WEBVTT

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 Father, thank you for your words. Thank you that you are the speaking God. You speak words of love and power.

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 Pray that you would speak to each one of us, to our hearts, words of welcome, words of grace.

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 Pray that Celeste reads your words and then as I try to say a few words, would we hear you speak to us?

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 Would we hear your voice? Would we hear what you say? Help me to be faithful.

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 And yeah, would you encourage us today and send us out with the great news of Jesus.

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 In his name we pray. Amen. Celeste.

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 Good morning. Scripture reading today comes from Acts chapter 8, verses 26 to 40.

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 If you don't have a copy of the Bible, I encourage you to grab a copy from the front and also at the back.

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 If you're using the church Bible, it's at page 862.

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 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip,

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 Rise and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.

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 This is a desert place.

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 And he rose and went.

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 And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians,

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 who was in charge of all her treasure.

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 He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot,

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 and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

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 And the spirit said to Philip,

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 Go over and join this chariot.

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 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked,

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 Do you understand what you are reading?

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 And he said,

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 How can I unless someone guides me?

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 And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

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 Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this.

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 Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,

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 and like a lamb before its shearer it's silent.

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 So he opens not his mouth.

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 In his humiliation, justice was denied him.

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 Who can describe his generation?

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 For his life is taken away from the earth.

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 And the eunuch said to Philip,

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 About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this?

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 About himself?

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 Or about someone else?

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 Then Philip opened his mouth.

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 And beginning with this scripture,

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 he told him the good news about Jesus.

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 And as they were going along the road,

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 they came to some water,

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 and the eunuch said,

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 See, here is water.

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 What prevents me from being baptized?

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 And he commanded the chariot to stop.

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 And they both went down into the water,

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 Philip and the eunuch,

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 and he baptized him.

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 And when they came up out of the water,

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 the spirit of the Lord carried Philip away,

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 and the eunuch saw him no more,

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 and went on his way rejoicing.

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 But Philip found himself at Azotus,

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 and as he passed through,

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 he preached the gospel to all the towns

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 until he came to Caesarea.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Great.

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 Thanks, Celeste, for reading.

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 Let's keep that passage open

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 as we'll look at Acts.

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 Acts, and some other passage later as well.

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 All right.

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 Now, Hong Kong, it's a wonderful city.

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 Many great places to go.

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 But one thing that I only found out

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 in the past few years,

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 because people took me there,

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 there's all these clubs, right?

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 All these places where not everyone can go.

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 You need to be a member,

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 pay a lot of money.

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 But then, yeah, you have this,

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 the Hong Kong club,

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 or the China club,

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 or the, what is it?

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 The golf club and the yacht club.

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 And, yeah, most people can't go in there,

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 because, yeah, it's only for members.

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 Only if they invite you,

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 which is kind of fun.

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 It's a nice place.

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 I sometimes think, of course,

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 clubs here are,

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 there's even more exclusive clubs

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 than in Hong Kong.

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 I try to have a look online.

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 What's the most exclusive club?

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 Probably the yacht club of Monaco.

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 Of course, you need to have a,

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 you know,

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 two people who are members

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 need to recommend you.

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 You need to write a handwritten letter.

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 You need to have an interview

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 with the Prince of Monaco, right?

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 Prince Albert II.

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 And he needs to see if,

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 you know,

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 you've made a recognized contribution

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 to yachting.

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 And if you want,

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 if you're a captain,

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 you need to have at least

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 five years experience

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 being a captain.

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 And then,

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 you can only go there

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 with a blue blazer

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 with the club logo

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 and those kind of things.

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 So I guess this is just funny, right?

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 Most of us don't really care about it

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 because it's not something we need.

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 But what if you,

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 there's something you need,

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 but you are not eligible?

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 I don't know.

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 You want to go to a certain country

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 to see family

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 or to see a friend

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 and you don't get a visa

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 because, you know,

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 you're, yeah,

00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:05.920
 someone like you can't get a visa.

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 That's really hard, right?

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 Or there are certain medical treatments

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 and you're not eligible for that

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 because of whatever reason.

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 You don't meet certain criteria.

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 Then it's a lot more difficult, right?

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 That it's not,

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 it's not for everyone.

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 Or even worse,

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 what if you couldn't get

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 to be with God?

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 I mean,

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 God is the one we need most, right?

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 We want to be able to pray.

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 We need help.

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 We need forgiveness.

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 We need all those things.

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 But what if you couldn't get in?

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 And certainly in the Old Testament,

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 that was often the case, right?

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 If you wanted to be

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 one of God's people,

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 well, you had to be Jewish.

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 The men had to be circumcised

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 and you had to be ritually clean.

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 So you had to keep all these rules.

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 You know,

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 those 10 commandments are easy,

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 but how about the 603 other ones

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 in the Bible, right?

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 That's quite a few.

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 The temple symbolized it so clearly, right?

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 You have this,

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 yeah,

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 this is what the temple looks like.

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 Of course,

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 if you were not Jewish,

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 you couldn't even go in.

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 But then you can see on the left

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 the court of women

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 because that is as far as women could go

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 and only the men could go further.

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 But then to go into the building,

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 you had to be a priest

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 and to go into the innermost place,

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 you had to be the high priest, right?

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 It's basically the deep truth there was,

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 it's very difficult to be with God,

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 with someone who is infinite

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 and perfect and holy.

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 How can you be with someone like that?

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 We can't just walk in.

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 We're not welcome.

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 But if you want to get in,

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 then it's tough

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 that you're not welcome, right?

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 I guess some of us really feel that.

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 We really know,

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 okay, yeah,

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 I want to be with God,

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 but how can I,

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 given who I am,

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 given how unworthy I am?

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 And yeah,

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 well,

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 that is why this passage

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 and indeed so much of this series

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 that we're doing in Acts

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 is such good news

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 for those who think

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 they're not welcome.

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 Now, yeah,

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 we're doing this series

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 in the book of Acts,

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 seeing how the gospel expands.

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 Yeah,

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 you may,

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 it's a,

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 well,

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 it looks like the human hero

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 is this guy called Philip,

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 who is,

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 yeah,

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 a deacon of the church.

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 He plays a key role.

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 Although you may wonder,

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 actually,

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 why is it called the book of Acts?

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 People call it the book of Acts.

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 It's short for the Acts of the Apostles,

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 right?

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 The things that the apostles did.

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 Although the first thing

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 that I notice here

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 that I think,

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 well,

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 what we see so clearly in Acts

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 is that it's really,

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 actually,

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 it's not about the people,

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 right?

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 So,

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 when we heard this story,

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 it is so much God's initiative,

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 again,

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 right?

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 It is God doing this.

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 All through this section,

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 God is sending visions

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 and he's sending angels

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 and he is,

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 the Holy Spirit

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 is giving explicit directions.

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 I think this passage

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 is pretty wild,

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 right?

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 I mean,

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 verse 26,

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 now an angel of the Lord

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 said to Philip,

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 rise and go towards the south

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 to the road

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 that goes down

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 from Jerusalem to Gaza.

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 This is a desert place,

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 right?

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 So,

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 here's just Philip

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 and he's doing evangelism

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 and then an angel shows up

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 and says,

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 okay,

00:08:10.579 --> 00:08:11.959
 go to that desert road

00:08:11.959 --> 00:08:12.399
 over there.

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 Go and stand

00:08:13.019 --> 00:08:13.919
 in the middle of nowhere.

00:08:14.699 --> 00:08:15.719
 Why would you do that?

00:08:15.819 --> 00:08:16.019
 Well,

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 of course,

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 there's a plan,

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 right?

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 Because then this guy

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 comes along

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 in his chariot

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 and again,

00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:21.800
 the Spirit,

00:08:21.919 --> 00:08:22.159
 okay,

00:08:22.259 --> 00:08:23.159
 the Spirit said to Philip,

00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:23.819
 verse 29,

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 go over

00:08:24.540 --> 00:08:25.839
 and join this chariot

00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:27.159
 and as you've heard,

00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:27.420
 yeah,

00:08:27.459 --> 00:08:27.879
 it's great,

00:08:27.959 --> 00:08:28.099
 right?

00:08:28.139 --> 00:08:29.139
 Because here's someone

00:08:29.139 --> 00:08:29.839
 who wants to know

00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:30.420
 about Jesus

00:08:30.420 --> 00:08:32.080
 and he explains the gospel

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 and he gets baptized.

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 Verse 39,

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 and when they came up

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 out of the water,

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 the Spirit of the Lord

00:08:38.759 --> 00:08:40.080
 carried Philip away

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 and the eunuch

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 saw him no more

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 and went on his way rejoicing

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 and Philip found himself

00:08:44.860 --> 00:08:45.559
 as a resultist,

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 right?

00:08:46.179 --> 00:08:46.480
 You know,

00:08:46.539 --> 00:08:47.720
 the Spirit just teleports

00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:48.379
 Philip away

00:08:48.379 --> 00:08:49.299
 to his next kind

00:08:49.299 --> 00:08:50.379
 of gospel conversation.

00:08:50.379 --> 00:08:51.399
 I think this is pretty,

00:08:51.399 --> 00:08:52.779
 pretty wild.

00:08:52.779 --> 00:08:53.419
 I mean,

00:08:53.419 --> 00:08:54.459
 even for the book of Acts,

00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:54.740
 right?

00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:55.659
 Where sometimes

00:08:55.659 --> 00:08:56.519
 these things happen.

00:08:56.620 --> 00:08:57.100
 It's especially

00:08:57.100 --> 00:08:58.000
 in this section,

00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:00.100
 all these wild things happen.

00:09:00.299 --> 00:09:01.579
 I guess this is where

00:09:01.579 --> 00:09:02.839
 people are being pushed

00:09:02.839 --> 00:09:03.799
 out of their comfort zone

00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:04.500
 and so God needs

00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:05.439
 to do a lot of pushing,

00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:05.839
 right?

00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:07.879
 And so it's so clear

00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:09.319
 that this is God

00:09:09.319 --> 00:09:10.720
 being active.

00:09:10.959 --> 00:09:11.699
 God wants to,

00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:13.620
 the gospel to go somewhere

00:09:13.620 --> 00:09:14.559
 and so Philip

00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:15.439
 is being pushed,

00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:15.799
 right?

00:09:16.319 --> 00:09:17.519
 God is active.

00:09:17.779 --> 00:09:17.879
 Now,

00:09:17.959 --> 00:09:18.959
 does this happen today?

00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:21.660
 It could,

00:09:21.820 --> 00:09:23.019
 but I guess it's unlikely.

00:09:23.220 --> 00:09:23.360
 I mean,

00:09:23.379 --> 00:09:24.700
 I've never been teleported.

00:09:25.220 --> 00:09:26.360
 Anyone here has been

00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:27.480
 teleported by the Spirit?

00:09:28.220 --> 00:09:28.480
 No.

00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:29.600
 No,

00:09:29.700 --> 00:09:30.100
 I think,

00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:31.220
 I mean,

00:09:31.259 --> 00:09:32.540
 I wish this was true,

00:09:32.600 --> 00:09:32.740
 right?

00:09:32.759 --> 00:09:33.759
 It would make evangelism

00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:34.600
 so much easier.

00:09:35.220 --> 00:09:35.940
 Just an angel,

00:09:36.139 --> 00:09:36.300
 hey,

00:09:36.400 --> 00:09:37.180
 go and stand on that

00:09:37.180 --> 00:09:37.860
 street corner,

00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:39.180
 third person,

00:09:39.300 --> 00:09:39.860
 they will be wearing

00:09:39.860 --> 00:09:40.560
 a red jacket.

00:09:41.060 --> 00:09:41.740
 They want to know

00:09:41.740 --> 00:09:42.259
 about Jesus.

00:09:42.379 --> 00:09:43.240
 Tell them about Jesus.

00:09:43.740 --> 00:09:43.879
 Right?

00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:44.800
 I wish many of us

00:09:44.800 --> 00:09:45.220
 are shy.

00:09:45.340 --> 00:09:46.040
 It would be so much

00:09:46.040 --> 00:09:46.920
 easier if God

00:09:46.919 --> 00:09:47.519
 just would do that

00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:48.019
 for us.

00:09:49.079 --> 00:09:49.479
 Now,

00:09:49.539 --> 00:09:49.819
 of course,

00:09:49.899 --> 00:09:50.899
 that's not how it works.

00:09:50.959 --> 00:09:51.579
 That's not how we should

00:09:51.579 --> 00:09:52.579
 apply this passage,

00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:54.019
 but it does show

00:09:54.019 --> 00:09:54.719
 God's heart,

00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:55.000
 right?

00:09:55.559 --> 00:09:57.240
 God wants the gospel

00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:57.919
 to go out.

00:09:58.000 --> 00:09:59.339
 He wants to save people

00:09:59.339 --> 00:10:00.620
 and in some ways

00:10:00.620 --> 00:10:01.419
 some of these things

00:10:01.419 --> 00:10:02.819
 do happen.

00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:03.879
 I mean,

00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:05.179
 I remember one time,

00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:05.639
 you know,

00:10:06.139 --> 00:10:07.519
 we can take risks.

00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:09.339
 When I worked in London

00:10:09.339 --> 00:10:10.120
 for a church,

00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:11.439
 one time we were having

00:10:11.439 --> 00:10:12.599
 lunch as a staff team

00:10:12.599 --> 00:10:13.679
 and I kind of felt

00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:14.179
 convicted.

00:10:14.419 --> 00:10:15.779
 Why are we sitting

00:10:15.779 --> 00:10:16.480
 here inside

00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:17.759
 when people outside

00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:18.420
 need the gospel?

00:10:19.019 --> 00:10:19.320
 And so,

00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:20.340
 I decided to just

00:10:20.340 --> 00:10:21.180
 go out to take my

00:10:21.180 --> 00:10:22.500
 lunch and sit on a

00:10:22.500 --> 00:10:23.759
 bench and try to

00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:24.840
 strike a conversation.

00:10:25.639 --> 00:10:25.759
 So,

00:10:25.960 --> 00:10:26.379
 yeah,

00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:27.779
 I saw a guy

00:10:27.779 --> 00:10:28.600
 sitting alone on the

00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:28.840
 bench,

00:10:28.920 --> 00:10:29.480
 so I kind of just

00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:30.320
 sat next to him

00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:30.539
 and,

00:10:30.539 --> 00:10:31.240
 you know,

00:10:31.300 --> 00:10:31.680
 try to,

00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:32.180
 hey,

00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:32.940
 it's cold,

00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:33.360
 isn't it?

00:10:33.420 --> 00:10:34.200
 It was January.

00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:35.940
 That's what British

00:10:35.940 --> 00:10:36.500
 people do.

00:10:36.580 --> 00:10:37.420
 They talk about the

00:10:37.420 --> 00:10:37.680
 weather.

00:10:40.259 --> 00:10:40.620
 But,

00:10:41.019 --> 00:10:41.519
 you know what?

00:10:41.620 --> 00:10:42.659
 We started talking

00:10:42.659 --> 00:10:44.399
 and what is your job?

00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:44.860
 Oh,

00:10:44.899 --> 00:10:45.059
 yeah,

00:10:45.100 --> 00:10:46.000
 I work for that

00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:46.899
 church over there.

00:10:47.740 --> 00:10:47.899
 Oh,

00:10:47.939 --> 00:10:48.059
 wow,

00:10:48.100 --> 00:10:48.819
 that's interesting

00:10:48.819 --> 00:10:49.740
 because I really

00:10:49.740 --> 00:10:50.360
 want to know about

00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:50.799
 Christianity.

00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:52.360
 Last week I bought

00:10:52.360 --> 00:10:52.980
 this Bible.

00:10:53.179 --> 00:10:53.720
 Can you help me

00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:54.159
 read it?

00:10:55.539 --> 00:10:55.939
 Like,

00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:56.340
 wow,

00:10:56.480 --> 00:10:58.720
 nothing to do with

00:10:58.720 --> 00:10:58.919
 me,

00:10:59.000 --> 00:10:59.159
 but,

00:10:59.299 --> 00:10:59.539
 you know,

00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:01.000
 God just put me

00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:01.699
 in that place

00:11:01.699 --> 00:11:01.959
 and,

00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:02.759
 yeah,

00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:04.059
 you know,

00:11:04.259 --> 00:11:05.159
 let me encourage you

00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:05.799
 to speak up.

00:11:06.340 --> 00:11:07.240
 Let me encourage you

00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:07.879
 to invite.

00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:08.220
 I mean,

00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:10.240
 sometimes it will be

00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:10.980
 very ordinary.

00:11:11.560 --> 00:11:12.360
 Sometimes God

00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:13.180
 can do extraordinary

00:11:13.180 --> 00:11:13.759
 things,

00:11:13.860 --> 00:11:15.300
 but God is,

00:11:16.340 --> 00:11:17.240
 his heart is to

00:11:17.240 --> 00:11:17.899
 invite people,

00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:18.120
 right?

00:11:18.460 --> 00:11:19.120
 There's an alpha

00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:19.980
 course coming up,

00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:20.720
 as you may know,

00:11:21.820 --> 00:11:22.120
 you know,

00:11:22.680 --> 00:11:23.340
 trying to invite

00:11:23.340 --> 00:11:23.720
 someone.

00:11:24.340 --> 00:11:25.580
 Be surprised at

00:11:25.580 --> 00:11:27.060
 God being at work,

00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:28.360
 at God already

00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:29.259
 having taken the

00:11:29.259 --> 00:11:30.580
 initiative to

00:11:30.580 --> 00:11:31.259
 prepare people.

00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:33.039
 But,

00:11:33.139 --> 00:11:34.039
 that's wonderful,

00:11:34.180 --> 00:11:34.860
 but that's not just,

00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:35.720
 that's not the main

00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:36.080
 point,

00:11:36.700 --> 00:11:36.899
 right?

00:11:37.220 --> 00:11:38.320
 Because the person

00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:39.420
 that Philip is sent

00:11:39.420 --> 00:11:40.820
 to is not just

00:11:40.820 --> 00:11:41.280
 anyone.

00:11:41.580 --> 00:11:42.500
 It's a very special

00:11:42.500 --> 00:11:42.940
 person,

00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:44.860
 because this is

00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:45.600
 God's initiative,

00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:45.960
 but,

00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:46.200
 yeah,

00:11:46.300 --> 00:11:46.960
 to do what?

00:11:47.760 --> 00:11:48.720
 And I think what we

00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:49.620
 should see is to

00:11:49.620 --> 00:11:51.500
 welcome outsiders.

00:11:52.980 --> 00:11:53.720
 This guy is very

00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:54.220
 interesting.

00:11:54.340 --> 00:11:55.160
 Look at who this guy

00:11:55.160 --> 00:11:55.360
 is.

00:11:55.420 --> 00:11:56.180
 Verse 27.

00:11:58.300 --> 00:11:59.440
 And Philip rose

00:11:59.440 --> 00:11:59.960
 and went,

00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:00.980
 and there was an

00:12:00.980 --> 00:12:01.680
 Ethiopian,

00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:02.620
 a eunuch,

00:12:02.860 --> 00:12:03.760
 a court official

00:12:03.760 --> 00:12:04.620
 of Candace,

00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:05.260
 queen of the

00:12:05.260 --> 00:12:05.980
 Ethiopians,

00:12:06.200 --> 00:12:07.220
 who was in charge

00:12:07.220 --> 00:12:07.980
 of all her

00:12:07.980 --> 00:12:08.360
 treasure.

00:12:08.900 --> 00:12:09.700
 He had come to

00:12:09.700 --> 00:12:10.600
 Jerusalem to

00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:11.300
 worship and

00:12:11.300 --> 00:12:11.900
 was returning.

00:12:12.940 --> 00:12:13.100
 So,

00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:13.379
 I mean,

00:12:13.420 --> 00:12:13.879
 this guy must

00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:14.340
 have been pretty

00:12:14.340 --> 00:12:15.240
 important and

00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:15.660
 wealthy,

00:12:15.800 --> 00:12:15.980
 right?

00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:17.560
 If you are over

00:12:17.560 --> 00:12:18.340
 all the treasure

00:12:18.340 --> 00:12:19.120
 of the,

00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:19.720
 you know,

00:12:19.820 --> 00:12:21.200
 the royal family

00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:21.840
 of the queen

00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:22.740
 of Ethiopia,

00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:23.480
 I don't know,

00:12:23.540 --> 00:12:23.980
 was he a

00:12:23.980 --> 00:12:25.780
 minister of

00:12:25.780 --> 00:12:26.379
 finance or

00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:26.740
 something?

00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:27.560
 He was a

00:12:27.560 --> 00:12:28.720
 pretty important

00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:29.400
 official.

00:12:29.740 --> 00:12:30.240
 He was very

00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:30.780
 religious,

00:12:31.640 --> 00:12:31.780
 right?

00:12:31.800 --> 00:12:32.379
 He had come to

00:12:32.379 --> 00:12:33.100
 Jerusalem to

00:12:33.100 --> 00:12:33.480
 worship,

00:12:33.620 --> 00:12:33.759
 right?

00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:33.900
 So,

00:12:33.940 --> 00:12:34.460
 that's months

00:12:34.460 --> 00:12:35.360
 of travel all

00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:35.780
 the way from

00:12:35.779 --> 00:12:37.699
 Ethiopia to

00:12:37.699 --> 00:12:38.399
 Jerusalem.

00:12:39.439 --> 00:12:39.839
 And he was

00:12:39.839 --> 00:12:40.459
 reading a

00:12:40.459 --> 00:12:41.139
 scroll of the

00:12:41.139 --> 00:12:41.980
 prophet Isaiah.

00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:43.259
 Now,

00:12:43.319 --> 00:12:43.740
 back then,

00:12:43.839 --> 00:12:44.539
 not everyone

00:12:44.539 --> 00:12:45.199
 could read,

00:12:45.299 --> 00:12:45.879
 and certainly,

00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:47.179
 I don't know,

00:12:47.339 --> 00:12:47.919
 these days,

00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:48.139
 you know,

00:12:48.179 --> 00:12:48.579
 we can buy

00:12:48.579 --> 00:12:49.159
 these Bibles

00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:50.039
 pretty cheaply.

00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:51.199
 A handwritten

00:12:51.199 --> 00:12:52.199
 scroll of

00:12:52.199 --> 00:12:52.799
 Isaiah,

00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:53.860
 66 chapters,

00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:54.919
 that's expensive.

00:12:55.679 --> 00:12:55.839
 Right?

00:12:55.860 --> 00:12:55.959
 So,

00:12:55.980 --> 00:12:56.379
 this guy is

00:12:56.379 --> 00:12:57.079
 pretty wealthy,

00:12:57.699 --> 00:12:58.339
 but he can

00:12:58.339 --> 00:12:58.939
 buy a whole

00:12:58.939 --> 00:12:59.740
 scroll of Isaiah

00:12:59.740 --> 00:13:00.339
 just for his

00:13:00.339 --> 00:13:00.980
 own reading.

00:13:01.199 --> 00:13:01.779
 That's amazing.

00:13:03.379 --> 00:13:04.240
 My guess is he

00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:05.399
 was a Jewish

00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:05.899
 convert.

00:13:07.019 --> 00:13:07.560
 It says he

00:13:07.560 --> 00:13:08.159
 was a foreigner,

00:13:08.279 --> 00:13:08.580
 he was an

00:13:08.580 --> 00:13:09.279
 Ethiopian,

00:13:09.460 --> 00:13:09.919
 so certainly

00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:10.680
 ethnically not

00:13:10.680 --> 00:13:11.060
 Jewish.

00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:12.419
 But in

00:13:12.419 --> 00:13:12.919
 chapter 10,

00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:13.539
 we get kind

00:13:13.539 --> 00:13:14.600
 of Cornelius,

00:13:14.680 --> 00:13:15.060
 the first

00:13:15.060 --> 00:13:15.700
 Gentile,

00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:16.060
 and this

00:13:16.060 --> 00:13:16.360
 guy,

00:13:17.180 --> 00:13:17.399
 you know,

00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:17.960
 why not

00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:18.399
 this guy?

00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:19.159
 I guess because

00:13:19.159 --> 00:13:19.860
 he wasn't a

00:13:19.860 --> 00:13:20.700
 Gentile anymore.

00:13:20.899 --> 00:13:21.720
 He, you

00:13:21.720 --> 00:13:21.779
 know,

00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:22.060
 he had

00:13:22.060 --> 00:13:22.519
 converted,

00:13:22.659 --> 00:13:23.299
 he'd become

00:13:23.299 --> 00:13:23.680
 a Jew.

00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:25.419
 But the

00:13:25.419 --> 00:13:25.919
 main thing

00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:26.220
 that you

00:13:26.220 --> 00:13:26.600
 heard that

00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:27.240
 gets repeated

00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:27.779
 is that he

00:13:27.779 --> 00:13:28.139
 is a

00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:28.600
 eunuch,

00:13:29.539 --> 00:13:29.799
 right?

00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:30.440
 Five times

00:13:30.440 --> 00:13:30.940
 it says the

00:13:30.940 --> 00:13:31.299
 eunuch.

00:13:31.419 --> 00:13:31.580
 I mean,

00:13:31.620 --> 00:13:32.560
 surely Luke

00:13:32.560 --> 00:13:33.080
 could have said

00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:34.019
 the Ethiopian,

00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:34.439
 said,

00:13:34.840 --> 00:13:35.120
 and the

00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:35.960
 Ethiopian

00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:36.840
 rejoiced,

00:13:37.159 --> 00:13:37.980
 or the

00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:38.720
 official said

00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:38.960
 this.

00:13:39.059 --> 00:13:39.419
 Why does

00:13:39.419 --> 00:13:39.740
 he keep

00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:40.319
 saying the

00:13:40.319 --> 00:13:40.679
 eunuch?

00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:42.319
 I think

00:13:42.319 --> 00:13:42.639
 that's the

00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:42.899
 thing that

00:13:42.899 --> 00:13:43.179
 he wants

00:13:43.179 --> 00:13:43.480
 to draw

00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:44.139
 attention to.

00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:44.779
 And the

00:13:44.779 --> 00:13:45.100
 thing is,

00:13:45.179 --> 00:13:45.579
 eunuchs,

00:13:45.899 --> 00:13:45.919
 they,

00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:46.360
 yeah,

00:13:46.439 --> 00:13:46.759
 the Bible

00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:47.319
 says things

00:13:47.319 --> 00:13:48.000
 about eunuchs.

00:13:48.779 --> 00:13:49.279
 And one

00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:50.000
 clear thing

00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:50.299
 that it

00:13:50.299 --> 00:13:50.659
 says,

00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:50.939
 I mean,

00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:51.259
 maybe you

00:13:51.259 --> 00:13:51.620
 don't know,

00:13:51.699 --> 00:13:52.480
 maybe what

00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:52.740
 is a

00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:53.100
 eunuch?

00:13:53.460 --> 00:13:53.779
 Well,

00:13:54.039 --> 00:13:54.639
 here's a

00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:54.980
 verse from

00:13:54.980 --> 00:13:55.500
 the Bible.

00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:56.019
 It's a bit

00:13:56.019 --> 00:13:56.419
 graphic.

00:13:56.419 --> 00:13:57.919
 No one

00:13:57.919 --> 00:13:58.759
 whose testicles

00:13:58.759 --> 00:13:59.539
 are crushed

00:13:59.539 --> 00:14:00.199
 or whose

00:14:00.199 --> 00:14:00.899
 male organ

00:14:00.899 --> 00:14:01.379
 is cut

00:14:01.379 --> 00:14:01.839
 off shall

00:14:01.839 --> 00:14:02.399
 enter the

00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:03.099
 assembly of

00:14:03.099 --> 00:14:03.500
 the Lord.

00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:04.839
 This is the

00:14:04.839 --> 00:14:05.179
 Bible.

00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:06.000
 Yeah,

00:14:06.099 --> 00:14:06.639
 this is one

00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:07.019
 of the rules

00:14:07.019 --> 00:14:07.500
 in the law.

00:14:08.719 --> 00:14:09.159
 Yeah,

00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:10.240
 eunuchs are

00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:10.819
 not allowed

00:14:10.819 --> 00:14:11.679
 into the

00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.259
 assembly of

00:14:12.259 --> 00:14:12.599
 the Lord.

00:14:12.740 --> 00:14:13.099
 I don't

00:14:13.099 --> 00:14:14.039
 know exactly

00:14:14.039 --> 00:14:14.659
 the reason.

00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:15.659
 Maybe be

00:14:15.659 --> 00:14:16.240
 fruitful and

00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:16.699
 multiply,

00:14:17.439 --> 00:14:18.099
 increasing the

00:14:18.099 --> 00:14:18.539
 people of

00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:18.759
 God.

00:14:18.819 --> 00:14:19.199
 That was a

00:14:19.199 --> 00:14:19.740
 very key

00:14:19.740 --> 00:14:20.199
 command.

00:14:21.019 --> 00:14:21.379
 And someone

00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:21.860
 who couldn't

00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:22.319
 do that,

00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:22.699
 yeah,

00:14:22.700 --> 00:14:23.480
 obviously

00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:23.879
 something

00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:24.420
 wrong with

00:14:24.420 --> 00:14:24.580
 them.

00:14:24.680 --> 00:14:24.940
 Maybe they

00:14:24.940 --> 00:14:25.220
 were not

00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:26.379
 allowed in.

00:14:27.740 --> 00:14:28.820
 But this

00:14:28.820 --> 00:14:29.220
 guy,

00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:29.520
 yeah,

00:14:29.520 --> 00:14:29.960
 he traveled

00:14:29.960 --> 00:14:30.420
 all the way

00:14:30.420 --> 00:14:31.080
 to Jerusalem,

00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:31.600
 but this

00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:31.980
 means he

00:14:31.980 --> 00:14:32.460
 couldn't go

00:14:32.460 --> 00:14:32.840
 into the

00:14:32.840 --> 00:14:33.140
 temple,

00:14:33.140 --> 00:14:34.180
 right?

00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:34.620
 He had to

00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:34.980
 stay on

00:14:34.980 --> 00:14:35.660
 the outside.

00:14:36.560 --> 00:14:37.259
 He wasn't

00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:37.900
 allowed in.

00:14:38.140 --> 00:14:38.400
 Can you

00:14:38.400 --> 00:14:38.840
 imagine how

00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:39.320
 sad that

00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:39.680
 was?

00:14:40.740 --> 00:14:40.940
 Right?

00:14:40.980 --> 00:14:41.379
 After all

00:14:41.379 --> 00:14:41.940
 this travel,

00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:42.740
 yeah,

00:14:42.780 --> 00:14:43.240
 he could buy

00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:43.740
 a scroll of

00:14:43.740 --> 00:14:44.120
 Isaiah,

00:14:44.259 --> 00:14:44.580
 but for the

00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:44.780
 rest,

00:14:45.379 --> 00:14:45.840
 he couldn't

00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:46.160
 get into

00:14:46.160 --> 00:14:46.560
 the temple.

00:14:46.680 --> 00:14:46.900
 I'm not

00:14:46.900 --> 00:14:47.240
 sure if he

00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:47.720
 was born

00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:48.240
 a eunuch,

00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:50.780
 or maybe,

00:14:50.940 --> 00:14:51.259
 you know,

00:14:51.300 --> 00:14:51.680
 if he wanted

00:14:51.680 --> 00:14:52.200
 to work for

00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:52.640
 the queen,

00:14:52.860 --> 00:14:53.000
 yeah,

00:14:53.020 --> 00:14:53.560
 only Eunice

00:14:53.560 --> 00:14:53.900
 could do

00:14:53.900 --> 00:14:54.160
 that.

00:14:54.340 --> 00:14:54.580
 Had he

00:14:54.580 --> 00:14:55.080
 made a

00:14:55.080 --> 00:14:55.800
 big sacrifice

00:14:55.800 --> 00:14:56.320
 for his

00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:56.620
 career?

00:14:57.180 --> 00:14:57.540
 I don't

00:14:57.540 --> 00:14:57.740
 know.

00:14:59.100 --> 00:14:59.500
 But,

00:14:59.860 --> 00:15:00.060
 yeah,

00:15:00.140 --> 00:15:00.460
 he was

00:15:00.460 --> 00:15:00.879
 excluded

00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:01.259
 from the

00:15:01.259 --> 00:15:01.700
 people of

00:15:01.700 --> 00:15:01.900
 God.

00:15:01.980 --> 00:15:02.180
 He was

00:15:02.180 --> 00:15:02.780
 an outsider.

00:15:03.700 --> 00:15:03.920
 And,

00:15:03.980 --> 00:15:04.240
 you know,

00:15:04.280 --> 00:15:04.600
 he couldn't

00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:05.040
 do much

00:15:05.040 --> 00:15:05.600
 about it,

00:15:05.640 --> 00:15:05.820
 right?

00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:08.240
 Under

00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:08.740
 Jewish law,

00:15:08.800 --> 00:15:09.300
 many people

00:15:09.300 --> 00:15:09.660
 were like

00:15:09.660 --> 00:15:10.120
 that because

00:15:10.120 --> 00:15:10.400
 of their

00:15:10.400 --> 00:15:11.280
 nationality,

00:15:11.420 --> 00:15:11.660
 or the

00:15:11.660 --> 00:15:12.200
 jobs they

00:15:12.200 --> 00:15:12.580
 did,

00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:13.480
 or just

00:15:13.480 --> 00:15:13.900
 because they

00:15:13.900 --> 00:15:14.759
 were unclean,

00:15:15.660 --> 00:15:16.080
 because it's

00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:16.759
 so hard to

00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:17.700
 approach God,

00:15:17.780 --> 00:15:17.940
 right?

00:15:17.960 --> 00:15:18.540
 He is holy

00:15:18.540 --> 00:15:19.040
 and pure,

00:15:19.180 --> 00:15:19.540
 and we are

00:15:19.540 --> 00:15:19.879
 not.

00:15:20.020 --> 00:15:20.920
 And so

00:15:20.920 --> 00:15:21.500
 often we just

00:15:21.500 --> 00:15:21.940
 can't do

00:15:21.940 --> 00:15:22.660
 anything about

00:15:22.660 --> 00:15:22.880
 it.

00:15:23.540 --> 00:15:23.720
 I mean,

00:15:23.760 --> 00:15:24.120
 the eunuch,

00:15:24.180 --> 00:15:24.500
 he couldn't

00:15:24.500 --> 00:15:24.900
 really just

00:15:24.900 --> 00:15:25.660
 try harder,

00:15:25.780 --> 00:15:25.940
 right?

00:15:26.780 --> 00:15:27.300
 He couldn't

00:15:27.300 --> 00:15:27.540
 just,

00:15:27.940 --> 00:15:28.120
 I mean,

00:15:28.140 --> 00:15:28.400
 he really

00:15:28.400 --> 00:15:28.840
 tried,

00:15:29.060 --> 00:15:30.300
 and he

00:15:30.300 --> 00:15:30.540
 couldn't

00:15:30.540 --> 00:15:31.000
 change who

00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:31.420
 he was.

00:15:31.780 --> 00:15:32.240
 He couldn't

00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:32.680
 change,

00:15:33.620 --> 00:15:34.280
 a bit like

00:15:34.280 --> 00:15:34.620
 we're saying

00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:35.080
 just now,

00:15:35.160 --> 00:15:35.740
 if the leopard

00:15:35.740 --> 00:15:36.260
 who can't

00:15:36.260 --> 00:15:36.640
 change his

00:15:36.640 --> 00:15:36.880
 spots,

00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:38.160
 we can't.

00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:42.699
 but then

00:15:42.699 --> 00:15:43.399
 what happens

00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:44.179
 on the road

00:15:44.179 --> 00:15:44.919
 to Gaza?

00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:46.059
 That's

00:15:46.059 --> 00:15:46.379
 amazing,

00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:46.600
 right?

00:15:46.620 --> 00:15:47.360
 So he's

00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:47.639
 got his

00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:48.199
 new scroll,

00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:48.939
 he's reading

00:15:48.939 --> 00:15:49.279
 in his

00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:49.759
 chariot,

00:15:50.019 --> 00:15:50.639
 he doesn't

00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:51.299
 really understand

00:15:51.299 --> 00:15:51.699
 what he's

00:15:51.699 --> 00:15:52.139
 reading,

00:15:52.819 --> 00:15:53.759
 and then

00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:54.539
 suddenly he's

00:15:54.539 --> 00:15:55.079
 got this guy

00:15:55.079 --> 00:15:55.579
 running along

00:15:55.579 --> 00:15:56.240
 his chariot,

00:15:56.419 --> 00:15:56.980
 hey,

00:15:57.100 --> 00:15:57.519
 what are you

00:15:57.519 --> 00:15:57.759
 doing?

00:15:57.879 --> 00:15:58.319
 How are you?

00:15:58.839 --> 00:15:58.980
 And,

00:15:59.139 --> 00:15:59.579
 yeah,

00:15:59.939 --> 00:16:01.579
 do you know

00:16:01.579 --> 00:16:01.919
 what you're

00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:02.220
 reading?

00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:02.959
 No,

00:16:03.059 --> 00:16:03.559
 I've got no

00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:03.839
 clue.

00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:04.120
 Hey,

00:16:04.199 --> 00:16:04.480
 come and

00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:04.959
 sit next to

00:16:04.959 --> 00:16:05.059
 me.

00:16:05.059 --> 00:16:05.819
 So he

00:16:05.819 --> 00:16:06.459
 invites Philip

00:16:06.459 --> 00:16:06.879
 up,

00:16:07.399 --> 00:16:07.639
 and,

00:16:07.719 --> 00:16:08.099
 yeah,

00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:08.579
 he happens

00:16:08.579 --> 00:16:08.839
 to be

00:16:08.839 --> 00:16:09.619
 reading Isaiah

00:16:09.619 --> 00:16:10.239
 53,

00:16:10.959 --> 00:16:11.379
 and if you're

00:16:11.379 --> 00:16:11.759
 a Christian,

00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:12.179
 you probably

00:16:12.179 --> 00:16:12.539
 know,

00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:12.799
 ooh,

00:16:12.859 --> 00:16:13.139
 that's a

00:16:13.139 --> 00:16:13.779
 great passage,

00:16:14.319 --> 00:16:15.299
 about this

00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:16.339
 individual who

00:16:16.339 --> 00:16:17.079
 is silently

00:16:17.079 --> 00:16:17.879
 going to his

00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:18.979
 death like

00:16:18.979 --> 00:16:19.519
 a lamb to

00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:20.019
 the slaughter.

00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:22.079
 We will talk

00:16:22.079 --> 00:16:22.579
 about it more

00:16:22.579 --> 00:16:23.159
 in a moment,

00:16:23.659 --> 00:16:24.799
 completely unjustly

00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:25.399
 going to his

00:16:25.399 --> 00:16:25.699
 death.

00:16:26.179 --> 00:16:26.779
 Who is this

00:16:26.779 --> 00:16:27.159
 about?

00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:27.639
 asked the

00:16:27.639 --> 00:16:27.919
 eunuch.

00:16:28.099 --> 00:16:28.279
 Well,

00:16:28.419 --> 00:16:29.039
 Philip knows,

00:16:29.219 --> 00:16:29.519
 and so,

00:16:30.059 --> 00:16:30.659
 and Philip

00:16:30.659 --> 00:16:31.179
 opened his

00:16:31.179 --> 00:16:31.519
 mouth,

00:16:31.899 --> 00:16:32.539
 and beginning

00:16:32.539 --> 00:16:33.059
 with this

00:16:33.059 --> 00:16:33.359
 scripture,

00:16:33.479 --> 00:16:34.019
 he told him

00:16:34.019 --> 00:16:34.399
 the good

00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:34.919
 news about

00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:35.299
 Jesus.

00:16:36.860 --> 00:16:37.299
 Wonderful.

00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:39.059
 And guess

00:16:39.059 --> 00:16:39.339
 what?

00:16:39.839 --> 00:16:40.439
 The eunuch

00:16:40.439 --> 00:16:41.419
 gets it,

00:16:41.979 --> 00:16:42.439
 and they

00:16:42.439 --> 00:16:42.860
 come by

00:16:42.860 --> 00:16:43.419
 some water,

00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:43.699
 and he

00:16:43.699 --> 00:16:44.079
 asks a

00:16:44.079 --> 00:16:44.519
 very good

00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:44.939
 question,

00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:45.979
 verse 36.

00:16:47.479 --> 00:16:47.919
 See,

00:16:48.099 --> 00:16:48.419
 here is

00:16:48.419 --> 00:16:48.759
 water.

00:16:49.199 --> 00:16:49.399
 What

00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:49.979
 prevents

00:16:49.979 --> 00:16:50.459
 me from

00:16:50.459 --> 00:16:50.759
 being

00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:51.120
 baptized?

00:16:52.479 --> 00:16:52.620
 And

00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:53.000
 baptism,

00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:53.500
 the sign

00:16:53.500 --> 00:16:54.240
 of inclusion,

00:16:54.439 --> 00:16:54.799
 the sign

00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:55.059
 that you

00:16:55.059 --> 00:16:55.279
 are a

00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:55.620
 Christian,

00:16:55.839 --> 00:16:56.139
 the sign

00:16:56.139 --> 00:16:56.399
 that you're

00:16:56.399 --> 00:16:56.779
 part of

00:16:56.779 --> 00:16:56.919
 it.

00:16:57.439 --> 00:16:57.740
 What

00:16:57.740 --> 00:16:58.139
 prevents

00:16:58.139 --> 00:16:58.379
 me?

00:16:58.639 --> 00:16:58.819
 That's

00:16:58.819 --> 00:16:59.059
 the thing,

00:16:59.120 --> 00:16:59.219
 right?

00:16:59.259 --> 00:16:59.459
 In the

00:16:59.459 --> 00:16:59.740
 past,

00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:00.360
 something

00:17:00.360 --> 00:17:00.839
 prevented

00:17:00.839 --> 00:17:01.099
 him.

00:17:01.379 --> 00:17:01.699
 In the

00:17:01.699 --> 00:17:01.939
 past,

00:17:02.019 --> 00:17:02.159
 he

00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:02.500
 couldn't

00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:02.899
 go in.

00:17:03.539 --> 00:17:03.759
 But,

00:17:04.059 --> 00:17:04.279
 yeah,

00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:04.799
 nothing

00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:05.220
 prevents

00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:05.399
 him.

00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:05.740
 So,

00:17:05.819 --> 00:17:06.680
 Philip and

00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:06.940
 him,

00:17:07.019 --> 00:17:07.279
 they go

00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:07.599
 into the

00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:07.859
 water,

00:17:08.339 --> 00:17:08.779
 he dunks

00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:09.079
 him,

00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:10.039
 and he

00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:10.279
 is an

00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:10.579
 official

00:17:10.579 --> 00:17:11.079
 Christian.

00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:12.220
 Wonderful,

00:17:12.379 --> 00:17:12.519
 right?

00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:13.119
 He is now

00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:13.680
 part of it.

00:17:14.399 --> 00:17:15.139
 Such wonderful

00:17:15.139 --> 00:17:15.660
 news,

00:17:15.740 --> 00:17:15.940
 right?

00:17:15.980 --> 00:17:16.859
 After this

00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:17.460
 disappointing

00:17:17.460 --> 00:17:18.240
 temple visit,

00:17:18.379 --> 00:17:18.980
 he is now,

00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:20.099
 he is really

00:17:20.099 --> 00:17:20.839
 now part of

00:17:20.839 --> 00:17:20.980
 it.

00:17:20.980 --> 00:17:21.420
 And the

00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:21.900
 spirit takes

00:17:21.900 --> 00:17:22.500
 Philip away

00:17:22.500 --> 00:17:22.839
 to his

00:17:22.839 --> 00:17:23.059
 next

00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:23.480
 appointment,

00:17:24.120 --> 00:17:24.720
 the eunuch

00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:25.519
 goes away

00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:26.740
 rejoicing.

00:17:26.860 --> 00:17:27.200
 Here is

00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:27.980
 an outsider

00:17:27.980 --> 00:17:28.620
 who is

00:17:28.620 --> 00:17:29.519
 welcome.

00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:30.900
 And I

00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:31.380
 think that's

00:17:31.380 --> 00:17:31.700
 the big

00:17:31.700 --> 00:17:32.240
 point,

00:17:32.360 --> 00:17:32.799
 particularly

00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:33.779
 with the

00:17:33.779 --> 00:17:34.259
 Old Testament

00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:34.779
 background,

00:17:35.019 --> 00:17:35.319
 because,

00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:36.180
 you know,

00:17:36.220 --> 00:17:36.620
 if you know

00:17:36.620 --> 00:17:37.039
 the Bible,

00:17:37.180 --> 00:17:37.579
 if you know

00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:38.140
 Isaiah,

00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:39.620
 you know,

00:17:39.940 --> 00:17:40.819
 certainly if you

00:17:40.819 --> 00:17:41.220
 read Acts,

00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:41.940
 you notice a lot

00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:42.500
 of Isaiah.

00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:43.299
 It's like Luke's

00:17:43.299 --> 00:17:43.920
 favorite book.

00:17:44.099 --> 00:17:44.799
 It's quoted

00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:45.519
 all over the

00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:45.880
 place.

00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:46.980
 This prophet

00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:47.620
 who promises

00:17:47.620 --> 00:17:48.360
 this great

00:17:48.360 --> 00:17:49.319
 rescue,

00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:50.019
 a new

00:17:50.019 --> 00:17:51.379
 exodus.

00:17:52.259 --> 00:17:53.179
 But there's

00:17:53.179 --> 00:17:53.639
 a reason,

00:17:53.779 --> 00:17:54.159
 I think,

00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:54.939
 that Philip,

00:17:55.399 --> 00:17:55.559
 you know,

00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:55.899
 the spirit

00:17:55.899 --> 00:17:56.379
 sent Philip

00:17:56.379 --> 00:17:56.759
 to an

00:17:56.759 --> 00:17:57.279
 Ethiopian

00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:57.659
 eunuch

00:17:57.659 --> 00:17:57.939
 that we

00:17:57.939 --> 00:17:58.299
 get this

00:17:58.299 --> 00:17:58.639
 story.

00:17:59.319 --> 00:17:59.639
 Why don't

00:17:59.639 --> 00:17:59.960
 you come

00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:00.559
 to page

00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:01.559
 577,

00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:02.659
 Isaiah

00:18:02.659 --> 00:18:03.700
 chapter 56

00:18:03.700 --> 00:18:04.319
 in the

00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:04.700
 church

00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:05.159
 Bibles,

00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:06.799
 or in

00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:07.200
 whatever

00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:07.559
 Bible,

00:18:07.679 --> 00:18:08.019
 Isaiah

00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:09.079
 chapter 56,

00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:11.339
 yeah,

00:18:11.439 --> 00:18:12.299
 page 577

00:18:12.299 --> 00:18:12.799
 if you have

00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:13.179
 the church

00:18:13.179 --> 00:18:13.619
 Bibles.

00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:15.539
 And Isaiah

00:18:15.539 --> 00:18:16.200
 talks about

00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:16.539
 a great

00:18:16.539 --> 00:18:16.879
 rescue,

00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:17.379
 but who

00:18:17.379 --> 00:18:18.099
 is part of

00:18:18.099 --> 00:18:18.259
 that?

00:18:18.339 --> 00:18:18.679
 Who gets

00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:18.940
 to be

00:18:18.940 --> 00:18:19.340
 part of

00:18:19.340 --> 00:18:19.539
 that?

00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:21.240
 And then,

00:18:21.600 --> 00:18:21.740
 yeah,

00:18:21.880 --> 00:18:22.539
 it's a

00:18:22.539 --> 00:18:22.860
 wonderful

00:18:22.860 --> 00:18:23.380
 passage,

00:18:23.560 --> 00:18:24.460
 56 verse

00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:24.920
 3.

00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:27.620
 What is

00:18:27.620 --> 00:18:28.160
 God saying

00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:28.720
 to people?

00:18:29.320 --> 00:18:29.820
 Verse 3,

00:18:29.900 --> 00:18:30.279
 let not

00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:30.880
 the foreigner

00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:31.440
 who has

00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:31.799
 joined

00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:32.460
 himself to

00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:32.900
 the Lord

00:18:32.900 --> 00:18:33.279
 say,

00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:34.299
 the Lord

00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:35.000
 will surely

00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:35.860
 separate me

00:18:35.860 --> 00:18:36.299
 from his

00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:36.740
 people.

00:18:37.600 --> 00:18:37.980
 And let

00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:38.380
 not the

00:18:38.380 --> 00:18:38.720
 eunuch

00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:39.080
 say,

00:18:39.560 --> 00:18:39.980
 behold,

00:18:40.080 --> 00:18:40.340
 I'm a

00:18:40.340 --> 00:18:41.220
 dry tree,

00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:41.640
 right?

00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:42.019
 I can't

00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:42.620
 bear fruit.

00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:43.720
 For thus

00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:44.100
 says the

00:18:44.100 --> 00:18:44.400
 Lord,

00:18:44.600 --> 00:18:45.080
 to the

00:18:45.080 --> 00:18:45.460
 eunuchs

00:18:45.460 --> 00:18:45.840
 who keep

00:18:45.840 --> 00:18:46.060
 my

00:18:46.060 --> 00:18:46.560
 Sabbaths,

00:18:46.560 --> 00:18:47.019
 who choose

00:18:47.019 --> 00:18:47.360
 the things

00:18:47.360 --> 00:18:47.820
 that please

00:18:47.820 --> 00:18:48.060
 me,

00:18:48.059 --> 00:18:48.700
 and hold

00:18:48.700 --> 00:18:49.200
 fast my

00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:49.599
 covenant,

00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:50.500
 I will

00:18:50.500 --> 00:18:50.980
 give in

00:18:50.980 --> 00:18:51.619
 my house

00:18:51.619 --> 00:18:52.079
 and within

00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:52.759
 my walls

00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:53.759
 a monument

00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:54.240
 and a

00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:54.960
 name better

00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:55.519
 than sons

00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:56.039
 and daughters.

00:18:56.539 --> 00:18:56.839
 I will

00:18:56.839 --> 00:18:57.139
 give them

00:18:57.139 --> 00:18:57.859
 an everlasting

00:18:57.859 --> 00:18:58.859
 name that

00:18:58.859 --> 00:18:59.339
 shall not

00:18:59.339 --> 00:18:59.700
 be cut

00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:00.000
 off.

00:19:00.980 --> 00:19:01.259
 Right?

00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:02.059
 So here

00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:02.720
 were foreigners

00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:03.339
 and eunuchs

00:19:03.339 --> 00:19:03.859
 who used

00:19:03.859 --> 00:19:04.159
 to be

00:19:04.159 --> 00:19:04.700
 excluded,

00:19:05.099 --> 00:19:05.899
 but now

00:19:05.899 --> 00:19:06.579
 God says,

00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:06.899
 well,

00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:07.980
 this eunuch,

00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:08.419
 he will come

00:19:08.419 --> 00:19:08.879
 into my

00:19:08.879 --> 00:19:09.200
 house,

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:09.599
 in my

00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:09.899
 walls,

00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:10.179
 and he's

00:19:10.179 --> 00:19:10.720
 got something

00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:11.799
 even better

00:19:11.799 --> 00:19:12.200
 than having

00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:12.700
 a family.

00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:14.299
 he's got

00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:15.059
 me,

00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:15.400
 he's got

00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:15.940
 this great

00:19:15.940 --> 00:19:17.019
 salvation,

00:19:17.180 --> 00:19:17.360
 right?

00:19:17.620 --> 00:19:18.259
 Same with

00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:18.819
 the foreigners,

00:19:18.980 --> 00:19:19.299
 foreigners,

00:19:19.660 --> 00:19:20.059
 they'll come

00:19:20.059 --> 00:19:20.360
 to my

00:19:20.360 --> 00:19:20.980
 holy mountain,

00:19:21.140 --> 00:19:21.680
 they'll pray,

00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:22.840
 right?

00:19:23.140 --> 00:19:23.920
 Verse 8

00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.759
 summarizes it,

00:19:24.819 --> 00:19:24.920
 right?

00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:25.380
 The Lord

00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:26.200
 God who

00:19:26.200 --> 00:19:26.940
 gathers the

00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:27.819
 outcasts of

00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:29.319
 Israel declares,

00:19:29.860 --> 00:19:29.340
!

00:19:29.340 --> 00:19:30.440
 I will gather

00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:31.279
 yet others to

00:19:31.279 --> 00:19:31.500
 him,

00:19:31.559 --> 00:19:32.140
 besides they

00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:32.580
 was already

00:19:32.580 --> 00:19:32.960
 gathered.

00:19:34.279 --> 00:19:35.279
 God is

00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:36.000
 gathering

00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:37.059
 outcasts.

00:19:37.059 --> 00:19:37.759
 Because of

00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:38.259
 this great

00:19:38.259 --> 00:19:38.660
 rescue,

00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:39.720
 he is bringing

00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:40.539
 outcasts in,

00:19:40.539 --> 00:19:41.339
 and great

00:19:41.339 --> 00:19:41.859
 example,

00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:42.659
 foreigners and

00:19:42.659 --> 00:19:43.000
 eunuchs.

00:19:43.139 --> 00:19:43.420
 So what

00:19:43.420 --> 00:19:44.220
 better to

00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:44.940
 illustrate that?

00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:45.139
 Okay,

00:19:45.180 --> 00:19:45.559
 here's a

00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:46.259
 foreign eunuch,

00:19:46.700 --> 00:19:46.899
 right?

00:19:46.920 --> 00:19:47.139
 And the

00:19:47.139 --> 00:19:47.579
 Holy Spirit

00:19:47.579 --> 00:19:48.159
 brings him

00:19:48.159 --> 00:19:48.399
 in,

00:19:48.779 --> 00:19:49.359
 and we

00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:49.619
 have it

00:19:49.619 --> 00:19:49.879
 here in

00:19:49.879 --> 00:19:50.319
 the Bible

00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:51.039
 to really

00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:51.579
 see this

00:19:51.579 --> 00:19:52.759
 is happening,

00:19:53.019 --> 00:19:53.119
 right?

00:19:53.180 --> 00:19:53.539
 God is

00:19:53.539 --> 00:19:54.420
 fulfilling

00:19:54.420 --> 00:19:54.899
 what he

00:19:54.899 --> 00:19:55.240
 promised.

00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:55.539
 He's

00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:55.839
 bringing

00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:56.519
 outcasts

00:19:56.519 --> 00:19:56.740
 in.

00:19:57.240 --> 00:19:57.700
 If they

00:19:57.700 --> 00:19:58.240
 believe,

00:19:58.399 --> 00:19:58.579
 right?

00:19:58.659 --> 00:19:59.139
 People who

00:19:59.139 --> 00:20:00.519
 join themselves

00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:00.859
 to the

00:20:00.859 --> 00:20:01.119
 Lord,

00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:01.879
 they're

00:20:01.879 --> 00:20:02.299
 welcome.

00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:04.460
 How does

00:20:04.460 --> 00:20:04.899
 that speak

00:20:04.899 --> 00:20:05.420
 to us?

00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:07.139
 I guess

00:20:07.139 --> 00:20:07.619
 some of us

00:20:07.619 --> 00:20:07.879
 surely,

00:20:08.059 --> 00:20:08.639
 we were still

00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:08.920
 on the

00:20:08.920 --> 00:20:09.539
 outside,

00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:10.379
 right?

00:20:10.380 --> 00:20:10.580
 We

00:20:10.580 --> 00:20:10.900
 wouldn't

00:20:10.900 --> 00:20:11.100
 call

00:20:11.100 --> 00:20:11.440
 ourselves

00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:11.620
 a

00:20:11.620 --> 00:20:11.960
 Christian.

00:20:13.260 --> 00:20:13.760
 I think

00:20:13.760 --> 00:20:14.420
 the eunuch

00:20:14.420 --> 00:20:14.760
 asks the

00:20:14.760 --> 00:20:15.200
 question,

00:20:15.340 --> 00:20:15.440
 right?

00:20:15.500 --> 00:20:16.420
 What is

00:20:16.420 --> 00:20:16.820
 preventing

00:20:16.820 --> 00:20:17.080
 me?

00:20:17.520 --> 00:20:17.940
 What is

00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:18.320
 preventing

00:20:18.320 --> 00:20:18.680
 you?

00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:20.400
 Maybe

00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:20.840
 that you

00:20:20.840 --> 00:20:21.220
 don't

00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:21.680
 believe.

00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:22.020
 It's

00:20:22.020 --> 00:20:22.220
 maybe

00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:22.520
 that you

00:20:22.520 --> 00:20:22.700
 have

00:20:22.700 --> 00:20:23.120
 doubts,

00:20:23.220 --> 00:20:23.620
 that there's

00:20:23.620 --> 00:20:24.220
 things you

00:20:24.220 --> 00:20:24.580
 don't find

00:20:24.580 --> 00:20:24.940
 hard to

00:20:24.940 --> 00:20:25.300
 believe in

00:20:25.300 --> 00:20:25.720
 the Bible,

00:20:26.080 --> 00:20:26.440
 like the

00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:27.080
 teleporting,

00:20:27.140 --> 00:20:27.420
 I have

00:20:27.420 --> 00:20:27.780
 no idea.

00:20:28.900 --> 00:20:29.620
 But maybe

00:20:29.620 --> 00:20:30.220
 you wonder

00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:30.640
 if you

00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:31.340
 are welcome,

00:20:31.980 --> 00:20:32.480
 if you're

00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:32.880
 welcome,

00:20:33.600 --> 00:20:34.300
 maybe because

00:20:34.300 --> 00:20:34.580
 of what

00:20:34.580 --> 00:20:34.780
 you've

00:20:34.780 --> 00:20:35.060
 done,

00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:36.580
 maybe because

00:20:36.580 --> 00:20:36.880
 of who

00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:37.400
 you are,

00:20:37.660 --> 00:20:37.920
 maybe,

00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:38.640
 you know,

00:20:38.680 --> 00:20:39.320
 your background,

00:20:39.319 --> 00:20:40.460
 your nationality,

00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:40.939
 you have a

00:20:40.939 --> 00:20:41.679
 certain impression,

00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:42.339
 this is what a

00:20:42.339 --> 00:20:43.279
 Christian is like,

00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:44.480
 and you don't

00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:45.039
 need that.

00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:46.799
 Well,

00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:48.740
 look at this

00:20:48.740 --> 00:20:49.059
 passage,

00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:49.579
 look at this

00:20:49.579 --> 00:20:50.779
 Ethiopian eunuch.

00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:52.259
 Next time he

00:20:52.259 --> 00:20:52.659
 comes to

00:20:52.659 --> 00:20:53.159
 Jerusalem,

00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:54.759
 he won't go to

00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:55.159
 the temple,

00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:56.059
 he will go to

00:20:56.059 --> 00:20:56.799
 a church service,

00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:58.220
 and he can

00:20:58.220 --> 00:20:58.779
 come in,

00:20:59.339 --> 00:21:00.220
 he is welcome,

00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:01.440
 he is,

00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:02.039
 you know,

00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:02.500
 he would really

00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:03.159
 stand out,

00:21:03.220 --> 00:21:03.460
 right,

00:21:03.579 --> 00:21:04.500
 from Ethiopia,

00:21:05.019 --> 00:21:05.460
 and yet he

00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:06.419
 would be fully

00:21:06.419 --> 00:21:07.019
 part of it,

00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:08.500
 he is welcome,

00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:09.359
 nothing stands

00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:09.960
 in his way,

00:21:10.819 --> 00:21:11.220
 it's the same

00:21:11.220 --> 00:21:11.599
 for you,

00:21:11.659 --> 00:21:12.220
 whoever you

00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:12.480
 are,

00:21:12.579 --> 00:21:12.980
 if you're

00:21:12.980 --> 00:21:13.359
 still on the

00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:13.539
 outside,

00:21:13.639 --> 00:21:14.220
 you can come

00:21:14.220 --> 00:21:14.480
 in,

00:21:14.859 --> 00:21:15.460
 nothing stands

00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:16.019
 in your way,

00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:16.740
 I mean,

00:21:16.859 --> 00:21:17.379
 your lack of

00:21:17.379 --> 00:21:17.680
 faith,

00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:18.339
 that stands in

00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:18.559
 the way,

00:21:18.639 --> 00:21:18.740
 right,

00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:20.059
 you need to

00:21:20.059 --> 00:21:20.500
 believe,

00:21:21.639 --> 00:21:21.839
 right,

00:21:21.879 --> 00:21:22.240
 you need to

00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:22.779
 say yes to

00:21:22.779 --> 00:21:23.139
 Jesus,

00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:24.379
 but that's in a

00:21:24.379 --> 00:21:25.039
 way that's on

00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:25.599
 your side,

00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:25.839
 right,

00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:26.720
 from Jesus'

00:21:26.899 --> 00:21:27.099
 side,

00:21:27.179 --> 00:21:27.919
 there's nothing

00:21:27.919 --> 00:21:29.179
 that prevents

00:21:29.179 --> 00:21:29.879
 him from

00:21:29.879 --> 00:21:31.199
 welcoming you

00:21:31.199 --> 00:21:31.500
 in,

00:21:31.579 --> 00:21:32.119
 no matter what

00:21:32.119 --> 00:21:32.599
 you've done,

00:21:32.699 --> 00:21:33.240
 no matter who

00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:33.779
 you are,

00:21:34.639 --> 00:21:35.159
 no matter what

00:21:35.159 --> 00:21:35.579
 you think is

00:21:35.579 --> 00:21:35.939
 wrong with

00:21:35.939 --> 00:21:36.079
 you,

00:21:36.359 --> 00:21:37.099
 you can come

00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:37.439
 in,

00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:40.119
 so if that's

00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:40.339
 you,

00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.220
 let me encourage

00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:41.559
 you,

00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:43.779
 I guess as a

00:21:43.779 --> 00:21:44.039
 church,

00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:44.480
 how does this

00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:45.339
 apply to us?

00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:46.639
 I guess in some

00:21:46.639 --> 00:21:47.519
 places the church

00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:48.220
 can stand in a

00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:48.399
 way,

00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:48.619
 right,

00:21:48.679 --> 00:21:49.500
 maybe the

00:21:49.500 --> 00:21:49.919
 church gives

00:21:49.919 --> 00:21:50.519
 the impression

00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:50.819
 that,

00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:51.319
 you know,

00:21:51.379 --> 00:21:51.980
 the gospel is

00:21:51.980 --> 00:21:52.539
 only for a

00:21:52.539 --> 00:21:53.159
 certain kind

00:21:53.159 --> 00:21:53.799
 of people,

00:21:54.679 --> 00:21:55.199
 that's,

00:21:55.319 --> 00:21:55.439
 yeah,

00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:55.860
 you come to

00:21:55.860 --> 00:21:56.480
 Watermark and

00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:57.299
 I guess most

00:21:57.299 --> 00:21:57.580
 people,

00:21:57.700 --> 00:21:58.420
 they're ethnically

00:21:58.420 --> 00:21:59.240
 Chinese and

00:21:59.240 --> 00:21:59.799
 they're educated

00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:00.360
 professionals,

00:22:00.360 --> 00:22:01.340
 so maybe that's

00:22:01.340 --> 00:22:01.900
 who I need to

00:22:01.900 --> 00:22:02.660
 be if I want

00:22:02.660 --> 00:22:03.140
 to be a

00:22:03.140 --> 00:22:03.519
 Christian,

00:22:04.840 --> 00:22:05.660
 I guess it's a,

00:22:06.140 --> 00:22:06.299
 you know,

00:22:06.340 --> 00:22:07.320
 if all are

00:22:07.320 --> 00:22:07.720
 welcome,

00:22:07.820 --> 00:22:08.380
 that should be

00:22:08.380 --> 00:22:09.440
 seen ideally in

00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:09.860
 the church,

00:22:09.940 --> 00:22:10.120
 right,

00:22:10.180 --> 00:22:10.799
 last week the

00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:11.620
 Samaritans,

00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:12.799
 these dirty

00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:13.559
 half-breeds,

00:22:14.080 --> 00:22:14.539
 they were

00:22:14.539 --> 00:22:14.920
 welcome,

00:22:15.120 --> 00:22:15.559
 and now this

00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:16.640
 Ethiopian eunuch,

00:22:16.740 --> 00:22:16.900
 who,

00:22:17.320 --> 00:22:18.100
 I'm not sure if

00:22:18.100 --> 00:22:18.700
 they thought he,

00:22:18.820 --> 00:22:19.420
 what they would

00:22:19.420 --> 00:22:19.840
 think of him

00:22:19.840 --> 00:22:20.140
 before,

00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:21.400
 but he is

00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:21.779
 welcome,

00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:23.099
 so it would

00:22:23.099 --> 00:22:23.740
 be great if

00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:24.259
 Watermark,

00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:24.899
 yeah,

00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:25.559
 I think in

00:22:25.559 --> 00:22:26.139
 many ways we

00:22:26.139 --> 00:22:26.879
 are like this,

00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.619
 mission trip,

00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:28.039
 a lot of

00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:28.720
 different people,

00:22:29.180 --> 00:22:29.899
 all being,

00:22:30.139 --> 00:22:30.319
 you know,

00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:31.200
 serving together,

00:22:31.720 --> 00:22:32.420
 would be great if

00:22:32.420 --> 00:22:33.039
 we see that here

00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:33.480
 as well,

00:22:33.700 --> 00:22:34.279
 we have a,

00:22:34.619 --> 00:22:34.859
 you know,

00:22:34.879 --> 00:22:35.680
 a growing number

00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:36.420
 of people from,

00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:37.379
 especially the

00:22:37.379 --> 00:22:37.740
 Philippines,

00:22:37.859 --> 00:22:38.379
 that's wonderful,

00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:39.399
 would be wonderful

00:22:39.399 --> 00:22:39.819
 if we,

00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:40.059
 yeah,

00:22:40.139 --> 00:22:40.660
 if we're a real

00:22:40.660 --> 00:22:41.279
 community,

00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:42.359
 where people know

00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:42.519
 that,

00:22:42.599 --> 00:22:42.700
 hey,

00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:43.579
 whoever you are,

00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:44.700
 you're welcome,

00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:45.879
 and not just on

00:22:45.879 --> 00:22:46.339
 Sundays,

00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:47.579
 maybe in our

00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:48.460
 community groups,

00:22:48.460 --> 00:22:49.480
 I know that's

00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:49.860
 not always

00:22:49.860 --> 00:22:50.819
 practically easy,

00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:52.500
 maybe you have a

00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:53.259
 young mom and a

00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:53.880
 young professional,

00:22:54.120 --> 00:22:54.559
 and they're never

00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:55.340
 free at the same

00:22:55.340 --> 00:22:55.600
 time,

00:22:55.660 --> 00:22:56.259
 it's hard to be in

00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:56.860
 a group together,

00:22:57.740 --> 00:22:58.480
 some people can

00:22:58.480 --> 00:22:59.180
 afford to live on

00:22:59.180 --> 00:22:59.600
 the island,

00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:00.600
 and other demographics

00:23:00.600 --> 00:23:01.079
 can't,

00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:02.400
 and that makes CG

00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:03.259
 sometimes difficult,

00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:04.319
 but hey,

00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:05.579
 can we do as much

00:23:05.579 --> 00:23:06.200
 as we can,

00:23:06.299 --> 00:23:07.299
 that to show that

00:23:07.299 --> 00:23:08.160
 all are welcome,

00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:09.039
 that the gospel's for

00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:09.519
 everyone,

00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:10.640
 and therefore church

00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:11.319
 is for everyone,

00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:14.740
 although you may

00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:15.140
 wonder,

00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:16.840
 but how can God

00:23:16.840 --> 00:23:17.360
 do that,

00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:17.799
 I mean it's

00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:18.440
 wonderful that

00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:19.099
 outcasts are

00:23:19.099 --> 00:23:19.859
 welcomed in,

00:23:20.899 --> 00:23:21.680
 given they were

00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:22.180
 excluded,

00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:25.099
 but I don't know,

00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:25.839
 maybe you have

00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:26.639
 ever been to a

00:23:26.639 --> 00:23:26.899
 club,

00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:27.399
 and someone

00:23:27.399 --> 00:23:28.159
 invited you,

00:23:28.379 --> 00:23:29.119
 and you're early,

00:23:29.259 --> 00:23:29.659
 and you kind of,

00:23:29.779 --> 00:23:30.460
 can I come in,

00:23:31.639 --> 00:23:33.200
 what is the reason

00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:33.899
 I can come in,

00:23:33.980 --> 00:23:34.740
 you're always afraid

00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:35.200
 that you're being

00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:35.859
 found out,

00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:37.980
 I mean one thing

00:23:37.980 --> 00:23:38.639
 that's really hanging

00:23:38.639 --> 00:23:39.500
 over these chapters

00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:40.279
 is the temple,

00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:41.240
 if you were here

00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:42.000
 two weeks ago,

00:23:42.339 --> 00:23:43.240
 I started preaching

00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:43.779
 on that,

00:23:44.519 --> 00:23:45.639
 and I said that,

00:23:45.700 --> 00:23:45.839
 yeah,

00:23:45.899 --> 00:23:46.559
 God doesn't need

00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:46.980
 a temple,

00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:49.099
 but again,

00:23:49.159 --> 00:23:49.839
 how can God

00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:50.379
 do that,

00:23:50.919 --> 00:23:51.139
 right,

00:23:51.399 --> 00:23:52.019
 the temple

00:23:52.019 --> 00:23:53.619
 had sacrifices

00:23:53.619 --> 00:23:54.220
 for sin,

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:54.740
 the temple

00:23:54.740 --> 00:23:56.559
 had forgiveness,

00:23:57.700 --> 00:23:58.279
 sin is the

00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:58.859
 big problem,

00:23:58.940 --> 00:23:59.119
 right,

00:23:59.180 --> 00:24:00.019
 ultimately all

00:24:00.019 --> 00:24:00.500
 these things

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:00.940
 about people

00:24:00.940 --> 00:24:01.819
 not being allowed

00:24:01.819 --> 00:24:02.099
 in,

00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:03.559
 is about sin,

00:24:03.899 --> 00:24:04.379
 but does God

00:24:04.379 --> 00:24:05.259
 ignore that now,

00:24:06.539 --> 00:24:06.940
 well Luke

00:24:06.940 --> 00:24:07.779
 wants us to see,

00:24:08.139 --> 00:24:08.319
 hey,

00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:09.299
 this is why

00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:10.379
 everyone is welcome,

00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:12.059
 and it is through

00:24:12.059 --> 00:24:12.899
 Jesus'

00:24:13.399 --> 00:24:13.879
 sacrifice,

00:24:13.880 --> 00:24:14.160
 sacrifice,

00:24:14.600 --> 00:24:15.400
 so I guess

00:24:15.400 --> 00:24:15.720
 you're still

00:24:15.720 --> 00:24:16.320
 in Isaiah

00:24:16.320 --> 00:24:17.340
 chapter 56,

00:24:17.900 --> 00:24:18.760
 let's go to the

00:24:18.760 --> 00:24:19.360
 chapter that the

00:24:19.360 --> 00:24:20.100
 eunuch was reading,

00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:22.100
 just on page 574,

00:24:22.180 --> 00:24:22.820
 a little bit back,

00:24:23.120 --> 00:24:23.980
 Isaiah 53,

00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:26.220
 a very famous

00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:26.700
 chapter,

00:24:27.460 --> 00:24:28.460
 I mean the eunuch

00:24:28.460 --> 00:24:29.180
 was reading about

00:24:29.180 --> 00:24:29.820
 the sheep going

00:24:29.820 --> 00:24:30.500
 to the slaughter,

00:24:31.020 --> 00:24:31.580
 I don't know what

00:24:31.580 --> 00:24:32.540
 you think of a sheep

00:24:32.540 --> 00:24:33.400
 going to the slaughter,

00:24:33.560 --> 00:24:34.260
 maybe you think of

00:24:34.260 --> 00:24:34.880
 lamb steak,

00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:38.480
 I think of lamb steak,

00:24:38.780 --> 00:24:39.880
 if you were in the

00:24:39.880 --> 00:24:40.400
 Old Testament,

00:24:40.560 --> 00:24:41.140
 you would think of

00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:41.840
 sacrifices,

00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:41.980
 sacrifices,

00:24:42.579 --> 00:24:44.039
 the big thing is,

00:24:44.419 --> 00:24:45.279
 we need a sacrifice

00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:45.879
 for sin,

00:24:47.539 --> 00:24:50.039
 and this song

00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:51.159
 that Oscar preached

00:24:51.159 --> 00:24:52.059
 on two years ago,

00:24:52.339 --> 00:24:53.759
 it's full of allusions

00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:55.519
 to sacrifice,

00:24:56.759 --> 00:24:57.299
 already,

00:24:57.659 --> 00:24:57.899
 you know,

00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:59.119
 it's framed,

00:24:59.240 --> 00:24:59.619
 it's like a

00:24:59.619 --> 00:25:00.019
 chiasm,

00:25:00.399 --> 00:25:01.079
 at the beginning

00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:01.859
 and the end,

00:25:01.959 --> 00:25:02.659
 I mean what will

00:25:02.659 --> 00:25:03.899
 this servant do,

00:25:04.019 --> 00:25:05.500
 well 52 verse 15,

00:25:05.619 --> 00:25:06.779
 just before chapter 53,

00:25:07.299 --> 00:25:07.959
 it says he will

00:25:07.959 --> 00:25:09.439
 sprinkle many nations,

00:25:10.439 --> 00:25:11.059
 if you look for

00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.819
 sprinkling in your

00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:12.240
 Bible,

00:25:12.359 --> 00:25:12.899
 that's all over

00:25:12.899 --> 00:25:13.679
 Leviticus and

00:25:13.679 --> 00:25:14.099
 Numbers,

00:25:14.659 --> 00:25:16.439
 sacrifices for sin,

00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:17.759
 at the end,

00:25:17.859 --> 00:25:19.139
 53 verse 10,

00:25:21.299 --> 00:25:22.339
 when it was the

00:25:22.339 --> 00:25:22.859
 will of the Lord

00:25:22.859 --> 00:25:23.419
 to crush him,

00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:24.179
 he's put into grief,

00:25:24.259 --> 00:25:24.839
 when his soul

00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:25.740
 makes an offering

00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:26.579
 for guilt,

00:25:27.319 --> 00:25:28.220
 guilt offerings,

00:25:28.439 --> 00:25:28.720
 again,

00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:30.039
 Leviticus and

00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:30.559
 Numbers,

00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:31.939
 I mean what is

00:25:31.939 --> 00:25:32.579
 a sacrifice,

00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:33.419
 I don't know what

00:25:33.419 --> 00:25:34.179
 we think of sacrifice,

00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:34.779
 we're thinking of

00:25:34.779 --> 00:25:35.980
 giving up something

00:25:35.980 --> 00:25:36.460
 costly,

00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:37.679
 in some ways

00:25:37.679 --> 00:25:38.339
 that's true,

00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:40.059
 well you had an

00:25:40.059 --> 00:25:40.480
 animal,

00:25:40.679 --> 00:25:41.399
 an animal that

00:25:41.399 --> 00:25:42.159
 was innocent,

00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:43.339
 an animal that

00:25:43.339 --> 00:25:44.220
 was blameless,

00:25:44.419 --> 00:25:45.759
 no defects,

00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:47.200
 that would be a

00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:47.639
 substitute,

00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:49.359
 the priest would

00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:50.079
 take this animal

00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:51.299
 and he would do

00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:52.039
 something with that

00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:52.279
 animal,

00:25:52.379 --> 00:25:53.379
 he would take hold

00:25:53.379 --> 00:25:53.940
 of its head

00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:55.819
 and confess all

00:25:55.819 --> 00:25:56.559
 the sins

00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:57.940
 over that animal,

00:25:58.759 --> 00:25:59.259
 and he would

00:25:59.259 --> 00:25:59.720
 basically,

00:25:59.980 --> 00:26:01.159
 he would lay the

00:26:01.159 --> 00:26:01.879
 sins on that

00:26:01.879 --> 00:26:02.200
 animal,

00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:03.220
 that's what God

00:26:03.220 --> 00:26:03.779
 was doing

00:26:03.779 --> 00:26:04.480
 through this

00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:04.899
 priest,

00:26:04.900 --> 00:26:06.300
 he was putting

00:26:06.300 --> 00:26:06.780
 the sins

00:26:06.780 --> 00:26:07.440
 on that animal

00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:08.880
 and basically

00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:09.340
 the sins

00:26:09.340 --> 00:26:09.960
 are no longer

00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:10.400
 on you,

00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:10.880
 they're now

00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:11.600
 on that animal

00:26:11.600 --> 00:26:13.060
 and what will

00:26:13.060 --> 00:26:13.880
 happen to it,

00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:14.920
 well it gets

00:26:14.920 --> 00:26:15.660
 slaughtered

00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:16.480
 and its blood

00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:17.280
 gets poured out

00:26:17.280 --> 00:26:17.980
 and its body

00:26:17.980 --> 00:26:18.600
 gets burned,

00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:19.640
 it's pretty gruesome

00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:20.980
 and that's kind

00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:21.540
 of what our sin

00:26:21.540 --> 00:26:22.040
 deserves,

00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:22.320
 right,

00:26:22.940 --> 00:26:23.700
 if we,

00:26:24.340 --> 00:26:24.960
 what is sin,

00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:25.560
 well it's all

00:26:25.560 --> 00:26:26.480
 our law breaking

00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:27.080
 as we talked

00:26:27.080 --> 00:26:27.360
 about,

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:28.160
 our offenses,

00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:29.320
 our living

00:26:29.320 --> 00:26:30.100
 our own way,

00:26:30.620 --> 00:26:31.540
 all those things,

00:26:31.640 --> 00:26:32.320
 they deserve

00:26:32.320 --> 00:26:33.160
 judgment,

00:26:33.360 --> 00:26:34.019
 they deserve

00:26:34.019 --> 00:26:34.480
 death,

00:26:35.560 --> 00:26:36.620
 but this animal

00:26:36.620 --> 00:26:37.320
 would take that

00:26:37.320 --> 00:26:38.240
 in our place,

00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:39.400
 it would be so

00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:39.759
 cleared,

00:26:39.880 --> 00:26:40.700
 our sins are put

00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:41.320
 on this animal,

00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:42.500
 the animal gets

00:26:42.500 --> 00:26:43.240
 killed and so

00:26:43.240 --> 00:26:44.040
 the sin is taken

00:26:44.040 --> 00:26:44.620
 care of,

00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:45.660
 the judgment's

00:26:45.660 --> 00:26:46.480
 taken care of,

00:26:47.560 --> 00:26:48.080
 it's wonderful

00:26:48.080 --> 00:26:48.620
 grace,

00:26:49.840 --> 00:26:50.340
 of course with

00:26:50.340 --> 00:26:51.080
 these animals it

00:26:51.080 --> 00:26:51.580
 was not very

00:26:51.580 --> 00:26:52.060
 effective,

00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:53.560
 every sin a new

00:26:53.560 --> 00:26:55.280
 sacrifice and of

00:26:55.280 --> 00:26:56.060
 course is an animal

00:26:56.060 --> 00:26:56.900
 really a very good

00:26:56.900 --> 00:26:57.340
 substitute,

00:26:58.580 --> 00:26:59.380
 now the real

00:26:59.380 --> 00:27:00.160
 substitute would

00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:00.940
 come one day,

00:27:01.340 --> 00:27:01.960
 God promised,

00:27:02.060 --> 00:27:02.540
 he promised,

00:27:02.980 --> 00:27:03.620
 you know Isaiah

00:27:03.620 --> 00:27:04.220
 has this,

00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:05.360
 this servant,

00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:06.039
 this spirit

00:27:06.039 --> 00:27:07.420
 anointed king

00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:08.299
 who is a servant

00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:08.980
 of the Lord

00:27:08.980 --> 00:27:11.019
 and he would

00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:11.460
 take,

00:27:12.039 --> 00:27:12.640
 this is what

00:27:12.640 --> 00:27:13.059
 would happen

00:27:13.059 --> 00:27:13.579
 to him,

00:27:14.579 --> 00:27:14.759
 right,

00:27:14.799 --> 00:27:15.100
 what would

00:27:15.100 --> 00:27:15.620
 happen in

00:27:15.620 --> 00:27:16.360
 verse 6,

00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:18.779
 53 verse 6,

00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:19.559
 all we like

00:27:19.559 --> 00:27:20.120
 sheep have

00:27:20.120 --> 00:27:20.880
 gone astray,

00:27:21.319 --> 00:27:22.380
 we have turned

00:27:22.380 --> 00:27:23.380
 everyone to

00:27:23.380 --> 00:27:24.180
 his own way

00:27:24.180 --> 00:27:25.440
 and the Lord

00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:26.299
 has laid on

00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:27.299
 him the

00:27:27.299 --> 00:27:27.960
 iniquity of

00:27:27.960 --> 00:27:28.339
 us all,

00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:29.799
 same as with

00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:30.420
 a sacrifice,

00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:31.519
 all our iniquity,

00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:32.200
 all our sin

00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:33.359
 laid on

00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:34.299
 this king

00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:35.660
 and what

00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:36.039
 would have,

00:27:36.139 --> 00:27:36.839
 and then what

00:27:36.839 --> 00:27:37.180
 happened,

00:27:37.319 --> 00:27:38.039
 verse 5,

00:27:38.680 --> 00:27:39.579
 he was pierced

00:27:39.579 --> 00:27:40.180
 for our

00:27:40.180 --> 00:27:41.019
 transgressions,

00:27:41.460 --> 00:27:42.420
 he was crushed

00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:43.440
 for our

00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:44.180
 iniquities,

00:27:44.599 --> 00:27:45.259
 upon him

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:45.660
 was the

00:27:45.660 --> 00:27:46.240
 chastisement

00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:47.099
 that brought

00:27:47.099 --> 00:27:48.079
 us peace

00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:49.200
 and with his

00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:50.359
 wounds we

00:27:50.359 --> 00:27:51.059
 are healed

00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:52.440
 and you hear

00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:53.279
 the interplay

00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:54.059
 between him

00:27:54.059 --> 00:27:55.019
 and us,

00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:55.879
 he and

00:27:55.879 --> 00:27:56.220
 we,

00:27:56.879 --> 00:27:57.720
 we deserve

00:27:57.720 --> 00:27:58.400
 punishment but

00:27:58.400 --> 00:27:58.960
 he got

00:27:58.960 --> 00:28:00.019
 punished in

00:28:00.019 --> 00:28:00.720
 our place

00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:01.660
 for our

00:28:01.660 --> 00:28:02.420
 transgressions,

00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:04.160
 and that is

00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:04.700
 the beauty

00:28:04.700 --> 00:28:05.400
 of this

00:28:05.400 --> 00:28:06.680
 chapter and

00:28:06.680 --> 00:28:07.040
 yeah,

00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:07.840
 Luke,

00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:08.700
 you know,

00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:09.900
 Acts doesn't

00:28:09.900 --> 00:28:10.340
 mention the

00:28:10.340 --> 00:28:10.800
 cross very

00:28:10.800 --> 00:28:11.780
 much but

00:28:11.780 --> 00:28:12.160
 it's there

00:28:12.160 --> 00:28:12.440
 in the

00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:12.780
 background,

00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:13.140
 right,

00:28:13.720 --> 00:28:14.380
 and this

00:28:14.380 --> 00:28:14.980
 is why

00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:16.220
 people are

00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:17.300
 welcome because

00:28:17.300 --> 00:28:18.080
 all our sin

00:28:18.080 --> 00:28:18.780
 is paid for

00:28:18.780 --> 00:28:19.660
 because the

00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:20.880
 ultimate sacrifice

00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:22.400
 for sin has

00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:23.180
 taken place,

00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:24.200
 so we don't

00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:24.720
 need a temple

00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:25.220
 anymore,

00:28:25.900 --> 00:28:26.759
 it's all

00:28:26.759 --> 00:28:27.920
 done and

00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:28.620
 that is why

00:28:28.620 --> 00:28:29.480
 you get

00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:30.779
 great chapters

00:28:30.779 --> 00:28:31.460
 including this

00:28:31.460 --> 00:28:32.180
 chapter 56

00:28:32.180 --> 00:28:33.039
 with a eunuch

00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:33.800
 being welcomed,

00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:34.259
 a foreigner

00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:34.940
 being welcomed

00:28:34.940 --> 00:28:35.920
 because in

00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:36.380
 through the

00:28:36.380 --> 00:28:36.720
 cross,

00:28:37.320 --> 00:28:37.460
 yeah,

00:28:37.560 --> 00:28:38.140
 everyone is

00:28:38.140 --> 00:28:38.519
 welcome,

00:28:39.060 --> 00:28:39.660
 that's the

00:28:39.660 --> 00:28:40.480
 wonderful truth,

00:28:40.580 --> 00:28:40.759
 right,

00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:43.920
 and this is

00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:44.400
 what you need

00:28:44.400 --> 00:28:44.820
 to know,

00:28:45.880 --> 00:28:46.200
 again,

00:28:46.300 --> 00:28:46.820
 so think of

00:28:46.820 --> 00:28:47.220
 yourselves,

00:28:47.360 --> 00:28:47.960
 you're in that

00:28:47.960 --> 00:28:48.380
 club,

00:28:49.019 --> 00:28:49.580
 isn't it good

00:28:49.580 --> 00:28:49.980
 to know,

00:28:50.120 --> 00:28:50.279
 okay,

00:28:50.360 --> 00:28:50.880
 my name is

00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:51.300
 on the guest

00:28:51.300 --> 00:28:51.480
 list,

00:28:51.560 --> 00:28:51.880
 someone has

00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:52.400
 put my name

00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:52.800
 on the guest

00:28:52.800 --> 00:28:52.940
 list,

00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:53.320
 someone has

00:28:53.320 --> 00:28:53.920
 done something

00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:54.800
 so I could

00:28:54.800 --> 00:28:55.180
 get in,

00:28:55.460 --> 00:28:55.880
 or someone

00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:56.480
 has paid for

00:28:56.480 --> 00:28:57.019
 a ticket for

00:28:57.019 --> 00:28:57.700
 me so I can

00:28:57.700 --> 00:28:58.120
 get in,

00:28:58.519 --> 00:28:59.019
 so I don't

00:28:59.019 --> 00:28:59.640
 feel like an

00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:01.220
 imposter when

00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:01.700
 I'm waiting

00:29:01.700 --> 00:29:02.559
 for at the

00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:03.160
 American club

00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:03.600
 or something,

00:29:03.720 --> 00:29:03.880
 right,

00:29:04.519 --> 00:29:04.980
 that's the

00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:05.340
 idea,

00:29:06.440 --> 00:29:06.920
 and many of

00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:07.180
 us as

00:29:07.180 --> 00:29:07.580
 Christians,

00:29:08.100 --> 00:29:08.319
 okay,

00:29:08.460 --> 00:29:08.600
 yeah,

00:29:08.660 --> 00:29:08.920
 we are

00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:09.360
 Christians,

00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:09.799
 but maybe

00:29:09.799 --> 00:29:10.200
 you still

00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:10.799
 have doubts,

00:29:11.660 --> 00:29:11.840
 right,

00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:12.900
 I know God

00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:13.640
 welcomes me,

00:29:13.940 --> 00:29:14.440
 I know I

00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:15.039
 can pray,

00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:16.580
 and yet you

00:29:16.580 --> 00:29:17.420
 often feel like,

00:29:17.819 --> 00:29:18.600
 what am I doing

00:29:18.600 --> 00:29:19.160
 really here,

00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:19.420
 right,

00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:20.660
 how can I be

00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:21.660
 sure that God

00:29:21.660 --> 00:29:22.400
 will welcome me,

00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:22.600
 well,

00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:23.220
 why would he

00:29:23.220 --> 00:29:23.799
 welcome someone

00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:24.279
 like me,

00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:25.580
 well,

00:29:26.019 --> 00:29:26.580
 that's why you

00:29:26.579 --> 00:29:27.000
 need to look

00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:27.579
 at the cross,

00:29:28.279 --> 00:29:28.500
 right,

00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:28.960
 the cross

00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:29.980
 says your

00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:30.759
 sin is paid

00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:30.939
 for,

00:29:31.019 --> 00:29:31.339
 you are

00:29:31.339 --> 00:29:31.819
 welcome,

00:29:32.419 --> 00:29:32.639
 you know,

00:29:32.679 --> 00:29:33.019
 even though

00:29:33.019 --> 00:29:33.339
 there's so

00:29:33.339 --> 00:29:33.919
 many reasons

00:29:33.919 --> 00:29:34.439
 you shouldn't

00:29:34.439 --> 00:29:34.879
 be welcome,

00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:35.139
 right,

00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:35.759
 so many

00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:36.240
 things you've

00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:36.500
 done,

00:29:37.119 --> 00:29:37.500
 so many

00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:37.919
 things you

00:29:37.919 --> 00:29:38.179
 are,

00:29:38.740 --> 00:29:39.339
 and you've

00:29:39.339 --> 00:29:39.679
 got nothing

00:29:39.679 --> 00:29:40.039
 to offer

00:29:40.039 --> 00:29:40.460
 to God,

00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:40.819
 and you don't

00:29:40.819 --> 00:29:41.279
 belong to

00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:41.500
 God,

00:29:41.579 --> 00:29:41.779
 but it

00:29:41.779 --> 00:29:41.980
 doesn't

00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:42.199
 matter,

00:29:42.919 --> 00:29:43.539
 Jesus took

00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:44.220
 care of

00:29:44.220 --> 00:29:44.559
 it all,

00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:45.480
 he's put

00:29:45.480 --> 00:29:45.939
 you there,

00:29:46.359 --> 00:29:46.939
 he's included

00:29:46.939 --> 00:29:47.179
 you,

00:29:47.259 --> 00:29:47.759
 he's welcomed

00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:48.079
 you,

00:29:49.079 --> 00:29:50.019
 and that is

00:29:50.019 --> 00:29:50.599
 so wonderful,

00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:50.899
 right,

00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:52.059
 it doesn't

00:29:52.059 --> 00:29:52.759
 give you peace,

00:29:52.819 --> 00:29:53.220
 I don't know,

00:29:53.559 --> 00:29:53.740
 you know,

00:29:53.740 --> 00:29:54.140
 maybe you've

00:29:54.140 --> 00:29:54.460
 had this

00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:54.859
 week off

00:29:54.859 --> 00:29:55.160
 tomorrow,

00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:55.400
 you're going

00:29:55.400 --> 00:29:55.720
 to go to

00:29:55.720 --> 00:29:56.079
 work,

00:29:56.539 --> 00:29:56.799
 you're going

00:29:56.799 --> 00:29:57.160
 to go to

00:29:57.160 --> 00:29:57.640
 your normal

00:29:57.640 --> 00:29:58.019
 week,

00:29:58.680 --> 00:29:59.059
 and maybe

00:29:59.059 --> 00:29:59.779
 something terrible

00:29:59.779 --> 00:30:00.259
 will happen,

00:30:00.440 --> 00:30:00.640
 you know,

00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:01.980
 something will

00:30:01.980 --> 00:30:02.579
 go wrong,

00:30:02.700 --> 00:30:03.019
 that's your

00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:03.480
 fault,

00:30:03.539 --> 00:30:03.880
 or someone

00:30:03.880 --> 00:30:04.559
 else's,

00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:05.940
 isn't this

00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:06.420
 great that

00:30:06.420 --> 00:30:06.920
 God,

00:30:07.339 --> 00:30:08.819
 that God

00:30:08.819 --> 00:30:09.140
 is there

00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:09.559
 for you,

00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:10.559
 that you

00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:11.079
 are welcome

00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:11.599
 with him,

00:30:11.700 --> 00:30:12.000
 you have

00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:12.519
 access,

00:30:13.099 --> 00:30:13.620
 because you

00:30:13.620 --> 00:30:14.240
 know Jesus

00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:14.720
 died for

00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:14.940
 you,

00:30:15.620 --> 00:30:15.759
 right,

00:30:15.779 --> 00:30:16.279
 there's nothing

00:30:16.279 --> 00:30:16.819
 that will,

00:30:17.339 --> 00:30:18.200
 that can stand

00:30:18.200 --> 00:30:18.620
 in the way

00:30:18.620 --> 00:30:18.960
 from you

00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:19.440
 coming to

00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:19.740
 God,

00:30:19.940 --> 00:30:20.559
 there's nothing

00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:21.380
 preventing you,

00:30:21.900 --> 00:30:22.220
 in those

00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:22.779
 moments you can

00:30:22.779 --> 00:30:23.259
 always find

00:30:23.259 --> 00:30:23.839
 peace and

00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:24.359
 grace and

00:30:24.359 --> 00:30:24.680
 help,

00:30:25.299 --> 00:30:25.859
 isn't it so

00:30:25.859 --> 00:30:26.420
 assuring,

00:30:27.379 --> 00:30:27.619
 you know,

00:30:27.819 --> 00:30:28.440
 again,

00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:29.980
 it's a church

00:30:29.980 --> 00:30:30.240
 thing,

00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:30.480
 right,

00:30:30.900 --> 00:30:31.740
 you have a

00:30:31.740 --> 00:30:32.339
 church community

00:30:32.339 --> 00:30:32.779
 where you

00:30:32.779 --> 00:30:33.200
 belong,

00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:33.920
 where you

00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:34.339
 can find

00:30:34.339 --> 00:30:34.680
 help,

00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:34.980
 where you

00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:35.460
 can find

00:30:35.460 --> 00:30:36.559
 comfort and

00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:37.059
 encouragement,

00:30:37.339 --> 00:30:37.680
 and again,

00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:37.980
 if you

00:30:37.980 --> 00:30:38.460
 believe,

00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:39.539
 you know,

00:30:39.579 --> 00:30:39.879
 a church,

00:30:39.980 --> 00:30:40.400
 everyone who

00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:40.940
 believes should

00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:41.420
 be welcome,

00:30:41.900 --> 00:30:42.500
 doesn't matter

00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:43.319
 who you are,

00:30:43.379 --> 00:30:43.700
 you don't need

00:30:43.700 --> 00:30:44.240
 to pretend,

00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:45.319
 isn't that

00:30:45.319 --> 00:30:45.799
 wonderful,

00:30:46.099 --> 00:30:46.220
 right,

00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:47.079
 you're welcome

00:30:47.079 --> 00:30:47.660
 with Jesus,

00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:48.099
 then you're

00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:49.099
 welcome in

00:30:49.099 --> 00:30:49.519
 church,

00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:51.039
 whoever you

00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:51.299
 are,

00:30:51.400 --> 00:30:51.759
 that's so

00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:52.379
 liberating,

00:30:52.380 --> 00:30:53.960
 now that's,

00:30:54.540 --> 00:30:54.840
 yeah,

00:30:55.040 --> 00:30:55.560
 and that is,

00:30:56.020 --> 00:30:56.660
 that is for

00:30:56.660 --> 00:30:57.240
 each of us

00:30:57.240 --> 00:30:57.480
 here,

00:30:57.580 --> 00:30:58.240
 especially though

00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:58.840
 if you feel

00:30:58.840 --> 00:31:00.040
 you are not

00:31:00.040 --> 00:31:00.420
 part of

00:31:00.420 --> 00:31:00.780
 things,

00:31:01.300 --> 00:31:02.300
 Jesus has

00:31:02.300 --> 00:31:02.900
 welcomed you,

00:31:03.300 --> 00:31:03.460
 right,

00:31:03.520 --> 00:31:04.160
 he has died

00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:04.620
 for you,

00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:05.340
 and so

00:31:05.340 --> 00:31:06.700
 everyone can

00:31:06.700 --> 00:31:07.180
 come in,

00:31:07.180 --> 00:31:09.440
 and again,

00:31:09.539 --> 00:31:10.500
 let's share

00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:10.980
 that hope,

00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:11.560
 won't we,

00:31:11.840 --> 00:31:12.480
 in the Old

00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:12.779
 Testament,

00:31:12.900 --> 00:31:13.220
 there wasn't

00:31:13.220 --> 00:31:13.700
 much sharing

00:31:13.700 --> 00:31:14.200
 your faith,

00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:15.019
 because most

00:31:15.019 --> 00:31:15.539
 people couldn't

00:31:15.539 --> 00:31:16.299
 come in anyway,

00:31:16.980 --> 00:31:17.500
 New Testament,

00:31:18.140 --> 00:31:18.960
 so much spreading

00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:19.380
 the gospel,

00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:19.720
 why,

00:31:19.799 --> 00:31:20.400
 because everyone

00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:20.940
 is welcome,

00:31:21.820 --> 00:31:22.820
 let's be doing

00:31:22.820 --> 00:31:23.100
 that,

00:31:23.640 --> 00:31:24.680
 let's rejoice in

00:31:24.680 --> 00:31:25.400
 the access we

00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:25.660
 have,

00:31:25.740 --> 00:31:26.360
 let's rejoice in

00:31:26.360 --> 00:31:26.920
 the welcome we

00:31:26.920 --> 00:31:27.200
 have,

00:31:27.940 --> 00:31:28.640
 let's make sure

00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:29.640
 we spread that

00:31:29.640 --> 00:31:30.160
 welcome to

00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:30.500
 others,

00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:32.279
 why don't we

00:31:32.279 --> 00:31:33.039
 pray together,

00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:45.740
 oh Jesus,

00:31:45.859 --> 00:31:46.420
 we thank you

00:31:46.420 --> 00:31:47.599
 that you

00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:47.980
 made this

00:31:47.980 --> 00:31:48.960
 ultimate sacrifice,

00:31:49.480 --> 00:31:50.019
 that's the

00:31:50.019 --> 00:31:50.440
 thing that

00:31:50.440 --> 00:31:52.039
 kept us away

00:31:52.039 --> 00:31:54.319
 from you,

00:31:54.879 --> 00:31:55.500
 our sin,

00:31:55.879 --> 00:31:56.279
 and you're

00:31:56.279 --> 00:31:57.200
 rough against

00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:57.579
 our sin,

00:31:57.680 --> 00:31:57.980
 that's all

00:31:57.980 --> 00:31:58.579
 that is taken

00:31:58.579 --> 00:31:59.039
 care of,

00:31:59.079 --> 00:31:59.339
 that you

00:31:59.339 --> 00:32:00.139
 pay for

00:32:00.139 --> 00:32:00.899
 everything on

00:32:00.899 --> 00:32:01.339
 the cross,

00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:02.980
 there could

00:32:02.980 --> 00:32:03.279
 be no

00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:03.660
 greater

00:32:03.660 --> 00:32:04.099
 payment

00:32:04.099 --> 00:32:04.480
 than the

00:32:04.480 --> 00:32:04.799
 life of

00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:05.099
 the son

00:32:05.099 --> 00:32:05.440
 of God,

00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:05.799
 so we

00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:06.900
 are welcome

00:32:06.900 --> 00:32:07.259
 no matter

00:32:07.259 --> 00:32:07.700
 who we

00:32:07.700 --> 00:32:07.980
 are,

00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:09.059
 no matter

00:32:09.059 --> 00:32:09.519
 what we've

00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:09.779
 done,

00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:10.720
 help us

00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:11.079
 to know

00:32:11.079 --> 00:32:11.299
 that,

00:32:11.940 --> 00:32:12.200
 help us

00:32:12.200 --> 00:32:12.640
 never to

00:32:12.640 --> 00:32:13.799
 doubt our

00:32:13.799 --> 00:32:14.519
 access to

00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:14.759
 you,

00:32:14.920 --> 00:32:15.099
 help us

00:32:15.099 --> 00:32:15.480
 never to

00:32:15.480 --> 00:32:16.400
 doubt the

00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:16.960
 basis of

00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:17.539
 our relationship

00:32:17.539 --> 00:32:18.039
 with you,

00:32:18.140 --> 00:32:18.360
 that we

00:32:18.360 --> 00:32:19.360
 would have

00:32:19.360 --> 00:32:20.079
 peace and

00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:20.740
 rest in

00:32:20.740 --> 00:32:21.039
 that,

00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:21.839
 that we

00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:22.039
 would be

00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:22.539
 a church

00:32:22.539 --> 00:32:23.140
 that reflects

00:32:23.140 --> 00:32:23.539
 that in

00:32:23.539 --> 00:32:25.039
 our joy,

00:32:25.539 --> 00:32:26.039
 in our

00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:26.620
 welcome of

00:32:26.620 --> 00:32:27.039
 each other,

00:32:27.620 --> 00:32:28.079
 welcome of

00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:28.420
 others,

00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:29.160
 and in

00:32:29.160 --> 00:32:30.380
 our spreading,

00:32:30.660 --> 00:32:31.360
 we want many

00:32:31.360 --> 00:32:32.000
 people to

00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:32.940
 know this,

00:32:32.980 --> 00:32:33.500
 many people

00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:35.460
 to experience

00:32:35.460 --> 00:32:36.259
 this great

00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:37.420
 welcome that

00:32:37.420 --> 00:32:38.279
 we have

00:32:38.279 --> 00:32:38.720
 received,

00:32:38.860 --> 00:32:39.440
 that some

00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:39.940
 of us here

00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:40.539
 still need to

00:32:40.539 --> 00:32:40.920
 receive,

00:32:41.079 --> 00:32:41.200
 Lord,

00:32:41.319 --> 00:32:42.200
 draw each

00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:42.660
 of us here

00:32:42.660 --> 00:32:43.120
 to you

00:32:43.120 --> 00:32:43.440
 today,

00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:44.579
 we ask this

00:32:44.579 --> 00:32:45.000
 in Jesus'

00:32:45.180 --> 00:32:45.339
 name,

00:32:45.799 --> 00:32:46.059
 Amen.