099 --> 00:40:35.299
 the entire cost

00:40:35.299 --> 00:40:36.299
 of all of our sins,

00:40:36.819 --> 00:40:38.039
 dying the death

00:40:38.039 --> 00:40:38.959
 we should have died

00:40:38.959 --> 00:40:39.979
 so that we might

00:40:39.979 --> 00:40:40.839
 live the life

00:40:40.839 --> 00:40:42.339
 we could never

00:40:42.339 --> 00:40:43.039
 have achieved

00:40:43.039 --> 00:40:44.239
 and we follow

00:40:44.239 --> 00:40:45.259
 after his footsteps.

00:40:46.019 --> 00:40:47.039
 And if it costs him,

00:40:47.079 --> 00:40:48.139
 it's going to cost us.

00:40:49.519 --> 00:40:49.799
 And friends,

00:40:49.860 --> 00:40:50.640
 this can be daunting,

00:40:51.519 --> 00:40:52.400
 but know that

00:40:52.400 --> 00:40:52.980
 you're not alone.

00:40:53.060 --> 00:40:53.500
 And here's where

00:40:53.500 --> 00:40:54.460
 the joy comes in.

00:40:55.360 --> 00:40:56.780
 Because later on

00:40:56.780 --> 00:40:57.519
 in the chapter,

00:40:58.160 --> 00:41:00.880
 they return to Antioch,

00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:01.780
 the sending church,

00:41:02.460 --> 00:41:04.380
 and they get to declare

00:41:04.380 --> 00:41:05.620
 all of what God

00:41:05.620 --> 00:41:06.340
 has done

00:41:06.340 --> 00:41:07.800
 and praise him

00:41:07.800 --> 00:41:09.180
 with their brothers

00:41:09.180 --> 00:41:09.800
 and sisters.

00:41:12.260 --> 00:41:13.160
 But just know

00:41:13.160 --> 00:41:14.340
 that you are not alone,

00:41:14.660 --> 00:41:15.320
 even though

00:41:15.320 --> 00:41:17.840
 real, authentic Christianity,

00:41:18.160 --> 00:41:19.200
 it's costly.

00:41:20.300 --> 00:41:21.480
 We come to this faith,

00:41:21.560 --> 00:41:21.980
 as I've said

00:41:21.980 --> 00:41:22.680
 a number of times,

00:41:22.800 --> 00:41:23.400
 and this is not

00:41:23.400 --> 00:41:26.519
 new to,

00:41:26.820 --> 00:41:27.720
 I didn't create this,

00:41:27.780 --> 00:41:29.240
 it's not original to me,

00:41:29.620 --> 00:41:30.700
 but we come to the faith

00:41:30.700 --> 00:41:31.260
 one by one,

00:41:31.320 --> 00:41:32.300
 but we walk it out

00:41:32.300 --> 00:41:33.200
 side by side.

00:41:34.500 --> 00:41:35.800
 You are not expected

00:41:35.800 --> 00:41:37.120
 to live out this faith solo.

00:41:37.700 --> 00:41:38.920
 You need each other.

00:41:39.640 --> 00:41:40.380
 Of course you need

00:41:40.380 --> 00:41:41.080
 the Lord's strength

00:41:41.080 --> 00:41:41.680
 in all of this,

00:41:41.900 --> 00:41:43.019
 but you need other people

00:41:43.019 --> 00:41:43.900
 to help you.

00:41:44.380 --> 00:41:45.100
 Notice here

00:41:45.100 --> 00:41:47.960
 that Paul and Barnabas

00:41:47.960 --> 00:41:49.059
 don't show up

00:41:49.059 --> 00:41:49.639
 to the churches

00:41:49.639 --> 00:41:50.679
 that they planted,

00:41:51.599 --> 00:41:52.840
 say a couple nice words,

00:41:53.679 --> 00:41:54.480
 say, you know,

00:41:54.519 --> 00:41:55.039
 have at it.

00:41:55.220 --> 00:41:55.539
 Rather,

00:41:55.860 --> 00:41:58.599
 they install elders,

00:41:58.720 --> 00:41:59.360
 which is to say,

00:41:59.460 --> 00:42:00.059
 church leaders

00:42:00.059 --> 00:42:00.679
 that will be

00:42:00.679 --> 00:42:01.539
 under shepherds,

00:42:02.079 --> 00:42:02.960
 people that will

00:42:02.960 --> 00:42:03.980
 proclaim the gospel

00:42:03.980 --> 00:42:04.480
 to them,

00:42:04.960 --> 00:42:05.860
 would administer

00:42:05.860 --> 00:42:06.760
 the sacraments,

00:42:07.079 --> 00:42:08.260
 remind them

00:42:08.260 --> 00:42:09.960
 that even though

00:42:09.960 --> 00:42:10.920
 it is costly,

00:42:11.119 --> 00:42:12.699
 that their eternal reward

00:42:12.699 --> 00:42:13.899
 is Christ himself,

00:42:14.960 --> 00:42:16.059
 that these elders

00:42:16.059 --> 00:42:16.879
 will strengthen

00:42:16.879 --> 00:42:17.679
 the church,

00:42:18.139 --> 00:42:18.980
 help them to endure.

00:42:21.000 --> 00:42:22.439
 I say this

00:42:22.439 --> 00:42:23.339
 just about my office,

00:42:23.439 --> 00:42:24.059
 not about me,

00:42:24.819 --> 00:42:25.399
 but friends,

00:42:25.460 --> 00:42:26.000
 you are blessed

00:42:26.000 --> 00:42:26.599
 because you have

00:42:26.599 --> 00:42:27.639
 an elder in the church

00:42:27.639 --> 00:42:28.539
 to do just that.

00:42:30.279 --> 00:42:31.179
 By God's strength,

00:42:31.219 --> 00:42:32.139
 I will try my best,

00:42:32.460 --> 00:42:33.299
 but just know

00:42:33.299 --> 00:42:35.679
 that God's grace

00:42:35.679 --> 00:42:36.259
 to you

00:42:36.259 --> 00:42:37.339
 is that somebody

00:42:37.339 --> 00:42:38.019
 will open up

00:42:38.019 --> 00:42:38.559
 the scriptures

00:42:38.559 --> 00:42:39.799
 week in and week out

00:42:39.799 --> 00:42:40.879
 on Sunday mornings

00:42:40.880 --> 00:42:41.960
 as we gather.

00:42:42.860 --> 00:42:43.680
 Somebody that will

00:42:43.680 --> 00:42:44.860
 lead us

00:42:44.860 --> 00:42:45.480
 as we gather

00:42:45.480 --> 00:42:46.559
 around his table

00:42:46.559 --> 00:42:47.740
 and we will be nourished

00:42:47.740 --> 00:42:48.840
 in a spiritual way.

00:42:49.260 --> 00:42:50.119
 Our souls will be

00:42:50.119 --> 00:42:50.599
 strengthened.

00:42:51.900 --> 00:42:52.780
 People that will

00:42:52.780 --> 00:42:53.700
 come up and read

00:42:53.700 --> 00:42:54.920
 scripture like Jack did

00:42:54.920 --> 00:42:57.640
 earlier and lead us

00:42:57.640 --> 00:42:58.460
 in intercessions.

00:42:58.500 --> 00:42:59.119
 This is all

00:42:59.119 --> 00:43:01.420
 for our benefit

00:43:01.420 --> 00:43:02.000
 to help us

00:43:02.000 --> 00:43:02.539
 to endure,

00:43:02.680 --> 00:43:03.519
 to strengthen us

00:43:03.519 --> 00:43:06.099
 and to build up

00:43:06.099 --> 00:43:06.599
 our souls.

00:43:08.119 --> 00:43:08.539
 This is a

00:43:08.539 --> 00:43:12.059
 gift from God

00:43:12.059 --> 00:43:12.460
 above.

00:43:15.099 --> 00:43:15.820
 And friends,

00:43:15.920 --> 00:43:16.679
 as we journey

00:43:16.679 --> 00:43:17.519
 this life together,

00:43:17.840 --> 00:43:18.719
 just know that

00:43:18.719 --> 00:43:19.159
 there will be

00:43:19.159 --> 00:43:19.960
 times of joy

00:43:19.960 --> 00:43:21.259
 and the times

00:43:21.259 --> 00:43:21.679
 of joy

00:43:21.679 --> 00:43:22.539
 will far,

00:43:22.779 --> 00:43:22.960
 far,

00:43:23.119 --> 00:43:23.320
 far,

00:43:23.460 --> 00:43:23.699
 far,

00:43:23.699 --> 00:43:23.719
 far,

00:43:23.719 --> 00:43:26.079
 both in quantity

00:43:26.079 --> 00:43:27.320
 and quality

00:43:27.320 --> 00:43:28.500
 outlast

00:43:28.500 --> 00:43:29.960
 any of

00:43:29.960 --> 00:43:31.159
 the difficulty

00:43:31.159 --> 00:43:32.759
 and struggle

00:43:32.759 --> 00:43:33.239
 that we may

00:43:33.239 --> 00:43:34.099
 experience in this

00:43:34.099 --> 00:43:34.340
 faith.

00:43:34.460 --> 00:43:35.079
 I'll close

00:43:35.079 --> 00:43:37.900
 by words

00:43:37.900 --> 00:43:38.699
 of another

00:43:38.699 --> 00:43:39.099
 minister,

00:43:39.239 --> 00:43:39.799
 a minister

00:43:39.799 --> 00:43:40.219
 that knew

00:43:40.219 --> 00:43:40.880
 very well

00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:42.139
 the reality

00:43:42.139 --> 00:43:43.380
 of costly

00:43:43.380 --> 00:43:44.840
 Christianity.

00:43:45.480 --> 00:43:46.139
 This is from

00:43:46.139 --> 00:43:47.420
 Diedrich Bonhoeffer

00:43:47.420 --> 00:43:50.460
 in a book

00:43:50.460 --> 00:43:50.799
 he wrote

00:43:50.799 --> 00:43:51.679
 on discipleship.

00:43:52.519 --> 00:43:53.199
 He says this,

00:43:53.819 --> 00:43:54.659
 he's juxtaposing

00:43:54.659 --> 00:43:55.259
 cheap grace

00:43:55.259 --> 00:43:56.860
 versus costly grace

00:43:56.860 --> 00:43:57.319
 or what we would

00:43:57.319 --> 00:43:57.900
 understand as

00:43:57.900 --> 00:43:59.099
 authentic Christianity.

00:43:59.259 --> 00:43:59.900
 This is what he says.

00:44:01.400 --> 00:44:02.139
 Cheap grace

00:44:02.139 --> 00:44:03.139
 is the preaching

00:44:03.139 --> 00:44:03.779
 of forgiveness

00:44:03.779 --> 00:44:04.900
 without requiring

00:44:04.900 --> 00:44:05.359
 repentance,

00:44:06.219 --> 00:44:07.019
 baptism without

00:44:07.019 --> 00:44:07.879
 church discipline,

00:44:08.599 --> 00:44:09.339
 communion without

00:44:09.339 --> 00:44:09.839
 confession,

00:44:10.019 --> 00:44:11.440
 absolution without

00:44:11.440 --> 00:44:12.500
 personal confession.

00:44:13.400 --> 00:44:13.960
 Cheap grace

00:44:13.960 --> 00:44:14.480
 is grace

00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:15.699
 without discipleship,

00:44:16.400 --> 00:44:16.920
 grace without

00:44:16.920 --> 00:44:17.500
 the cross,

00:44:17.679 --> 00:44:18.139
 grace without

00:44:18.139 --> 00:44:18.980
 Jesus Christ

00:44:18.980 --> 00:44:20.079
 living and incarnate.

00:44:21.199 --> 00:44:21.940
 Costly grace

00:44:21.940 --> 00:44:22.719
 is the treasure

00:44:22.719 --> 00:44:23.739
 hidden in the field.

00:44:24.420 --> 00:44:25.279
 For the sake of it

00:44:25.279 --> 00:44:26.279
 a man will go

00:44:26.279 --> 00:44:26.799
 and sell

00:44:26.799 --> 00:44:27.799
 all that he has.

00:44:28.940 --> 00:44:29.719
 It is the pearl

00:44:29.719 --> 00:44:30.440
 of great price

00:44:30.440 --> 00:44:31.119
 to buy

00:44:31.119 --> 00:44:33.460
 by that

00:44:33.460 --> 00:44:34.139
 which the merchant

00:44:34.139 --> 00:44:34.719
 will sell

00:44:34.719 --> 00:44:35.539
 all his goods.

00:44:35.679 --> 00:44:36.759
 It is the kingly

00:44:36.759 --> 00:44:37.599
 rule of Christ

00:44:37.599 --> 00:44:38.739
 for whose sake

00:44:38.739 --> 00:44:39.779
 a man will pluck

00:44:39.779 --> 00:44:40.460
 out the eye

00:44:40.460 --> 00:44:41.299
 which causes him

00:44:41.299 --> 00:44:41.839
 to stumble.

00:44:42.500 --> 00:44:43.239
 It is the call

00:44:43.239 --> 00:44:44.199
 of Jesus Christ

00:44:44.199 --> 00:44:45.339
 at which the disciple

00:44:45.339 --> 00:44:46.380
 leaves his nets

00:44:46.380 --> 00:44:47.500
 and follows him.

00:44:48.960 --> 00:44:49.599
 Costly grace

00:44:49.599 --> 00:44:50.299
 is the gospel

00:44:50.299 --> 00:44:51.359
 which must be

00:44:51.359 --> 00:44:52.359
 sought again and again,

00:44:52.440 --> 00:44:53.039
 the gift which

00:44:53.039 --> 00:44:53.880
 must be asked for,

00:44:53.960 --> 00:44:54.699
 the door

00:44:54.699 --> 00:44:56.000
 at which a man

00:44:56.000 --> 00:44:56.659
 must knock.

00:44:57.579 --> 00:44:58.259
 Such grace

00:44:58.259 --> 00:44:58.759
 is costly

00:44:58.759 --> 00:44:59.539
 because it calls

00:44:59.539 --> 00:45:00.360
 us to follow

00:45:00.360 --> 00:45:01.900
 and it is a grace

00:45:01.900 --> 00:45:02.599
 because it calls

00:45:02.599 --> 00:45:03.179
 us to follow

00:45:03.179 --> 00:45:03.960
 Jesus Christ.

00:45:04.900 --> 00:45:05.480
 It is costly

00:45:05.480 --> 00:45:06.199
 because it costs

00:45:06.199 --> 00:45:07.179
 a man his life

00:45:07.179 --> 00:45:08.579
 and it is grace

00:45:08.579 --> 00:45:09.400
 because it gives

00:45:09.400 --> 00:45:10.679
 a man the only

00:45:10.679 --> 00:45:11.759
 true life.

00:45:14.480 --> 00:45:15.519
 It is costly

00:45:15.519 --> 00:45:16.559
 because it condemns

00:45:16.559 --> 00:45:16.920
 sin

00:45:16.920 --> 00:45:18.480
 and grace

00:45:18.480 --> 00:45:19.739
 because it justifies

00:45:19.739 --> 00:45:20.219
 the sinner.

00:45:20.360 --> 00:45:20.880
 Above all,

00:45:21.279 --> 00:45:21.940
 it is costly

00:45:21.940 --> 00:45:23.239
 because it costs

00:45:23.239 --> 00:45:24.139
 God the life

00:45:24.139 --> 00:45:24.820
 of his son.

00:45:25.679 --> 00:45:26.400
 Ye were bought

00:45:26.400 --> 00:45:27.119
 at a price

00:45:27.119 --> 00:45:29.079
 and what has

00:45:29.079 --> 00:45:29.900
 cost God

00:45:29.900 --> 00:45:30.720
 much cannot

00:45:30.720 --> 00:45:31.360
 be cheap

00:45:31.360 --> 00:45:31.960
 for us.

00:45:33.760 --> 00:45:34.639
 Above all,

00:45:34.760 --> 00:45:35.300
 it is grace

00:45:35.300 --> 00:45:36.000
 because God

00:45:36.000 --> 00:45:36.660
 did not reckon

00:45:36.660 --> 00:45:37.380
 his son too

00:45:37.380 --> 00:45:38.579
 dear a price

00:45:38.579 --> 00:45:39.280
 to pay for our

00:45:39.280 --> 00:45:39.619
 life

00:45:39.619 --> 00:45:41.260
 but delivered

00:45:41.260 --> 00:45:42.079
 him up for us.

00:45:42.740 --> 00:45:43.579
 Costly grace

00:45:43.579 --> 00:45:44.940
 is the incarnation

00:45:44.940 --> 00:45:45.579
 of God.

00:45:50.160 --> 00:45:50.599
 Father,

00:45:50.720 --> 00:45:51.300
 help us to

00:45:51.300 --> 00:45:52.639
 know the

00:45:52.639 --> 00:45:55.279
 reality of

00:45:55.279 --> 00:45:56.339
 authentic

00:45:56.339 --> 00:45:57.440
 Christianity.

00:45:57.980 --> 00:45:58.559
 Help us not

00:45:58.559 --> 00:45:59.659
 to paper over

00:45:59.659 --> 00:46:00.619
 the hard stuff.

00:46:01.559 --> 00:46:02.179
 Help us not

00:46:02.179 --> 00:46:03.819
 to walk

00:46:03.819 --> 00:46:04.759
 in a delusional

00:46:04.759 --> 00:46:06.000
 state

00:46:06.000 --> 00:46:06.980
 thinking that

00:46:06.980 --> 00:46:07.619
 we can

00:46:07.619 --> 00:46:08.539
 tack Christianity

00:46:08.539 --> 00:46:09.099
 on

00:46:09.099 --> 00:46:10.279
 to

00:46:10.279 --> 00:46:12.799
 10%

00:46:12.799 --> 00:46:13.379
 of our life

00:46:13.379 --> 00:46:14.379
 and go on

00:46:14.379 --> 00:46:15.099
 with the rest

00:46:15.099 --> 00:46:16.339
 as if it has

00:46:16.339 --> 00:46:17.079
 no influence.

00:46:17.819 --> 00:46:18.379
 Help us to

00:46:18.379 --> 00:46:19.519
 not think

00:46:19.519 --> 00:46:19.879
 that

00:46:19.880 --> 00:46:21.280
 we can

00:46:21.280 --> 00:46:22.000
 privately

00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:22.940
 be your

00:46:22.940 --> 00:46:23.320
 children

00:46:23.320 --> 00:46:24.300
 but not

00:46:24.300 --> 00:46:24.760
 publicly.

00:46:26.079 --> 00:46:26.480
 Lord,

00:46:26.559 --> 00:46:27.059
 help us

00:46:27.059 --> 00:46:27.960
 to

00:46:27.960 --> 00:46:30.019
 value

00:46:30.019 --> 00:46:30.760
 Christ

00:46:30.760 --> 00:46:31.140
 and as

00:46:31.140 --> 00:46:31.940
 Bonhoeffer

00:46:31.940 --> 00:46:32.300
 said,

00:46:32.820 --> 00:46:33.640
 what costs

00:46:33.640 --> 00:46:34.519
 you much

00:46:34.519 --> 00:46:35.420
 ought not

00:46:35.420 --> 00:46:35.960
 to be cheap

00:46:35.960 --> 00:46:36.360
 for us.

00:46:36.440 --> 00:46:36.760
 So Lord,

00:46:36.840 --> 00:46:37.200
 help us

00:46:37.200 --> 00:46:37.599
 by your

00:46:37.599 --> 00:46:38.059
 strength,

00:46:38.500 --> 00:46:39.420
 by the

00:46:39.420 --> 00:46:39.960
 means of

00:46:39.960 --> 00:46:40.360
 grace,

00:46:40.420 --> 00:46:40.780
 with the

00:46:40.780 --> 00:46:41.220
 proclamation

00:46:41.220 --> 00:46:41.740
 of your

00:46:41.740 --> 00:46:42.300
 word and

00:46:42.300 --> 00:46:43.440
 the gathering

00:46:43.440 --> 00:46:43.860
 around your

00:46:43.860 --> 00:46:44.200
 table,

00:46:44.380 --> 00:46:44.780
 build up

00:46:44.780 --> 00:46:45.480
 our souls

00:46:45.480 --> 00:46:46.559
 and help

00:46:46.559 --> 00:46:46.840
 us to

00:46:46.840 --> 00:46:47.320
 walk out

00:46:47.320 --> 00:46:47.980
 this faith

00:46:47.980 --> 00:46:49.320
 authentically

00:46:49.320 --> 00:46:50.760
 in a

00:46:50.760 --> 00:46:51.240
 costly,

00:46:51.920 --> 00:46:52.320
 real

00:46:52.320 --> 00:46:53.280
 way

00:46:53.280 --> 00:46:54.000
 that we

00:46:54.000 --> 00:46:54.400
 would

00:46:54.400 --> 00:46:57.500
 do you

00:46:57.500 --> 00:46:57.880
 proud.

00:46:58.519 --> 00:46:59.280
 Not that

00:46:59.280 --> 00:46:59.940
 we need to

00:46:59.940 --> 00:47:01.039
 earn from

00:47:01.039 --> 00:47:01.340
 you,

00:47:01.840 --> 00:47:02.320
 you've already

00:47:02.320 --> 00:47:03.000
 given to us,

00:47:03.080 --> 00:47:03.519
 but that we

00:47:03.519 --> 00:47:03.720
 would,

00:47:04.080 --> 00:47:04.280
 as an

00:47:04.280 --> 00:47:05.180
 expression of

00:47:05.180 --> 00:47:05.640
 the goodness

00:47:05.640 --> 00:47:06.260
 and kindness

00:47:06.260 --> 00:47:06.840
 and grace

00:47:06.840 --> 00:47:07.280
 and love

00:47:07.280 --> 00:47:07.820
 and mercy

00:47:07.820 --> 00:47:08.880
 and salvation

00:47:08.880 --> 00:47:09.519
 and life

00:47:09.519 --> 00:47:10.120
 eternal that

00:47:10.120 --> 00:47:10.500
 you've given

00:47:10.500 --> 00:47:10.840
 us,

00:47:12.280 --> 00:47:12.460
 Lord,

00:47:12.519 --> 00:47:12.880
 that we

00:47:12.880 --> 00:47:13.220
 would

00:47:13.220 --> 00:47:15.019
 just give

00:47:15.019 --> 00:47:15.580
 you just a

00:47:15.580 --> 00:47:16.300
 small offering

00:47:16.300 --> 00:47:17.240
 that is our

00:47:17.240 --> 00:47:17.539
 life.

00:47:18.220 --> 00:47:18.720
 We pray all

00:47:18.719 --> 00:47:19.119
 of this in

00:47:19.119 --> 00:47:19.559
 Christ's name.