Happy Sabbath.
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Feliz Sabado for
my Latinos out there.
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I want to have a
word of prayer with you
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and then I want to
recap briefly the main gist,
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the main picture
that we painted last night
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as we explored
this profound statement
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that the Apostle Paul
makes in 1 Corinthians.
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So I'm going to kneel
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and I just want
to invite you folks
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to just bow your
heads with me as we pray.
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Let's pray
together, Father in heaven,
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we want to praise You,
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we want to echo
the words of that song,
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we want to lift our
voices to You tonight.
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We're here because we are hungry
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for a picture of Jesus.
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We're hungry for the
life that the gospel gives.
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We want to drink
from that fountain,
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we want a glimpse of
Your beauty, of Your glory,
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of Your majesty,
of Your greatness,
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of Your awesomeness,
we want a glimpse of You.
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And I just pray
that this evening
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as we open the scriptures,
that it would come alive to us,
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that we would feel
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as if the Spirit is
sitting right next to us.
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We want to pray
that You would send
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several extra
groups and teams of angels
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to come into this auditorium.
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We pray that You
would guard the door,
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we pray that You
would arrest our attention,
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that You would
occupy our thoughts
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and, Lord, that You
would touch our hearts.
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We ask that the same
Spirit that inspired the Word
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would be here to
impress it on our conscience
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and we ask that You
would teach us to be
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responsible
students and listeners.
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Tune our ears to
listen to Your voice.
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We pray in Jesus' name.
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We all said amen. Amen.
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The profound statement
that we are a spectacle,
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we're on display
before men and angels,
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this is not something
that Paul pulled out of a hat.
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It's not something that
Paul woke up one morning
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and just thought it
had a good ring to it
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and he wrote it down.
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When Paul wrote those
words, both to the Corinthians,
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and we looked at
Ephesians Chapter 3
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where Paul also continues
this big picture ideology
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that you and I are on display.
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You put something on display
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because you want
people to see it.
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You want people to analyze it.
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Paul wants the
Christian community
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to understand
that it's on display.
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In other words,
the world is watching.
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When Paul wrote that down,
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he's following
this great tradition
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of the entire Old Testament.
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In fact, that idea is
Old Testament ideology.
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We looked at the major
theme of the Old Testament
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was the history of God's people,
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God's church in the
Old Testament, Israel.
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We looked at Israel as
this answer to this dilemma,
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this false
concept of who God is,
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this darkness in the world.
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The calling of Israel
was in answer to that.
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So the church of
the Old Testament
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had in its hands
the reputation of God.
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God puts everything at stake,
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everything about who
He is, what He is like
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and He puts it in
the hands of the church.
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The point of that, it wasn't
because they were so great.
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The point wasn't
because it was about them.
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The point was that God
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was essentially
wanting to create a new culture
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so that kingdom
truth, so that gospel truth
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could spread
throughout the entire world.
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So the point of the
church was to be a magnet
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so that the world could look
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from the
outside and say, "Whoa!"
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So that the nations
rather from the outside
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could look at the church
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and be amazed
and be drawn to it.
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And we looked at
Zechariah Chapter 8
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where the
nations are grabbing hold
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of the garments of a Jewish man
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because they want
to get to Jerusalem,
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because they've
heard the rumors.
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The queen of Sheba
travels from her country,
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amazed as she sits at
the feet of this Jewish king
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and she takes that Hebrew
culture back to her nation.
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That was the point
of the nation of Israel.
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So the whole story
of the Old Testament
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is the bumpy and
messy road of God's people
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struggling to
realize the significance
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that they're on display
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and that means that
the world is watching.
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We took from all of
that the simple point,
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it matters what the world sees.
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I'm going to be faithful to God.
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I'm going to be loyal to God
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and I don't care how
the world perceives me.
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It turns out that that
is totally missing the point
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and it doesn't capture God's
bigger vision for His church.
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It turns out that it does matter
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how the world perceives us,
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because how the
world perceives us
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affects how it perceives Him.
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And how people perceive God
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affects how they relate to
Him and that's the whole point.
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Amen. Simple enough.
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Tonight I want to
pick up where we left off
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and I want to continue.
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We ended back in
the New Testament,
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where Jesus comes,
this crash landing.
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Jesus comes to succeed
where the church failed.
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Jesus comes to present
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a proper picture of
what God is actually like.
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And Paul tells us now,
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Paul tells us,
or I should just say
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the New Testament tells us that
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that's the purpose
of this new movement
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that Jesus launched.
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The movement of Christianity
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was a fresh
culture, a fresh expression
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of that same
culture from the beginning,
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from Genesis Chapter
12, the call of Abraham.
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The movement of Christianity
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was to unleash this
thing into the world
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so that people could be
exposed to how beautiful
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and how awesome Jesus Christ is.
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So when we look
at the Book of Acts,
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which is where we'll be
spending our time tonight,
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we look at the Book of Acts,
the Book of Acts is basically--
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It's a mini-- It's
what the Old Testament is
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in miniature form
in the New Testament.
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It's the history
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of this movement
called Christianity.
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That's the Book of Acts,
okay. The story of the church.
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When we read the Book of Acts
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we realize that the Book of Acts
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is a book about cities.
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The church is strategically
going from city to city
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and the gospel is
spreading and the reason, Luke,
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the author of Acts,
the reason he makes sure
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that he emphasizes
where the church is moving,
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where the
apostles are preaching,
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where the disciples
are penetrating into
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is because the
point here is that
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the main objective
is to bring exposure
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to this
beautiful gospel culture.
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So you have the Book of
Acts as the book of cities.
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You see cities, is where
culture reaches critical mass.
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That's what a city is.
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So you see that
the apostles are taking
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the Mediterranean world
by storm, the Roman Empire.
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They're traveling all
around the Mediterranean world,
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they're preaching
in Antioch, in Iconium,
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in Corinth and Philippi,
Thessalonica, in Athens.
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They're going
exactly where you would go
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if you wanted to
create some waves.
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If you wanted to
say something loud,
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if you wanted to be
heard, if you wanted to--
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if you wanted to get on
TV, if you wanted exposure
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you would go
exactly and precisely
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where the church
goes in the Book of Acts.
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I think that's fascinating.
I think that's very powerful.
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God's intention
is to redeem culture.
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There are things in this world,
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there are
aspects of human culture
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that God wants to redeem
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and that the gospel is
intended to enrich, okay.
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I'm going to
specifically focus tonight,
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you follow with me
here, on Acts Chapter 19.
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I want to invite you to
turn to Acts Chapter 19.
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And I want to tell you
as you're turning there,
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Acts Chapter 19 has totally,
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totally changed my perspective
of my Adventist experience.
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Acts Chapter 19 has
totally refocused in my mind
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and in my paradigm
and in my world view
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what
Christianity was to look like
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or could look
like in my generation,
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what the church could
look like in my generation,
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how the world may perceive
my church in my generation.
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Acts Chapter 19, it
contains some very remarkable,
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powerful
challenges for us today.
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Now, now that
you're in Acts Chapter 19--
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Did I say Acts? Acts Chapter 19.
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I want to lead you
through this progression.
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Okay, hold on
in Acts Chapter 19.
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Acts Chapter 17,
Paul ends up in Athens.
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Okay?
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That's basically
the headquarters,
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that is the intellectual
center of the Roman Empire,
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of the Greco-Roman world.
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And Paul-- Luke records
Paul's encounter in Athens
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and he goes toe to toe
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with the sharpest
thinkers of the day.
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The gospel comes into contact
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with the intellectual
center in Paul's day.
00:10:04.03\00:10:07.79
That's Acts Chapter 19.
00:10:07.82\00:10:09.37
It records the
story of what happened.
00:10:09.40\00:10:12.02
Paul then leaves
Athens in Acts Chapter 19
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and now we enter the
world of Acts Chapter 18.
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And in Acts Chapter 18,
now Paul enters into Corinth.
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Corinth is a commercial
capital in the Roman Empire.
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And now the gospel,
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Paul's gospel enters
into Corinthian culture.
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Okay?
00:10:35.18\00:10:36.37
And leaving
Corinth in Acts Chapter 18,
00:10:36.40\00:10:39.09
Paul goes now,
in Acts Chapter 19,
00:10:39.12\00:10:42.05
to this place called Ephesus.
00:10:42.08\00:10:45.62
And as we're there
in Acts Chapter 19,
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Ephesus is a major religious
center in the Roman world.
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Ephesus is a major cultural
center in the Roman world.
00:10:53.81\00:11:00.18
And what the apostles
do is they take city after
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city after city,
they take it by storm.
00:11:04.22\00:11:06.47
And Luke, in his
craft, purposefully records,
00:11:06.50\00:11:10.75
he plainly
understands the significance
00:11:10.78\00:11:13.35
of these major cities in
the spread of the gospel.
00:11:13.38\00:11:17.69
How many of you believe that
Adventism was not to be held
00:11:17.72\00:11:20.43
somewhere in a corner,
00:11:20.46\00:11:22.57
somewhere in
the trees somewhere,
00:11:22.60\00:11:24.50
but it was supposed to
be in the public arena?
00:11:24.53\00:11:27.26
Anybody else
with me on that one?
00:11:27.29\00:11:29.30
I don't think Adventism should
be hiding behind the scenes,
00:11:29.33\00:11:33.78
just as
Christianity was never intended
00:11:33.81\00:11:36.08
to hide behind
the scenes, right?
00:11:36.11\00:11:38.70
God wanted to take that thing
00:11:38.73\00:11:40.61
and to throw it
right where the action is.
00:11:40.64\00:11:43.41
And even, as a side note,
00:11:43.44\00:11:45.03
if you look at the
position of Israel where God--
00:11:45.06\00:11:47.39
God had the globe and he just...
00:11:47.42\00:11:50.47
spun it around trying
to find just the right
00:11:50.50\00:11:52.73
geographical location for Israel
00:11:52.76\00:11:54.80
and where God pinpointed
where His people would be,
00:11:54.83\00:11:57.52
this little strip of
land called Palestine.
00:11:57.55\00:11:59.88
It's a brilliant strategic move.
00:11:59.91\00:12:03.34
Israel, even if they tried
00:12:03.37\00:12:05.54
they couldn't
hide from the world.
00:12:05.57\00:12:07.34
They were right in
the middle of the thing,
00:12:07.37\00:12:09.85
bumping into all kinds of major
empires through its history.
00:12:09.88\00:12:14.04
Are you with me?
00:12:14.07\00:12:15.56
The whole intention was to
give the thing exposure, right?
00:12:15.59\00:12:19.97
Here we are in Ephesus,
00:12:20.00\00:12:21.85
this is where
it's happening, okay.
00:12:21.88\00:12:23.52
This is a happening place.
00:12:23.55\00:12:25.40
This is a very
influential place.
00:12:25.43\00:12:27.52
Now Ephesus is home to
the great goddess Artemis.
00:12:27.55\00:12:34.72
Our Bibles use the
non Greek version Diana,
00:12:34.75\00:12:37.53
the goddess Diana,
the temple of Diana.
00:12:37.56\00:12:40.90
Paul arrives with his crew
00:12:40.93\00:12:43.68
into this town at
around the year '54, okay.
00:12:43.71\00:12:48.59
When Paul arrives into
this town immediately he does
00:12:48.62\00:12:52.45
what he is accustomed to do.
00:12:52.48\00:12:54.45
He heads straight
into the synagogue.
00:12:54.48\00:12:58.48
Paul goes
directly into the synagogue
00:12:58.51\00:13:01.12
and that's where he
begins his preaching ministry.
00:13:01.15\00:13:03.81
Now meanwhile, Paul understands
00:13:03.84\00:13:05.57
the significance of where he is,
00:13:05.60\00:13:07.15
if they can take the gospel
00:13:07.18\00:13:09.67
and if gospel
culture can penetrate
00:13:09.70\00:13:12.33
into Ephesian
culture, a powerful,
00:13:12.36\00:13:16.01
powerful witness that
would be in the Roman world.
00:13:16.04\00:13:20.69
Are you with me?
00:13:20.72\00:13:22.50
So Paul understands that
Ephesus is a happening place.
00:13:22.53\00:13:25.94
I'm reading these
historians on Ephesus.
00:13:25.97\00:13:29.21
They look at the
gymnasia, the bath, the library,
00:13:29.24\00:13:32.43
the medical center, the
theater of this marvelous city,
00:13:32.46\00:13:36.37
the prolific
educational heritage of Ephesus,
00:13:36.40\00:13:40.39
its social and religious
influence in the Roman Empire.
00:13:40.42\00:13:44.72
Ephesus was well-known,
according to the historians,
00:13:44.75\00:13:48.68
for its, listen to this,
philosophers, its architects,
00:13:48.71\00:13:53.04
its doctors, its musicians,
its poets, its athletes.
00:13:53.07\00:13:59.22
That sounds like a
very strong society, okay.
00:13:59.25\00:14:05.70
This is where he finds himself,
in the center of culture.
00:14:05.73\00:14:10.09
Now we pick up the
story here in Acts Chapter 19,
00:14:10.12\00:14:13.77
Paul is in the
synagogue and Paul is preaching.
00:14:13.80\00:14:16.33
Now notice what
happens here as we build,
00:14:16.36\00:14:18.92
we need to build our frame here.
00:14:18.95\00:14:21.30
It says here in verse
9 of Acts Chapter 19--
00:14:21.33\00:14:23.98
Are you there?
00:14:24.01\00:14:25.04
Can you say
hallelujah if you're there?
00:14:25.07\00:14:27.21
Okay.
00:14:27.24\00:14:28.77
"But when some were
hardened and did not believe,"
00:14:28.80\00:14:32.19
these are some of the
people in the synagogue
00:14:32.22\00:14:33.93
where Paul has been preaching
00:14:33.96\00:14:35.26
for 3 months
according to verse 8.
00:14:35.29\00:14:38.94
"When some of these
people were hardened
00:14:38.97\00:14:40.67
and they began to speak evil
00:14:40.70\00:14:42.62
of the Way before the multitude,
00:14:42.65\00:14:44.81
Paul departed from them.
00:14:44.84\00:14:46.91
He withdrew with his disciples
00:14:46.94\00:14:49.28
and he reasoned daily
in the school of Tyrannus."
00:14:49.31\00:14:53.31
So Paul leaves the synagogue,
he says, "Fine, it sounds like
00:14:53.34\00:14:57.21
we don't have
an open door here."
00:14:57.24\00:14:58.43
He goes now and he
rents out this school.
00:14:58.46\00:15:02.29
And in this school,
Paul pitches his tent there
00:15:02.32\00:15:05.35
and he makes
that the headquarters
00:15:05.38\00:15:06.80
of his ministry, okay?
00:15:06.83\00:15:08.85
And in this school
Paul has essentially
00:15:08.88\00:15:12.68
an evangelistic
platform where he operates from.
00:15:12.71\00:15:16.64
It's very powerful because
the Bible says in verse 10
00:15:16.67\00:15:19.90
that this
continues for how long?
00:15:19.93\00:15:21.75
How long does your
Bible say it continues for?
00:15:21.78\00:15:23.95
For 2 years.
00:15:23.98\00:15:26.51
Now that sounds like a good
00:15:26.54\00:15:28.03
evangelistic strategy
for a metropolitan city.
00:15:28.06\00:15:31.30
Amen.
00:15:31.33\00:15:32.54
Paul didn't seem to
be too hip on this whole,
00:15:32.57\00:15:34.60
you fly in, you
preach for 30 days
00:15:34.63\00:15:36.70
and you're gone, right?
00:15:36.73\00:15:38.87
Paul is-- Paul is
entering into this culture
00:15:38.90\00:15:41.66
and he's there to-- he's
there to do thorough work.
00:15:41.69\00:15:45.41
He's there to see to it
00:15:45.44\00:15:47.18
that the gospel
really penetrates.
00:15:47.21\00:15:48.86
And what is the
result of Paul's strategy?
00:15:48.89\00:15:51.48
The second half of that verse.
Am I reading this, verse 10?
00:15:51.51\00:15:54.96
"It continues for two
years and then all," how many?
00:15:54.99\00:15:59.67
All. How many is "all"?
00:15:59.70\00:16:01.29
How many does "all" include?
00:16:01.32\00:16:03.36
This is-- This is--
This is crazy language.
00:16:03.39\00:16:05.67
Luke is basically
saying this thing spread
00:16:05.70\00:16:09.83
throughout all of Asia.
00:16:09.86\00:16:11.82
"All who dwelt in Asia
00:16:11.85\00:16:13.67
heard the word
of the Lord Jesus,
00:16:13.70\00:16:15.47
both the Jews and" who?
00:16:15.50\00:16:17.95
And the Greeks, okay?
00:16:17.98\00:16:20.63
This ministry is penetrating
00:16:20.66\00:16:22.78
into society from
this little school.
00:16:22.81\00:16:25.47
It's probably like
some little room somewhere
00:16:25.50\00:16:27.58
in the corner of some
shopping mall building.
00:16:27.61\00:16:31.19
And from this place,
in the course of 2 years,
00:16:31.22\00:16:36.03
Paul's gospel has gone
through the entire region,
00:16:36.06\00:16:39.47
through the entire
province of Asia Minor,
00:16:39.50\00:16:42.84
which is by the
way modern day Turkey.
00:16:42.87\00:16:46.53
Now I was reading in
Acts of the Apostles,
00:16:46.56\00:16:50.68
I was reading Ellen White's,
her narrative on this story
00:16:50.71\00:16:55.22
and she-- I love
the wording here.
00:16:55.25\00:16:57.03
She says that
"through the influence
00:16:57.06\00:17:00.20
of Paul's teaching, the
gospel extended far beyond
00:17:00.23\00:17:04.91
the actual
converts to the faith.
00:17:04.94\00:17:07.39
Many people who
hadn't even openly accepted
00:17:07.42\00:17:10.77
the new doctrines
became so far enlightened
00:17:10.80\00:17:14.97
that they lost all confidence
in their heathen gods."
00:17:15.00\00:17:19.73
Every single year in Ephesus
00:17:19.76\00:17:22.84
they would host
a national festival
00:17:22.87\00:17:26.61
where people from all
over the province would come
00:17:26.64\00:17:29.29
and they would
attend these festivals.
00:17:29.32\00:17:31.74
People began to
notice that attendance
00:17:31.77\00:17:34.12
at the festival was
dropping very quickly.
00:17:34.15\00:17:37.97
It became very
obvious that the reason
00:17:38.00\00:17:41.16
that attendance
at these festivals,
00:17:41.19\00:17:42.90
these pagan festivals to
celebrate the goddess Diana,
00:17:42.93\00:17:46.26
the reason
attendance was dropping
00:17:46.29\00:17:48.91
is because of the influence
00:17:48.94\00:17:50.32
of this little
room down the hall
00:17:50.35\00:17:52.52
where the Apostle
Paul was sharing some
00:17:52.55\00:17:54.99
very, very dangerous
things for the goddess Diana.
00:17:55.02\00:17:58.55
Amen.
00:17:58.58\00:18:00.84
People began to lose confidence
in their heathen gods.
00:18:00.87\00:18:06.80
Okay, so now we
arrive at my point.
00:18:06.83\00:18:10.46
As the result of
that, I'm gonna fast forward
00:18:10.49\00:18:13.64
some verses here,
00:18:13.67\00:18:15.72
there's a reaction
against Paul's gospel.
00:18:15.75\00:18:19.50
There's a reaction
against this movement.
00:18:19.53\00:18:22.38
There's a riot that takes
place at the center of the city
00:18:22.41\00:18:28.44
and it has everything
to do with this gospel
00:18:28.47\00:18:32.42
that Paul has been preaching.
00:18:32.45\00:18:33.82
So I want to invite you
to notice carefully here
00:18:33.85\00:18:35.62
beginning in verse 21, notice
this riot that takes place,
00:18:35.65\00:18:40.31
the Bible says-- Actually,
00:18:40.34\00:18:41.37
I'm actually gonna jump
for the sake of time here.
00:18:41.40\00:18:43.85
I'm gonna jump to verse 23.
00:18:43.88\00:18:46.23
The Bible says, "About that time
00:18:46.26\00:18:48.60
there arose a great
commotion about the Way,
00:18:48.63\00:18:52.12
for a certain
man named Demetrius,
00:18:52.15\00:18:55.06
a silversmith who made
silver shrines of Diana,
00:18:55.09\00:18:58.80
brought no small
profit to the craftsmen."
00:18:58.83\00:19:02.74
No small profit,
that's another way of saying
00:19:02.77\00:19:05.68
they were loaded, okay?
00:19:05.71\00:19:07.76
Their business was
extremely successful.
00:19:07.79\00:19:12.22
Now these people began to
get concerned, in verse 25,
00:19:12.25\00:19:17.32
"He called them together
00:19:17.35\00:19:18.66
with the workers
of similar occupation,
00:19:18.69\00:19:21.30
and he said, 'Men,
00:19:21.33\00:19:23.70
you know that we have our
prosperity by this trade.'
00:19:23.73\00:19:28.44
" The trade, in other words,
they're making little statues
00:19:28.47\00:19:31.53
that goes with the
big temple services
00:19:31.56\00:19:33.61
and the festivals
and the ceremonies
00:19:33.64\00:19:35.51
and everybody in
Ephesian society and culture,
00:19:35.54\00:19:38.21
they all buy in to these things,
00:19:38.24\00:19:40.42
it's all part of their society,
00:19:40.45\00:19:42.87
it's part of their religion,
it's part of their culture.
00:19:42.90\00:19:45.09
And now they're
going out of business.
00:19:45.12\00:19:47.54
They're going bankrupt
00:19:47.57\00:19:48.91
and nobody is
buying this stuff anymore.
00:19:48.94\00:19:53.27
The Bible says
here, in verse 26,
00:19:53.30\00:19:58.25
"Moreover you see in
here that not only at Ephesus,
00:19:58.28\00:20:02.85
but throughout almost all
of Asia," that's big territory.
00:20:02.88\00:20:08.31
This Paul,
this-this-this guy Paul
00:20:08.34\00:20:12.63
has persuaded and
turned away many people,
00:20:12.66\00:20:16.41
saying that they're not
gods which are made with hands.
00:20:16.44\00:20:19.61
Verse 27, "So not
only is this trade of ours
00:20:19.64\00:20:22.79
in danger of
falling into disrepute,
00:20:22.82\00:20:24.94
but also the temple of
the great goddess Diana.
00:20:24.97\00:20:30.74
She may be despised
and her magnificence
00:20:30.77\00:20:33.84
destroyed whom all of
Asia in the world worship."
00:20:33.87\00:20:39.01
Now when they heard this news,
00:20:39.04\00:20:41.17
they were all filled with wrath.
00:20:41.20\00:20:42.89
They went crazy and
they began to scream
00:20:42.92\00:20:45.31
and to shout and to cry out,
00:20:45.34\00:20:47.28
"Great is Diana
of the Ephesians."
00:20:47.31\00:20:50.58
They began to
chant this crazy chant.
00:20:50.61\00:20:53.82
And verse 29, "The whole city,
00:20:53.85\00:20:55.91
" it's just a matter of minutes,
00:20:55.94\00:20:57.24
"the whole city is filled
with confusion," verse 29,
00:20:57.27\00:21:01.34
"And they are
rushed into the theater
00:21:01.37\00:21:04.34
with one accord having seized,"
00:21:04.37\00:21:08.03
two guys, "Gaius
and Aristarchus."
00:21:08.06\00:21:12.60
They're Macedonians,
they're from Greece,
00:21:12.63\00:21:14.89
Paul's travel companions.
They couldn't find Paul.
00:21:14.92\00:21:19.00
And they found these two guys,
00:21:19.03\00:21:20.37
his two buddies that
came into town with him.
00:21:20.40\00:21:21.99
They found them walking
around the street somewhere
00:21:22.02\00:21:23.45
and they grabbed them
00:21:23.48\00:21:25.22
and they dragged
them into the city,
00:21:25.25\00:21:27.65
in the center of Ephesus.
00:21:27.68\00:21:29.63
And when Paul wanted
to go into the people,
00:21:29.66\00:21:32.14
the disciples would
not allow him to go in.
00:21:32.17\00:21:35.97
Now get this picture,
guys, get this picture.
00:21:36.00\00:21:39.80
Paul and his boys
roll up into town.
00:21:39.83\00:21:43.10
They start attending church,
00:21:43.13\00:21:45.15
they start sharing
their message in church.
00:21:45.18\00:21:47.87
Church doesn't want to hear it.
00:21:47.90\00:21:50.40
They kick them out of church
or Paul just packs his bags
00:21:50.43\00:21:52.79
and he leaves and he
rents a room in town.
00:21:52.82\00:21:56.79
From that room Paul
begins to unveil the beauty,
00:21:56.82\00:22:02.03
the mystery of the gospel.
00:22:02.06\00:22:04.20
As he is preaching,
people are coming in
00:22:04.23\00:22:07.21
and those people who
come in and who are exposed
00:22:07.24\00:22:10.26
to this amazing message,
they are also going back out.
00:22:10.29\00:22:13.86
They're going back
to their little towns.
00:22:13.89\00:22:16.01
They're going back
to their neighborhoods.
00:22:16.04\00:22:17.97
They're going back to
their place of employment.
00:22:18.00\00:22:20.00
They're going back
to their university.
00:22:20.03\00:22:21.93
And what do you think
00:22:21.96\00:22:23.10
they're taking with
them when they go back?
00:22:23.13\00:22:26.31
They're taking
the gospel with them.
00:22:26.34\00:22:29.35
Now this goes on for 2 years
00:22:29.38\00:22:31.17
and you know you have a problem.
00:22:31.20\00:22:33.08
Amen.
00:22:33.11\00:22:34.40
There's a problem,
because 2 years of that
00:22:34.43\00:22:39.54
and people begin to freak out.
00:22:39.57\00:22:42.16
Hey, the main
business in town is sinking.
00:22:42.19\00:22:46.29
The people react.
00:22:46.32\00:22:47.78
Now the whole city is
in the center of town.
00:22:47.81\00:22:50.09
I had the great privilege
to go to this place Ephesus
00:22:50.12\00:22:53.30
in western Turkey this year.
00:22:53.33\00:22:55.92
I had the privilege
of being in this theater.
00:22:55.95\00:22:57.45
And listen, this
is a huge theater
00:22:57.48\00:22:59.24
and everybody is in this theater
00:22:59.27\00:23:02.00
and they're
chanting and these poor guys,
00:23:02.03\00:23:04.14
they're
probably like two deacons
00:23:04.17\00:23:05.67
that Paul was like, "Hey, come,
00:23:05.70\00:23:06.83
you'll get great
ministry experience.
00:23:06.86\00:23:08.36
It'll be safe. Don't
worry, I'll protect you."
00:23:08.39\00:23:10.71
They're like, "No,
we didn't go to school,
00:23:10.74\00:23:12.14
we didn't go to"...
00:23:12.17\00:23:13.20
"Come on, I'll
protect you, no problem."
00:23:13.23\00:23:15.10
Now they're in the
middle of this theater
00:23:15.13\00:23:16.85
and they're about to
get their heads chopped off.
00:23:16.88\00:23:18.70
And something profound happens.
00:23:21.83\00:23:24.59
Well, several
profound things happen.
00:23:24.62\00:23:26.72
Here's the lesser
profound thing that happens.
00:23:26.75\00:23:29.43
Paul is not too far away.
00:23:29.46\00:23:32.17
He's in a hill somewhere
00:23:32.20\00:23:33.23
and he's
listening to the chanting,
00:23:33.26\00:23:34.34
he realizes word comes, he
realizes what's taking place
00:23:34.37\00:23:37.83
and he wants to go in there.
00:23:37.86\00:23:41.32
And that just gives
you a little glimpse
00:23:41.35\00:23:42.73
of the boldness and the
courage of this man Paul.
00:23:42.76\00:23:45.41
He knows that if
he walks into that,
00:23:45.44\00:23:47.01
into that theater, he's done.
00:23:47.04\00:23:49.58
So the brethren hold him back.
00:23:49.61\00:23:51.10
They say, "Are you
crazy? You can't go in there.
00:23:51.13\00:23:53.86
You're the one
they're looking for."
00:23:53.89\00:23:56.31
So they hold him back
and then the Bible says
00:23:56.34\00:23:58.46
that not only the brethren,
00:23:58.49\00:23:59.92
not only his boys hold him back,
00:23:59.95\00:24:02.50
the Bible actually says
that there are other people
00:24:02.53\00:24:05.13
that are
sympathetic of Paul in verse 31,
00:24:05.16\00:24:07.72
"Some of the officials of Asia."
00:24:07.75\00:24:10.18
Some of the who of
Asia? The officials.
00:24:10.21\00:24:14.29
They were his
friends, the Bible says.
00:24:14.32\00:24:17.77
"They sent to him pleading
00:24:17.80\00:24:19.81
that he wouldn't
venture into the theater."
00:24:19.84\00:24:22.91
How many of you think
it's encouraging to know
00:24:22.94\00:24:26.01
that Paul with his gospel
truth has befriended people,
00:24:26.04\00:24:31.19
high-ranking
people, high influential,
00:24:31.22\00:24:34.56
distinguished, wealthy
citizens of Ephesian society
00:24:34.59\00:24:38.65
who are not even Christians yet.
00:24:38.68\00:24:40.69
They consider Paul a friend,
00:24:40.72\00:24:43.10
so much so that they're
concerned for his safety.
00:24:43.13\00:24:46.45
Isn't that powerful?
00:24:46.48\00:24:48.57
Do you think that the
gospel should have appeal
00:24:48.60\00:24:52.37
for the
intellectual, the distinguished
00:24:52.40\00:24:55.13
and the higher
people in society?
00:24:55.16\00:24:57.87
Should Adventism be
able to really catch
00:24:57.90\00:25:00.79
the attention of people
00:25:00.82\00:25:02.01
who are in higher
places in society.
00:25:02.04\00:25:04.54
Yes or no?
00:25:04.57\00:25:05.60
I'm praising the
Lord for the seminar.
00:25:05.63\00:25:07.85
I think Brother
Kim is doing a seminar
00:25:07.88\00:25:09.80
on reaching the
people in the higher classes.
00:25:09.83\00:25:12.79
Paul here has
developed relationships.
00:25:12.82\00:25:14.99
Listen to what I'm saying, guys.
00:25:15.02\00:25:17.09
Heathen people like Paul.
00:25:17.12\00:25:21.04
Did you hear what I
said? Worldlings like him.
00:25:21.07\00:25:24.72
He wasn't weird
just to be weird, right?
00:25:29.18\00:25:34.36
People who didn't
even share his worldview,
00:25:34.39\00:25:37.70
they spent time with
him, they had exposure to him.
00:25:37.73\00:25:41.09
They even had
exposure to his way of thinking
00:25:41.12\00:25:43.64
and the message that he brought
and although they weren't
00:25:43.67\00:25:46.50
exactly ready yet to
sign on the dotted line,
00:25:46.53\00:25:50.17
they still could say,
you know, we respect that.
00:25:50.20\00:25:57.08
How many of you
think that we should be
00:25:57.11\00:25:58.20
able to interact
with people in this world?
00:25:58.23\00:26:01.15
And although we
are a little different,
00:26:01.18\00:26:05.29
we should be able to
present ourselves in such a way
00:26:05.32\00:26:09.04
that we can say or
other worldlings can say
00:26:09.07\00:26:13.16
that they are our friends
and that they care about us
00:26:13.19\00:26:16.14
in a very special way.
00:26:16.17\00:26:17.60
Isn't that beautiful?
00:26:17.63\00:26:18.74
I love how Luke
just loves to point out
00:26:18.77\00:26:21.15
these very
significant things here.
00:26:21.18\00:26:24.43
Long story short,
00:26:24.46\00:26:27.75
these guys are in
trouble in the theater.
00:26:27.78\00:26:29.59
Now something very interesting
00:26:29.62\00:26:31.87
that I'd like you
to just think about,
00:26:31.90\00:26:33.62
we have been talking
about 1 Corinthians 4:9.
00:26:33.65\00:26:37.29
Paul says we are a
spectacle before men and angels.
00:26:37.32\00:26:39.89
It's interesting that
what you're reading about
00:26:39.92\00:26:42.76
now in Acts Chapter 19 is
Paul's experience in Ephesus.
00:26:42.79\00:26:47.27
But when he wrote the
letter to the Corinthians
00:26:47.30\00:26:50.81
that we now call 1 Corinthians,
00:26:50.84\00:26:52.87
Paul was writing from Ephesus.
00:26:52.90\00:26:55.86
Okay.
00:26:55.89\00:26:57.26
In fact, scholars
have even pinpointed
00:26:57.29\00:27:00.06
that the timing of
when Paul would have
00:27:00.09\00:27:02.54
said those very
words on the screen,
00:27:02.57\00:27:05.11
the words of our theme,
00:27:05.14\00:27:06.19
the timing of when
he would have said that
00:27:06.22\00:27:08.15
would have been
shortly right after this
00:27:08.18\00:27:10.69
riot in this theater.
00:27:10.72\00:27:12.73
Listen to what I'm saying,
00:27:12.76\00:27:13.90
the word "spectacle,"
is the word "theatron".
00:27:13.93\00:27:16.90
It only comes up three
times in your entire Bible.
00:27:16.93\00:27:19.57
Did you know that? Three times.
00:27:19.60\00:27:22.03
Once in Paul's 1 Corinthians 4
00:27:22.06\00:27:24.42
and two other times
and take a wild guess
00:27:24.45\00:27:27.29
where the other two
occurrences take place.
00:27:27.32\00:27:29.80
Acts Chapter 19, when it says
00:27:29.83\00:27:31.69
that they were
dragged into the theater,
00:27:31.72\00:27:33.15
that's the
spectacle, it's the same word.
00:27:33.18\00:27:34.99
You understand?
00:27:35.02\00:27:36.10
Paul here when
he's writing to Corinth,
00:27:36.13\00:27:39.19
he uses this analogy
about being a spectacle,
00:27:39.22\00:27:43.37
being a theatron
where people are observing
00:27:43.40\00:27:47.08
and he's writing that perhaps
00:27:47.11\00:27:48.51
because he has in
the back of his mind
00:27:48.54\00:27:50.67
this very
instance that you and I
00:27:50.70\00:27:52.05
are reading about right now.
00:27:52.08\00:27:53.75
Okay, let's cut
to the chase here.
00:27:53.78\00:27:55.46
Now jump down as
people are screaming,
00:27:55.49\00:27:57.52
they're going crazy
something happens in verse 35.
00:27:57.55\00:28:01.80
Let's get to it here, verse 35,
00:28:01.83\00:28:03.53
"And when the city clerk,
00:28:03.56\00:28:06.32
when the city clerk had
quieted the crowd," okay...
00:28:06.35\00:28:12.74
The city official has
to come into this stadium
00:28:12.77\00:28:17.78
in order to quiet the
crowd, to calm people down
00:28:17.81\00:28:21.59
and listen to the words
00:28:21.62\00:28:22.66
that come out of
his mouth in verse 35,
00:28:22.69\00:28:24.37
"Men of Ephesus,
what man is there
00:28:24.40\00:28:27.93
who does not know that
the city of the Ephesians
00:28:27.96\00:28:30.44
is temple guardian of
the great goddess Diana
00:28:30.47\00:28:34.26
and of the image
which fell down from Zeus."
00:28:34.29\00:28:37.99
Who doesn't know
this? Everybody knows this.
00:28:38.02\00:28:39.70
Verse 36, "Therefore,
00:28:39.73\00:28:41.82
since these
things cannot be denied,
00:28:41.85\00:28:45.50
you should be quiet
and do nothing rashly,
00:28:45.53\00:28:49.20
" the classic politician, yeah?
00:28:49.23\00:28:50.79
Verse 37, "For you
have brought these men here,
00:28:50.82\00:28:55.43
" listen carefully
now, "you have brought
00:28:55.46\00:28:57.78
these men into this crowd,"
00:28:57.81\00:29:00.11
these men, these
two companions of Paul,
00:29:00.14\00:29:02.71
"who are neither
robbers of temples
00:29:02.74\00:29:06.00
nor blasphemers
of your goddess."
00:29:06.03\00:29:08.80
The politician
comes in and he says
00:29:11.88\00:29:13.81
"You guys are
causing a ruckus in here.
00:29:13.84\00:29:18.83
Why have you dragged
these two men into the stadium?
00:29:18.86\00:29:22.36
Why are you
putting them at risk?
00:29:22.39\00:29:23.93
They have not done
anything to your temple,
00:29:23.96\00:29:26.90
they haven't said,"
listen to what I'm saying,
00:29:26.93\00:29:28.95
"they haven't said
anything against your goddess.
00:29:28.98\00:29:33.78
Why are you freaking out?"
00:29:33.81\00:29:36.99
And then you continue on
here and it basically says,
00:29:37.02\00:29:39.69
verse 38,
"Therefore, if Demetrius
00:29:42.58\00:29:44.81
and his fellow craftsmen
have a case against anybody,
00:29:44.84\00:29:47.82
the courts are open.
00:29:47.85\00:29:49.43
There are proconsuls.
00:29:49.46\00:29:50.63
Let them bring
charges against one another."
00:29:50.66\00:29:53.68
And the next
verses essentially say
00:29:53.71\00:29:55.03
and if not, shut up and go home,
00:29:55.06\00:29:58.27
is essentially what he says.
00:29:58.30\00:30:00.03
Now this is very
powerful, listen to this.
00:30:00.06\00:30:03.21
Do you think that if it
was true that Paul and his boys
00:30:06.75\00:30:12.68
were walking around town
criticizing Ephesian culture,
00:30:12.71\00:30:17.33
Ephesian society,
Ephesian religion,
00:30:17.36\00:30:21.01
do you think that if they
were criticizing these things
00:30:21.04\00:30:23.90
and speaking
against these things,
00:30:23.93\00:30:25.46
do you think that
somebody in that stadium,
00:30:25.49\00:30:28.24
which seats 20,000 plus,
00:30:28.27\00:30:29.93
would've stood up
and said, "Excuse me.
00:30:29.96\00:30:33.95
No, I was over on
5th Street 2 weeks ago
00:30:33.98\00:30:41.14
and these guys were blasting
everything we stand for"?
00:30:41.17\00:30:45.43
Do you think somebody
would have stood up and said,
00:30:45.46\00:30:47.80
"No, no, no, no, not true"?
00:30:47.83\00:30:51.38
These men are...
00:30:51.41\00:30:53.39
Do you think
somebody would've done that
00:30:53.42\00:30:54.63
if there was a case
against Paul and his boys?
00:30:54.66\00:30:56.85
Yes or no? Somebody
would have stood up.
00:30:56.88\00:31:00.94
When the city clerk says,
"These guys have said nothing
00:31:00.97\00:31:04.16
against you or your religion,"
you know what the crowd said?
00:31:04.19\00:31:09.19
Absolutely nothing.
00:31:09.22\00:31:11.81
It was like my
little brother Jay says...
00:31:11.84\00:31:17.56
Nothing.
00:31:17.59\00:31:20.93
Guys, there's a
powerful message here.
00:31:20.96\00:31:24.88
The temple of Diana
is crumbling in Ephesus.
00:31:24.91\00:31:29.69
Are you listening
to what I'm saying?
00:31:29.72\00:31:31.43
Ephesian
culture is on the rocks.
00:31:31.46\00:31:36.01
Why?
00:31:36.04\00:31:37.84
Not because the church,
00:31:37.87\00:31:39.03
not because
Paul's evangelistic team,
00:31:39.06\00:31:40.88
not because Paul's crew came in
00:31:40.91\00:31:43.95
and began attacking
everything in Ephesus,
00:31:43.98\00:31:47.70
everything that didn't fit in
with their Christian framework.
00:31:47.73\00:31:50.51
No, no, no.
00:31:50.54\00:31:51.70
The reason the temple
of Ephesus is in trouble
00:31:51.73\00:31:55.45
is because they came into town
00:31:55.48\00:31:57.08
and they said
something even better.
00:31:57.11\00:31:59.13
Are you listening
to what I'm saying?
00:31:59.16\00:32:00.77
They said something even better.
00:32:00.80\00:32:02.81
What did they say, pray tell?
00:32:02.84\00:32:04.44
Well, they must have said
00:32:04.47\00:32:06.01
what Paul has been
saying from the beginning.
00:32:06.04\00:32:08.68
They must have preached
00:32:08.71\00:32:10.11
the glory of the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:32:10.14\00:32:14.25
And by exalting the beauty
of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
00:32:14.28\00:32:18.47
the temple in Ephesus
had no fighting chance.
00:32:18.50\00:32:23.46
Are you listening
to what I'm saying?
00:32:23.49\00:32:25.39
Acts 19 has completely
rocked my house this year.
00:32:25.42\00:32:29.46
Brothers and sisters,
00:32:29.49\00:32:31.29
there was not this negative
emphasis in their approach.
00:32:31.32\00:32:37.67
They weren't
obsessed in attacking,
00:32:37.70\00:32:41.64
in attacking, in attacking,
00:32:41.67\00:32:44.22
in being argumentative
and being overly polemic.
00:32:44.25\00:32:47.88
None of that.
They were too busy.
00:32:47.91\00:32:50.02
Hear me now, they were too busy
00:32:50.05\00:32:52.55
talking about how
beautiful their culture was
00:32:52.58\00:32:56.76
that they were
bringing into the society.
00:32:56.79\00:32:58.93
They were consumed in that.
00:32:58.96\00:33:01.37
And listen, after 2
years, that's a whole lot of--
00:33:01.40\00:33:04.28
that's plenty of time to
really mess things up, isn't it?
00:33:04.31\00:33:08.04
Amen.
00:33:08.07\00:33:09.41
Maybe your churches
are really, really amazing.
00:33:09.44\00:33:12.31
But 2 years is plenty of time
00:33:12.34\00:33:14.36
for somebody to say
something really stupid, right?
00:33:14.39\00:33:18.59
After 2 years they're still
able to keep the reputation
00:33:18.62\00:33:22.66
that they've said nothing
in attack against the temple,
00:33:22.69\00:33:25.68
against our religion,
against our... Nothing.
00:33:25.71\00:33:28.22
They've been
doing something else.
00:33:28.25\00:33:30.26
They've been up
to some other stuff
00:33:30.29\00:33:31.90
that is far more dangerous.
00:33:31.93\00:33:36.25
They introduced a new
faith that had tremendous power,
00:33:36.28\00:33:40.60
that anyone who experienced
it, the old passed away
00:33:40.63\00:33:44.99
and became instantly
irrelevant to their lives.
00:33:45.02\00:33:51.80
The Christian
simply put Jesus Christ
00:33:51.83\00:33:54.46
and his availability to man
00:33:54.49\00:33:57.20
at the forefront of
everything that they did.
00:33:57.23\00:33:59.76
And this was so powerful
00:33:59.79\00:34:01.41
that nothing
could even resist them,
00:34:01.44\00:34:03.64
and so much so
that as they're brought
00:34:03.67\00:34:05.35
into the spectacle
before Ephesian society,
00:34:05.38\00:34:09.50
into the
theatron, into that stadium
00:34:09.53\00:34:12.95
and they're on the hot seat
00:34:12.98\00:34:16.14
as they're being observed,
as they're are on display,
00:34:16.17\00:34:19.23
no one has anything
to say against them.
00:34:19.26\00:34:23.32
Isn't that powerful?
00:34:23.35\00:34:25.70
We're talking about
"The Great Controversy".
00:34:25.73\00:34:27.15
We're talking about
"Before Men and Angels."
00:34:27.18\00:34:28.51
We're talking about
all of these things,
00:34:28.54\00:34:29.69
brothers and sisters,
this is where it's at.
00:34:29.72\00:34:32.31
We want to know how
we can really mirror
00:34:32.34\00:34:36.85
everything that God is
trying to do in this world.
00:34:36.88\00:34:39.60
This is where it's at,
to be completely obsessed
00:34:39.63\00:34:42.90
with one thing
and one thing only,
00:34:42.93\00:34:48.32
which is Jesus, as
Adventist, enter Adventism.
00:34:48.35\00:34:52.42
This is my
church. This is my church.
00:34:55.51\00:35:00.64
Are we prone to
always point out,
00:35:00.67\00:35:05.91
to take the position or the tone
00:35:05.94\00:35:08.82
where we're against society,
00:35:08.85\00:35:10.73
against culture,
against the world,
00:35:10.76\00:35:13.90
against this and against
that, that it turns out that
00:35:13.93\00:35:18.01
it may be perceived
by some that our message
00:35:18.04\00:35:20.45
is the stuff we are against?
00:35:20.48\00:35:26.27
This is my church. I'm
talking about myself here.
00:35:26.30\00:35:29.54
Is it possible
that we have completely,
00:35:29.57\00:35:32.47
completely lost sight
of what the thing is about?
00:35:32.50\00:35:35.44
Shouldn't we be highlighting
00:35:35.47\00:35:37.10
and exalting the
truthfulness of God
00:35:37.13\00:35:39.22
and the beauty and the power
00:35:39.25\00:35:40.77
and the
awesomeness of our message
00:35:40.80\00:35:42.66
and let that
thing draw attention.
00:35:42.69\00:35:45.80
Amen.
00:35:45.83\00:35:47.61
We don't have to sit and
defend every little thing
00:35:47.64\00:35:49.75
or defend
ourselves against the world.
00:35:49.78\00:35:53.40
Listen, I'm not
going to die the death
00:35:53.43\00:35:55.77
of a thousand disclaimer's soul.
00:35:55.80\00:35:58.26
I'm going to
take the risk of being
00:35:58.29\00:35:59.62
possibly misunderstood
by one or two people.
00:35:59.65\00:36:01.59
But you understand
what I'm saying, right?
00:36:01.62\00:36:03.84
I'm talking
about tone and emphasis
00:36:03.87\00:36:06.05
which according to this
has made the whole difference.
00:36:06.08\00:36:08.66
It's not about even the content,
00:36:08.69\00:36:10.07
it's about the tone,
what they focused on,
00:36:10.10\00:36:13.10
what was central to them.
00:36:13.13\00:36:15.14
They made the gospel
in all this dimensions
00:36:15.17\00:36:17.79
available to people
and that rocked the house.
00:36:17.82\00:36:21.95
You know, to be
overly argumentative,
00:36:21.98\00:36:23.97
it really just exposes
a deficiency in ourselves.
00:36:24.00\00:36:29.10
It exposes a
deficiency that perhaps
00:36:29.13\00:36:31.63
we haven't really been
tasting of the goodness--
00:36:31.66\00:36:35.51
of the goodness of the gospel.
00:36:35.54\00:36:38.19
Because we normally talk about
the things we're experiencing.
00:36:38.22\00:36:41.32
Is that true?
00:36:41.35\00:36:42.58
We're more prone to speak about
the very things we think about
00:36:42.61\00:36:45.24
and the very
things we experience.
00:36:45.27\00:36:47.69
If we were to just dive in
and taste more of the goodness
00:36:47.72\00:36:52.26
and beauty of God, it would be
natural that that's the things
00:36:52.29\00:36:55.24
that would come out
of our mouths, right?
00:36:55.27\00:36:59.22
We need to dwell
intellectually and emotionally
00:36:59.25\00:37:02.76
in the
atmosphere of God's beauty.
00:37:02.79\00:37:04.50
I believe
Adventism is beautiful.
00:37:04.53\00:37:06.74
If you believe
that can you say amen?
00:37:06.77\00:37:08.75
I'm not just
saying that as a cliche,
00:37:08.78\00:37:10.43
I promise you, I'm not.
00:37:10.46\00:37:12.47
I believe
Adventism is beautiful.
00:37:12.50\00:37:15.31
I believe the everlasting gospel
00:37:15.34\00:37:17.68
in all the
dimensions of Jesus in his role
00:37:17.71\00:37:20.79
on behalf of humanity, I
believe that is beautiful.
00:37:20.82\00:37:25.35
I really, really do.
00:37:25.38\00:37:27.25
Psalm 27:4, "One thing
have I asked of the Lord
00:37:27.28\00:37:30.79
that I may dwell
00:37:30.82\00:37:32.15
all the days of my life in His--
00:37:32.18\00:37:34.19
in His house, in His temple."
00:37:34.22\00:37:36.12
Remember this text? For what?
00:37:36.15\00:37:40.23
To behold the beauty of the Lord
00:37:40.26\00:37:42.74
and to inquire of Him.
00:37:42.77\00:37:43.83
Wait a second, all
the days of your life
00:37:43.86\00:37:45.81
you want to be in the temple?
00:37:45.84\00:37:47.05
That's a whole lot--
That's a lot of time.
00:37:47.08\00:37:49.63
And you want to
spend all that time
00:37:49.66\00:37:51.02
beholding the
beauty of the Lord?
00:37:51.05\00:37:52.57
Man, is there that much beauty
to behold that you will be
00:37:52.60\00:37:57.31
in the temple
every day of your life?
00:37:57.34\00:38:00.43
Is there that much
beauty in the temple?
00:38:00.46\00:38:02.29
Yes or no?
00:38:02.32\00:38:03.94
There must be enough beauty
00:38:03.97\00:38:05.14
that can take up
every day of your life.
00:38:05.17\00:38:09.83
And I've got to
confess, brothers and sisters,
00:38:09.86\00:38:11.37
I want to taste more of that.
00:38:11.40\00:38:12.97
What about you? I
want more of that.
00:38:13.00\00:38:16.03
I want to be able to say,
00:38:16.06\00:38:17.24
I'm convinced there's
so much beauty in there,
00:38:17.27\00:38:19.25
I can spend the rest of my
life just looking at the beauty.
00:38:19.28\00:38:26.99
But my generation is
a whole different story.
00:38:27.02\00:38:28.92
Listen, I remember
right when we came--
00:38:28.95\00:38:30.94
When I became--
When I got baptized,
00:38:30.97\00:38:33.37
a friend of mine was a member
of another evangelical church.
00:38:33.40\00:38:35.83
And now we came
into this beautiful truth
00:38:35.86\00:38:37.77
and this exciting truth.
00:38:37.80\00:38:39.38
But we were too
zealous and I remember that
00:38:39.41\00:38:42.65
after we got baptized
into the Adventist church,
00:38:42.68\00:38:45.15
we called up the
evangelical pastor of his church
00:38:45.18\00:38:48.11
and we said, "Hey, we'd
like to schedule an appointment
00:38:48.14\00:38:50.37
'cause we have some things
00:38:50.40\00:38:51.43
we would like to
discuss with you."
00:38:51.46\00:38:54.42
And he hesitantly said okay.
00:38:54.45\00:38:56.31
We show up to his
house that week, he's there,
00:38:56.34\00:38:59.06
the senior pastor,
the associate pastor,
00:38:59.09\00:39:00.94
the youth pastor, his
whole church committee is there.
00:39:00.97\00:39:03.73
We walk in with our
big Cambridge, wide margin,
00:39:03.76\00:39:11.21
King James,
black leather Bibles.
00:39:11.24\00:39:15.15
All three of us
got the same Bible.
00:39:15.18\00:39:16.85
We walked in like this.
00:39:16.88\00:39:20.19
We walked to the living room,
00:39:20.22\00:39:21.25
we put the
Bible, then we sit down.
00:39:21.28\00:39:24.10
And they all come and sit around
00:39:24.13\00:39:25.42
and he has this nervous
look on his face and he's like,
00:39:25.45\00:39:28.34
"So what are you guys
00:39:28.37\00:39:29.95
seeking to
accomplish with this meeting?"
00:39:29.98\00:39:34.20
Poor guy.
00:39:34.23\00:39:35.69
And I'm, like,
in the corner, like,
00:39:35.72\00:39:36.77
sharpening my blade, I'm like...
00:39:36.80\00:39:39.32
And I'm like, you
know exactly why I'm here.
00:39:39.35\00:39:43.78
What followed, guys, is
a one-sided sword fight.
00:39:43.81\00:39:48.87
We were there to prove to him
00:39:48.90\00:39:49.95
that the Sabbath is on
Saturday, not on Sunday.
00:39:49.98\00:39:53.64
Because that's the
most important thing
00:39:53.67\00:39:54.87
I needed to prove to him, right?
00:39:54.90\00:39:57.51
Guys, I whipped
out a thousand verses
00:39:57.54\00:40:01.75
to prove to him one
thing that the Sabbath
00:40:01.78\00:40:03.83
is on Saturday
and not on Sunday.
00:40:03.86\00:40:06.09
And if he can get that
thing on the calendar right,
00:40:06.12\00:40:08.32
we're all good, right?
00:40:08.35\00:40:10.77
Brothers and
sisters, I look back at that
00:40:10.80\00:40:12.33
and it makes my heart ache.
00:40:12.36\00:40:14.33
You know what I wish right now?
00:40:14.36\00:40:15.39
I wish there was
a machine to like...
00:40:15.42\00:40:17.97
and go back in time.
00:40:18.00\00:40:19.66
I wish I could be in
that room again, guys.
00:40:19.69\00:40:21.46
You know what?
00:40:21.49\00:40:22.52
I would sing a
different tune for the Lord.
00:40:22.55\00:40:25.55
Are you listening to me? I
would sing a different tune.
00:40:25.58\00:40:29.88
I would sing of the Sabbath
and its glory and its beauty.
00:40:29.91\00:40:33.04
I would testify that
the Sabbath is a symbol,
00:40:33.07\00:40:36.26
a beautiful, gorgeous symbol
00:40:36.29\00:40:38.93
of how God craves
intimacy with his people.
00:40:38.96\00:40:43.67
Are you listening to me?
00:40:43.70\00:40:45.13
How the Sabbath tells us
00:40:45.16\00:40:46.54
that God is
fascinated with me so much so
00:40:46.57\00:40:49.69
that He wants to
carve time out of His,
00:40:49.72\00:40:52.65
I would think, busy
schedule to devote that to me.
00:40:52.68\00:40:59.55
I would sing of the inseparable
00:40:59.58\00:41:01.64
nature of the Sabbath
in the gospel and how--
00:41:01.67\00:41:04.88
Are you listening
to what I'm saying?
00:41:04.91\00:41:06.70
Can I stop now?
00:41:06.73\00:41:08.30
That's what I would sing about,
00:41:08.33\00:41:10.19
because that's what
Paul sung about in Ephesus.
00:41:10.22\00:41:13.48
I would exalt how
beautiful the Sabbath is.
00:41:13.51\00:41:17.15
And listen, I think
he'll get the calendar thing.
00:41:17.18\00:41:22.16
Are you with me?
00:41:22.19\00:41:23.60
I think that will come
if I can present the Sabbath
00:41:23.63\00:41:26.15
in its richness
and in its beauty.
00:41:26.18\00:41:28.77
Amen.
00:41:28.80\00:41:29.83
How many young
people in my generation
00:41:29.86\00:41:32.64
want nothing to
do with the Sabbath
00:41:32.67\00:41:33.97
because the Sabbath is
about what you can't do?
00:41:34.00\00:41:38.03
Yeah?
00:41:38.06\00:41:39.66
I think we have
some more things to say
00:41:39.69\00:41:41.24
other than what you can't do.
00:41:41.27\00:41:44.48
I think the Sabbath is
all about what you can do.
00:41:44.51\00:41:46.68
Amen.
00:41:46.71\00:41:48.06
We have this beautiful thing
called the gift of prophecy,
00:41:48.09\00:41:51.09
emphasis on the word "gift".
00:41:51.12\00:41:53.38
Normally gifts are a good thing.
00:41:53.41\00:41:55.13
Amen.
00:41:55.16\00:41:56.19
We have the thing
called the gift of prophecy.
00:41:56.22\00:41:59.63
This beautiful
corpus of literature
00:41:59.66\00:42:01.98
that sheds light on
story of redemption.
00:42:02.01\00:42:05.88
How many people do you
know in your generation,
00:42:05.91\00:42:08.93
that when they hear
the name Ellen White,
00:42:08.96\00:42:10.78
they just start twitching?
00:42:10.81\00:42:12.66
They're just like...
00:42:12.69\00:42:13.97
They start
twitching and freaking out.
00:42:14.00\00:42:16.56
Why? Frankly,
listen to the stories.
00:42:16.59\00:42:19.25
Why? I'm sympathetic.
00:42:19.28\00:42:21.79
I don't really blame them.
00:42:21.82\00:42:23.62
I didn't grow up in the church,
00:42:23.65\00:42:24.68
but if I was exposed
to what they were exposed,
00:42:24.71\00:42:27.83
I'd be twitching, too, right?
00:42:27.86\00:42:30.73
There's so much richness
and beauty in this beautiful
00:42:30.76\00:42:34.41
revelation of the
testimony of Jesus, right?
00:42:34.44\00:42:37.85
What if there was a generation
00:42:37.88\00:42:39.15
that would fall
in love with that,
00:42:39.18\00:42:41.35
that would see it not
as some restrictive thing,
00:42:41.38\00:42:45.05
not as something that simply
inspires duty and obligation,
00:42:45.08\00:42:50.19
but a thing that really brings
00:42:50.22\00:42:51.92
pleasure and
enjoyment, the health reform.
00:42:51.95\00:42:57.99
I'm just pulling
it all out today.
00:42:58.02\00:43:02.49
It's not about what
we don't eat, is it?
00:43:02.52\00:43:06.62
Right?
00:43:06.65\00:43:08.03
This is a
fascinating, extremely modern
00:43:08.06\00:43:11.37
and cutting-edge
message, the health message.
00:43:11.40\00:43:14.06
Yes?
00:43:14.09\00:43:15.24
That's something-- I
mean, that's something--
00:43:15.27\00:43:17.45
That's something
we should be proud of,
00:43:17.48\00:43:19.36
that's something
we should be just
00:43:19.39\00:43:21.04
presenting in all its rich--
00:43:21.07\00:43:22.33
This idea of holistic living,
that human beings are holistic,
00:43:22.36\00:43:28.30
that everything comes together
00:43:28.33\00:43:29.79
in a beautiful piece
and that your dietary
00:43:29.82\00:43:32.36
principles and
habits affect your mental
00:43:32.39\00:43:34.29
well-being, which also
affects your emotional--
00:43:34.32\00:43:36.72
Are we living in a
world with severe mental
00:43:36.75\00:43:38.89
and emotional illness?
00:43:38.92\00:43:40.94
Let me take it one step further.
00:43:40.97\00:43:42.40
Are we members of a
church that also has challenges
00:43:42.43\00:43:45.29
and there are people that
are struggling emotionally?
00:43:45.32\00:43:48.49
Of course-- that's a
beautiful message, right?
00:43:48.52\00:43:52.40
You know Paul didn't
roll up into Ephesian society
00:43:52.43\00:43:57.83
and start being all weird.
00:43:57.86\00:44:00.47
He presented it in
its beauty, sexuality.
00:44:00.50\00:44:04.06
My wife will be shocked,
but I don't-- I'm speechless.
00:44:11.30\00:44:18.15
God created that
thing, didn't he?
00:44:18.18\00:44:20.97
Right?
00:44:21.00\00:44:23.40
Maybe the church
should be the source for me
00:44:23.43\00:44:26.01
as a young man in this world,
especially from Miami, Florida,
00:44:26.04\00:44:29.28
can go to the church
and ask some questions
00:44:29.31\00:44:31.93
and get some-- and get
some, some good direction.
00:44:31.96\00:44:37.60
Amen.
00:44:37.63\00:44:38.91
I mean that is if we
don't-- Unless we don't mind
00:44:38.94\00:44:43.05
our young
people going elsewhere,
00:44:43.08\00:44:45.72
which gives me the creeps.
00:44:45.75\00:44:48.92
The judgment message.
00:44:48.95\00:44:51.73
Because God is watching you
and you better get it together
00:44:51.76\00:44:57.50
or He'll press that red button.
00:44:57.53\00:44:58.80
And it ain't pretty when
He presses that red button.
00:44:58.83\00:45:01.28
The judgment
message is gorgeous,
00:45:01.31\00:45:02.74
it's beautiful, it's good news.
00:45:02.77\00:45:04.95
Amen.
00:45:04.98\00:45:06.24
Now I'm not even
kidding. It's good news.
00:45:06.27\00:45:08.99
In Scripture it's good news.
00:45:09.02\00:45:12.24
Paul exalted the
beauty of the gospel.
00:45:12.27\00:45:17.72
I just need to say
that over and over again
00:45:17.75\00:45:19.78
our framework and how we relate
00:45:19.81\00:45:22.49
to ourselves and to this world,
00:45:22.52\00:45:26.71
I believe we need a
bit of a paradigm shift.
00:45:26.74\00:45:28.96
Guys, I believe that your
generation and my generation,
00:45:28.99\00:45:32.11
we have a special opportunity
to repaint the picture.
00:45:32.14\00:45:37.60
Are you listening?
To repaint the picture.
00:45:37.63\00:45:40.89
To let the thing
be beautiful as it is.
00:45:40.92\00:45:42.93
I think C.S. Lewis said,
00:45:42.96\00:45:44.09
"The best way to
defend the Bible"--
00:45:44.12\00:45:45.65
Or he said the
Bible's like a lion,
00:45:45.68\00:45:47.17
the best way to defend it
is to let it out of its cage.
00:45:47.20\00:45:49.63
Remember that?
00:45:49.66\00:45:50.81
The best way to defend Adventism
00:45:50.84\00:45:52.72
is to let the thing
out of the cage, right?
00:45:52.75\00:45:55.81
To let the thing speak, to
let it roar, it's beautiful.
00:45:55.84\00:45:59.01
Our views on
music and entertainment
00:45:59.04\00:46:01.84
and the way that relates
to culture, everything is...
00:46:01.87\00:46:06.77
I read an author who
said something very powerful.
00:46:06.80\00:46:10.36
He said, "Christians
should be creating culture,
00:46:10.39\00:46:13.97
not merely consuming it."
00:46:14.00\00:46:15.60
Right? Now follow
this, follow this.
00:46:15.63\00:46:17.77
We are so good at
criticizing culture,
00:46:17.80\00:46:20.65
society and the
media and whatever.
00:46:20.68\00:46:24.07
He talks about it like a river,
culture is like a river, right?
00:46:24.10\00:46:28.00
The people that are downstream
00:46:28.03\00:46:29.43
are the people
that are stuck pulling
00:46:29.46\00:46:31.16
whatever they can
pull out of the river.
00:46:31.19\00:46:33.13
The people upstream are
the people providing culture.
00:46:33.16\00:46:37.79
The downstream people
00:46:37.82\00:46:38.97
are just people
consuming it, right?
00:46:39.00\00:46:41.54
So he points out that
00:46:41.57\00:46:43.24
Christians tend
to be downstream,
00:46:43.27\00:46:45.64
just complaining
about all the junk
00:46:45.67\00:46:47.04
they're pulling out
of the river, right?
00:46:47.07\00:46:49.61
And he says, why
not travel upstream
00:46:49.64\00:46:53.79
and get involved with what gets
00:46:53.82\00:46:55.53
into the river
in the first place?
00:46:55.56\00:46:58.40
Does that make sense?
00:46:58.43\00:47:00.50
Why not have
Adventist young people
00:47:00.53\00:47:02.53
in my generation
penetrating into academia,
00:47:02.56\00:47:07.53
into science, into the media.
00:47:07.56\00:47:11.72
We're the new writers
and the new musicians,
00:47:11.75\00:47:14.62
instead of taking the posture
00:47:14.65\00:47:16.83
where we're
backed up in the corner
00:47:16.86\00:47:18.90
or against the
wall and we're like,
00:47:18.93\00:47:20.46
ah, the world is a mess.
00:47:20.49\00:47:22.18
Why not get
involved and create culture?
00:47:22.21\00:47:25.70
You with me?
00:47:25.73\00:47:27.47
Paul created culture in
Ephesus and it was powerful.
00:47:27.50\00:47:31.71
That's the message of this
whole "on display" ideology.
00:47:31.74\00:47:37.35
I need to take you
to Jeremiah Chapter 16.
00:47:37.38\00:47:39.56
I don't have a
whole lot of time left.
00:47:39.59\00:47:41.51
In truth I have no time left.
00:47:41.54\00:47:43.95
Jeremiah 16, let's go
there very quickly here.
00:47:43.98\00:47:49.03
A few more things
to get off my chest.
00:47:49.06\00:47:52.35
Jeremiah Chapter 16,
listen to what I'm saying.
00:47:52.38\00:47:54.83
We're back on the
whole God dreaming
00:47:54.86\00:47:56.46
and God dreaming and
dreaming of the potential
00:47:56.49\00:47:58.85
and of what might be the case.
00:47:58.88\00:48:03.40
Jeremiah 16:19, listen to this--
00:48:03.43\00:48:07.80
listen to this
interesting passage.
00:48:07.83\00:48:10.31
Jeremiah 16:19,
"O Lord, my strength,
00:48:10.34\00:48:13.42
and my fortress, my refuge
in the day of affliction,"
00:48:13.45\00:48:18.18
now don't miss this
you should underline this.
00:48:18.21\00:48:20.08
"The Gentiles shall
come." The who will come?
00:48:20.11\00:48:25.20
"The Gentiles will
come to You, O God.
00:48:25.23\00:48:29.88
From the ends of the earth,
00:48:29.91\00:48:32.29
they will come
and they will say,"
00:48:32.32\00:48:34.46
listen to what the Gentiles say.
00:48:34.49\00:48:37.18
"Surely," can
you read it with me?
00:48:37.21\00:48:40.42
"Surely," what does it say?
00:48:40.45\00:48:43.24
"Our fathers
have inherited lies."
00:48:43.27\00:48:47.96
Our fathers have inherited lies.
00:48:50.72\00:48:55.02
The Gentile world
is getting exposure
00:48:55.05\00:48:58.00
to Hebrew
culture and they're like,
00:48:58.03\00:48:59.25
"Uh, that's amazing.
00:48:59.28\00:49:04.05
What are we doing?
00:49:04.08\00:49:07.27
We've inherited life.
We have missed the book.
00:49:07.30\00:49:10.01
That's amazing. Look
at their views on this.
00:49:10.04\00:49:12.09
Look at how they relate to this.
00:49:12.12\00:49:13.51
Look at their culture,
00:49:13.54\00:49:14.68
look at their
ideals, their values,
00:49:14.71\00:49:16.84
check out their
customs and their traditions.
00:49:16.87\00:49:19.61
That's beautiful.
00:49:19.64\00:49:21.51
What have we
been missing out on?
00:49:21.54\00:49:23.22
We've been lied
to, we've been duped."
00:49:23.25\00:49:26.95
You don't find the
Hebrews going in there
00:49:26.98\00:49:28.48
and blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah, blah.
00:49:28.51\00:49:31.28
No, no, they're just
living it beautifully.
00:49:31.31\00:49:33.25
And what's happening?
00:49:33.28\00:49:34.31
People around them are
like, "We've been gypped.
00:49:34.34\00:49:37.79
That's amazing." Right?
00:49:37.82\00:49:42.40
You know, I wish I
could go back to that table
00:49:42.43\00:49:43.96
and I would just say that
this Sabbath is beautiful.
00:49:43.99\00:49:47.06
And have them say
we've been gypped.
00:49:47.09\00:49:50.47
The picture given in Scripture
00:49:50.50\00:49:52.35
is that the Gentiles
will respond this way.
00:49:52.38\00:49:55.63
Now here's-- here's
the uncomfortable question.
00:49:55.66\00:50:00.67
If that's the way Gentiles
are supposed to be responding,
00:50:00.70\00:50:04.74
whenever God's people
mirror the beauty accurately,
00:50:04.77\00:50:09.68
what would be your
conclusion in the event
00:50:09.71\00:50:12.34
that the Gentiles are
not responding that way?
00:50:12.37\00:50:15.15
It's not really that
difficult a question?
00:50:20.66\00:50:24.21
The conclusion, guys, is that
00:50:24.24\00:50:25.66
perhaps there's
something wrong with Israel.
00:50:25.69\00:50:27.50
Amen.
00:50:27.53\00:50:29.31
That's the way
they're supposed to respond.
00:50:29.34\00:50:30.87
There's probably
something wrong with Israel.
00:50:30.90\00:50:33.26
Brothers and
sisters if-if-if the temple
00:50:33.29\00:50:37.77
in Ephesus is crumbling
without anybody saying a peep
00:50:37.80\00:50:41.37
or a tweet or
nothing against it,
00:50:41.40\00:50:43.84
then perhaps that's the way
00:50:43.87\00:50:45.84
we should be
relating to society.
00:50:45.87\00:50:47.68
And if that's not the
impact, at least in some way,
00:50:47.71\00:50:50.80
then I'm beginning to
ask myself the question,
00:50:50.83\00:50:53.23
maybe there's
something wrong in my own head
00:50:53.26\00:50:56.94
and in the way I've
perceived this whole thing.
00:50:56.97\00:50:59.92
Are you with me?
00:50:59.95\00:51:01.00
But, of course,
someone out there is thinking,
00:51:01.03\00:51:03.89
"Come on, man, for real?"
00:51:03.92\00:51:07.56
The world doesn't
want to hear the truth.
00:51:07.59\00:51:10.25
I think that's a cheap cop-out.
00:51:13.92\00:51:18.00
For real.
00:51:18.03\00:51:19.37
I think we should own it.
00:51:19.40\00:51:21.38
Because not only
is this a challenge,
00:51:21.41\00:51:23.10
this is a beautiful opportunity
and a beautiful invitation.
00:51:23.13\00:51:28.00
But somebody else is thinking,
00:51:28.03\00:51:29.11
"Come on, man,
you're way too negative."
00:51:29.14\00:51:31.01
What is this?
This is too negative.
00:51:31.04\00:51:33.45
We're obviously
doing something right.
00:51:33.48\00:51:35.63
We keep baptizing
people every single year.
00:51:35.66\00:51:38.94
We're doing something right.
00:51:38.97\00:51:40.58
Well, look, my
field is evangelism.
00:51:46.71\00:51:49.36
I'll tell you this much.
00:51:49.39\00:51:52.61
The religion of
the Jews was so amazing
00:51:52.64\00:51:56.09
and so compelling,
00:51:56.12\00:51:57.72
but there were Gentiles that
would gravitate towards them
00:51:57.75\00:51:59.98
in the midst of
their misrepresentation.
00:52:00.01\00:52:02.99
As a movement we can say,
we're growing, we're growing.
00:52:03.02\00:52:06.02
Amen, hallelujah.
00:52:06.05\00:52:07.56
Please again, I'm
risking being misunderstood,
00:52:07.59\00:52:10.05
hallelujah for that.
00:52:10.08\00:52:12.50
Say amen please
so I can... Okay.
00:52:12.53\00:52:15.27
Hallelujah for that.
00:52:15.30\00:52:16.44
However, very likely is the case
00:52:16.47\00:52:24.26
that the three
angel's message is so awesome,
00:52:24.29\00:52:26.48
that in spite of our
misrepresentation of the thing,
00:52:26.51\00:52:29.49
people are still
flocking to this thing.
00:52:29.52\00:52:31.91
Amen.
00:52:31.94\00:52:32.98
That doesn't necessarily
mean we've got it just right.
00:52:33.01\00:52:39.07
It just means that the thing
00:52:39.10\00:52:40.47
is more awesome
than we are weird.
00:52:40.50\00:52:44.09
Did that come out
right? I just... I don't know.
00:52:44.12\00:52:50.48
Hopefully that works for you.
00:52:50.51\00:52:52.78
Jesus is the perfect example.
I'm almost done I promise.
00:52:52.81\00:52:56.11
Jesus is the perfect example.
Okay, I want to do this now.
00:52:56.14\00:52:59.22
I want to say that all
Paul is doing in Ephesus,
00:52:59.25\00:53:04.13
he's just copying Jesus.
00:53:04.16\00:53:07.14
And I recommend we do the same.
00:53:07.17\00:53:08.55
All he's doing is
he's copying Jesus.
00:53:08.58\00:53:10.48
Okay, look at
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
00:53:10.51\00:53:12.51
and ask yourself
this very simple question.
00:53:12.54\00:53:14.42
How often do you
find Jesus attacking Rome?
00:53:14.45\00:53:19.44
I agree with you.
00:53:24.33\00:53:25.66
I don't seem to really find that
00:53:25.69\00:53:27.05
as an emphasis in
Christ's ministry.
00:53:27.08\00:53:29.24
Let me ask you
a second question.
00:53:29.27\00:53:30.50
How often do you
find in the gospels
00:53:30.53\00:53:32.69
Jesus attacking the church
or challenging the church?
00:53:32.72\00:53:40.61
And His challenge--
00:53:40.64\00:53:41.70
His challenge looks a
little something like this,
00:53:41.73\00:53:43.56
what are you doing?
00:53:46.54\00:53:47.79
You're on display.
00:53:50.43\00:53:53.28
The Gentiles are watching.
00:53:53.31\00:53:55.84
What are they
going to think of me?
00:53:55.87\00:53:58.12
You find that where?
00:53:58.15\00:53:59.73
Every other verse
it looks like, right?
00:53:59.76\00:54:02.17
What does that mean, guys?
00:54:02.20\00:54:03.26
That Jesus' burden, the burden
on Christ's heart was what?
00:54:03.29\00:54:06.58
Not what can we
fix in the world?
00:54:06.61\00:54:08.51
No, no, no.
00:54:08.54\00:54:09.61
The burden on Christ's heart was
00:54:09.64\00:54:11.61
if I can get the church retuned,
00:54:11.64\00:54:14.63
if I can tune those notes,
00:54:14.66\00:54:16.76
if I can get them
to play the right tune
00:54:16.79\00:54:18.53
and to sing the right song,
00:54:18.56\00:54:21.05
Jesus knew that's where
the stakes were highest.
00:54:21.08\00:54:25.32
He invested
everything he had on the church.
00:54:25.35\00:54:27.10
If he can get
the church tuned up,
00:54:27.13\00:54:30.29
everything else
would take care of itself.
00:54:30.32\00:54:32.15
Can you say hallelujah, amen?
00:54:32.18\00:54:34.11
Brothers and sisters
I'm going to leave you
00:54:34.14\00:54:36.71
with one last thing
in 1 Peter Chapter 2.
00:54:36.74\00:54:41.21
In 1 Peter 2:9,
00:54:41.24\00:54:45.32
"But you are a
chosen generation,
00:54:47.75\00:54:49.52
you are a royal priesthood,
you are a holy nation,
00:54:49.55\00:54:52.77
you are his own special people."
00:54:52.80\00:54:57.22
Why?
00:54:57.25\00:54:58.71
"So that you may
proclaim the praises of Him,
00:54:58.74\00:55:03.02
who has called
you out of darkness
00:55:03.05\00:55:05.30
and into His marvelous light."
00:55:05.33\00:55:10.69
According to Peter the reason
we've been called is simply
00:55:10.72\00:55:13.85
so that we can enter
into the realm of light
00:55:13.88\00:55:16.08
and now we can
just simply brag about
00:55:16.11\00:55:18.10
how awesome it is
to be in the light.
00:55:18.13\00:55:21.19
Proclaim the
praises, translation,
00:55:21.22\00:55:23.58
it basically means,
demonstrate the advantages
00:55:23.61\00:55:26.63
of what it's like
being in the light.
00:55:26.66\00:55:29.58
And by doing that the people
00:55:29.61\00:55:31.27
that are in the
darkness will say,
00:55:31.30\00:55:33.28
"That's amazing."
This is the whole message.
00:55:33.31\00:55:37.95
It began with Israel,
00:55:37.98\00:55:39.10
now it turns to
the Christian church.
00:55:39.13\00:55:40.87
And, brothers and
sisters, in closing,
00:55:40.90\00:55:44.64
the whole Adventist
message is built on that.
00:55:44.67\00:55:47.14
Revelation Chapter 14,
the three angel's messages,
00:55:47.17\00:55:49.57
the gospel is
preached and then what happens?
00:55:49.60\00:55:54.23
Babylon, what
happens to Babylon?
00:55:54.26\00:55:56.71
She falls.
00:55:56.74\00:56:00.14
Babylon falls as the
gospel is being preached.
00:56:00.17\00:56:05.11
Amen.
00:56:05.14\00:56:06.49
The church is not throwing
rocks at Babylon, right?
00:56:06.52\00:56:10.70
We're not pulling up...
00:56:10.73\00:56:14.16
You know, spray
painting Exodus 20
00:56:14.19\00:56:16.80
or whatever, right?
00:56:16.83\00:56:18.31
3 a.m., three
angels messages, no.
00:56:21.15\00:56:24.20
Babylon falls as the
gospel is being preached.
00:56:24.23\00:56:29.62
Here's what I have, guys.
00:56:29.65\00:56:31.26
I want
desperately for my church,
00:56:31.29\00:56:34.08
when I say my church
I'm talking about Jeffrey,
00:56:34.11\00:56:35.31
I'm talking about me,
00:56:35.34\00:56:36.39
I want to have a re-encounter
with the everlasting gospel.
00:56:36.42\00:56:42.67
Amen.
00:56:42.70\00:56:44.02
I want-- And I love
what Cinco said this morning.
00:56:44.05\00:56:46.20
She said, "Instead of bickering
00:56:46.23\00:56:47.50
and complaining
about the problem,
00:56:47.53\00:56:48.79
let's be part of the solution."
00:56:48.82\00:56:50.20
I love that. I appreciate that.
00:56:50.23\00:56:51.84
I want tonight, I want tonight
to take some personal inventory
00:56:51.87\00:56:57.52
and ask the tough questions.
00:56:57.55\00:56:58.78
Lord, do I see
enough beauty in this
00:56:58.81\00:57:03.21
that I would spend
the rest of my life in it?
00:57:03.24\00:57:04.79
Can I even use that language?
00:57:04.82\00:57:07.30
Is it even that beautiful to me?
00:57:07.33\00:57:11.25
Lord, I want to see that beauty.
00:57:11.28\00:57:15.44
I want to be
exposed to that beauty.
00:57:15.47\00:57:18.57
Growing up it was
this, growing up... whatever.
00:57:18.60\00:57:21.78
Leave the whole
growing up out of the equation.
00:57:21.81\00:57:23.96
Amen.
00:57:23.99\00:57:25.45
But now, Lord, I
want to see the beauty.
00:57:25.48\00:57:31.19
That's my prayer
as elder James Black
00:57:31.22\00:57:35.16
joins us up here
to lead us in prayer.
00:57:35.19\00:57:38.02
My appeal is going to
be a little different.
00:57:38.05\00:57:40.07
My appeal will simply be
as we spend time in prayer
00:57:40.10\00:57:44.12
that we would think
about our own experience.
00:57:44.15\00:57:47.60
What has your experience been?
00:57:47.63\00:57:49.97
What has your journey
been like in the church?
00:57:50.00\00:57:56.09
Do you lack that beauty?
Do you lack that pleasure?
00:57:56.12\00:58:00.69
Has it just been-- Has
it just been the dryness?
00:58:00.72\00:58:05.06
Has it just been
this empty formality
00:58:05.09\00:58:07.21
or do you pray
for something better?
00:58:07.24\00:58:11.27