I want to invite you
to pray with me tonight
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as we close our
three part series.
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I'm gonna kneel,
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I just invite you to
bow your heads with me...
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as we ask the
Lord to make this time
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together useful in edifying.
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Let's pray together.
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Father in heaven,
all we want to praise You
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for the awesome privilege
of holding in our hands
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the very oracles of God.
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Lord we want to thank You
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for having access to
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Father, as we
have been meeting here,
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as we've been
gathering day after day,
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we pray our
prayer is that in heaven
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this is all whether in
song, whether in prayer,
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whether in testimony,
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whether through the
foolishness of preaching
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that I would bring
a smile to your face.
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Lord, our desire
is to bring glory,
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to bring glory to You.
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Tonight Lord as we
open, as we open your word,
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I pray that the Holy Spirit
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would take this
ink on this paper
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and send it
straight into our hearts.
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Father, I need the
spirit to make this time useful.
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I don't have the ability Lord
to get the job done tonight.
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I just pray for the spirit to be
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with us in a special way.
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And once again I pray
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that you would occupy our minds
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and then you would
send extra angels in here
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so that we would receive
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what You are
trying to present to us.
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We ask these
things in a precious
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and glorious name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
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Happy Sabbath by the way.
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I'm the last one
to get to say that--
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We were close the
sacred hours of the Sabbath
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during this
sermon, so happy Sabbath
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to you one last time.
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Recap.
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We began by looking
at the basic framework
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for this amazing declaration
before men and angels.
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The Apostle Paul
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wants the Christian
community to be aware.
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He wants to raise awareness
that the church is a spectacle,
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that the church is on display.
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And the reason he wants
us to be aware of that is
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because he wants us to be aware
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that the world is watching.
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Since the world is watching,
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it matters what the world sees.
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Can you say amen to that?
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Because what the world sees,
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how the world
perceives us determines
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how it will perceive him.
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Yes, I could if I chose,
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just be faithful
to God and do my thing
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and be loyal to
God and not care about
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what it looks like out there,
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but that would not
capture God's bigger vision,
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because if I love
God, I'm concerned for
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how He is perceived.
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Amen.
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And therefore this paradigm,
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this dynamic in
the theology of Paul
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becomes very, very challenging
because as long as the church
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can keep that in focus,
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then the church
could fulfill its mission.
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God called
Israel, elected Israel
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as the church of
the old testament
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in order for Israel to
be spectacle, a magnate.
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God inaugurated a
brand new fresh culture
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into human civilization
and He called it Israel
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and in this culture,
within this culture which,
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you know, the sociologists
tells us the culture
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is the collection or the
set or the grouping of ideals,
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values, customs,
traditions of a people group
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and they express those ideals,
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they express those values
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and those customs
through their literature,
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through their
music, through their food,
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through all the
different various
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aspects of society and culture,
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so this culture was
to be put on display,
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so that when the
gentiles rub shoulders,
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when the gentiles get
exposed to Hebrew culture,
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it will blow their mind
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and they will
through observation say wow!
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What are we doing
over here, that is awesome?
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Can you say amen to that? Amen.
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That was the whole point.
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The story of the Old Testament
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from the call of
Abraham in Genesis Chapter 12
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all the way through to
Malachi is the long story,
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history of the
bumpy and messy journey
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of the church wrestling
and trying to figure out
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what that thing
looks like in reality.
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Last night we turned the
page because the church failed
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and Jesus came to pick up
where the church left off.
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Jesus launches
this new movement,
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this fresh culture
into 1st century Rome,
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the Roman Empire
and this new movement
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is called Christianity
and this new movement
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was to continue this legacy,
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this heritage that
began at the call of Abraham.
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God is looking for
representation on earth.
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He has put His very reputation
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in the hands of
frail human beings,
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so Paul shows up
in Acts Chapter 19
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to the city of Ephesus
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which is a cultural
center in the Roman Empire.
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Paul shows up to Ephesus
and he begins in the synagogue
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where he preaches
for some three months.
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The church
doesn't want to hear it.
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Paul rents a room somewhere,
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some where in town and he begins
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painting the picture
of the kingdom of Jesus.
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In the course of just two years
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he Ephesian
paganism is going bankrupt.
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There's a riot in Ephesus.
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They sent people
to look for Paul,
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they can't find
Paul, but unfortunately
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they find two of Paul's buddies
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walking down the street
one day and they grab them
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and they drag them
into this big old stadium,
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this big theater.
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And in this
theater, these two guys,
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representatives of Paul,
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representatives of
the Christian message
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are put on display.
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They are made a spectacle
before Ephesian society
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and it's
fascinating as I alluded
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to last night that the word--
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that word is only found
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three times in the entire Bible,
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that word theatron
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where we get the
word spectacle from.
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That word is found
three times in scripture,
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one time in 1st Corinthians
4 and the other two places
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where you find this
word is in Acts Chapter 19.
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in this very
instance where these disciples
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are in the stadium
and there's a huge riot.
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Why's there a riot?
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Because people
are getting nervous,
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because the Ephesians
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are losing
confidence in their ways.
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They are losing
confidence in their culture.
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They are losing
confidence in their religion.
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They are losing confidence
in their picture of the gods.
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Why?
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It wasn't because Paul directly
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came into town to
attack Ephesian paganism.
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Paul didn't come
into town with his boys
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and throw dirt at
society or at culture.
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The Bible tells us
that they could not be
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accused of such things.
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Which is very
powerful because the reason
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that the gospel was
able to triumph in Ephesus
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is simply because
Paul was presenting
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some thing even better
than one Ephesus had to offer.
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He didn't have to open his mouth
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to say anything
else because he presented
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the truths of Christianity,
the truth of the gospel
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in such a compelling and
accurate in beautiful way
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that it wasn't
even necessary to say
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anything else and, and--
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and the temple in
Ephesus came tumbling down.
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We read how the
clerk of that city
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had to storm into the stadium
to save these two poor guys.
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He makes his big
speech explaining
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that these men are innocent
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and then at the
end of it he says look,
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if you guys have
any real evidence
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against these
Christians, bring it to court,
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you know the system.
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If not, shut up
and get out of here.
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That's essentially what happens
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at the end of
the Acts Chapter 19.
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The people are
taken out of the stadium
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and the next thing tha
you read in the Book of Acts
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is that Paul packs his bags
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because the Holy Spirit
looks at his watch and he says,
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okay, Paul, your
work here is done.
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The rest of these boys
will take care of this town.
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Now it's time
for you to move on,
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because they're not finished
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conquering the
Mediterranean world.
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So now we enter
into Acts Chapter 20
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where Paul now is
leaving this scene in Ephesus
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and now he is going on
the scenic traveling journey,
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this missionary journey.
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He is going to Jerusalem
but on his way to Jerusalem,
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he makes different stops
to visit different churches
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that he have founded
in order to encourage
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the saints and remind them
what this thing is all about.
00:09:56.71\00:10:00.23
So in Acts Chapter 20 you
find Paul having a meeting
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with Ephesian
elders and he is praying
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and they are crying
00:10:04.90\00:10:06.23
and they are
saying their goodbyes
00:10:06.26\00:10:08.32
and Paul's gone
and in Acts Chapter 21,
00:10:08.35\00:10:11.12
Paul arrives in Jerusalem.
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Everybody warned him,
don't go to Jerusalem.
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Paul, do not go to Jerusalem.
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The scene is not
friendly back home.
00:10:20.34\00:10:23.43
The rumors have been
traveling very, very quickly.
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People are beginning to
get very nervous about you.
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Don't go back to Jerusalem.
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And Paul says, God has called me
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to go back to Jerusalem.
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So Paul enters his
journey and he eventually
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gets to Jerusalem.
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When he arrives in
Jerusalem, the brethren,
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the church that
receives them says,
00:10:44.29\00:10:46.61
Paul, we need you to
make a very loud statement
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to the brethren
here in the city.
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They are getting
nervous that you are teaching
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some new thing, you are teaching
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some new doctrines, we
need you to demonstrate
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that they have
nothing to be worried about
00:10:59.99\00:11:02.46
that you are upholding,
that you are upholding truth,
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so they basically convince
him to go into the temple
00:11:05.89\00:11:08.80
and just basically
make himself visibly known
00:11:08.83\00:11:12.44
that he is supportive.
00:11:12.47\00:11:14.42
Right?
00:11:14.45\00:11:16.10
And this is where
we pick up our story.
00:11:16.13\00:11:18.23
I'm trying to just
show you that this is--
00:11:18.26\00:11:20.28
we are just following
the narrative from Ephesus
00:11:20.31\00:11:26.35
back to Jerusalem
and as I begin to read,
00:11:26.38\00:11:29.22
I want you to notice
the intentional parallels
00:11:29.25\00:11:32.99
that Luke is framing here.
00:11:33.02\00:11:35.10
When you read
this in Acts Chapter 21
00:11:35.13\00:11:37.70
about Paul in Jerusalem,
00:11:37.73\00:11:39.65
Luke wants you to have
Ephesus on the back of your mind
00:11:39.68\00:11:43.22
and you'll see
what I mean by that.
00:11:43.25\00:11:44.61
There's another temple
here that is in danger.
00:11:44.64\00:11:49.49
There's another riot
here that takes place.
00:11:49.52\00:11:52.92
There's another
official that has to storm
00:11:52.95\00:11:55.21
in to stop the riot.
00:11:55.24\00:11:56.63
You have two temples, two riots,
00:11:56.66\00:12:00.26
two systems of belief
that are going bankrupt
00:12:00.29\00:12:03.35
only because of the
gospel that Paul is preaching.
00:12:03.38\00:12:05.13
Okay.
00:12:05.16\00:12:06.23
If you are in Acts Chapter
21 and if you are in verse 26,
00:12:06.26\00:12:11.54
I need to hear a
loud amen. Amen. Okay.
00:12:11.57\00:12:13.99
That's my permission
to read Acts Chapter 21
00:12:14.02\00:12:16.82
and I'm beginning from verse 26
and let's follow the story here
00:12:16.85\00:12:19.88
and see what the Holy
Ghost has for us here.
00:12:19.91\00:12:23.01
Paul took the men
companions with him
00:12:23.04\00:12:28.07
and the next day,
having been purified with them,
00:12:28.10\00:12:31.66
going through
different ceremonies,
00:12:31.69\00:12:33.29
they entered the
temple to announce
00:12:33.32\00:12:36.30
the expiration of
the days of purification,
00:12:36.33\00:12:39.98
at which time in
offering should be
00:12:40.01\00:12:42.90
made for each one of them."
00:12:42.93\00:12:44.50
Verse 27, "Now
when the seven days
00:12:44.53\00:12:46.82
were almost ended,
the Jews from Asia."
00:12:46.85\00:12:50.33
Now stop right
there the Jews from where.
00:12:50.36\00:12:52.84
Where is Asia?
00:12:52.87\00:12:54.50
Now you know in scripture
00:12:54.53\00:12:55.58
we are not
speaking of our Eastern Asia
00:12:55.61\00:12:57.98
as we think of.
00:12:58.01\00:12:59.05
We are thinking of the
Asian province of Rome.
00:12:59.08\00:13:02.26
We are talking about Turkey,
we are talking about Ephesus.
00:13:02.29\00:13:06.26
They are Jews
that are in Jerusalem
00:13:06.29\00:13:09.84
this very moment
and they are walking
00:13:09.87\00:13:11.94
by the temple
and they look inside
00:13:11.97\00:13:13.43
and they're like
ooh, is that Paul?
00:13:13.46\00:13:18.73
Watch what happens?
00:13:18.76\00:13:20.13
They recognized
Paul and seeing him,
00:13:20.16\00:13:24.45
verse 27, "They are
seeing him in the temple,
00:13:24.48\00:13:26.29
they stirred up the whole crowd"
00:13:26.32\00:13:28.98
and they did what?
00:13:29.01\00:13:30.05
What does your Bible
say? "They laid hands on him."
00:13:30.08\00:13:32.45
I want you to notice that
00:13:32.48\00:13:33.53
because the first
guy that lays his hands
00:13:33.56\00:13:38.92
on Paul from that very
second that's the last time
00:13:38.95\00:13:43.21
in the entire Bible in
the entire record of Acts
00:13:43.24\00:13:46.04
that Paul is a free man.
00:13:46.07\00:13:48.61
The minute the
first guy touches him,
00:13:48.64\00:13:50.08
from that second all the way,
00:13:50.11\00:13:52.25
read through the
entire book of Acts
00:13:52.28\00:13:54.16
Paul is in custody,
00:13:54.19\00:13:55.79
Paul is a prisoner
from that very second, okay.
00:13:55.82\00:13:59.67
They catch him in the temple.
They make a big scene of it.
00:13:59.70\00:14:02.52
Why are they making
a big stir about it?
00:14:02.55\00:14:05.02
Why are they
making a big scene of it?
00:14:05.05\00:14:07.06
Verse 28 describes what
is the nature of this riot.
00:14:07.09\00:14:12.49
We're not in Ephesus any more.
00:14:12.52\00:14:14.19
We are back home.
We are in Jerusalem?
00:14:14.22\00:14:16.74
We are back in the headquarters.
00:14:16.77\00:14:18.73
Verse 28, "They are crying out."
00:14:18.76\00:14:21.41
And what do they cry
out. "Men of Israel help."
00:14:21.44\00:14:27.39
Get the visual guys.
00:14:27.42\00:14:29.37
By the way this will
make an amazing movie.
00:14:29.40\00:14:32.09
They are holding on to
Paul and they're like help,
00:14:32.12\00:14:34.69
help there's like 8,
9 guys grabbing on Paul.
00:14:34.72\00:14:37.41
First of all Paul
and the scholars tell us
00:14:37.44\00:14:41.22
Paul wasn't a big dude, right?
00:14:41.25\00:14:43.59
Paul is worn and torn,
he is not putting up a fight
00:14:43.62\00:14:46.52
and they're like help, help us
00:14:46.55\00:14:48.07
and they are grabbing on to Paul
00:14:48.10\00:14:49.74
and they are men of Israel help.
00:14:49.77\00:14:51.63
This is the
guy, I'm in verse 28.
00:14:51.66\00:14:54.44
This is the man who teaches
all men everywhere against.
00:14:54.47\00:14:59.86
Okay, now I want you
to listen here carefully
00:14:59.89\00:15:02.15
'cause this is the whole
thing, this is the whole show.
00:15:02.18\00:15:04.49
This is the guy
that has traveled
00:15:04.52\00:15:07.58
the world teaching against.
00:15:07.61\00:15:11.38
Okay, there are three
things that they will mention.
00:15:11.41\00:15:15.48
There are three things,
there are three accusations
00:15:15.51\00:15:18.94
that Paul is teaching against.
00:15:18.97\00:15:21.57
There are three things
that Paul is attacking.
00:15:21.60\00:15:25.19
There are three things
00:15:25.22\00:15:26.25
that they are
very nervous about.
00:15:26.28\00:15:28.66
What are those three things?
00:15:31.59\00:15:33.93
They are teaching
against the people.
00:15:33.96\00:15:36.93
They are
teaching against the law
00:15:36.96\00:15:39.70
and he is teaching
against this place.
00:15:39.73\00:15:43.59
The people, the
law, and this place.
00:15:43.62\00:15:47.14
Can you guys say it
would be helpful to me
00:15:47.17\00:15:48.88
if you say that
with me, the people,
00:15:48.91\00:15:52.17
the law, and this place.
00:15:52.20\00:15:54.05
Say one more time, the
people, the law, and this place.
00:15:54.08\00:15:58.50
In other words
the people identity,
00:16:01.40\00:16:04.89
the law, the message,
00:16:04.92\00:16:08.80
this place they are
talking about the temple.
00:16:08.83\00:16:10.91
They are on the
temple precincts.
00:16:10.94\00:16:12.73
This place the temple,
so their place in the world,
00:16:12.76\00:16:16.98
okay, so their
identity, their message
00:16:17.01\00:16:21.55
and their place in the world,
can you say that one with me.
00:16:21.58\00:16:24.96
Their identity, their message
00:16:24.99\00:16:27.99
and their place in
the world the people,
00:16:28.02\00:16:30.87
the law, this place,
our identity our message
00:16:30.90\00:16:35.17
and our place in this world.
00:16:35.20\00:16:38.98
This is very profound
to me because the follow up
00:16:39.01\00:16:43.39
from Ephesus here
is very interesting.
00:16:43.42\00:16:45.32
Ephesus tells
us everything about
00:16:45.35\00:16:48.30
Christianity in
action in paganism.
00:16:48.34\00:16:52.44
And now back in
Jerusalem this is Christianity
00:16:52.47\00:16:55.26
in action in the
Judeo-Christian context, okay.
00:16:55.29\00:16:59.85
Ephesus is out
there in the world.
00:16:59.88\00:17:01.52
Jerusalem is
back home in church.
00:17:01.55\00:17:05.85
Now let's break
these down one by one.
00:17:05.88\00:17:10.24
This is the guy who
teaches against the people.
00:17:10.27\00:17:12.61
Now who are the people?
00:17:12.64\00:17:13.68
Who do you assume that
they are speaking about?
00:17:13.71\00:17:15.92
It wasn't a trick question.
00:17:20.40\00:17:23.09
The Jews right, they
are speaking about Israel.
00:17:23.12\00:17:26.07
This is the guy that
speaks against Israel.
00:17:26.10\00:17:29.21
No way, Paul
wasn't speaking about
00:17:29.24\00:17:33.98
Israel or against Israel.
00:17:34.01\00:17:35.78
Paul wasn't
teaching against the people.
00:17:35.81\00:17:38.21
Paul wasn't
attacking the nation of Israel.
00:17:38.24\00:17:42.84
Wasn't it Paul that
loved the Jews passionately.
00:17:42.87\00:17:47.52
Wasn't it Paul in
Romans, what is it in Chapter 9
00:17:47.55\00:17:50.19
that says,
actually I'm going to read
00:17:50.22\00:17:51.59
that very quickly to you here.
00:17:51.62\00:17:53.73
Very quickly, you
don't have to follow me
00:17:53.76\00:17:55.14
just believe me, just trust me
00:17:55.17\00:17:58.65
as you are not
supposed to trust any preacher.
00:17:58.68\00:18:01.26
Romans 9:1 I tell
the truth in Christ,
00:18:01.29\00:18:04.10
I'm not lying, my
conscience bearing me
00:18:04.13\00:18:07.58
witness in the Holy Spirit.
00:18:07.61\00:18:08.88
Verse 2 Romans Chapter
9, "I have great sorrow
00:18:08.91\00:18:12.42
and continual grief in my heart.
00:18:12.45\00:18:14.58
Are you
listening to this language?
00:18:14.61\00:18:16.94
What are you
sorrowful about Paul? Verse 3,
00:18:16.97\00:18:18.86
"I could wish that
I myself were accursed
00:18:18.89\00:18:23.92
from Christ for my brethren,
00:18:23.95\00:18:26.81
for my countrymen
according to the flesh verse 4
00:18:26.84\00:18:29.88
they're the Israelites,
they have the adoption,
00:18:29.91\00:18:33.46
the glory, the convenience,
the giving of the law,
00:18:33.49\00:18:35.79
the service of God,
the promises verse 5,
00:18:35.82\00:18:39.15
"Of whom are the fathers
00:18:39.18\00:18:41.00
and from whom according to
the flesh Jesus Christ came
00:18:41.03\00:18:44.58
who is over all the
eternally blessed God, amen."
00:18:44.61\00:18:47.34
Paul said I love the
Jews; I love Israel so much
00:18:47.37\00:18:51.38
that if I had the
option, I would be accursed
00:18:51.41\00:18:55.23
from Christ for them.
00:18:55.26\00:18:58.74
You know what that means?
00:18:58.77\00:19:00.92
That doesn't mean
00:19:00.95\00:19:01.98
he's just going to die for them.
00:19:02.01\00:19:03.67
It means he wants to
be accursed from Christ.
00:19:03.70\00:19:07.41
He would rather be a lost man
00:19:07.44\00:19:09.47
if by him being lost,
Israel could be saved.
00:19:09.50\00:19:11.75
Let me ask you a question.
Did Paul love his people?
00:19:11.78\00:19:15.43
Yes or no? Mercy, Paul
wasn't attacking the people?
00:19:15.46\00:19:22.99
What was Paul doing?
00:19:23.02\00:19:25.37
Paul was
teaching that just being
00:19:25.40\00:19:27.41
merely a Jew wasn't sufficient.
00:19:27.44\00:19:30.75
Paul was teaching
that God was not just
00:19:30.78\00:19:33.84
the God of the Jews
00:19:33.87\00:19:34.92
but God was also
the God of the gentiles.
00:19:34.95\00:19:39.38
Paul was teaching
that that Jesus or that God
00:19:39.41\00:19:42.30
was at work not
only within Judaism,
00:19:42.33\00:19:45.78
not only within
Israel but that God was busy,
00:19:45.81\00:19:49.69
that God was working,
00:19:49.72\00:19:51.57
that God was active
with the gentiles...
00:19:51.60\00:19:55.81
that made them
nervous and it turns out
00:20:00.07\00:20:03.56
in everyone of these points
that we are going to cover,
00:20:03.59\00:20:05.57
all Paul is
doing is copying Jesus.
00:20:05.60\00:20:08.62
Everything Paul said
about the nation of Israel.
00:20:08.65\00:20:11.11
Everything Paul
said about the Jews.
00:20:11.14\00:20:12.41
Everything I've just said
Paul was just copying Jesus.
00:20:12.44\00:20:17.34
They interpreted it as an attack
00:20:17.37\00:20:20.06
against their own
identity to hear that God
00:20:20.09\00:20:23.57
was not just
active in their midst
00:20:23.60\00:20:27.07
and in their temple
in among their people
00:20:27.10\00:20:29.98
but that God was also active
with the outsiders as well.
00:20:30.01\00:20:32.97
They were like, whoa, whoa.
00:20:33.00\00:20:36.51
Was this business
about God being busy
00:20:36.54\00:20:38.57
and active out there?
00:20:38.60\00:20:42.09
He is the God of Israel.
00:20:42.12\00:20:43.16
Are you
catching what I'm saying?
00:20:43.19\00:20:44.30
Can you catch the
atmosphere what's going on here?
00:20:44.33\00:20:47.32
It was a touchy situation.
00:20:47.35\00:20:49.06
He's speaking
against the people.
00:20:49.09\00:20:50.87
Our identity is at risk.
00:20:50.90\00:20:55.34
And he is
speaking against the law.
00:20:55.37\00:20:57.14
He is minimizing our message.
00:21:02.74\00:21:06.98
Paul exalted the law.
00:21:07.01\00:21:08.45
By the way we're not just
talking about the tinkerman,
00:21:08.48\00:21:10.14
we're just talking
about the law in the sense,
00:21:10.17\00:21:11.58
the mosaic literature.
00:21:11.61\00:21:12.72
We are talking about
the writings of Moses.
00:21:12.75\00:21:14.28
We are talking
about the Pentateuch.
00:21:14.31\00:21:15.84
We are talking about the
system of Hebrew culture.
00:21:15.87\00:21:19.47
We are talking
about the message.
00:21:19.50\00:21:21.58
Paul thought that
the law pointed out sin
00:21:25.11\00:21:27.69
and then pointed the
sinner to the savior.
00:21:27.72\00:21:30.66
That's what Paul thought.
00:21:30.69\00:21:32.93
Paul thought that justification
00:21:32.96\00:21:36.06
did not come
through the stuff we do,
00:21:36.09\00:21:39.47
but the justification comes
00:21:39.50\00:21:40.93
because of the
stuff that God does.
00:21:40.96\00:21:43.35
Amen. That's what
Paul was teaching.
00:21:43.38\00:21:46.42
That the law was
not in end of itself.
00:21:46.45\00:21:50.09
He put the law in
the gospel context.
00:21:50.12\00:21:53.41
It's part of a bigger thing
within the covenant of God.
00:21:53.44\00:21:57.84
It's a bigger thing.
00:21:57.87\00:22:00.49
When they heard that, they said,
00:22:00.52\00:22:02.73
oh, he's attacking our message.
00:22:02.76\00:22:04.03
He is attacking the law.
00:22:04.06\00:22:07.19
By the way, do
you remember the story
00:22:07.22\00:22:10.93
where in Acts
Chapter 10 the gospel
00:22:10.96\00:22:16.15
is going to the gentiles?
00:22:16.18\00:22:19.74
Do you remember the
story where God calls Peter
00:22:19.77\00:22:23.42
and He says Peter I have a
divine appointment for you.
00:22:23.45\00:22:27.25
There's a man his name is...
00:22:27.28\00:22:29.22
Can you help me Bible students.
00:22:29.25\00:22:31.41
Cornelius, his
name is Cornelius,
00:22:31.44\00:22:35.36
here are the GPS coordinates,
I need you to go to his house
00:22:35.39\00:22:39.05
because the Holy Spirit
has set up an appointment
00:22:39.08\00:22:42.95
and this man is waiting to hear
00:22:42.98\00:22:45.13
because he is right at the
gate and God is calling him
00:22:45.16\00:22:48.50
and his people to be part
of the covenantal promises
00:22:48.53\00:22:52.22
and Peter says what?
00:22:52.25\00:22:53.96
The Holy Spirit leads
Peter to Cornelius' house
00:22:57.34\00:22:59.96
and in Acts Chapter 10
this is completely bizarre
00:22:59.99\00:23:02.63
and related to
the second point here.
00:23:02.66\00:23:04.73
In Acts Chapter
10 when Peter goes
00:23:04.76\00:23:07.35
and he makes it
to Cornelius' house.
00:23:07.38\00:23:09.76
Do you remember
what he says before--
00:23:09.79\00:23:12.04
as he walks in the door,
00:23:12.07\00:23:13.69
he knows there's a bunch
of gentiles in that house
00:23:13.72\00:23:16.29
and he is a good Jew.
00:23:16.32\00:23:18.38
Right? This is not right.
We are not supposed to do this.
00:23:18.41\00:23:22.99
listen to what it says,
00:23:23.02\00:23:25.18
it says, "And he says to
them, you are very well aware
00:23:25.21\00:23:32.87
that it is
against our law for a Jew
00:23:32.90\00:23:37.64
to associate with a gentile."
00:23:37.67\00:23:42.30
Now wait a second Peter
says it is against our law.
00:23:42.33\00:23:47.04
What does that mean?
00:23:47.07\00:23:48.94
It was God who sent Peter
to go to Cornelius' house.
00:23:48.97\00:23:52.11
It was Jesus who sent
him to go talk to Cornelius,
00:23:52.14\00:23:55.70
so when Peter says
it's against our law
00:23:55.73\00:23:59.10
for a Jew to
associate with the gentile,
00:23:59.13\00:24:01.42
what law was
Peter talking about?
00:24:01.45\00:24:03.49
Brothers and sisters,
please let this one sink in.
00:24:06.31\00:24:09.32
Is it possible that sometimes
our law may not be God's law?
00:24:09.35\00:24:16.56
Is it possible that
our law may even be...
00:24:19.53\00:24:24.58
against the current
of what God's law is?
00:24:26.67\00:24:31.20
As a church in
Adventism, we have a--
00:24:31.23\00:24:35.32
what I should say
Adventism is a tradition
00:24:35.35\00:24:37.83
that is very much
against the traditions of men
00:24:37.86\00:24:40.43
and rightfully
so and very helpful
00:24:40.46\00:24:42.73
to be able to
distinguish, but is it possible
00:24:42.76\00:24:46.28
that within Adventist
culture that we can easily
00:24:46.31\00:24:50.19
find ourselves making
our own narrow traditions
00:24:50.22\00:24:54.95
that eclipse
God's bigger vision.
00:24:54.98\00:24:57.15
Is that possible?
00:24:57.18\00:24:59.32
Here you have a man, a disciple
00:24:59.35\00:25:01.03
who sent to
speak to this seeker,
00:25:01.06\00:25:03.59
but he has all
of these inhibitions
00:25:03.62\00:25:06.55
because his law
doesn't permit him to do that
00:25:06.58\00:25:08.72
and he just turns out
at the end of the story
00:25:08.75\00:25:11.41
that after all his law had
nothing to do with God's law.
00:25:11.44\00:25:15.44
Brothers and sisters...
00:25:15.47\00:25:16.51
I have noticed this spiritual
journey of growing in Jesus
00:25:19.90\00:25:23.69
where you begin to realize
00:25:23.72\00:25:25.69
that there's a
whole lot of things
00:25:25.72\00:25:26.99
that I felt were
God's law that turns out
00:25:27.02\00:25:29.10
just to be Jeffry's law.
00:25:29.13\00:25:32.12
Anybody else? Am I the only one?
00:25:32.15\00:25:34.39
Am I the only weirdo?
00:25:34.42\00:25:36.61
It's a process of spiritual,
it's a spiritual journey too,
00:25:36.64\00:25:40.36
to continue to walk in Christ
00:25:40.39\00:25:42.28
and to realize what is
Jesus actually representing.
00:25:42.31\00:25:46.53
Who is Jesus? What is He like?
00:25:46.56\00:25:48.44
And what is the law
thing all about so in summary
00:25:48.47\00:25:51.39
what I want to say.
00:25:51.42\00:25:53.00
If it's not, it is written
00:25:53.03\00:25:56.47
and if it's not in the revealed
writings of the prophets
00:25:56.50\00:26:00.53
then keep it to
yourself or just let it go.
00:26:00.56\00:26:07.82
Can you say amen to that? Amen.
00:26:07.85\00:26:09.90
Peter had a huge paradigm shift.
00:26:09.93\00:26:11.88
He was like wait a second what!
00:26:11.91\00:26:14.96
This is part of
God's bigger vision.
00:26:14.99\00:26:16.74
It was huge paradigm.
00:26:16.77\00:26:18.17
Okay, rewind, Paul in Jerusalem,
00:26:18.20\00:26:22.26
he is against our law.
00:26:22.29\00:26:24.33
No, he is not.
00:26:24.36\00:26:25.49
Paul was elevating the
law in a more powerful way,
00:26:25.52\00:26:29.85
bringing more
attention and more emphasis
00:26:29.88\00:26:32.51
to what the law was
actually intended to be.
00:26:32.54\00:26:37.21
It was intended to be
00:26:37.24\00:26:38.83
a marker to
point us to the savior.
00:26:38.86\00:26:43.85
The third point we
find in Acts Chapter 21...
00:26:43.88\00:26:45.97
after he's against the people
and after he's against the law,
00:26:48.17\00:26:52.13
Paul is accused of
being against this place.
00:26:52.16\00:26:57.94
He is referring to the temple.
00:26:57.97\00:26:59.05
They are referring to
the temple, to their place.
00:26:59.08\00:27:02.48
The temple becomes
00:27:02.51\00:27:03.57
a symbol of their
place on this earth.
00:27:03.60\00:27:07.43
Okay.
00:27:07.46\00:27:08.52
Their place in the
world, this is the language
00:27:08.55\00:27:10.52
I'd like to use here.
00:27:10.55\00:27:13.54
And notice what they say
00:27:13.57\00:27:15.97
in the very second
half of this verse 28.
00:27:16.00\00:27:18.59
"Not only is he
against this place
00:27:18.62\00:27:21.58
and further more
or you can just say
00:27:21.61\00:27:24.71
and even worse he also
brought Greeks into the temple
00:27:24.74\00:27:30.96
and he has
defiled this holy place."
00:27:30.99\00:27:35.36
They were concerned that Paul
00:27:35.39\00:27:37.91
was bringing people into church
00:27:37.94\00:27:39.60
that should not
step foot in church.
00:27:39.63\00:27:43.39
Are you guys hearing me?
00:27:43.42\00:27:45.60
They were concerned
that Paul was bringing
00:27:45.63\00:27:48.41
the temple into way too
close contact with the gentiles
00:27:48.44\00:27:54.11
or you can flip
that thing around
00:27:54.14\00:27:55.33
that Paul was
bringing the gentiles
00:27:55.36\00:27:57.73
into far too close
contact with the temple.
00:27:57.76\00:28:01.87
Are you with me?
00:28:01.90\00:28:04.92
It's bizarre that an
accusation would even be
00:28:04.95\00:28:07.18
written that Paul is guilty
of bringing Greeks to church.
00:28:07.21\00:28:10.87
Brothers and sisters,
00:28:10.90\00:28:11.93
what again was
the purpose of church.
00:28:11.96\00:28:13.66
Forgive Paul for actually
reading the Old Testament.
00:28:17.56\00:28:21.59
Forgive Paul for actually
listening to the prophets.
00:28:21.62\00:28:26.17
Forgive Paul guilty as charged
00:28:26.20\00:28:28.98
for taking the writings of Moses
00:28:29.01\00:28:31.33
in the Major and
Minor Prophets seriously,
00:28:31.36\00:28:34.41
because at the
end of the day, folks,
00:28:34.44\00:28:36.28
when you read Isaiah Chapter 56.
00:28:36.31\00:28:39.16
When you read Isaiah Chapter 56,
00:28:39.19\00:28:40.95
if you'll turn up
with me and verse--
00:28:40.98\00:28:44.89
I wish we had
unlimited attention span
00:28:44.92\00:28:46.96
'cause I would fully
read this entire passage
00:28:46.99\00:28:48.92
but I won't do that to you.
00:28:48.95\00:28:50.35
Isaiah Chapter 56,
00:28:50.38\00:28:52.33
a description of the
salvation of the gentiles
00:28:52.36\00:28:56.84
and in this very chapter
the summary is basically this.
00:28:56.87\00:29:00.69
God has a passion to swing
the doors open of the church
00:29:00.72\00:29:03.76
so that the gentiles can
come in and God guarantees
00:29:03.79\00:29:08.23
that for those
gentiles who are seeking to meet
00:29:08.26\00:29:10.55
the God of Israel that the
door will never be shut on them
00:29:10.58\00:29:14.62
and then you
jump down to verse 7.
00:29:14.65\00:29:17.39
"Even them, the gentiles,
00:29:17.42\00:29:19.06
I will bring to
my holy mountain,
00:29:19.09\00:29:21.42
and make them joyful
in my house of prayer.
00:29:21.45\00:29:25.19
Their burnt
offerings and their sacrifices
00:29:25.22\00:29:27.65
will be accepted on my altar."
00:29:27.68\00:29:32.42
And then he says, "For my house
00:29:32.45\00:29:34.32
shall we called
a house of prayer
00:29:34.35\00:29:37.10
for how many nations, folks?
00:29:37.13\00:29:39.45
For all nations.
00:29:39.48\00:29:41.41
He is talking
about the foreigners.
00:29:41.44\00:29:43.31
It's talking about the gentiles.
00:29:43.34\00:29:46.25
And it turns out once
again that all Paul was doing
00:29:46.28\00:29:49.89
was copying with Jesus himself
00:29:49.92\00:29:52.51
would have said if he
was standing right there
00:29:52.54\00:29:54.47
because you remember
00:29:54.50\00:29:56.16
that when Jesus
enters the temple
00:29:56.19\00:29:58.14
and He walks in
during His earthly ministry
00:29:58.17\00:30:01.09
he looks like--
00:30:01.12\00:30:03.32
This doesn't resemble in anyway
00:30:03.35\00:30:05.55
what the whole purpose of
this thing will suppose to be
00:30:05.58\00:30:07.53
You remember when He
begins to cleanse the temple,
00:30:07.56\00:30:10.67
you remember when
people begin to freak out
00:30:10.70\00:30:13.18
and say, who is this and
what on earth is he doing?
00:30:13.21\00:30:16.85
Do you remember what
Jesus said in Mathews 21:13?
00:30:16.88\00:30:22.08
He says "My house shall be a
house of prefer all nations."
00:30:22.11\00:30:28.66
He quotes Isaiah Chapter 56.
00:30:28.69\00:30:31.94
Was Paul preaching
against the temple, guys?
00:30:31.97\00:30:34.73
Absolutely not.
00:30:34.76\00:30:35.84
Was Paul, was Paul bringing
gentiles into the temple?
00:30:35.87\00:30:40.56
As a matter of fact
it actually turns out
00:30:40.59\00:30:42.36
if you read the
next couple of verses
00:30:42.39\00:30:43.45
that it was even
a false accusation.
00:30:43.48\00:30:45.04
There was no evidence
that Paul had even brought
00:30:45.07\00:30:47.15
a Greek into the temple.
00:30:47.18\00:30:48.29
Matter of fact when
you read Acts Chapter 21
00:30:48.32\00:30:50.74
a basically Luke tells you
00:30:50.77\00:30:53.02
that it was
based on an assumption.
00:30:53.05\00:30:55.48
He says here in verse 29
"For they had previously seen
00:30:55.51\00:30:58.82
Trophimus the
Ephesian with Paul in the city,
00:30:58.85\00:31:03.34
and they just supposed
00:31:03.37\00:31:04.85
that Paul had
brought him into the temple."
00:31:04.88\00:31:07.67
And all the city was disturbed
00:31:07.70\00:31:09.33
and there was a
crazy riot that came out
00:31:09.36\00:31:11.69
and there were literally
gonna rip Paul apart to pieces
00:31:11.72\00:31:16.04
if it wasn't for the
officials that stormed in
00:31:16.07\00:31:19.72
and broke out the riot
in exactly the same passion
00:31:19.75\00:31:23.47
as you read about in Ephesians--
00:31:23.50\00:31:25.51
excuse me, in Acts Chapter
19 in the Ephesians episode.
00:31:25.54\00:31:28.58
This is basically
history repeating itself.
00:31:28.61\00:31:30.74
Luke is showing
you a pattern here
00:31:30.77\00:31:33.09
of what's taking place
when the gospel is unleashed
00:31:33.12\00:31:37.02
and up against the penetrated
into existing cultures
00:31:37.05\00:31:40.24
even religious culture.
00:31:40.27\00:31:41.30
Here's my summary
guys, here's the point,
00:31:41.33\00:31:43.55
tonight's
message it pretty simple,
00:31:43.58\00:31:46.07
is pretty straight forward.
00:31:46.10\00:31:47.62
Paul wasn't attacking the nation
00:31:47.65\00:31:49.87
or the law or the
temple but His gospel expose
00:31:49.90\00:31:54.60
their false conceptions
of their own identity,
00:31:54.63\00:31:58.67
of their own message
00:31:58.70\00:32:00.19
and of their own
place in this world.
00:32:00.22\00:32:04.00
Can I say that one more time?
00:32:04.03\00:32:05.89
His gospel exposed
their false conceptions
00:32:05.92\00:32:11.11
or perceptions of
their own religion,
00:32:11.14\00:32:13.46
their own
identity, their own message
00:32:13.49\00:32:16.89
and their own
place in this world.
00:32:16.92\00:32:20.77
That's why they reacted
because they felt threatened.
00:32:20.80\00:32:23.51
The light shined in placed
that made them feel vulnerable.
00:32:23.54\00:32:27.08
It was better for them to remain
00:32:27.11\00:32:29.00
devoted to their
version of religion.
00:32:29.03\00:32:33.47
Safer for them
to remain committed
00:32:33.50\00:32:38.34
to their caricature of God,
00:32:38.37\00:32:40.35
to their picture of what
the whole thing was about.
00:32:40.38\00:32:46.46
In the minute that
came into close contact
00:32:46.49\00:32:50.37
with a message of
Paul everything changed
00:32:50.40\00:32:55.41
because
everything became apparent
00:32:55.44\00:32:57.21
that this was a threat.
00:32:57.24\00:32:58.45
Brothers and sisters...
00:32:58.48\00:33:01.99
is it possible to be committed
00:33:02.02\00:33:04.86
to a religious
reputation or to a morality,
00:33:04.89\00:33:11.50
while at the same
time not actually being
00:33:11.53\00:33:13.76
committed to Christ?
00:33:13.79\00:33:15.04
Jesus was a
threat to their religion.
00:33:20.29\00:33:24.67
As I was sitting reading
this my wife looked at me
00:33:24.70\00:33:26.97
and she said you know,
00:33:27.00\00:33:31.27
everything you are reading there
00:33:31.30\00:33:34.88
the thing that came
to my mind is a question.
00:33:34.91\00:33:38.38
And I said what question?
00:33:38.41\00:33:39.46
And she said, the question is
Jesus a threat to my Adventism?
00:33:39.49\00:33:46.72
And I was like oh, that's
what wives are for, right?
00:33:46.75\00:33:52.78
And she said that's
your title for that sermon,
00:33:52.81\00:33:54.64
is Jesus a threat to
your Adventism or is Jesus
00:33:54.67\00:33:58.65
a threat to your Christianity?
00:33:58.68\00:34:00.91
Can we take that?
00:34:00.94\00:34:02.98
Can we put that in our pockets?
00:34:03.01\00:34:05.50
Is Jesus a
threat to my Adventism?
00:34:05.53\00:34:10.83
That gives me a creep,
00:34:10.86\00:34:11.89
the creeps to just even
think about that question.
00:34:11.92\00:34:13.90
Let me tell you
something that...
00:34:13.93\00:34:15.44
was spent down in a
way that I can't repeat.
00:34:17.67\00:34:19.22
Here what it says at this point,
00:34:19.25\00:34:23.12
let us pause for a moment
00:34:23.15\00:34:25.05
in our religious
enthusiasm for the law,
00:34:25.08\00:34:29.52
for the strictness of order,
for sectarian contentions,
00:34:29.55\00:34:33.03
for pharisaical distinctions
and ask the question.
00:34:33.06\00:34:37.83
What affect our
lives having on the world
00:34:37.86\00:34:43.62
which is watching us?
00:34:43.65\00:34:46.62
At the end of the day
Paul's visit to Jerusalem
00:34:46.65\00:34:49.96
was a visit were God
would expose the reason
00:34:49.99\00:34:53.46
why the nation was
not spectacle in the sense
00:34:53.49\00:34:58.71
that God intend
it to be, it exposed.
00:34:58.74\00:35:01.32
The reason why that culture
00:35:01.35\00:35:04.20
wasn't a magnet to
the nations around them
00:35:04.23\00:35:06.80
because, they totally
eclipse the whole thing,
00:35:06.83\00:35:11.03
they got it all wrong
00:35:11.06\00:35:12.19
and they put the
emphasis in the wrong places.
00:35:12.22\00:35:14.45
And matter of fact,
00:35:14.48\00:35:15.51
when Jesus came into this world,
00:35:15.54\00:35:18.42
Jesus found the religious
landscape a complete mess.
00:35:18.45\00:35:22.36
Do you remember that when Jesus
00:35:22.39\00:35:23.44
came to this
world He found Judaism
00:35:23.47\00:35:28.16
with two primary expressions?
00:35:28.19\00:35:30.09
Last year we were
kind of reflecting on this.
00:35:30.12\00:35:32.04
Do you remember
00:35:32.07\00:35:33.11
the two prominent expressions
of Judaism in Jesus' day?
00:35:33.14\00:35:37.83
It's what the New
Testament calls them
00:35:37.86\00:35:39.55
the Pharisees and
then the Sadducees, right.
00:35:39.58\00:35:45.38
To completely opposite poles.
00:35:45.41\00:35:48.55
You have this culture in
society trying to figure out
00:35:48.58\00:35:52.58
how to relate to the world.
00:35:52.61\00:35:54.25
How does the covenant,
00:35:54.28\00:35:56.21
how does the
promises of God relate
00:35:56.24\00:35:58.74
to society and culture around us
00:35:58.77\00:36:00.93
and the solution to that took
two completely different roads?
00:36:00.96\00:36:05.67
As you know the Pharisees
00:36:05.70\00:36:06.73
were primarily
concerned to protect,
00:36:06.76\00:36:11.78
to protect the religion against
00:36:11.81\00:36:14.59
the corrupting
influences of Greek culture.
00:36:14.62\00:36:18.60
Their entire
framework their posture
00:36:18.63\00:36:20.78
was protection
okay, it was defense.
00:36:20.81\00:36:25.83
And because of
that they ended up
00:36:25.86\00:36:27.53
writing all
kinds of news scripts,
00:36:27.56\00:36:29.40
all kinds of extras
in ordered to build up
00:36:29.43\00:36:32.91
sufficient walls to
provide sufficient protection.
00:36:32.94\00:36:36.73
Are you with me?
00:36:36.76\00:36:38.05
That was the thing,
protect and preserve who we are.
00:36:38.08\00:36:43.27
Then you have on
the way opposite pole
00:36:43.30\00:36:45.58
which I'm gonna
suggest to you seems to me
00:36:45.61\00:36:48.62
to be simply a
reaction to that thing.
00:36:48.65\00:36:52.47
On the opposite
pole you had Sadducees
00:36:52.50\00:36:54.62
that were like, the world thinks
00:36:54.65\00:36:59.11
we are a bunch of freaks, right.
00:36:59.14\00:37:01.73
They took the
opposite road and they decided
00:37:01.76\00:37:04.23
that the answer to how to relate
00:37:04.26\00:37:06.51
to the world was to assimilate,
00:37:06.54\00:37:08.35
was to blend,
was to blur the lines
00:37:08.38\00:37:10.98
and to basically
remove any distinctions
00:37:11.01\00:37:13.73
between Roman
society between the road
00:37:13.76\00:37:16.46
and what they were about.
00:37:16.49\00:37:17.52
Are you with me?
00:37:17.55\00:37:19.10
No, obviously they
didn't do this completely,
00:37:19.13\00:37:21.21
they simply began to vigor
and to blur different lines.
00:37:21.24\00:37:24.78
And when you
read the New Testament
00:37:24.81\00:37:27.02
the one doctrine
that was the hardest one
00:37:27.05\00:37:29.80
for Roman society to
swallow was this thing about
00:37:29.83\00:37:31.96
the resurrection, right.
00:37:31.99\00:37:34.92
Is that a
coincidence that the one thing
00:37:37.69\00:37:39.25
we're told in the
New Testament that the--
00:37:39.28\00:37:40.66
that the Sadducees were
like, cut that one lose.
00:37:40.69\00:37:44.26
What was the doctrine
that they didn't believe in?
00:37:44.29\00:37:46.81
The resurrection from the dead.
00:37:46.84\00:37:48.52
They were blurring the lines.
00:37:48.55\00:37:49.85
These were the two
prominent extreme poles.
00:37:49.88\00:37:55.65
So in one line
it looks like this,
00:37:55.68\00:37:57.52
the Pharisees clung to
their identity at the expense
00:37:57.55\00:38:03.07
of their relevancy,
yeah, they clung to these
00:38:03.10\00:38:06.25
to who they were
into their identity,
00:38:06.28\00:38:07.74
but what happen was
they took that thing
00:38:07.77\00:38:09.17
so far that they
lost touch with reality.
00:38:09.20\00:38:12.40
They were no longer
relevant to the world
00:38:12.43\00:38:14.33
and then this
opposite pole here,
00:38:14.36\00:38:16.56
they decided that
it was better for them
00:38:16.59\00:38:18.93
to secure relevancy at
the expense of identity.
00:38:18.96\00:38:22.94
Are you with me?
00:38:22.97\00:38:24.64
And here's your question,
00:38:24.67\00:38:25.73
does that sound
familiar to you in anyway?
00:38:25.76\00:38:29.66
Does this bare any semblance
with the world you live in?
00:38:29.69\00:38:34.48
Is the ancient
history just repeats itself.
00:38:34.51\00:38:37.65
And the stuff
we're reading about
00:38:37.68\00:38:38.81
in Matthew, Mark,
Luke, John, the Book of Acts,
00:38:38.84\00:38:40.60
all it is guys, is
loud picture staring us
00:38:40.63\00:38:43.47
right in the face
of where we are today.
00:38:43.50\00:38:46.95
Can you say amen to that?
00:38:46.98\00:38:48.76
Is scripture relevant or what?
00:38:48.79\00:38:52.45
There's this
divisions in the culture,
00:38:52.48\00:38:57.49
these crazy divisions
that has caused people
00:38:57.52\00:39:00.26
to go so extreme in
different directions that...
00:39:00.29\00:39:03.22
they have essentially
00:39:06.56\00:39:07.63
become useless to capture
Gods bigger vision, division.
00:39:07.66\00:39:11.35
And this morning it was
interesting I heard the--
00:39:11.38\00:39:13.22
I heard the word
unity come up a lot.
00:39:13.25\00:39:15.25
How many of you heard that,
unity, unity, unity, unity?
00:39:15.28\00:39:19.62
I'm gonna take you here on
a very, very brief side note
00:39:19.65\00:39:24.46
because this
theme here, this theme
00:39:24.49\00:39:27.14
that we've all gathered
to reflect on is based on
00:39:27.17\00:39:30.18
the 1
Corinthians 4:9 and you know
00:39:30.21\00:39:33.01
as I was
thinking about this theme
00:39:33.04\00:39:35.54
I began to say well,
00:39:35.57\00:39:36.64
what's the whole
Corinthian letter about?
00:39:36.67\00:39:39.32
What's the thing about?
00:39:39.35\00:39:41.36
And why the Paul
even get to that?
00:39:41.39\00:39:43.93
I mean what does--
00:39:43.96\00:39:45.45
what does the stuff
before that verse say?
00:39:45.48\00:39:47.84
Is that a good
question by the way?
00:39:47.87\00:39:49.62
What does the stuff in
the previous chapters say?
00:39:49.65\00:39:52.42
Is that a good question?
00:39:52.45\00:39:53.72
See we know what that stuff says
00:39:53.75\00:39:55.56
and we may better understand
00:39:55.59\00:39:56.70
what was Paul trying
to say with that thing?
00:39:56.73\00:39:59.79
Are you with me? Can I
do something very quick?
00:39:59.82\00:40:03.08
Will you bear with me?
00:40:03.11\00:40:04.54
Open your Bible to
first 1 Corinthians,
00:40:04.57\00:40:06.10
0I just want to show you
something very quickly here
00:40:06.13\00:40:08.83
that it just blows my mind
00:40:08.86\00:40:10.98
how it's a perfect
parallel to everything
00:40:11.01\00:40:13.30
we've just said here.
00:40:13.33\00:40:14.36
In 1 Corinthians Chapter
1, Paul opens this letter...
00:40:14.39\00:40:18.61
with his typical greetings,
with his typical prayers,
00:40:21.75\00:40:24.20
with his typical the
typical opener right in
00:40:24.23\00:40:26.82
and then finally he's okay,
lets cut to the chase here,
00:40:26.85\00:40:29.41
here's why I'm writing.
00:40:29.44\00:40:31.75
Why is he writing?
00:40:31.78\00:40:33.11
Verse 10 "I plead
with you brethren,
00:40:33.14\00:40:38.24
by the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:40:38.27\00:40:41.16
that you all speak the
same thing that there is no"
00:40:41.19\00:40:44.17
that there's no what among you?
00:40:44.20\00:40:45.97
"That there's no
divisions among you,
00:40:46.00\00:40:48.47
but that you be
perfectly join together
00:40:48.50\00:40:51.07
in the same mind and
in the same judgment."
00:40:51.10\00:40:53.60
When Paul opens his letter
00:40:53.63\00:40:55.12
and he is done with
the whole a small talk,
00:40:55.15\00:40:58.79
he drops to his
knees and he says,
00:40:58.82\00:41:00.71
I'm pleading with you church,
please church at Corinth...
00:41:00.74\00:41:04.93
let there not be
divisions among you, right.
00:41:08.30\00:41:13.03
That's the beginning thing
then he goes on in verse 11
00:41:13.06\00:41:15.49
"It has been declared to
me" concerning you Corinthians,
00:41:15.52\00:41:20.65
"my brethren, by
those of Chloe's households,
00:41:20.68\00:41:23.30
that there are
contentions among you."
00:41:23.33\00:41:25.46
Verse 12 "Now I say
this, that each of you says,
00:41:25.49\00:41:29.70
I'm of Paul or I'm of Apollos
00:41:29.73\00:41:36.80
or I'm of Cephas
or I'm of Christ."
00:41:36.83\00:41:43.40
Verse 13 "Is Christ divided?
00:41:43.43\00:41:47.43
Was Paul crucified for
you?" It's a powerful question.
00:41:47.46\00:41:53.17
"Or were you Baptize
in the name of Paul?"
00:41:53.20\00:41:57.81
Verse 14 "I thank God I
didn't baptize any of you"
00:41:57.84\00:42:00.74
except for just like two, right,
00:42:00.77\00:42:04.05
and then later on he's like
00:42:04.08\00:42:05.11
oh, my bad there
was another family too,
00:42:05.14\00:42:08.67
go to chapter 3.
00:42:08.70\00:42:09.74
Will you quick,
chapter 3 as you send it
00:42:09.77\00:42:11.52
to chapter 3 everything
between what we just read
00:42:11.55\00:42:14.72
or about to read is just Paul
saying the things about Jesus,
00:42:14.75\00:42:18.78
its about Jesus, its
about heavenly wisdom,
00:42:18.81\00:42:23.37
its about Jesus and
then you get to chapter 3,
00:42:23.40\00:42:25.96
and when you get to
1 Corinthians Chapter 3
00:42:25.99\00:42:27.71
what does this say?
00:42:27.74\00:42:29.72
He says in verse
1 "And I, brethren,
00:42:29.75\00:42:31.42
could not speak unto you
as unto spiritual people,
00:42:31.45\00:42:35.18
but as unto carnal,
00:42:35.21\00:42:37.01
like if you were
babes in Christ."
00:42:37.04\00:42:38.56
Why?
00:42:38.59\00:42:39.62
And then look at verse
3, there's some teeth here
00:42:39.65\00:42:42.42
because you are still carnal.
00:42:42.45\00:42:45.14
In another words,
you are unconverted.
00:42:45.17\00:42:47.15
There is envy, there is strife,
there is divisions among.
00:42:47.18\00:42:50.23
You are you not
carnal and behaving like
00:42:50.26\00:42:53.63
if you were mere men.
00:42:53.66\00:42:56.34
Verse 4 "Because when one says,
00:42:56.37\00:42:58.54
I am of Paul, and
when another says,
00:42:58.57\00:43:01.15
I am of Apollos,
you are unconverted."
00:43:01.18\00:43:05.33
What he's saying?
00:43:05.36\00:43:06.59
Can you say,
wow? That's powerful.
00:43:09.80\00:43:14.51
Okay verse 4 and let's get
to the point here all right.
00:43:14.54\00:43:16.45
What's the point, Jeffery?
00:43:16.48\00:43:18.77
Chapter 4, 1 Corinthians 4,
00:43:18.80\00:43:23.41
we are getting close
to home here and verse 6.
00:43:23.44\00:43:24.82
"Now these things, brethren,
00:43:24.85\00:43:25.94
I have figuratively
transferred to myself
00:43:25.97\00:43:28.72
and Apollos just for your sakes,
00:43:28.75\00:43:31.62
that you may learn in
us not to think beyond
00:43:31.65\00:43:34.88
what is written,"
don't think beyond
00:43:34.91\00:43:36.81
what is written and
don't add your own sub
00:43:36.84\00:43:38.63
to what's already
be written, all right.
00:43:38.66\00:43:40.38
This is what
affecting your divisions.
00:43:40.41\00:43:42.81
Check this out,
"that none of you may be
00:43:42.84\00:43:45.32
puffed up on behalf of
one against the other."
00:43:45.35\00:43:50.08
And guys, just
the few verses later
00:43:50.11\00:43:52.35
you get to verse 9 and
when you get to verse 9
00:43:52.38\00:43:54.64
what does Paul say?
00:43:54.67\00:43:55.73
Here's what he says...
00:43:58.46\00:43:59.50
what are you doing?
00:44:02.87\00:44:06.16
You're a spectacle
before men and angels,
00:44:06.19\00:44:08.82
you're on display,
00:44:08.85\00:44:11.13
the world is watching
the gentiles is watching
00:44:11.16\00:44:14.08
what on earth are you doing?
00:44:14.11\00:44:18.67
I'm a Paul, I'm a Cephas,
00:44:18.70\00:44:20.39
I'm of whoever else
you want to include there,
00:44:20.42\00:44:22.69
what are you doing?
00:44:22.72\00:44:26.57
Jesus was
crucified for your baptism
00:44:26.60\00:44:28.80
in the name of Jesus.
00:44:28.83\00:44:29.92
The world has divisions,
00:44:29.95\00:44:31.92
the world has contentions, amen.
00:44:31.95\00:44:36.02
The world has lack of
unity. Are you with me?
00:44:36.05\00:44:39.46
What in the world are you doing?
00:44:39.49\00:44:41.57
You're on display
the world is watching.
00:44:41.60\00:44:44.54
What are they
gonna think about God
00:44:44.57\00:44:46.18
when you cut up with
this foolishness about
00:44:46.21\00:44:49.20
who you are with
and what click you
00:44:49.23\00:44:50.99
with in the church.
00:44:51.02\00:44:52.46
Are you with me?
00:44:52.49\00:44:55.20
The world is
watching, this is ridiculous
00:44:55.23\00:44:59.33
that's what he is saying.
00:44:59.36\00:45:01.14
Improved my mind, I was
like on the plane reading
00:45:01.17\00:45:02.97
and I was thinking
Lord, have mercy this verse
00:45:03.00\00:45:06.35
which is our
theme is set in the--
00:45:06.38\00:45:09.25
this is the punch of
a long argument of Paul
00:45:09.28\00:45:14.08
smacking the Corinthian church
00:45:14.11\00:45:15.83
because of these petty divisions
00:45:15.86\00:45:18.67
inside the church
and the upper cut is
00:45:18.70\00:45:21.81
you're on display.
00:45:21.84\00:45:23.41
Come on, get back on
focus to what really matters.
00:45:23.44\00:45:27.27
Can you guys say, amen to that?
00:45:27.30\00:45:28.34
Amen.
00:45:28.37\00:45:29.40
Brothers and sisters,
00:45:29.43\00:45:30.46
you know I have to
be honest with you.
00:45:30.49\00:45:32.76
I don't even know
where in fit in anymore.
00:45:35.68\00:45:38.91
I don't even
know where I fit in.
00:45:38.94\00:45:40.07
We have this thing,
well, I'm a liberal,
00:45:40.10\00:45:42.32
well, I'm a conservative.
00:45:42.35\00:45:43.66
Really? Because I
just missed that verse.
00:45:46.04\00:45:51.49
I just skipped over that part
and I didn't get the script,
00:45:51.52\00:45:53.50
I didn't get to
email, I didn't get to text.
00:45:53.53\00:45:55.89
What's that thing all about?
00:45:55.92\00:45:58.44
Are you guys with me?
00:45:58.47\00:46:00.52
Frankly, I feel
completely unrepresented.
00:46:00.55\00:46:02.69
I don't even-- what so liberal
00:46:02.72\00:46:04.38
and what so conservative, right.
00:46:04.41\00:46:06.87
If Paul were writing
today and if Paul wanted
00:46:06.90\00:46:09.85
to communicate to
the advent movement
00:46:09.88\00:46:12.04
and remind us that hey
guys, if the church in Corinth
00:46:12.07\00:46:15.15
was on display
what do you take it
00:46:15.18\00:46:17.58
for the
Adventist global movement
00:46:17.61\00:46:20.58
right or Revelation
14 it says unraveling
00:46:20.61\00:46:24.53
where the three
angels message need to go
00:46:24.56\00:46:26.57
to a very
sophisticated, a very modern
00:46:26.60\00:46:29.31
and a very complex world
00:46:29.34\00:46:31.87
and we are
bickering about foolishness,
00:46:31.90\00:46:36.54
as if we had the time
00:46:36.57\00:46:37.78
and the energy to
deal with this stuff,
00:46:37.81\00:46:40.17
we have a whole lot
going on out there, amen.
00:46:40.20\00:46:42.79
What would Paul say if he
was writing to our church?
00:46:42.82\00:46:46.03
What would Paul say?
00:46:46.06\00:46:48.46
I mean, he'll be
bald, he'll be out of hair,
00:46:48.49\00:46:50.34
he'd be pulling
out all his hair.
00:46:50.37\00:46:52.00
All his hair will be
gone, he just be like, ah!
00:46:52.03\00:46:56.12
No offense guys, who are bald.
00:46:56.15\00:46:57.26
You see here that Jesus
dilemma in the complexity
00:47:00.18\00:47:03.95
that He comes into is
so close to the picture
00:47:03.98\00:47:08.46
that I find myself
in my church today,
00:47:08.49\00:47:13.57
and that the same stuff
that's just bogging us down
00:47:13.60\00:47:18.62
when we can't get the thing to--
00:47:18.65\00:47:19.85
we can't get the beast
to go forward fast enough.
00:47:19.88\00:47:22.66
We can't get this
stuff done, the work done.
00:47:22.69\00:47:25.93
We can't the-- I don't
know what else synonyms to use.
00:47:25.96\00:47:30.64
We can't get the
instrument tuned right
00:47:30.67\00:47:32.60
to play the right
note, because we're,
00:47:32.63\00:47:34.78
we have so many
foolish distractions
00:47:34.81\00:47:38.14
and I know I'm
being general Jeffery
00:47:38.17\00:47:40.90
just in making this a sake.
00:47:40.93\00:47:44.44
I'm just kidding.
00:47:44.47\00:47:45.51
When you find
Jesus in His dilemma
00:47:47.74\00:47:49.90
there's a new culture
that comes out, new culture.
00:47:49.93\00:47:53.49
And this new
culture guys, guess what?
00:47:53.52\00:47:56.42
He gets heat from the Sadducees
00:47:56.45\00:47:59.13
and he gets heath from whom?
00:47:59.16\00:48:01.34
From the Pharisees.
00:48:01.37\00:48:02.45
And you do know
that the crucifixion
00:48:02.48\00:48:03.96
of your Lord Jesus
Christ came through
00:48:03.99\00:48:05.89
a coalition of the
liberals and the conservatives.
00:48:05.92\00:48:09.05
So you tell me
which camp are you in?
00:48:09.08\00:48:12.67
Go ahead with
pride, with conviction
00:48:12.70\00:48:15.10
what camp are you in?
00:48:15.13\00:48:16.29
Be careful, be
careful what camp you are in
00:48:16.32\00:48:19.22
because as far as I
know, I mean it seems like
00:48:19.25\00:48:21.88
just simple logic if
this side is attacking Him
00:48:21.91\00:48:25.19
and in this side is
attacking, it kind of seems like
00:48:25.22\00:48:27.94
probably He is
somewhere in the middle right.
00:48:27.97\00:48:30.72
Isn't that what it seems like?
00:48:30.75\00:48:31.78
Okay, so what are
you and what am I?
00:48:31.81\00:48:33.85
I'll tell you what I am.
00:48:33.88\00:48:36.35
I'm a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian.
00:48:36.38\00:48:39.01
Is that what you are?
00:48:41.36\00:48:43.94
I want to simply
ask that we abandon
00:48:43.97\00:48:49.77
these completely
used to this labels
00:48:49.80\00:48:52.78
that are
meaningless and that we return
00:48:52.81\00:48:55.48
to what the thing is all about.
00:48:55.51\00:48:57.42
I'm a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian,
00:48:57.45\00:49:01.43
I may a disciple of
my Lord Jesus Christ.
00:49:01.46\00:49:05.49
That's what I am.
00:49:05.52\00:49:07.10
And if that doesn't
fit in this box or that box
00:49:07.13\00:49:09.14
well, hey, I really
jump into Jesus box.
00:49:09.17\00:49:11.48
Amen.
00:49:11.51\00:49:12.55
You can summarize
this whole dilemma
00:49:12.58\00:49:15.19
into two major ways.
00:49:15.22\00:49:17.51
I'm gonna share two dimensions
00:49:17.54\00:49:19.00
of what Hebrew
culture experiences
00:49:19.03\00:49:22.20
and I'm gonna draw
direct applications
00:49:22.23\00:49:23.76
and then we're gonna
land this plane here, okay.
00:49:23.79\00:49:26.91
Number one, I'm talking about
00:49:26.94\00:49:30.03
what Christ
encounter with Israel
00:49:30.06\00:49:33.82
tells us about ourselves.
00:49:33.85\00:49:35.87
Let me repeat that.
00:49:35.90\00:49:36.95
I want to make
sure this is in context.
00:49:36.98\00:49:39.40
What Christ
encounter with Israel tells us
00:49:39.43\00:49:44.07
about ourselves.
00:49:44.10\00:49:46.12
Okay, number one,
there's two things, just two.
00:49:46.15\00:49:50.65
Number one, Israel
had a warped picture
00:49:50.68\00:49:56.72
of what the
covenant was all about.
00:49:56.75\00:49:59.14
And by covenant I'm
using the Old Testament,
00:49:59.17\00:50:01.47
what the gospel
was all about, okay.
00:50:01.50\00:50:04.60
That's number one.
00:50:04.63\00:50:07.74
We're told very
clearly that all of the symbols
00:50:07.77\00:50:10.37
that were given to
Israel, all of the symbols
00:50:10.40\00:50:13.92
were there to simply
point them to the Messiah.
00:50:13.95\00:50:16.65
What happened?
00:50:16.68\00:50:17.75
They got so engross
with the symbol of the thing
00:50:17.78\00:50:21.26
that they lost sight
of the actual thing, yeah.
00:50:21.29\00:50:25.04
The symbols
superseded the actual real thing
00:50:25.07\00:50:28.21
that it was pointing to.
00:50:28.24\00:50:29.55
Messiah came the
world wasn't ready.
00:50:29.58\00:50:33.60
The Jews lost the spiritual life
00:50:33.63\00:50:35.73
of their ceremonies.
00:50:35.76\00:50:37.14
The spiritual thing
behind it, the love, the joy,
00:50:37.17\00:50:40.65
the beauty behind that
they lost sight of that
00:50:40.68\00:50:43.68
and all that was
left was dead formality.
00:50:43.71\00:50:47.05
What happens
when there's nothing
00:50:47.08\00:50:48.33
but formality remaining?
00:50:48.36\00:50:50.67
Well, what happens
is we begin to add stuff
00:50:50.70\00:50:54.69
to their formality
to try to compensate
00:50:54.72\00:50:57.76
for the missing component.
00:50:57.79\00:50:59.13
Are you with me?
00:50:59.16\00:51:00.28
And before we know it there
is so much added to the thing,
00:51:00.31\00:51:03.31
they're so many
extras that the thing
00:51:03.34\00:51:06.21
it doesn't even
resemble what it was before.
00:51:06.24\00:51:08.92
That's what happened.
00:51:08.95\00:51:10.14
They multiplied and
multiplied and multiplied
00:51:10.17\00:51:13.16
and created an
entirely different thing
00:51:13.19\00:51:15.98
that would happen basically
was to the character of God
00:51:16.01\00:51:19.46
was completely warped
in the minds of the people
00:51:19.49\00:51:22.99
and the faith
and culture of Israel
00:51:23.02\00:51:28.75
came into contempt.
00:51:28.78\00:51:32.13
I want to put
something on the screen here.
00:51:32.16\00:51:33.95
I'm gonna read something
to you from Desire of Ages,
00:51:33.98\00:51:36.98
page 309.
00:51:37.01\00:51:40.33
I have to read this
all the way through,
00:51:40.36\00:51:41.57
they tell me back there.
00:51:41.60\00:51:42.63
So follow with me here.
00:51:42.66\00:51:44.36
"The greatest
deception of the human mind
00:51:44.39\00:51:46.84
in Christ's day
was that a mere assent
00:51:46.87\00:51:50.43
to the truth
constitutes righteousness.
00:51:50.46\00:51:54.97
In all human experience
00:51:55.00\00:51:56.60
a theoretical knowledge of
the truth has been proved to be
00:51:56.63\00:52:00.15
insufficient for
the saving of the soul.
00:52:00.18\00:52:03.58
It does not bring forth
the fruits of righteousness."
00:52:03.61\00:52:07.98
Do you hear that?
00:52:08.01\00:52:09.73
"A jealous regard for what
is termed theological truth
00:52:09.76\00:52:14.75
often accompanies a
hatred of genuine truth
00:52:14.78\00:52:18.95
as made manifest in the life.
00:52:18.98\00:52:21.68
The darkest chapters
of history are burdened
00:52:21.71\00:52:24.10
with the record of crimes
00:52:24.13\00:52:25.24
committed by
bigoted religionists.
00:52:25.27\00:52:28.30
The Pharisees claimed
to be children of Abraham,
00:52:28.33\00:52:30.96
they boasted of their possession
00:52:30.99\00:52:34.69
of the oracles of
God, yet these advantages
00:52:34.72\00:52:36.02
did not preserve
them from hypocrisy.
00:52:36.05\00:52:38.50
They thought themselves
00:52:38.53\00:52:39.61
the greatest
religionists of the world,
00:52:39.64\00:52:43.05
but their
so-called orthodoxy led them
00:52:43.08\00:52:46.28
to crucify the Lord of glory.
00:52:46.31\00:52:51.11
The same danger still exists.
00:52:51.14\00:52:53.86
Many take it for granted
that they are Christians,
00:52:53.89\00:52:55.76
simply because they subscribe
to certain theological tenets.
00:52:55.79\00:52:59.94
But they have not brought
the truth into practical life.
00:52:59.97\00:53:02.13
They have not
believed and loved it,
00:53:02.16\00:53:04.39
therefore they have not received
00:53:04.42\00:53:05.61
the power and
grace that come through
00:53:05.64\00:53:07.32
sanctification of the truth.
00:53:07.35\00:53:09.86
Men may profess
faith in the truth,
00:53:09.89\00:53:15.01
but if it does
not make them sincere,
00:53:15.04\00:53:17.56
kind, patient,
forbearing, heavenly-minded,
00:53:17.59\00:53:21.64
it is a curse to its possessors,
00:53:21.67\00:53:26.07
and through their influence
it is a curse to the world."
00:53:26.10\00:53:29.66
I got to confess guys,
00:53:32.68\00:53:34.12
I read that and it
hit me with the ton of,
00:53:34.15\00:53:37.05
it hit me like a ton of
bricks, it hit me so hard,
00:53:37.08\00:53:39.17
it was such an eye
opener that the truth
00:53:39.20\00:53:42.66
could become a
curse to the possessor,
00:53:42.69\00:53:46.84
and then the truth could
become a curse to the world.
00:53:46.87\00:53:49.15
How can truth
become curse to the world?
00:53:49.18\00:53:51.45
How can truth become a curse
to a person to an individual?
00:53:56.39\00:54:01.27
Its quite simple
guys, the way truth
00:54:01.30\00:54:03.25
becomes the
curse to the possessor
00:54:03.28\00:54:04.86
and to the world is if
Jesus not living in it,
00:54:04.89\00:54:09.02
it's the bottom line there.
00:54:09.05\00:54:11.89
This is what happened.
00:54:11.92\00:54:15.21
Number two, not
only did they have
00:54:15.24\00:54:18.00
the warped
concept of the covenant,
00:54:18.03\00:54:21.21
not only did they
have a miss conception
00:54:21.24\00:54:24.82
of the character of
God that automatically
00:54:24.85\00:54:28.17
leads to a
misconception of the world.
00:54:28.20\00:54:35.21
Misconception of
the character of God
00:54:35.24\00:54:37.46
and His gospel
automatically leads
00:54:37.49\00:54:40.36
to a misconception of
the world that we live in.
00:54:40.39\00:54:44.38
I want to put
something on the screen here.
00:54:44.41\00:54:46.89
"The chosen people did not
become the light of the world,
00:54:46.92\00:54:52.86
but shut themselves
away form from the world
00:54:52.89\00:54:56.79
as a safeguard against
being seduced into idolatry.
00:54:56.82\00:55:00.99
The restriction
which God had given,
00:55:01.02\00:55:04.11
forbidding intermarriage
00:55:04.14\00:55:05.70
between His
people and the heathen,
00:55:05.73\00:55:06.93
and prohibiting
Israel form joining
00:55:06.96\00:55:10.13
in the idolatrous
practices of surrounding nation,
00:55:10.16\00:55:13.22
were so perverted as to
build up a wall of partition
00:55:13.25\00:55:16.85
between the Israelites
and all other peoples,
00:55:16.88\00:55:21.00
thus shutting from
others the very blessings
00:55:21.03\00:55:23.94
which God had commissioned
Israel to give to the world."
00:55:23.97\00:55:30.17
These are the two dilemmas,
these are the two dynamics
00:55:30.20\00:55:32.74
that Jesus encountered
when He came into this world.
00:55:32.77\00:55:36.12
These are the two
things from Jesus encounter
00:55:36.15\00:55:39.38
with the Jews that teach
us something about ourselves.
00:55:39.41\00:55:42.20
Number one, we are
prone to misunderstand
00:55:42.23\00:55:46.94
the character of God and
what the gospel is all about
00:55:46.97\00:55:50.07
and because we're prone to that
00:55:50.10\00:55:52.22
we are prone to misunderstand
00:55:52.25\00:55:53.75
and how we're to
relate to the world.
00:55:53.78\00:55:56.34
If that's clear
can you say amen?
00:55:56.37\00:55:58.91
Brothers and
sisters, this is the last time
00:55:58.94\00:56:02.24
Paul ever sees the temple.
00:56:02.27\00:56:03.80
The verse says there that
immediately extra guys come
00:56:03.83\00:56:06.90
and they close
the doors the temple,
00:56:06.93\00:56:09.07
they shut the gate
and Paul never ever
00:56:09.10\00:56:12.06
gets a glimpse inside
of the temple in Jerusalem.
00:56:12.09\00:56:15.28
That's it and that
is a symbol of how,
00:56:15.31\00:56:18.79
of how Hebrew culture
closed the door to the message
00:56:18.82\00:56:22.47
and to the
gospel of Jesus Christ,
00:56:22.50\00:56:24.21
the temple doors were closed.
00:56:24.24\00:56:26.51
But what happened,
guys? God had a bigger vision.
00:56:26.54\00:56:28.86
Can you say amen to that?
00:56:28.89\00:56:30.40
God's vision is always
00:56:30.43\00:56:32.02
bigger than the
vision of the church, amen,
00:56:32.05\00:56:35.51
as elevated and as focused
as we can seek to understand
00:56:35.54\00:56:40.44
what the mission
of the church is.
00:56:40.47\00:56:42.54
We can know for certain,
00:56:42.57\00:56:44.36
that God's vision will always
be bigger and boarder than
00:56:44.39\00:56:47.44
what our vision
will ever be, right.
00:56:47.47\00:56:50.25
The Bible says that
the gospel had by that time
00:56:50.28\00:56:53.17
taking over the
Mediterranean world.
00:56:53.20\00:56:54.88
That gospel went out.
00:56:54.91\00:56:57.70
The gentiles received the light.
00:56:57.73\00:57:01.99
The world was transformed.
00:57:02.02\00:57:04.45
The world was
turned upside down.
00:57:04.48\00:57:07.94
How it was turned upside down?
00:57:07.97\00:57:09.22
It was turned upside down
00:57:09.25\00:57:11.08
through the message of
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:57:11.11\00:57:15.03
Brothers and sisters,
today young people today...
00:57:15.06\00:57:18.36
where are you?
00:57:25.42\00:57:28.07
Today, tonight, where are you?
00:57:28.10\00:57:34.49
What has your experience been?
00:57:34.52\00:57:35.97
What has your journey been?
00:57:36.00\00:57:39.33
Could it be that the
thing we had in our mind?
00:57:39.36\00:57:44.43
Could it be that the
picture that we had in our mind
00:57:44.46\00:57:47.17
of what we thought Jesus,
00:57:47.20\00:57:49.50
Christianity and
Adventism was all about?
00:57:49.53\00:57:52.37
Could it be--
00:57:52.40\00:57:53.60
Could it be that the picture
falls short of the real thing?
00:57:56.01\00:58:00.59
Could it be that
is even better than
00:58:00.62\00:58:02.37
what we thought all along?
00:58:02.40\00:58:04.47
What has your experience been?
00:58:04.50\00:58:06.01