by the friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
00:00:03.70\00:00:08.04
Doug Batchelor: So, when Jesus
curses the fig tree because it
00:00:14.41\00:00:17.18
has just leaves and no fruit,
very simply this was an analogy
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of what was about to
happen to the entire nation.
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Doug: I'd like to share a
little amazing fact with you.
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Way back in 1630, when the
pilgrims landed, one of the
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first governors was a
man named John Endecott.
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He was good friends with Roger
Williams, one of the founders
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of our country.
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And they were trying to
really establish civilization in
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a very wild world at that time.
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I just finished reading an
incredible book on the life of
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Roger Williams, and it talked a
lot about John Endecott in that.
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And at one point, John Endecott,
with his family, they imported
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a number of little saplings
from the Old World, from Europe
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and England, and
he had a pear tree.
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And he actually recorded that
when he was planting this pear
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tree, he told his families that
gathered around, "We hope this
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pear tree will take to the soil
in the new world, and that many
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years after we're gone, it will
still be here bringing fruit."
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Well, not only did that pear
tree outlive John Endecott, and
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his children, and his
grandchildren, but it outlived
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George Washington, Thomas
Jefferson, John Adams, I got
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the order wrong, and Abraham
Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt,
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and Theodore Roosevelt, and
would you believe the Endecott
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pear tree is now believed to
be the oldest man-planted fruit
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tree in North America?
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It was planted in 1630, it's now
390 years old, approximately,
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and it is still bearing fruit.
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Incredibly, it's survived
many storms, hurricanes.
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In 1964, some
vandals went through.
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I don't know why they'd do such
a thing, but they cut off all
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the branches, and cut it off six
feet high with a chainsaw, and
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everyone thought that was
the end of it, and it continued
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to sprout many new branches.
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Now, you've got a picture of it,
now they've got a fence around
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it to protect it, and they don't
even mark it lest anyone should
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think to do
anything mischievous.
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But to this day, the Endecott
pear tree that John Endecott
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planted is still bearing pears.
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So, this morning we have a Bible
study I'd like to do with you,
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and it's on the subject
of "Fig Trees and Pharisees."
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You know, the Bible tells
a story about Jesus cursing
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a tree, and this is
something of an enigma, it seems
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so out of character.
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But if you turn in your Bibles,
you'll find the short version of
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this story in
Matthew chapter 21.
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There's also an account in Mark
11, but let's go to Matthew 21
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first, verse 18.
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This takes place
after the triumphal entry.
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It's a during the final
passion week of Jesus's life.
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"And one morning it says, In the
morning, as He returned to the
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city," He was daily going to
the temple, He was teaching, "He
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was hungry."
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You would think that somebody
would be providing the Messiah
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with some food, but Jesus had
to go out and forage for food.
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"And seeing a fig tree
by the road, He came to it."
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Now, according to the Jewish
law, that if there were trees in
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an orchard, the poor were
allowed to glean fruit from
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those trees.
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And it's not uncommon that
they would have many fig trees
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in Israel.
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What makes this unusual is this
is during the time of spring,
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during the Passover.
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Fig trees in that
country normally did not bear
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that early.
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It could happen,
but it would be unusual.
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Something else is this is taking
place near two towns called
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Bethany and Bethphage, and
Bethpage means house of figs.
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So, figs were very
common in this country.
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So, Jesus sees a fig tree by the
road, and He goes towards it.
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From a distance, He sees that
it's got leaves all over it.
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And if a tree has
leaves, that typically means
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that it has figs.
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Figs are unusual in that about
the same time the leaves are in
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full bloom, the fruit is ripe.
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And then Jesus, He said, "Let no
fruit grow on you ever again."
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And, "Immediately the
fig tree withered away.
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And when the disciples saw,"
they heard Jesus say that, "They
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marveled, saying, 'How did the
fig tree wither away so soon?'"
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Now, I'm going to
jump, I want you to read both
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accounts of this.
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If you go to Mark chapter 11
and we'll start with verse 12,
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you find the story again.
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"Now the next day, when he came
out from Bethany, He was hungry.
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And seeing from afar a fig
tree having leaves," He was at
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a distance, "He went to see if
perhaps it would have some fruit
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on it.
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When He came to it, He
found nothing but leaves."
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So, it was not
the season for figs.
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"In response, Jesus said to it,
'Let no one eat fruit from you
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ever again,' and
the disciples heard it."
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Now in Mark,
notice something happens.
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Right after this it says,
"So they came to Jerusalem, and
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Jesus went into the temple, and
He began to drive out those who
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bought and sold in the temple,
and He overturned the tables of
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the money changers and the seats
of those who sold doves, and He
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would not allow anyone to
carry wares through the temple.
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And He taught them, saying, 'Is
it not written, 'My house shall
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be called the house of
prayer for all nations?'
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But you've made
it a den of thieves.'
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And the scribes and the
chief priests heard it, and they
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sought how they might destroy
Him, for they feared Him,
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because all the people
were astonished at His teaching.
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When evening had come,
He went out of the city."
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Keep reading, verse 20, "Now in
the morning as they passed by,
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they saw the fig tree
dried up from the roots."
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So now we see a day went by,
"And Peter, remembering, said,
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'Rabbi, look, the fig tree
you cursed has withered away.'"
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Now, you and I read that story,
and have you ever wondered,
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did Jesus have low blood sugar
and he had a little tantrum?
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You ever get irritable
when you have low blood sugar?
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And so, He took
it out on the tree.
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He said, "Mess
with me like that.
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Here I thought I'd get some
breakfast, you give me nothing.
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Well, I'm going to teach you.
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Nobody's ever going
to eat from you again.
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I'm going to kill you."
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I mean, does that sound a little
out of character for Jesus?
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This is the one who asked God
to forgive, you know, the people
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that were crucifying him.
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You know, He's the one who said
you're to be gentle with your
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animals and that you should
love--God feeds the sparrows.
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And here, Jesus gets mad and
He kills the fig tree because it
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doesn't give him breakfast.
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Notice that in Mark's account,
He curses the fig tree, then He
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goes and He has a confrontation
with the false leaders.
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He casts all of the sellers
out of the temple, and then they
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come back and they
notice the fig tree is withered.
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Why did this happen?
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What is the lesson that
God is trying to teach us here?
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Well, before I just come right
out and tell you, I want you to
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look at fig trees for a minute.
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Where do you first find
a fig tree in the Bible?
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If I'm not mistaken, the
fig tree is the first particular
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fruit mentioned anywhere
in Scripture, and it's not
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mentioned they're eating it,
the first thing that's mentioned
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is the leaves.
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Fig leaves, not fig fruit.
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And notice that Jesus goes
to this tree, and there's just
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leaves, no fruit.
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Remember when Adam
and Eve were first made?
00:08:02.24\00:08:05.45
The Bible says they were naked,
but it's pretty clear that they
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had these garments of light,
they had an aura of light.
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They used to talk to God face to
face, and what happened to Moses
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when he talked
to God face to face?
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It says he's shown, there
was a glow, there was a light.
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But after Adam and Eve disobeyed
and ate from the forbidden tree,
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the light faded, and they
saw their nakedness, and they
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were ashamed.
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How did they try to
cope with their shame?
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It says, "Then the eyes
of them were opened," this is
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Genesis 3:7.
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"They knew they were naked, and
they sewed fig leaves together
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and made themselves coverings."
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Now, the trees may have been
bigger and the leaves may have
00:08:43.95\00:08:46.12
been bigger, I seem to believe
that Adam and Eve were bigger,
00:08:46.15\00:08:49.52
probably needed bigger leaves
and bigger trees back then.
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But I don't know if Adam and Eve
realized what happens to leaves
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after the curse of death.
00:08:55.76\00:08:58.23
See, in the beginning, nothing
died, and they picked these
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leaves and maybe thought that
they'd just hold their form,
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but how many of you would
trust going to church wearing
00:09:06.71\00:09:08.51
fig leaves?
00:09:08.54\00:09:10.88
And something else you
might notice here is the word,
00:09:10.91\00:09:13.78
it says, "They made
themselves coverings."
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That word, "covering,"
is chagora in Hebrew.
00:09:15.58\00:09:20.49
That means belts,
loin cloth, aprons.
00:09:20.52\00:09:26.03
Not only is it poor quality
material, it's not nearly
00:09:26.06\00:09:28.93
enough material.
00:09:28.96\00:09:30.97
These were miniskirts of
leaves is what they made, belts.
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They're desperate,
looking for anything.
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Then you go to Genesis 3, and
after God said, "Where are you?"
00:09:40.14\00:09:42.98
And man ran from God, He
said, "What have you done."
00:09:43.01\00:09:46.35
They said, "Well, you know, we
eat from the tree and we saw we
00:09:46.38\00:09:51.45
were naked," and of course Adams
says, "The woman made me do it,"
00:09:51.49\00:09:53.86
and the woman says, "The snake
made me do it," and the snake
00:09:53.89\00:09:56.02
didn't have a leg to stand
on, so he didn't say anything.
00:09:56.06\00:09:59.49
But then it says, "Also for Adam
and his wife the Lord God made
00:09:59.53\00:10:04.20
tunics of skin,
and clothed them."
00:10:04.23\00:10:07.27
The word "tunics" there is
kuttoneth, and it means robes,
00:10:07.30\00:10:14.08
tunics, garments.
00:10:14.11\00:10:16.34
And not only is it of
better quality, it's much more.
00:10:16.38\00:10:19.81
Now, this is probably where
you have the sacrificial system
00:10:19.85\00:10:22.98
established, because in order to
get skin, something has to die.
00:10:23.02\00:10:26.09
And God probably explained why
His Son, the Lamb of God, was
00:10:26.12\00:10:29.79
going to die to
cover the nakedness of man.
00:10:29.82\00:10:33.33
And when they wore these robes,
they realize it cost the life of
00:10:33.36\00:10:36.73
a lamb to cover their nakedness.
00:10:36.77\00:10:38.90
You know, it cost the life of
Jesus, the Lamb of God, to cover
00:10:38.93\00:10:42.20
our sin and nakedness.
00:10:42.24\00:10:45.17
So, God not only gave
them better quality, he gave
00:10:45.21\00:10:47.91
them more.
00:10:47.94\00:10:49.91
And so, here you see fig
leaves represent, from the very
00:10:49.94\00:10:54.78
beginning, man's attempt
to hide his own sin through
00:10:54.82\00:11:00.79
his own works.
00:11:00.82\00:11:02.19
They sewed them.
00:11:02.22\00:11:03.69
We did it.
00:11:03.73\00:11:05.06
We made them ourselves.
00:11:05.09\00:11:06.39
That wasn't going to work.
00:11:06.43\00:11:08.60
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Doug: So, when Jesus curses the
fig tree, because it has just
00:11:43.10\00:11:46.53
leaves and no fruit, very
simply, this was an analogy of
00:11:46.57\00:11:51.77
what was about to
happen to the entire nation.
00:11:51.81\00:11:55.68
And before you think that this
is a rant against the people of
00:11:55.71\00:11:59.18
Israel, I want you to know
that it's really speaking to the
00:11:59.21\00:12:01.28
church today.
00:12:01.32\00:12:03.05
It speaks to all people and all
time, but Israel is a type of
00:12:03.08\00:12:06.09
the church.
00:12:06.12\00:12:07.92
Here they had all the forms
of religion, and the temple,
00:12:07.96\00:12:12.33
and the services,
they had the ceremonies.
00:12:12.36\00:12:13.80
That very day, that weekend I
should say, they were going to
00:12:13.83\00:12:17.13
crucify Jesus, and then they
were going to run home so they
00:12:17.17\00:12:20.97
could keep the Sabbath and go
through all of the rituals and
00:12:21.00\00:12:25.47
totally miss what the
purpose of it all was.
00:12:25.51\00:12:28.51
The temple, and the Sabbaths,
and the ceremonies, and
00:12:28.54\00:12:30.95
everything they did
all pointed to Christ.
00:12:30.98\00:12:34.85
And so, here they had all
the forms and the trappings of
00:12:34.88\00:12:38.52
religion without the power.
00:12:38.55\00:12:41.39
Leaves, no fruit.
00:12:41.42\00:12:44.73
Jesus wants fruit from us.
00:12:44.76\00:12:48.06
So, the big contest that the
Lord had with the scribes and
00:12:48.10\00:12:52.73
Pharisees was dealing with
a form of religion without the
00:12:52.77\00:12:57.07
power, outward religion.
00:12:57.11\00:12:59.41
Leaves, no fruit.
00:12:59.44\00:13:01.58
He talked to the
religious leaders.
00:13:01.61\00:13:03.04
He said, "Moreover, when
you fast, do not be like the
00:13:03.08\00:13:06.85
hypocrites, with
a sad countenance.
00:13:06.88\00:13:09.22
For they disfigure their faces
that they might appear to men
00:13:09.25\00:13:12.55
to be fasting."
00:13:12.59\00:13:14.39
Now, is it good to give?
00:13:14.42\00:13:17.43
Should we all give?
00:13:17.46\00:13:19.13
Is it good to pray?
00:13:19.16\00:13:21.60
Is it good to fast?
00:13:21.63\00:13:24.00
But should we be doing it
because people are watching,
00:13:24.03\00:13:29.30
or are you more
interested in what God sees?
00:13:29.34\00:13:31.07
God looks on the heart, man
looks on the outward appearance
00:13:31.11\00:13:34.01
as 1 Samuel tells us.
00:13:34.04\00:13:36.34
And then you read in Matthew
15, Jesus said, "Hypocrites!
00:13:36.38\00:13:40.02
Well did Isaiah prophesy about
you, saying, 'These people draw
00:13:40.05\00:13:43.72
near to Me with their mouth,
and they honor Me with their
00:13:43.75\00:13:47.39
lips, but their
hearts are far from Me.
00:13:47.42\00:13:49.92
In vain they worship Me."
00:13:49.96\00:13:52.13
You know what in vain means?
00:13:52.16\00:13:53.50
They're wasting their time.
00:13:53.53\00:13:54.83
Their worship is in vain.
00:13:54.83\00:13:56.06
Jesus said if you're praying,
and giving, and fasting to be
00:13:56.10\00:13:58.30
seen of men,
you'll get a reward.
00:13:58.33\00:13:59.67
The only reward you
get is the praise of men.
00:13:59.70\00:14:03.04
What is that worth?
00:14:03.07\00:14:04.81
Not worth it.
00:14:04.84\00:14:06.14
Is that going to
get you to heaven?
00:14:06.17\00:14:07.48
It's not worth anything.
00:14:07.51\00:14:09.71
That great preacher, Charles
Spurgeon, you've heard of P.T.
00:14:09.74\00:14:13.25
Barnum, you know,
Barnum and Bailey Circus?
00:14:13.28\00:14:15.08
Phineas Barnum
was--he is the one that had
00:14:15.12\00:14:18.49
a swindle for everything.
00:14:18.52\00:14:20.06
And he saw the crowds coming
to the Metropolitan Church in
00:14:20.09\00:14:23.89
London to hear Spurgeon preach,
and Barnum wrote him a letter.
00:14:23.93\00:14:27.13
He said, "Look, I
want you to come preach in
00:14:27.13\00:14:30.03
my tent on Sunday.
00:14:30.07\00:14:31.37
You can preach
as long as you want.
00:14:31.40\00:14:32.73
I will pay you a
thousand dollars a sermon."
00:14:32.77\00:14:34.77
You've got to know that
back in the 1880s, that was
00:14:34.80\00:14:37.61
a fabulous amount.
00:14:37.64\00:14:39.94
And he said, "You can
have whoever you want sing,
00:14:39.97\00:14:41.94
I'll provide the music."
00:14:41.98\00:14:43.31
He just gave him a red carpet,
"Whatever you want, Spurgeon,
00:14:43.35\00:14:45.08
if you'll come
preach in my circus."
00:14:45.11\00:14:48.02
And Spurgeon said, "I want to
thank you for your very kind and
00:14:48.05\00:14:50.19
generous offer, but because of
Acts chapter 13, I can't do it."
00:14:50.22\00:14:55.49
He said Acts 13:10.
00:14:55.52\00:14:57.69
Barnum had to get a Bible
out, Barnum's parents were
00:14:57.73\00:15:00.46
Christians, and he got his Bible
out, and it said, "O full of all
00:15:00.50\00:15:06.27
subtlety and all mischief, you
child of the devil and the enemy
00:15:06.30\00:15:09.97
of all righteousness.
00:15:10.01\00:15:11.57
Will you not cease to pervert
the right ways of the Lord?"
00:15:11.61\00:15:15.68
Spurgeon could not be bought,
because he was the real deal.
00:15:15.71\00:15:20.95
You read in Matthew chapter 7,
"Beware of false prophets, who
00:15:20.98\00:15:26.02
come to you in sheep's clothing.
00:15:26.05\00:15:27.59
Inwardly, they
are ravening wolves.
00:15:27.62\00:15:29.22
You will know them by," what?
00:15:29.26\00:15:31.53
Their fruits, "Do men gather
grapes from thornbushes or figs
00:15:31.56\00:15:36.50
from thistles?"
00:15:36.53\00:15:38.53
He says I want figs, but you
don't get figs from a thorn bush
00:15:38.57\00:15:42.00
or a thistle.
00:15:42.04\00:15:43.34
"Even so, every good tree
bears good fruit, and a bad tree
00:15:43.37\00:15:47.24
bad fruit.
00:15:47.28\00:15:48.58
A good tree cannot bear bad
fruit, and a bad tree cannot
00:15:48.61\00:15:51.55
bear good fruit.
00:15:51.58\00:15:52.91
Every tree that does not
bear good fruit is," what?
00:15:52.95\00:15:55.62
"Cut down and
thrown into the fire."
00:15:55.65\00:15:59.25
There you got the word cutting
down again, it's talking about
00:15:59.29\00:16:01.96
a judgment that comes on
either bad fruit or no fruit.
00:16:01.99\00:16:05.86
Are you with me?
00:16:05.89\00:16:07.23
"Therefore by your
fruits you'll know them."
00:16:07.23\00:16:10.90
Matthew chapter 12,
Jesus has another parable.
00:16:10.93\00:16:15.54
"There was a certain landowner
who planted a vineyard and he
00:16:15.57\00:16:19.24
set a hedge around it.
00:16:19.27\00:16:20.98
And he dug a wine press
in it, and he built a tower.
00:16:21.01\00:16:24.31
And he leased it to vinedressers
and he went into a far country.
00:16:24.35\00:16:28.88
Now when the vintage time had
drawn near, he sent his servants
00:16:28.92\00:16:32.75
to the vinedresser that
they might receive its fruit."
00:16:32.79\00:16:37.56
So now, Jesus is explaining that
the church doesn't belong to us,
00:16:37.59\00:16:43.60
it belongs to Him.
00:16:43.63\00:16:45.73
Israel did not belong to
the priests, it belonged to God.
00:16:45.77\00:16:48.37
They were supposed to
bring forth the fruits.
00:16:48.40\00:16:52.04
"And when they sent the
servants, the vinedressers took
00:16:52.07\00:16:55.44
his servants and they
beat one, and they killed one,
00:16:55.48\00:16:59.91
and they stoned another.
00:16:59.95\00:17:01.95
And he sent other servants."
00:17:01.98\00:17:03.52
The owner of the vineyard said
look, I've leased it to you,
00:17:03.55\00:17:05.42
you're supposed to
bring me some of the fruit.
00:17:05.45\00:17:08.76
"More than the first, and
they did likewise to them."
00:17:08.79\00:17:11.23
What did they do?
00:17:11.26\00:17:12.59
Beat, kill, stone, and what
did Jesus say that the religious
00:17:12.63\00:17:16.73
leaders often
did to the prophets?
00:17:16.77\00:17:19.43
It says, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you stoned the prophets that
00:17:19.47\00:17:23.10
come to you," talking
about the judgment coming.
00:17:23.14\00:17:28.14
"Last of all, he
sent his son to them.
00:17:28.18\00:17:30.88
'Give me the fruit
of the vineyard, they'll
00:17:30.91\00:17:33.92
respect my son.'
00:17:33.95\00:17:35.25
But when the vinedressers
saw the son, they said among
00:17:35.28\00:17:37.45
themselves, 'This is the heir,
come, let's kill him and let's
00:17:37.49\00:17:41.29
just seize his
inheritance for ourselves.'
00:17:41.32\00:17:44.56
So they took him, and they
cast him out of the vineyard,
00:17:44.59\00:17:47.66
and they killed him.
00:17:47.73\00:17:49.50
Therefore," Jesus is asking
the scribes and Pharisees he's
00:17:49.53\00:17:52.33
talking to, "'When the owner of
the vineyard comes, what will he
00:17:52.37\00:17:56.00
do to those vinedressers?'
00:17:56.04\00:17:58.77
They said to him, 'He'll destroy
those wicked men miserably,
00:17:58.81\00:18:03.71
and lease the vineyard to others
who will render him the fruits
00:18:03.75\00:18:07.92
in their season.'
00:18:07.95\00:18:09.72
And Jesus said, Have you
never read in the Scripture,
00:18:09.75\00:18:12.59
'The stone that the builders
have rejected became the
00:18:12.62\00:18:15.06
chief cornerstone.
00:18:15.09\00:18:16.39
This was the Lord's doing
and it's marvelous in our eyes.'
00:18:16.42\00:18:19.69
Therefore I say to you, the
kingdom of God will be taken
00:18:19.73\00:18:24.83
from you and given to a nation
bearing the fruits of it.'"
00:18:24.87\00:18:31.44
So, this is telling us that the
cursing of the fig tree, and the
00:18:31.47\00:18:37.51
parable of the fig tree in
the vineyard that doesn't bear
00:18:37.55\00:18:40.02
fruit, and the vineyard leasers
that didn't give fruit to the
00:18:40.05\00:18:43.05
vineyard owner, it's all really
telling us the same message.
00:18:43.08\00:18:46.39
That God has a church in
the world, it was Israel in the
00:18:46.42\00:18:50.79
Old Testament, it's God's
people, the Christian church in
00:18:50.83\00:18:53.63
the world today, and we have a
responsibility to be productive.
00:18:53.66\00:18:59.53
You know how Jesus is
pictured in Revelation?
00:18:59.57\00:19:01.77
He's coming with a sickle
to harvest the vintage of the
00:19:01.80\00:19:06.17
world, and he wants us to be
faithful in producing the fruit.
00:19:06.21\00:19:11.95
Now, what is the fruit?
00:19:11.98\00:19:14.35
You know this?
00:19:14.38\00:19:15.68
Galatians 5:22, "But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy,"
00:19:15.72\00:19:23.36
these are good things, "Peace,
long-suffering, kindness,
00:19:23.39\00:19:28.26
goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control.
00:19:28.30\00:19:33.10
Against such there is no law."
00:19:33.13\00:19:34.97
God wants the fruits
of the Spirit in our life.
00:19:35.00\00:19:37.01
Now, there's two kinds of fruit.
00:19:37.04\00:19:38.87
You've got the spiritual
fruit, and then you got the
00:19:38.91\00:19:40.61
practical fruit.
00:19:40.64\00:19:41.94
If you have the spiritual fruits
of the Spirit in your life,
00:19:41.98\00:19:45.21
you will bear the practical
fruit, which will be others
00:19:45.25\00:19:48.98
will come to the Lord.
00:19:49.02\00:19:50.62
You will be witnessing,
and Christ will have a harvest.
00:19:50.65\00:19:54.02
If you and I have the Spiritual
fruit, it leads to the practical
00:19:54.06\00:19:58.23
fruit of souls being converted,
because we've got the gifts
00:19:58.26\00:20:01.10
of the Spirit.
00:20:01.13\00:20:02.43
What do we do with our love?
00:20:02.46\00:20:03.77
We love others.
00:20:03.80\00:20:05.13
Our joy, our peace, our
long-suffering kindness,
00:20:05.17\00:20:08.00
kindness to others, goodness,
faithfulness, it's all bringing
00:20:08.04\00:20:11.01
people to Christ.
00:20:11.04\00:20:12.87
It's the sap on the inside
that produces the fruit that
00:20:12.91\00:20:16.71
others can eat.
00:20:16.75\00:20:19.68
You know, the things we read
about the fig tree, it's not
00:20:19.71\00:20:22.05
just something
that happened to Israel.
00:20:22.08\00:20:24.05
"Therefore, indeed, I send you
prophets, wise men, and scribes.
00:20:24.09\00:20:28.92
Some of them you will kill and
crucify, and some of them you
00:20:28.96\00:20:32.09
will scourge in your synagogues
and persecute from city to city,
00:20:32.13\00:20:35.63
that on you may come all
the righteous blood shed on the
00:20:35.66\00:20:38.57
earth, from the blood of
righteous Abel to the blood of
00:20:38.60\00:20:41.90
Zechariah, the son of Berechiah,
whom you murdered between
00:20:41.94\00:20:45.51
the temple and the altar."
00:20:45.54\00:20:46.84
Christ was saying,
you know, God is patient.
00:20:46.88\00:20:49.24
He's made a note of all
the righteous blood that's been
00:20:49.28\00:20:52.15
slain, and He told the Jewish
nation you have had greater
00:20:52.18\00:20:55.68
privileges than anyone
because I have given you
00:20:55.72\00:20:58.62
the oracles of truth.
00:20:58.65\00:20:59.95
You've got the Scriptures.
00:21:00.06\00:21:01.36
I want you to live it in your
life and share it with the lost,
00:21:01.39\00:21:04.36
but instead you're
hoarding it to yourself.
00:21:04.39\00:21:06.46
Lazarus lies at your gate,
desiring the crumbs that fall
00:21:06.49\00:21:09.43
from your table, and you're
feasting and arguing theology.
00:21:09.46\00:21:14.20
And He said because you are
rejecting, there will come a day
00:21:14.24\00:21:17.71
of judgment, and the blood of
Abel to the blood of Zechariah
00:21:17.74\00:21:21.08
will be required
of this generation.
00:21:21.11\00:21:23.01
It's a fearful thing to be
judged, cut down, and thrown
00:21:23.04\00:21:26.55
in the fire.
00:21:26.58\00:21:27.88
But he said all these
things will come upon, notice,
00:21:27.92\00:21:29.92
this generation.
00:21:29.95\00:21:32.35
How long is a
generation in the Bible?
00:21:32.39\00:21:34.82
Forty years, now
read Matthew 24 verse 32.
00:21:34.86\00:21:39.36
"Now learn this
parable from the fig tree."
00:21:39.39\00:21:42.10
What kind of tree?
00:21:42.13\00:21:45.03
"When its branch has become
tender and it puts forth fruit,"
00:21:45.07\00:21:50.07
it doesn't say fruit.
00:21:50.11\00:21:51.77
"When its branch is tender
and it puts forth leaves,"
00:21:51.81\00:21:54.88
just leaves.
00:21:54.91\00:21:57.01
You know that summer is near.
00:21:57.05\00:21:58.35
Summer was a hot time.
00:21:58.38\00:22:00.85
"So you also, when you see all
these things, know that it is
00:22:00.88\00:22:04.89
near, even at the doors.
00:22:04.92\00:22:07.79
Assuredly I say to you
this generation will by no means
00:22:07.82\00:22:12.76
pass away until all
these things take place.
00:22:12.79\00:22:15.43
Heaven and earth will pass
away, but my words will not
00:22:15.46\00:22:18.80
pass away."
00:22:18.83\00:22:20.44
You know, when Jesus began his
ministry, He said, "My Father's
00:22:20.47\00:22:23.17
house is a house of prayer."
00:22:23.20\00:22:24.97
At the end of His ministry,
He said, "Behold, your house is
00:22:25.01\00:22:28.08
left to you desolate."
00:22:28.11\00:22:30.18
He starts out saying, "My
Father's house," the last time
00:22:30.21\00:22:33.31
He leaves the temple, before
he goes to Gethsemane, He says,
00:22:33.35\00:22:37.05
"Behold, your house is left to
you desolate," and he has a big
00:22:37.09\00:22:40.46
confrontation showdown with
the scribes and the Pharisees
00:22:40.49\00:22:43.73
who had fig-leaf religion.
00:22:43.76\00:22:45.56
It was all
manmade righteousness.
00:22:45.59\00:22:48.36
Now, that could never happen
to us in the last days, right?
00:22:48.40\00:22:51.77
Or does history
tend to repeat itself?
00:22:51.80\00:22:54.40
Are we ever tempted to
be less than authentic?
00:22:54.44\00:22:58.97
And so, Jesus makes
His prophecy, remember,
00:22:59.01\00:23:01.98
in Matthew 24.
00:23:02.01\00:23:03.24
Don't forget, in the beginning
of the chapter in Matthew 24,
00:23:03.28\00:23:06.21
Jesus said, "There will not
be left one stone upon another
00:23:06.25\00:23:10.09
that will not be thrown down."
00:23:10.12\00:23:11.62
He's talking about the
destruction of the temple,
00:23:11.65\00:23:13.89
a judgment that would come on
the Jewish nation, and he said
00:23:13.92\00:23:18.39
this generation won't pass away.
00:23:18.43\00:23:20.46
He says this in about 30 A.D.
00:23:20.50\00:23:24.77
What's a generation?
00:23:24.80\00:23:26.74
Forty years, when
was the temple destroyed?
00:23:26.77\00:23:30.67
Seventy A.D. exactly 40.
00:23:30.71\00:23:33.71
He says this
generation will not pass away.
00:23:33.74\00:23:35.38
Christ said no sign would
be given but the sign of Jonah.
00:23:35.41\00:23:39.38
And you know what?
00:23:39.41\00:23:40.72
It says as Jonah was
assigned to the Ninevites.
00:23:40.75\00:23:43.95
What was
assigned to the Ninevites?
00:23:43.99\00:23:45.29
It was Jonah was an exceeding,
great--Nineveh was an exceeding,
00:23:45.32\00:23:48.52
great city, a
three-days journey.
00:23:48.56\00:23:50.56
He entered the city a
half a day, and he preached,
00:23:50.59\00:23:54.36
in 40 days it
would be destroyed.
00:23:54.40\00:23:56.43
Three and a half and 40.
00:23:56.46\00:23:58.67
Jesus preached three and a half
years, and then in 40 years the
00:23:58.70\00:24:02.20
temple was destroyed.
00:24:02.24\00:24:04.17
I mean, friends, this is
amazing, isn't it, how perfectly
00:24:04.21\00:24:06.88
the Word of God fits together?
00:24:06.91\00:24:08.84
Now, Matthew 24 is
not just for the Jews.
00:24:08.88\00:24:11.65
They asked when will this be the
destruction of Jerusalem, and
00:24:11.68\00:24:14.58
what will be the sign of your
coming and the end of the world?
00:24:14.62\00:24:17.42
Jesus now commingles the answer,
because the church ends up, over
00:24:17.45\00:24:22.22
time, repeating
the history of Israel.
00:24:22.26\00:24:25.46
There were many
faithful Jews that were saved.
00:24:25.49\00:24:27.23
The Apostles were all Jewish.
00:24:27.23\00:24:29.16
The early church was all Jewish.
00:24:29.20\00:24:30.50
Many came to the
Lord, but it was a remnant.
00:24:30.53\00:24:33.94
And in the Christian church
today, there is 2.2 billion
00:24:33.97\00:24:37.04
professed
Christians in the world.
00:24:37.07\00:24:38.54
Do you think they're all the
real thing, or is there a lot
00:24:38.57\00:24:41.51
of hypocrisy?
00:24:41.54\00:24:43.61
It's not just out
there, it's in here.
00:24:43.65\00:24:46.65
When I say in here I mean
it's in here, in my heart, it's
00:24:46.68\00:24:50.22
in our church.
00:24:50.25\00:24:51.62
The devil is always trying
to convince us that if we've got
00:24:51.65\00:24:55.29
a form of
religion that it will pass.
00:24:55.32\00:24:59.03
It's got to be the real thing.
00:24:59.06\00:25:01.43
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sacrifice, but behind them
is another hero, hidden in plain
00:26:50.71\00:26:57.08
sight amid the shadows.
00:26:57.11\00:27:00.82
He was there from the
beginning, and He'll be there
00:27:00.85\00:27:05.95
until the end.
00:27:05.99\00:27:07.99
Discover the golden thread
of a Savior woven throughout
00:27:08.02\00:27:11.89
the entire Bible tapestry.
00:27:11.93\00:27:15.76
"Shadows of Light, Seeing Jesus
in All the Bible," a new book
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by Doug Bachelor.
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Get your copy today
by calling 800-538-7275,
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or visit AFbookstore.com.
00:27:29.21\00:27:31.21
Once again, to purchase
your copy of "Shadows of Light,"
00:27:31.25\00:27:33.98
call 800-538-7275.
00:27:34.02\00:27:38.12
female announcer: Did you know
"Amazing Facts" has a free Bible
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school that you can do from
the comfort of your own home?
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It includes 27
beautifully-illustrated study
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lessons to aid in
your study of God's Word.
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Sign up today for this
free Bible study course by
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calling 1-844-215-7000.
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That's 1-844-215-7000.
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¤¤¤
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male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's free offer,
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it's sure to be a blessing.
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And thank you for your continued
support as we take the gospel of
00:28:08.72\00:28:12.05
Jesus Christ to the world.
00:28:12.09\00:28:14.02
We hope you'll join us
next week as we delve deep into
00:28:14.06\00:28:17.16
the Word of God to
explore more amazing facts.
00:28:17.19\00:28:24.27
This presentation was
brought to you by the friends of
00:28:24.30\00:28:27.00
the Amazing Facts Ministry.
00:28:27.04\00:28:29.07