Participants: Jeffery Rosario
Series Code: 13GYC
Program Code: 13GYC000008
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00:13 Happy Sabbath.
00:16 Feliz Sabado for my Latinos out there. 00:23 I want to have a word of prayer with you 00:25 and then I want to recap briefly the main gist, 00:31 the main picture that we painted last night 00:35 as we explored this profound statement 00:39 that the Apostle Paul makes in 1 Corinthians. 00:41 So I'm going to kneel 00:42 and I just want to invite you folks 00:43 to just bow your heads with me as we pray. 00:46 Let's pray together, Father in heaven, 00:49 we want to praise You, 00:51 we want to echo the words of that song, 00:52 we want to lift our voices to You tonight. 00:57 We're here because we are hungry 00:59 for a picture of Jesus. 01:01 We're hungry for the life that the gospel gives. 01:06 We want to drink from that fountain, 01:10 we want a glimpse of Your beauty, of Your glory, 01:14 of Your majesty, of Your greatness, 01:16 of Your awesomeness, we want a glimpse of You. 01:19 And I just pray that this evening 01:21 as we open the scriptures, that it would come alive to us, 01:27 that we would feel 01:28 as if the Spirit is sitting right next to us. 01:32 We want to pray that You would send 01:34 several extra groups and teams of angels 01:39 to come into this auditorium. 01:41 We pray that You would guard the door, 01:43 we pray that You would arrest our attention, 01:46 that You would occupy our thoughts 01:48 and, Lord, that You would touch our hearts. 01:51 We ask that the same Spirit that inspired the Word 01:54 would be here to impress it on our conscience 01:57 and we ask that You would teach us to be 02:00 responsible students and listeners. 02:03 Tune our ears to listen to Your voice. 02:05 We pray in Jesus' name. 02:07 We all said amen. Amen. 02:14 The profound statement that we are a spectacle, 02:18 we're on display before men and angels, 02:21 this is not something that Paul pulled out of a hat. 02:24 It's not something that Paul woke up one morning 02:26 and just thought it had a good ring to it 02:29 and he wrote it down. 02:31 When Paul wrote those words, both to the Corinthians, 02:35 and we looked at Ephesians Chapter 3 02:37 where Paul also continues this big picture ideology 02:42 that you and I are on display. 02:47 You put something on display 02:48 because you want people to see it. 02:50 You want people to analyze it. 02:52 Paul wants the Christian community 02:54 to understand that it's on display. 02:57 In other words, the world is watching. 03:01 When Paul wrote that down, 03:02 he's following this great tradition 03:04 of the entire Old Testament. 03:05 In fact, that idea is Old Testament ideology. 03:08 We looked at the major theme of the Old Testament 03:11 was the history of God's people, 03:14 God's church in the Old Testament, Israel. 03:16 We looked at Israel as this answer to this dilemma, 03:21 this false concept of who God is, 03:25 this darkness in the world. 03:27 The calling of Israel was in answer to that. 03:30 So the church of the Old Testament 03:33 had in its hands the reputation of God. 03:37 God puts everything at stake, 03:40 everything about who He is, what He is like 03:42 and He puts it in the hands of the church. 03:45 The point of that, it wasn't because they were so great. 03:49 The point wasn't because it was about them. 03:51 The point was that God 03:54 was essentially wanting to create a new culture 03:58 so that kingdom truth, so that gospel truth 04:02 could spread throughout the entire world. 04:04 So the point of the church was to be a magnet 04:07 so that the world could look 04:09 from the outside and say, "Whoa!" 04:13 So that the nations rather from the outside 04:17 could look at the church 04:18 and be amazed and be drawn to it. 04:20 And we looked at Zechariah Chapter 8 04:23 where the nations are grabbing hold 04:25 of the garments of a Jewish man 04:27 because they want to get to Jerusalem, 04:29 because they've heard the rumors. 04:31 The queen of Sheba travels from her country, 04:34 amazed as she sits at the feet of this Jewish king 04:39 and she takes that Hebrew culture back to her nation. 04:43 That was the point of the nation of Israel. 04:46 So the whole story of the Old Testament 04:49 is the bumpy and messy road of God's people 04:52 struggling to realize the significance 04:55 that they're on display 04:56 and that means that the world is watching. 05:00 We took from all of that the simple point, 05:02 it matters what the world sees. 05:04 I'm going to be faithful to God. 05:06 I'm going to be loyal to God 05:08 and I don't care how the world perceives me. 05:11 It turns out that that is totally missing the point 05:16 and it doesn't capture God's bigger vision for His church. 05:20 It turns out that it does matter 05:22 how the world perceives us, 05:24 because how the world perceives us 05:25 affects how it perceives Him. 05:27 And how people perceive God 05:29 affects how they relate to Him and that's the whole point. 05:34 Amen. Simple enough. 05:37 Tonight I want to pick up where we left off 05:41 and I want to continue. 05:42 We ended back in the New Testament, 05:45 where Jesus comes, this crash landing. 05:48 Jesus comes to succeed where the church failed. 05:51 Jesus comes to present 05:53 a proper picture of what God is actually like. 05:57 And Paul tells us now, 06:00 Paul tells us, or I should just say 06:02 the New Testament tells us that 06:04 that's the purpose of this new movement 06:06 that Jesus launched. 06:08 The movement of Christianity 06:11 was a fresh culture, a fresh expression 06:15 of that same culture from the beginning, 06:17 from Genesis Chapter 12, the call of Abraham. 06:19 The movement of Christianity 06:21 was to unleash this thing into the world 06:24 so that people could be exposed to how beautiful 06:27 and how awesome Jesus Christ is. 06:31 So when we look at the Book of Acts, 06:33 which is where we'll be spending our time tonight, 06:35 we look at the Book of Acts, the Book of Acts is basically-- 06:38 It's a mini-- It's what the Old Testament is 06:41 in miniature form in the New Testament. 06:44 It's the history 06:45 of this movement called Christianity. 06:48 That's the Book of Acts, okay. The story of the church. 06:52 When we read the Book of Acts 06:53 we realize that the Book of Acts 06:55 is a book about cities. 07:00 The church is strategically going from city to city 07:05 and the gospel is spreading and the reason, Luke, 07:09 the author of Acts, the reason he makes sure 07:13 that he emphasizes where the church is moving, 07:18 where the apostles are preaching, 07:20 where the disciples are penetrating into 07:23 is because the point here is that 07:26 the main objective is to bring exposure 07:29 to this beautiful gospel culture. 07:31 So you have the Book of Acts as the book of cities. 07:33 You see cities, is where culture reaches critical mass. 07:38 That's what a city is. 07:41 So you see that the apostles are taking 07:43 the Mediterranean world by storm, the Roman Empire. 07:48 They're traveling all around the Mediterranean world, 07:51 they're preaching in Antioch, in Iconium, 07:53 in Corinth and Philippi, Thessalonica, in Athens. 07:57 They're going exactly where you would go 07:59 if you wanted to create some waves. 08:02 If you wanted to say something loud, 08:04 if you wanted to be heard, if you wanted to-- 08:06 if you wanted to get on TV, if you wanted exposure 08:11 you would go exactly and precisely 08:13 where the church goes in the Book of Acts. 08:15 I think that's fascinating. I think that's very powerful. 08:19 God's intention is to redeem culture. 08:22 There are things in this world, 08:24 there are aspects of human culture 08:27 that God wants to redeem 08:29 and that the gospel is intended to enrich, okay. 08:33 I'm going to specifically focus tonight, 08:35 you follow with me here, on Acts Chapter 19. 08:40 I want to invite you to turn to Acts Chapter 19. 08:43 And I want to tell you as you're turning there, 08:45 Acts Chapter 19 has totally, 08:49 totally changed my perspective of my Adventist experience. 08:53 Acts Chapter 19 has totally refocused in my mind 08:58 and in my paradigm and in my world view 09:01 what Christianity was to look like 09:04 or could look like in my generation, 09:06 what the church could look like in my generation, 09:10 how the world may perceive my church in my generation. 09:15 Acts Chapter 19, it contains some very remarkable, 09:20 powerful challenges for us today. 09:21 Now, now that you're in Acts Chapter 19-- 09:26 Did I say Acts? Acts Chapter 19. 09:30 I want to lead you through this progression. 09:33 Okay, hold on in Acts Chapter 19. 09:35 Acts Chapter 17, Paul ends up in Athens. 09:41 Okay? 09:42 That's basically the headquarters, 09:43 that is the intellectual center of the Roman Empire, 09:48 of the Greco-Roman world. 09:49 And Paul-- Luke records Paul's encounter in Athens 09:54 and he goes toe to toe 09:56 with the sharpest thinkers of the day. 09:59 The gospel comes into contact 10:04 with the intellectual center in Paul's day. 10:07 That's Acts Chapter 19. 10:09 It records the story of what happened. 10:12 Paul then leaves Athens in Acts Chapter 19 10:15 and now we enter the world of Acts Chapter 18. 10:19 And in Acts Chapter 18, now Paul enters into Corinth. 10:23 Corinth is a commercial capital in the Roman Empire. 10:28 And now the gospel, 10:30 Paul's gospel enters into Corinthian culture. 10:35 Okay? 10:36 And leaving Corinth in Acts Chapter 18, 10:39 Paul goes now, in Acts Chapter 19, 10:42 to this place called Ephesus. 10:45 And as we're there in Acts Chapter 19, 10:47 Ephesus is a major religious center in the Roman world. 10:53 Ephesus is a major cultural center in the Roman world. 11:00 And what the apostles do is they take city after 11:04 city after city, they take it by storm. 11:06 And Luke, in his craft, purposefully records, 11:10 he plainly understands the significance 11:13 of these major cities in the spread of the gospel. 11:17 How many of you believe that Adventism was not to be held 11:20 somewhere in a corner, 11:22 somewhere in the trees somewhere, 11:24 but it was supposed to be in the public arena? 11:27 Anybody else with me on that one? 11:29 I don't think Adventism should be hiding behind the scenes, 11:33 just as Christianity was never intended 11:36 to hide behind the scenes, right? 11:38 God wanted to take that thing 11:40 and to throw it right where the action is. 11:43 And even, as a side note, 11:45 if you look at the position of Israel where God-- 11:47 God had the globe and he just... 11:50 spun it around trying to find just the right 11:52 geographical location for Israel 11:54 and where God pinpointed where His people would be, 11:57 this little strip of land called Palestine. 11:59 It's a brilliant strategic move. 12:03 Israel, even if they tried 12:05 they couldn't hide from the world. 12:07 They were right in the middle of the thing, 12:09 bumping into all kinds of major empires through its history. 12:14 Are you with me? 12:15 The whole intention was to give the thing exposure, right? 12:20 Here we are in Ephesus, 12:21 this is where it's happening, okay. 12:23 This is a happening place. 12:25 This is a very influential place. 12:27 Now Ephesus is home to the great goddess Artemis. 12:34 Our Bibles use the non Greek version Diana, 12:37 the goddess Diana, the temple of Diana. 12:40 Paul arrives with his crew 12:43 into this town at around the year '54, okay. 12:48 When Paul arrives into this town immediately he does 12:52 what he is accustomed to do. 12:54 He heads straight into the synagogue. 12:58 Paul goes directly into the synagogue 13:01 and that's where he begins his preaching ministry. 13:03 Now meanwhile, Paul understands 13:05 the significance of where he is, 13:07 if they can take the gospel 13:09 and if gospel culture can penetrate 13:12 into Ephesian culture, a powerful, 13:16 powerful witness that would be in the Roman world. 13:20 Are you with me? 13:22 So Paul understands that Ephesus is a happening place. 13:25 I'm reading these historians on Ephesus. 13:29 They look at the gymnasia, the bath, the library, 13:32 the medical center, the theater of this marvelous city, 13:36 the prolific educational heritage of Ephesus, 13:40 its social and religious influence in the Roman Empire. 13:44 Ephesus was well-known, according to the historians, 13:48 for its, listen to this, philosophers, its architects, 13:53 its doctors, its musicians, its poets, its athletes. 13:59 That sounds like a very strong society, okay. 14:05 This is where he finds himself, in the center of culture. 14:10 Now we pick up the story here in Acts Chapter 19, 14:13 Paul is in the synagogue and Paul is preaching. 14:16 Now notice what happens here as we build, 14:18 we need to build our frame here. 14:21 It says here in verse 9 of Acts Chapter 19-- 14:24 Are you there? 14:25 Can you say hallelujah if you're there? 14:27 Okay. 14:28 "But when some were hardened and did not believe," 14:32 these are some of the people in the synagogue 14:33 where Paul has been preaching 14:35 for 3 months according to verse 8. 14:38 "When some of these people were hardened 14:40 and they began to speak evil 14:42 of the Way before the multitude, 14:44 Paul departed from them. 14:46 He withdrew with his disciples 14:49 and he reasoned daily in the school of Tyrannus." 14:53 So Paul leaves the synagogue, he says, "Fine, it sounds like 14:57 we don't have an open door here." 14:58 He goes now and he rents out this school. 15:02 And in this school, Paul pitches his tent there 15:05 and he makes that the headquarters 15:06 of his ministry, okay? 15:08 And in this school Paul has essentially 15:12 an evangelistic platform where he operates from. 15:16 It's very powerful because the Bible says in verse 10 15:19 that this continues for how long? 15:21 How long does your Bible say it continues for? 15:23 For 2 years. 15:26 Now that sounds like a good 15:28 evangelistic strategy for a metropolitan city. 15:31 Amen. 15:32 Paul didn't seem to be too hip on this whole, 15:34 you fly in, you preach for 30 days 15:36 and you're gone, right? 15:38 Paul is-- Paul is entering into this culture 15:41 and he's there to-- he's there to do thorough work. 15:45 He's there to see to it 15:47 that the gospel really penetrates. 15:48 And what is the result of Paul's strategy? 15:51 The second half of that verse. Am I reading this, verse 10? 15:54 "It continues for two years and then all," how many? 15:59 All. How many is "all"? 16:01 How many does "all" include? 16:03 This is-- This is-- This is crazy language. 16:05 Luke is basically saying this thing spread 16:09 throughout all of Asia. 16:11 "All who dwelt in Asia 16:13 heard the word of the Lord Jesus, 16:15 both the Jews and" who? 16:17 And the Greeks, okay? 16:20 This ministry is penetrating 16:22 into society from this little school. 16:25 It's probably like some little room somewhere 16:27 in the corner of some shopping mall building. 16:31 And from this place, in the course of 2 years, 16:36 Paul's gospel has gone through the entire region, 16:39 through the entire province of Asia Minor, 16:42 which is by the way modern day Turkey. 16:46 Now I was reading in Acts of the Apostles, 16:50 I was reading Ellen White's, her narrative on this story 16:55 and she-- I love the wording here. 16:57 She says that "through the influence 17:00 of Paul's teaching, the gospel extended far beyond 17:04 the actual converts to the faith. 17:07 Many people who hadn't even openly accepted 17:10 the new doctrines became so far enlightened 17:15 that they lost all confidence in their heathen gods." 17:19 Every single year in Ephesus 17:22 they would host a national festival 17:26 where people from all over the province would come 17:29 and they would attend these festivals. 17:31 People began to notice that attendance 17:34 at the festival was dropping very quickly. 17:38 It became very obvious that the reason 17:41 that attendance at these festivals, 17:42 these pagan festivals to celebrate the goddess Diana, 17:46 the reason attendance was dropping 17:48 is because of the influence 17:50 of this little room down the hall 17:52 where the Apostle Paul was sharing some 17:55 very, very dangerous things for the goddess Diana. 17:58 Amen. 18:00 People began to lose confidence in their heathen gods. 18:06 Okay, so now we arrive at my point. 18:10 As the result of that, I'm gonna fast forward 18:13 some verses here, 18:15 there's a reaction against Paul's gospel. 18:19 There's a reaction against this movement. 18:22 There's a riot that takes place at the center of the city 18:28 and it has everything to do with this gospel 18:32 that Paul has been preaching. 18:33 So I want to invite you to notice carefully here 18:35 beginning in verse 21, notice this riot that takes place, 18:40 the Bible says-- Actually, 18:41 I'm actually gonna jump for the sake of time here. 18:43 I'm gonna jump to verse 23. 18:46 The Bible says, "About that time 18:48 there arose a great commotion about the Way, 18:52 for a certain man named Demetrius, 18:55 a silversmith who made silver shrines of Diana, 18:58 brought no small profit to the craftsmen." 19:02 No small profit, that's another way of saying 19:05 they were loaded, okay? 19:07 Their business was extremely successful. 19:12 Now these people began to get concerned, in verse 25, 19:17 "He called them together 19:18 with the workers of similar occupation, 19:21 and he said, 'Men, 19:23 you know that we have our prosperity by this trade.' 19:28 " The trade, in other words, they're making little statues 19:31 that goes with the big temple services 19:33 and the festivals and the ceremonies 19:35 and everybody in Ephesian society and culture, 19:38 they all buy in to these things, 19:40 it's all part of their society, 19:42 it's part of their religion, it's part of their culture. 19:45 And now they're going out of business. 19:47 They're going bankrupt 19:48 and nobody is buying this stuff anymore. 19:53 The Bible says here, in verse 26, 19:58 "Moreover you see in here that not only at Ephesus, 20:02 but throughout almost all of Asia," that's big territory. 20:08 This Paul, this-this-this guy Paul 20:12 has persuaded and turned away many people, 20:16 saying that they're not gods which are made with hands. 20:19 Verse 27, "So not only is this trade of ours 20:22 in danger of falling into disrepute, 20:24 but also the temple of the great goddess Diana. 20:30 She may be despised and her magnificence 20:33 destroyed whom all of Asia in the world worship." 20:39 Now when they heard this news, 20:41 they were all filled with wrath. 20:42 They went crazy and they began to scream 20:45 and to shout and to cry out, 20:47 "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." 20:50 They began to chant this crazy chant. 20:53 And verse 29, "The whole city, 20:55 " it's just a matter of minutes, 20:57 "the whole city is filled with confusion," verse 29, 21:01 "And they are rushed into the theater 21:04 with one accord having seized," 21:08 two guys, "Gaius and Aristarchus." 21:12 They're Macedonians, they're from Greece, 21:14 Paul's travel companions. They couldn't find Paul. 21:19 And they found these two guys, 21:20 his two buddies that came into town with him. 21:22 They found them walking around the street somewhere 21:23 and they grabbed them 21:25 and they dragged them into the city, 21:27 in the center of Ephesus. 21:29 And when Paul wanted to go into the people, 21:32 the disciples would not allow him to go in. 21:36 Now get this picture, guys, get this picture. 21:39 Paul and his boys roll up into town. 21:43 They start attending church, 21:45 they start sharing their message in church. 21:47 Church doesn't want to hear it. 21:50 They kick them out of church or Paul just packs his bags 21:52 and he leaves and he rents a room in town. 21:56 From that room Paul begins to unveil the beauty, 22:02 the mystery of the gospel. 22:04 As he is preaching, people are coming in 22:07 and those people who come in and who are exposed 22:10 to this amazing message, they are also going back out. 22:13 They're going back to their little towns. 22:16 They're going back to their neighborhoods. 22:18 They're going back to their place of employment. 22:20 They're going back to their university. 22:21 And what do you think 22:23 they're taking with them when they go back? 22:26 They're taking the gospel with them. 22:29 Now this goes on for 2 years 22:31 and you know you have a problem. 22:33 Amen. 22:34 There's a problem, because 2 years of that 22:39 and people begin to freak out. 22:42 Hey, the main business in town is sinking. 22:46 The people react. 22:47 Now the whole city is in the center of town. 22:50 I had the great privilege to go to this place Ephesus 22:53 in western Turkey this year. 22:55 I had the privilege of being in this theater. 22:57 And listen, this is a huge theater 22:59 and everybody is in this theater 23:02 and they're chanting and these poor guys, 23:04 they're probably like two deacons 23:05 that Paul was like, "Hey, come, 23:06 you'll get great ministry experience. 23:08 It'll be safe. Don't worry, I'll protect you." 23:10 They're like, "No, we didn't go to school, 23:12 we didn't go to"... 23:13 "Come on, I'll protect you, no problem." 23:15 Now they're in the middle of this theater 23:16 and they're about to get their heads chopped off. 23:21 And something profound happens. 23:24 Well, several profound things happen. 23:26 Here's the lesser profound thing that happens. 23:29 Paul is not too far away. 23:32 He's in a hill somewhere 23:33 and he's listening to the chanting, 23:34 he realizes word comes, he realizes what's taking place 23:37 and he wants to go in there. 23:41 And that just gives you a little glimpse 23:42 of the boldness and the courage of this man Paul. 23:45 He knows that if he walks into that, 23:47 into that theater, he's done. 23:49 So the brethren hold him back. 23:51 They say, "Are you crazy? You can't go in there. 23:53 You're the one they're looking for." 23:56 So they hold him back and then the Bible says 23:58 that not only the brethren, 23:59 not only his boys hold him back, 24:02 the Bible actually says that there are other people 24:05 that are sympathetic of Paul in verse 31, 24:07 "Some of the officials of Asia." 24:10 Some of the who of Asia? The officials. 24:14 They were his friends, the Bible says. 24:17 "They sent to him pleading 24:19 that he wouldn't venture into the theater." 24:22 How many of you think it's encouraging to know 24:26 that Paul with his gospel truth has befriended people, 24:31 high-ranking people, high influential, 24:34 distinguished, wealthy citizens of Ephesian society 24:38 who are not even Christians yet. 24:40 They consider Paul a friend, 24:43 so much so that they're concerned for his safety. 24:46 Isn't that powerful? 24:48 Do you think that the gospel should have appeal 24:52 for the intellectual, the distinguished 24:55 and the higher people in society? 24:57 Should Adventism be able to really catch 25:00 the attention of people 25:02 who are in higher places in society. 25:04 Yes or no? 25:05 I'm praising the Lord for the seminar. 25:07 I think Brother Kim is doing a seminar 25:09 on reaching the people in the higher classes. 25:12 Paul here has developed relationships. 25:15 Listen to what I'm saying, guys. 25:17 Heathen people like Paul. 25:21 Did you hear what I said? Worldlings like him. 25:29 He wasn't weird just to be weird, right? 25:34 People who didn't even share his worldview, 25:37 they spent time with him, they had exposure to him. 25:41 They even had exposure to his way of thinking 25:43 and the message that he brought and although they weren't 25:46 exactly ready yet to sign on the dotted line, 25:50 they still could say, you know, we respect that. 25:57 How many of you think that we should be 25:58 able to interact with people in this world? 26:01 And although we are a little different, 26:05 we should be able to present ourselves in such a way 26:09 that we can say or other worldlings can say 26:13 that they are our friends and that they care about us 26:16 in a very special way. 26:17 Isn't that beautiful? 26:18 I love how Luke just loves to point out 26:21 these very significant things here. 26:24 Long story short, 26:27 these guys are in trouble in the theater. 26:29 Now something very interesting 26:31 that I'd like you to just think about, 26:33 we have been talking about 1 Corinthians 4:9. 26:37 Paul says we are a spectacle before men and angels. 26:39 It's interesting that what you're reading about 26:42 now in Acts Chapter 19 is Paul's experience in Ephesus. 26:47 But when he wrote the letter to the Corinthians 26:50 that we now call 1 Corinthians, 26:52 Paul was writing from Ephesus. 26:55 Okay. 26:57 In fact, scholars have even pinpointed 27:00 that the timing of when Paul would have 27:02 said those very words on the screen, 27:05 the words of our theme, 27:06 the timing of when he would have said that 27:08 would have been shortly right after this 27:10 riot in this theater. 27:12 Listen to what I'm saying, 27:13 the word "spectacle," is the word "theatron". 27:16 It only comes up three times in your entire Bible. 27:19 Did you know that? Three times. 27:22 Once in Paul's 1 Corinthians 4 27:24 and two other times and take a wild guess 27:27 where the other two occurrences take place. 27:29 Acts Chapter 19, when it says 27:31 that they were dragged into the theater, 27:33 that's the spectacle, it's the same word. 27:35 You understand? 27:36 Paul here when he's writing to Corinth, 27:39 he uses this analogy about being a spectacle, 27:43 being a theatron where people are observing 27:47 and he's writing that perhaps 27:48 because he has in the back of his mind 27:50 this very instance that you and I 27:52 are reading about right now. 27:53 Okay, let's cut to the chase here. 27:55 Now jump down as people are screaming, 27:57 they're going crazy something happens in verse 35. 28:01 Let's get to it here, verse 35, 28:03 "And when the city clerk, 28:06 when the city clerk had quieted the crowd," okay... 28:12 The city official has to come into this stadium 28:17 in order to quiet the crowd, to calm people down 28:21 and listen to the words 28:22 that come out of his mouth in verse 35, 28:24 "Men of Ephesus, what man is there 28:27 who does not know that the city of the Ephesians 28:30 is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana 28:34 and of the image which fell down from Zeus." 28:38 Who doesn't know this? Everybody knows this. 28:39 Verse 36, "Therefore, 28:41 since these things cannot be denied, 28:45 you should be quiet and do nothing rashly, 28:49 " the classic politician, yeah? 28:50 Verse 37, "For you have brought these men here, 28:55 " listen carefully now, "you have brought 28:57 these men into this crowd," 29:00 these men, these two companions of Paul, 29:02 "who are neither robbers of temples 29:06 nor blasphemers of your goddess." 29:11 The politician comes in and he says 29:13 "You guys are causing a ruckus in here. 29:18 Why have you dragged these two men into the stadium? 29:22 Why are you putting them at risk? 29:23 They have not done anything to your temple, 29:26 they haven't said," listen to what I'm saying, 29:28 "they haven't said anything against your goddess. 29:33 Why are you freaking out?" 29:37 And then you continue on here and it basically says, 29:42 verse 38, "Therefore, if Demetrius 29:44 and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anybody, 29:47 the courts are open. 29:49 There are proconsuls. 29:50 Let them bring charges against one another." 29:53 And the next verses essentially say 29:55 and if not, shut up and go home, 29:58 is essentially what he says. 30:00 Now this is very powerful, listen to this. 30:06 Do you think that if it was true that Paul and his boys 30:12 were walking around town criticizing Ephesian culture, 30:17 Ephesian society, Ephesian religion, 30:21 do you think that if they were criticizing these things 30:23 and speaking against these things, 30:25 do you think that somebody in that stadium, 30:28 which seats 20,000 plus, 30:29 would've stood up and said, "Excuse me. 30:33 No, I was over on 5th Street 2 weeks ago 30:41 and these guys were blasting everything we stand for"? 30:45 Do you think somebody would have stood up and said, 30:47 "No, no, no, no, not true"? 30:51 These men are... 30:53 Do you think somebody would've done that 30:54 if there was a case against Paul and his boys? 30:56 Yes or no? Somebody would have stood up. 31:00 When the city clerk says, "These guys have said nothing 31:04 against you or your religion," you know what the crowd said? 31:09 Absolutely nothing. 31:11 It was like my little brother Jay says... 31:17 Nothing. 31:20 Guys, there's a powerful message here. 31:24 The temple of Diana is crumbling in Ephesus. 31:29 Are you listening to what I'm saying? 31:31 Ephesian culture is on the rocks. 31:36 Why? 31:37 Not because the church, 31:39 not because Paul's evangelistic team, 31:40 not because Paul's crew came in 31:43 and began attacking everything in Ephesus, 31:47 everything that didn't fit in with their Christian framework. 31:50 No, no, no. 31:51 The reason the temple of Ephesus is in trouble 31:55 is because they came into town 31:57 and they said something even better. 31:59 Are you listening to what I'm saying? 32:00 They said something even better. 32:02 What did they say, pray tell? 32:04 Well, they must have said 32:06 what Paul has been saying from the beginning. 32:08 They must have preached 32:10 the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 32:14 And by exalting the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 32:18 the temple in Ephesus had no fighting chance. 32:23 Are you listening to what I'm saying? 32:25 Acts 19 has completely rocked my house this year. 32:29 Brothers and sisters, 32:31 there was not this negative emphasis in their approach. 32:37 They weren't obsessed in attacking, 32:41 in attacking, in attacking, 32:44 in being argumentative and being overly polemic. 32:47 None of that. They were too busy. 32:50 Hear me now, they were too busy 32:52 talking about how beautiful their culture was 32:56 that they were bringing into the society. 32:58 They were consumed in that. 33:01 And listen, after 2 years, that's a whole lot of-- 33:04 that's plenty of time to really mess things up, isn't it? 33:08 Amen. 33:09 Maybe your churches are really, really amazing. 33:12 But 2 years is plenty of time 33:14 for somebody to say something really stupid, right? 33:18 After 2 years they're still able to keep the reputation 33:22 that they've said nothing in attack against the temple, 33:25 against our religion, against our... Nothing. 33:28 They've been doing something else. 33:30 They've been up to some other stuff 33:31 that is far more dangerous. 33:36 They introduced a new faith that had tremendous power, 33:40 that anyone who experienced it, the old passed away 33:45 and became instantly irrelevant to their lives. 33:51 The Christian simply put Jesus Christ 33:54 and his availability to man 33:57 at the forefront of everything that they did. 33:59 And this was so powerful 34:01 that nothing could even resist them, 34:03 and so much so that as they're brought 34:05 into the spectacle before Ephesian society, 34:09 into the theatron, into that stadium 34:12 and they're on the hot seat 34:16 as they're being observed, as they're are on display, 34:19 no one has anything to say against them. 34:23 Isn't that powerful? 34:25 We're talking about "The Great Controversy". 34:27 We're talking about "Before Men and Angels." 34:28 We're talking about all of these things, 34:29 brothers and sisters, this is where it's at. 34:32 We want to know how we can really mirror 34:36 everything that God is trying to do in this world. 34:39 This is where it's at, to be completely obsessed 34:42 with one thing and one thing only, 34:48 which is Jesus, as Adventist, enter Adventism. 34:55 This is my church. This is my church. 35:00 Are we prone to always point out, 35:05 to take the position or the tone 35:08 where we're against society, 35:10 against culture, against the world, 35:13 against this and against that, that it turns out that 35:18 it may be perceived by some that our message 35:20 is the stuff we are against? 35:26 This is my church. I'm talking about myself here. 35:29 Is it possible that we have completely, 35:32 completely lost sight of what the thing is about? 35:35 Shouldn't we be highlighting 35:37 and exalting the truthfulness of God 35:39 and the beauty and the power 35:40 and the awesomeness of our message 35:42 and let that thing draw attention. 35:45 Amen. 35:47 We don't have to sit and defend every little thing 35:49 or defend ourselves against the world. 35:53 Listen, I'm not going to die the death 35:55 of a thousand disclaimer's soul. 35:58 I'm going to take the risk of being 35:59 possibly misunderstood by one or two people. 36:01 But you understand what I'm saying, right? 36:03 I'm talking about tone and emphasis 36:06 which according to this has made the whole difference. 36:08 It's not about even the content, 36:10 it's about the tone, what they focused on, 36:13 what was central to them. 36:15 They made the gospel in all this dimensions 36:17 available to people and that rocked the house. 36:21 You know, to be overly argumentative, 36:24 it really just exposes a deficiency in ourselves. 36:29 It exposes a deficiency that perhaps 36:31 we haven't really been tasting of the goodness-- 36:35 of the goodness of the gospel. 36:38 Because we normally talk about the things we're experiencing. 36:41 Is that true? 36:42 We're more prone to speak about the very things we think about 36:45 and the very things we experience. 36:47 If we were to just dive in and taste more of the goodness 36:52 and beauty of God, it would be natural that that's the things 36:55 that would come out of our mouths, right? 36:59 We need to dwell intellectually and emotionally 37:02 in the atmosphere of God's beauty. 37:04 I believe Adventism is beautiful. 37:06 If you believe that can you say amen? 37:08 I'm not just saying that as a cliche, 37:10 I promise you, I'm not. 37:12 I believe Adventism is beautiful. 37:15 I believe the everlasting gospel 37:17 in all the dimensions of Jesus in his role 37:20 on behalf of humanity, I believe that is beautiful. 37:25 I really, really do. 37:27 Psalm 27:4, "One thing have I asked of the Lord 37:30 that I may dwell 37:32 all the days of my life in His-- 37:34 in His house, in His temple." 37:36 Remember this text? For what? 37:40 To behold the beauty of the Lord 37:42 and to inquire of Him. 37:43 Wait a second, all the days of your life 37:45 you want to be in the temple? 37:47 That's a whole lot-- That's a lot of time. 37:49 And you want to spend all that time 37:51 beholding the beauty of the Lord? 37:52 Man, is there that much beauty to behold that you will be 37:57 in the temple every day of your life? 38:00 Is there that much beauty in the temple? 38:02 Yes or no? 38:03 There must be enough beauty 38:05 that can take up every day of your life. 38:09 And I've got to confess, brothers and sisters, 38:11 I want to taste more of that. 38:13 What about you? I want more of that. 38:16 I want to be able to say, 38:17 I'm convinced there's so much beauty in there, 38:19 I can spend the rest of my life just looking at the beauty. 38:27 But my generation is a whole different story. 38:28 Listen, I remember right when we came-- 38:30 When I became-- When I got baptized, 38:33 a friend of mine was a member of another evangelical church. 38:35 And now we came into this beautiful truth 38:37 and this exciting truth. 38:39 But we were too zealous and I remember that 38:42 after we got baptized into the Adventist church, 38:45 we called up the evangelical pastor of his church 38:48 and we said, "Hey, we'd like to schedule an appointment 38:50 'cause we have some things 38:51 we would like to discuss with you." 38:54 And he hesitantly said okay. 38:56 We show up to his house that week, he's there, 38:59 the senior pastor, the associate pastor, 39:00 the youth pastor, his whole church committee is there. 39:03 We walk in with our big Cambridge, wide margin, 39:11 King James, black leather Bibles. 39:15 All three of us got the same Bible. 39:16 We walked in like this. 39:20 We walked to the living room, 39:21 we put the Bible, then we sit down. 39:24 And they all come and sit around 39:25 and he has this nervous look on his face and he's like, 39:28 "So what are you guys 39:29 seeking to accomplish with this meeting?" 39:34 Poor guy. 39:35 And I'm, like, in the corner, like, 39:36 sharpening my blade, I'm like... 39:39 And I'm like, you know exactly why I'm here. 39:43 What followed, guys, is a one-sided sword fight. 39:48 We were there to prove to him 39:49 that the Sabbath is on Saturday, not on Sunday. 39:53 Because that's the most important thing 39:54 I needed to prove to him, right? 39:57 Guys, I whipped out a thousand verses 40:01 to prove to him one thing that the Sabbath 40:03 is on Saturday and not on Sunday. 40:06 And if he can get that thing on the calendar right, 40:08 we're all good, right? 40:10 Brothers and sisters, I look back at that 40:12 and it makes my heart ache. 40:14 You know what I wish right now? 40:15 I wish there was a machine to like... 40:18 and go back in time. 40:19 I wish I could be in that room again, guys. 40:21 You know what? 40:22 I would sing a different tune for the Lord. 40:25 Are you listening to me? I would sing a different tune. 40:29 I would sing of the Sabbath and its glory and its beauty. 40:33 I would testify that the Sabbath is a symbol, 40:36 a beautiful, gorgeous symbol 40:38 of how God craves intimacy with his people. 40:43 Are you listening to me? 40:45 How the Sabbath tells us 40:46 that God is fascinated with me so much so 40:49 that He wants to carve time out of His, 40:52 I would think, busy schedule to devote that to me. 40:59 I would sing of the inseparable 41:01 nature of the Sabbath in the gospel and how-- 41:04 Are you listening to what I'm saying? 41:06 Can I stop now? 41:08 That's what I would sing about, 41:10 because that's what Paul sung about in Ephesus. 41:13 I would exalt how beautiful the Sabbath is. 41:17 And listen, I think he'll get the calendar thing. 41:22 Are you with me? 41:23 I think that will come if I can present the Sabbath 41:26 in its richness and in its beauty. 41:28 Amen. 41:29 How many young people in my generation 41:32 want nothing to do with the Sabbath 41:34 because the Sabbath is about what you can't do? 41:38 Yeah? 41:39 I think we have some more things to say 41:41 other than what you can't do. 41:44 I think the Sabbath is all about what you can do. 41:46 Amen. 41:48 We have this beautiful thing called the gift of prophecy, 41:51 emphasis on the word "gift". 41:53 Normally gifts are a good thing. 41:55 Amen. 41:56 We have the thing called the gift of prophecy. 41:59 This beautiful corpus of literature 42:02 that sheds light on story of redemption. 42:05 How many people do you know in your generation, 42:08 that when they hear the name Ellen White, 42:10 they just start twitching? 42:12 They're just like... 42:14 They start twitching and freaking out. 42:16 Why? Frankly, listen to the stories. 42:19 Why? I'm sympathetic. 42:21 I don't really blame them. 42:23 I didn't grow up in the church, 42:24 but if I was exposed to what they were exposed, 42:27 I'd be twitching, too, right? 42:30 There's so much richness and beauty in this beautiful 42:34 revelation of the testimony of Jesus, right? 42:37 What if there was a generation 42:39 that would fall in love with that, 42:41 that would see it not as some restrictive thing, 42:45 not as something that simply inspires duty and obligation, 42:50 but a thing that really brings 42:51 pleasure and enjoyment, the health reform. 42:58 I'm just pulling it all out today. 43:02 It's not about what we don't eat, is it? 43:06 Right? 43:08 This is a fascinating, extremely modern 43:11 and cutting-edge message, the health message. 43:14 Yes? 43:15 That's something-- I mean, that's something-- 43:17 That's something we should be proud of, 43:19 that's something we should be just 43:21 presenting in all its rich-- 43:22 This idea of holistic living, that human beings are holistic, 43:28 that everything comes together 43:29 in a beautiful piece and that your dietary 43:32 principles and habits affect your mental 43:34 well-being, which also affects your emotional-- 43:36 Are we living in a world with severe mental 43:38 and emotional illness? 43:40 Let me take it one step further. 43:42 Are we members of a church that also has challenges 43:45 and there are people that are struggling emotionally? 43:48 Of course-- that's a beautiful message, right? 43:52 You know Paul didn't roll up into Ephesian society 43:57 and start being all weird. 44:00 He presented it in its beauty, sexuality. 44:11 My wife will be shocked, but I don't-- I'm speechless. 44:18 God created that thing, didn't he? 44:21 Right? 44:23 Maybe the church should be the source for me 44:26 as a young man in this world, especially from Miami, Florida, 44:29 can go to the church and ask some questions 44:31 and get some-- and get some, some good direction. 44:37 Amen. 44:38 I mean that is if we don't-- Unless we don't mind 44:43 our young people going elsewhere, 44:45 which gives me the creeps. 44:48 The judgment message. 44:51 Because God is watching you and you better get it together 44:57 or He'll press that red button. 44:58 And it ain't pretty when He presses that red button. 45:01 The judgment message is gorgeous, 45:02 it's beautiful, it's good news. 45:04 Amen. 45:06 Now I'm not even kidding. It's good news. 45:09 In Scripture it's good news. 45:12 Paul exalted the beauty of the gospel. 45:17 I just need to say that over and over again 45:19 our framework and how we relate 45:22 to ourselves and to this world, 45:26 I believe we need a bit of a paradigm shift. 45:28 Guys, I believe that your generation and my generation, 45:32 we have a special opportunity to repaint the picture. 45:37 Are you listening? To repaint the picture. 45:40 To let the thing be beautiful as it is. 45:42 I think C.S. Lewis said, 45:44 "The best way to defend the Bible"-- 45:45 Or he said the Bible's like a lion, 45:47 the best way to defend it is to let it out of its cage. 45:49 Remember that? 45:50 The best way to defend Adventism 45:52 is to let the thing out of the cage, right? 45:55 To let the thing speak, to let it roar, it's beautiful. 45:59 Our views on music and entertainment 46:01 and the way that relates to culture, everything is... 46:06 I read an author who said something very powerful. 46:10 He said, "Christians should be creating culture, 46:14 not merely consuming it." 46:15 Right? Now follow this, follow this. 46:17 We are so good at criticizing culture, 46:20 society and the media and whatever. 46:24 He talks about it like a river, culture is like a river, right? 46:28 The people that are downstream 46:29 are the people that are stuck pulling 46:31 whatever they can pull out of the river. 46:33 The people upstream are the people providing culture. 46:37 The downstream people 46:39 are just people consuming it, right? 46:41 So he points out that 46:43 Christians tend to be downstream, 46:45 just complaining about all the junk 46:47 they're pulling out of the river, right? 46:49 And he says, why not travel upstream 46:53 and get involved with what gets 46:55 into the river in the first place? 46:58 Does that make sense? 47:00 Why not have Adventist young people 47:02 in my generation penetrating into academia, 47:07 into science, into the media. 47:11 We're the new writers and the new musicians, 47:14 instead of taking the posture 47:16 where we're backed up in the corner 47:18 or against the wall and we're like, 47:20 ah, the world is a mess. 47:22 Why not get involved and create culture? 47:25 You with me? 47:27 Paul created culture in Ephesus and it was powerful. 47:31 That's the message of this whole "on display" ideology. 47:37 I need to take you to Jeremiah Chapter 16. 47:39 I don't have a whole lot of time left. 47:41 In truth I have no time left. 47:43 Jeremiah 16, let's go there very quickly here. 47:49 A few more things to get off my chest. 47:52 Jeremiah Chapter 16, listen to what I'm saying. 47:54 We're back on the whole God dreaming 47:56 and God dreaming and dreaming of the potential 47:58 and of what might be the case. 48:03 Jeremiah 16:19, listen to this-- 48:07 listen to this interesting passage. 48:10 Jeremiah 16:19, "O Lord, my strength, 48:13 and my fortress, my refuge in the day of affliction," 48:18 now don't miss this you should underline this. 48:20 "The Gentiles shall come." The who will come? 48:25 "The Gentiles will come to You, O God. 48:29 From the ends of the earth, 48:32 they will come and they will say," 48:34 listen to what the Gentiles say. 48:37 "Surely," can you read it with me? 48:40 "Surely," what does it say? 48:43 "Our fathers have inherited lies." 48:50 Our fathers have inherited lies. 48:55 The Gentile world is getting exposure 48:58 to Hebrew culture and they're like, 48:59 "Uh, that's amazing. 49:04 What are we doing? 49:07 We've inherited life. We have missed the book. 49:10 That's amazing. Look at their views on this. 49:12 Look at how they relate to this. 49:13 Look at their culture, 49:14 look at their ideals, their values, 49:16 check out their customs and their traditions. 49:19 That's beautiful. 49:21 What have we been missing out on? 49:23 We've been lied to, we've been duped." 49:26 You don't find the Hebrews going in there 49:28 and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 49:31 No, no, they're just living it beautifully. 49:33 And what's happening? 49:34 People around them are like, "We've been gypped. 49:37 That's amazing." Right? 49:42 You know, I wish I could go back to that table 49:43 and I would just say that this Sabbath is beautiful. 49:47 And have them say we've been gypped. 49:50 The picture given in Scripture 49:52 is that the Gentiles will respond this way. 49:55 Now here's-- here's the uncomfortable question. 50:00 If that's the way Gentiles are supposed to be responding, 50:04 whenever God's people mirror the beauty accurately, 50:09 what would be your conclusion in the event 50:12 that the Gentiles are not responding that way? 50:20 It's not really that difficult a question? 50:24 The conclusion, guys, is that 50:25 perhaps there's something wrong with Israel. 50:27 Amen. 50:29 That's the way they're supposed to respond. 50:30 There's probably something wrong with Israel. 50:33 Brothers and sisters if-if-if the temple 50:37 in Ephesus is crumbling without anybody saying a peep 50:41 or a tweet or nothing against it, 50:43 then perhaps that's the way 50:45 we should be relating to society. 50:47 And if that's not the impact, at least in some way, 50:50 then I'm beginning to ask myself the question, 50:53 maybe there's something wrong in my own head 50:56 and in the way I've perceived this whole thing. 50:59 Are you with me? 51:01 But, of course, someone out there is thinking, 51:03 "Come on, man, for real?" 51:07 The world doesn't want to hear the truth. 51:13 I think that's a cheap cop-out. 51:18 For real. 51:19 I think we should own it. 51:21 Because not only is this a challenge, 51:23 this is a beautiful opportunity and a beautiful invitation. 51:28 But somebody else is thinking, 51:29 "Come on, man, you're way too negative." 51:31 What is this? This is too negative. 51:33 We're obviously doing something right. 51:35 We keep baptizing people every single year. 51:38 We're doing something right. 51:46 Well, look, my field is evangelism. 51:49 I'll tell you this much. 51:52 The religion of the Jews was so amazing 51:56 and so compelling, 51:57 but there were Gentiles that would gravitate towards them 52:00 in the midst of their misrepresentation. 52:03 As a movement we can say, we're growing, we're growing. 52:06 Amen, hallelujah. 52:07 Please again, I'm risking being misunderstood, 52:10 hallelujah for that. 52:12 Say amen please so I can... Okay. 52:15 Hallelujah for that. 52:16 However, very likely is the case 52:24 that the three angel's message is so awesome, 52:26 that in spite of our misrepresentation of the thing, 52:29 people are still flocking to this thing. 52:31 Amen. 52:33 That doesn't necessarily mean we've got it just right. 52:39 It just means that the thing 52:40 is more awesome than we are weird. 52:44 Did that come out right? I just... I don't know. 52:50 Hopefully that works for you. 52:52 Jesus is the perfect example. I'm almost done I promise. 52:56 Jesus is the perfect example. Okay, I want to do this now. 52:59 I want to say that all Paul is doing in Ephesus, 53:04 he's just copying Jesus. 53:07 And I recommend we do the same. 53:08 All he's doing is he's copying Jesus. 53:10 Okay, look at Matthew, Mark, Luke and John 53:12 and ask yourself this very simple question. 53:14 How often do you find Jesus attacking Rome? 53:24 I agree with you. 53:25 I don't seem to really find that 53:27 as an emphasis in Christ's ministry. 53:29 Let me ask you a second question. 53:30 How often do you find in the gospels 53:32 Jesus attacking the church or challenging the church? 53:40 And His challenge-- 53:41 His challenge looks a little something like this, 53:46 what are you doing? 53:50 You're on display. 53:53 The Gentiles are watching. 53:55 What are they going to think of me? 53:58 You find that where? 53:59 Every other verse it looks like, right? 54:02 What does that mean, guys? 54:03 That Jesus' burden, the burden on Christ's heart was what? 54:06 Not what can we fix in the world? 54:08 No, no, no. 54:09 The burden on Christ's heart was 54:11 if I can get the church retuned, 54:14 if I can tune those notes, 54:16 if I can get them to play the right tune 54:18 and to sing the right song, 54:21 Jesus knew that's where the stakes were highest. 54:25 He invested everything he had on the church. 54:27 If he can get the church tuned up, 54:30 everything else would take care of itself. 54:32 Can you say hallelujah, amen? 54:34 Brothers and sisters I'm going to leave you 54:36 with one last thing in 1 Peter Chapter 2. 54:41 In 1 Peter 2:9, 54:47 "But you are a chosen generation, 54:49 you are a royal priesthood, you are a holy nation, 54:52 you are his own special people." 54:57 Why? 54:58 "So that you may proclaim the praises of Him, 55:03 who has called you out of darkness 55:05 and into His marvelous light." 55:10 According to Peter the reason we've been called is simply 55:13 so that we can enter into the realm of light 55:16 and now we can just simply brag about 55:18 how awesome it is to be in the light. 55:21 Proclaim the praises, translation, 55:23 it basically means, demonstrate the advantages 55:26 of what it's like being in the light. 55:29 And by doing that the people 55:31 that are in the darkness will say, 55:33 "That's amazing." This is the whole message. 55:37 It began with Israel, 55:39 now it turns to the Christian church. 55:40 And, brothers and sisters, in closing, 55:44 the whole Adventist message is built on that. 55:47 Revelation Chapter 14, the three angel's messages, 55:49 the gospel is preached and then what happens? 55:54 Babylon, what happens to Babylon? 55:56 She falls. 56:00 Babylon falls as the gospel is being preached. 56:05 Amen. 56:06 The church is not throwing rocks at Babylon, right? 56:10 We're not pulling up... 56:14 You know, spray painting Exodus 20 56:16 or whatever, right? 56:21 3 a.m., three angels messages, no. 56:24 Babylon falls as the gospel is being preached. 56:29 Here's what I have, guys. 56:31 I want desperately for my church, 56:34 when I say my church I'm talking about Jeffrey, 56:35 I'm talking about me, 56:36 I want to have a re-encounter with the everlasting gospel. 56:42 Amen. 56:44 I want-- And I love what Cinco said this morning. 56:46 She said, "Instead of bickering 56:47 and complaining about the problem, 56:48 let's be part of the solution." 56:50 I love that. I appreciate that. 56:51 I want tonight, I want tonight to take some personal inventory 56:57 and ask the tough questions. 56:58 Lord, do I see enough beauty in this 57:03 that I would spend the rest of my life in it? 57:04 Can I even use that language? 57:07 Is it even that beautiful to me? 57:11 Lord, I want to see that beauty. 57:15 I want to be exposed to that beauty. 57:18 Growing up it was this, growing up... whatever. 57:21 Leave the whole growing up out of the equation. 57:23 Amen. 57:25 But now, Lord, I want to see the beauty. 57:31 That's my prayer as elder James Black 57:35 joins us up here to lead us in prayer. 57:38 My appeal is going to be a little different. 57:40 My appeal will simply be as we spend time in prayer 57:44 that we would think about our own experience. 57:47 What has your experience been? 57:50 What has your journey been like in the church? 57:56 Do you lack that beauty? Do you lack that pleasure? 58:00 Has it just been-- Has it just been the dryness? 58:05 Has it just been this empty formality 58:07 or do you pray for something better? |
Revised 2014-12-17