Who was the first Christian?
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When you think about
that what comes to mind?
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Today I am Back To Our Roots.
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We're going to explore exactly
that question. Stick around.
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Welcome once again
to Back to our Roots.
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I am your host Alex Schlusser
and this is my co-host--
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Rachel Hyman.
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And we're so glad that
you decided to join us today.
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And we have a very
interesting topic today,
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Rachel. Yes.
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We're going to be discussing,
who was the first Christian.
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I don't even know
who the first Christian--
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We can say who were
the first Christians?
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When does that term appear?
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When did Christianity begin?
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Interesting thought.
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You know, Rachel, if
I was to ask you that,
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how do you think
most people would respond?
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When did Christianity begin?
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I guess maybe most
people would respond,
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you know, after Jesus died
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or you know, when
Jesus was here I guess.
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And you know most
people know how to answer,
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you know, oh, the Jews
were the first Christians.
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But for some reason I
think that's been difficult
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for some people to embrace.
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You know, I
would really say that.
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I think probably
the average person
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would not even associate
Jews with Christianity.
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Yeah, that's probably true.
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You know, they would probably
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think that well,
this is Christianity.
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And, you know, I think
that one of the purposes
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of our program all
along the way has been to show
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this connection between
Hebrew mind, Jewish people,
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those things Jewish, especially
the first century and before
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that and how that
really was the foundation
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of what we know
now as Christianity.
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That when Jesus came,
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when Paul walked
the face of the earth
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was their intent to
create a new religion
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that would become
called Christianity.
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Interesting question.
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So we're going to
discuss those things today.
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So hang with us.
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It's going to be
a very interesting
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program today.
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I'd like to invite
out our resident scholar,
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Alexander Bolotnikov.
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Sasha, how are you doing
or should I say, Dr. Sasha?
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Good to see you, Alex.
Good to see you, Rachel.
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And doctors and professors
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always need help
with their clothing.
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So it's good to see you again.
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Rachel always watches around me.
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Today, Sasha, we're talking
about the first Christians.
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And maybe as important,
when did Christianity begin?
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Who were the first Christians?
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When did that term
even come into play?
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So let's go back and let's begin
our discussion today with--
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when did Christianity begin?
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Was it at the crucifixion?
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Did Paul begin Christianity?
What do you think, Sasha?
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The first congregation
of followers of the Messiah
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started 50 days
after the crucifixion.
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Right.
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That was the Feast of Pentecost.
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And that was the best time
when number of Jewish pilgrims
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from all around the
world would come to Jerusalem.
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I have to notice, we
got to notice the fact that,
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you know, about only
about 30% of Jewish people
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lived in Judea
during the first century.
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70% of the Jews kind
of moved away from Judea
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just because
it's so small economy,
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all kinds of
issues and they lived--
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was big community
in Alexandria, Egypt.
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There was a big
community in Rome.
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There was communities
all across Asia Minor
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which is today's Turkey.
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There was community in the area
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which is known as
today as Iran and Iraq.
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There was a
community in Tarshish
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known as today as
Spain across Mediterranean.
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So the Pentecost
was-- that day when--
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basically parents
would bring their children
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to the Jerusalem
to their birthplace.
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You know, Alex, it's like, today
it's like a Bar Mitzvah tours,
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the Israel organize
for American Jewish kids.
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So what that is, is
that for those of you
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that may not know the--
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boy, I don't want to call it
a ceremony but the celebration
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that a 13 year old Jewish boy
and a 12 year old Jewish girl
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go through something called
Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah
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and it means sons or
daughter of the commandment
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and it really for
them to signifying
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that they have
accepted responsibly
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for their own spiritual growth.
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There's a lot of
things that happened
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but in essence
that's what it is.
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What Sasha is talking about
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is this is very
popular for people to,
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parents to take
their son or their daughter
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in conjunction with their
Bat Mitzvah or Bar Mitzvah
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to go to Jerusalem, to Israel
and to be able to celebrate it
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especially at the Western
Wall, big and popular thing.
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So it was one of the
things Sasha is saying that
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during that time of Pentecost
that the Jews would all travel,
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no matter where they lived
they would come to Jerusalem.
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This is the reason why there are
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so many people there,
the streets would swell.
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And of course we've talked
previously this is the point
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when the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit happens
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that Peter is preaching
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and thousands are
getting saved, right.
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Three thousand
people, what happen was,
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you know, as we
mentioned in our last program,
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suddenly you know,
during this temple ceremony
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when they are about to embark
on the reading of the story of
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how God delivered Ten
Commandments to Israel
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you know, I'm
following in Exodus 19:20.
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Then suddenly that
fire, like a little pillar,
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little tongue of fire would rest
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upon the disciples of Jesus
making them a mini temples.
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And this startles everybody.
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These uneducated Galileans
because that's what Galileans
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were viewed in Jerusalem like
uneducated, farmers, fishermen,
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who didn't know how
to speak Hebrew language.
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They spoke
simple Aramaic and then
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and they needed to translate--
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that Jerusalemites would
translate for them Torah.
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They began to
speak not only in Hebrew
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but in all kinds of languages
of this Diaspora people--
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Which Diaspora means anyone
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that lived outside
of Jerusalem or Judea.
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Yeah, and that's why
it was so important like,
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when American
Jews come to Israel
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the majority of
them speak English,
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don't speak any Hebrew,
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they need
translation the same way.
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You know,
Alexandrian Jews spoke Greek.
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You know, Persian
Jews Spoke Persian.
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So all of the sudden, you know,
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the story of Pentecostals is
when it say they heard tongues,
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you know, what it was
is that they were hearing
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the presentation of the
gospel in their languages.
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So it's either
they were hearing it
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or they were
speaking it, but either way
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translation was happening
somehow and they understood.
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Yes, exactly.
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That what was really
moved and so Peter comes in
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and gives that explanation,
appeals to people to repent.
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And you got
3,000 Jews basically,
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they were not some kind
of a tourist, they were not,
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you know, anybody
else they were Jews,
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3,000 Jews that's what,
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that's what the
Book of Acts 2 tells.
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Decide to dedicate
their life to the Lord
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and they formed that
first community that followed
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and accepted Jesus as
their Messiah and Savior.
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Now let me ask you something.
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I know that in few
places in the New Testament
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there is a term that they
were followers of the way.
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At what point
now that, you know,
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that seems to be
the early name of those
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Jews that were
following Messiah?
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The way. Yeah, it was "the way."
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That's cool.
They were following--
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Oh, because exactly, because
Jesus in Gospel of John--
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Said, I am the way.
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I am the way,
truth and the life. So--
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So that's really
the earliest name.
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Exactly, there was no--
there was no like Christian.
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We'll get to it little
later, but there was exactly,
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there were followers of the way.
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The reason why, Jewish--
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I mean this is
within Jewish community.
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It's within Jewish
community. That's why,
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you know, historians treat
the first century Christians,
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they call them straight
forward Judea Christians,
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for reason because,
all of this was happened
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inside Jewish community.
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And so these people
needed to be distinct
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from a traditionally established
sects within Judaism.
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You had
Pharisees, you had Sadducees,
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you had Essenes, you
had Zealots extremists.
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These were the
followers of the way.
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That's how they
distinguished themselves.
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So let's define something.
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You know, before
we get too far, okay.
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So we're used to
hearing the term that Christian
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to describe those that
are followers of Jesus, right?
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So what literally, see,
that the interesting thing is,
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Christian is really the
description of exactly that,
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right? Yes.
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The followers of the
Christ or the Messiah. Yes.
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Yet that at some point sticks
as only the name of this sect.
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I guess it takes over
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even those that are
using the term the way.
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Now is that and maybe
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I am getting
ahead of ourselves here.
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But is that the result
of the growing separation
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between those
that believe in Jesus
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and those that were
in the Jewish community?
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Does that have
anything to do with the fact
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that the name the way falls
out of favor versus Christian?
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What do you think?
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What happened is this.
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When we talk
about the first century,
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we do have
definitely a strong opposition.
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Strong opposition to
the followers of Jesus
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from amongst the
rabbis and the priest.
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And we have to remember
also that even in the Bible
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in the Book of Acts
especially like in Chapter 11.
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I mean, it pretty
much makes it clear
00:11:18.52\00:11:20.46
that all of the believers
at first, they are Jewish.
00:11:20.49\00:11:23.28
Yeah, exactly.
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I mean, you know, when
we say the "Body of Christ"
00:11:24.38\00:11:27.25
that we want to use
that term to describe
00:11:27.28\00:11:31.15
the whole entirety
of those who followed.
00:11:31.18\00:11:33.58
Well, the "body" in
that large portion of time
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in the first century especially
early first century after Jesus,
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it's exclusively Jewish.
00:11:42.89\00:11:45.18
You know, Alex, I was--
00:11:45.21\00:11:47.81
I had this
experiences all the time.
00:11:47.84\00:11:50.66
When I do public lectures
00:11:50.69\00:11:53.55
many Jewish people come to me--
00:11:53.58\00:11:56.37
I have these lectures
on Judaism and Christianity
00:11:56.40\00:11:58.92
and they are
startled with the question.
00:11:58.95\00:12:01.77
You know, explain to us
how come first Christians,
00:12:01.80\00:12:08.48
we read in history
they were all Jewish
00:12:08.51\00:12:11.43
and now Christianity is
so anti-Jewish in many ways.
00:12:11.46\00:12:16.04
That's how Jews-- that's
how the secular Jews see it.
00:12:16.07\00:12:21.07
And what happens is I
believe the rift began
00:12:21.10\00:12:27.21
in the middle of
the second century
00:12:27.24\00:12:29.62
and I have to tell you
the main problem became
00:12:29.65\00:12:33.37
that it was
actually Christianity
00:12:33.40\00:12:36.13
started to severing
the ties with Judaism,
00:12:36.16\00:12:41.10
with Jewish
community by accepting the--
00:12:41.13\00:12:45.12
by rejecting the
Sabbath and the Torah.
00:12:45.15\00:12:47.54
So let's jump
over to this, okay.
00:12:47.57\00:12:52.61
I think another
common thing that I've heard,
00:12:52.64\00:12:55.98
Sasha, is that Paul
really is the one who--
00:12:56.01\00:13:01.51
if you are going
to say "a Christian"
00:13:01.54\00:13:04.36
because maybe his
mission to the Gentiles.
00:13:04.39\00:13:08.35
But was Paul the
first true Christian?
00:13:08.38\00:13:12.79
Absolutely not.
00:13:12.82\00:13:15.60
That's the other
extreme and that's often
00:13:15.63\00:13:18.10
what the rabbis today teach.
00:13:18.13\00:13:20.83
So in the Book of Acts 18,
00:13:20.86\00:13:23.55
there's specifically some things
00:13:23.58\00:13:25.41
that I think
speak to that situation.
00:13:25.44\00:13:28.00
Oh, absolutely, when you
look at the Book of Acts 18.
00:13:28.03\00:13:32.88
Well, maybe we have to go
back to the Book of Acts 11,
00:13:32.91\00:13:38.02
where we have to see how
the term Christians emerged
00:13:38.05\00:13:45.29
and the text
says that, you know,
00:13:45.32\00:13:48.53
of what happened was
00:13:48.56\00:13:50.52
one of the leaders of
the community in Jerusalem,
00:13:50.55\00:13:53.81
Steven was stoned
00:13:53.84\00:13:55.80
and that prompted
a strong persecution
00:13:55.83\00:14:00.64
and as a result of persecution
00:14:00.67\00:14:02.91
many leaders of the community
of followers of the way
00:14:02.94\00:14:08.16
and Judea had to go
away but they went to Cyprus,
00:14:08.19\00:14:12.46
they went to the Tyre
and other adjacent areas
00:14:12.49\00:14:16.63
and it says there that
they preached the gospel
00:14:16.66\00:14:20.75
to nobody else but the Jews.
00:14:20.78\00:14:23.68
Right.
00:14:23.71\00:14:24.79
What happens next?
Which Jews that it refers to?
00:14:24.82\00:14:30.54
It refers to the
Jews of the Diaspora.
00:14:30.57\00:14:33.32
Again, remember, Diaspora means
00:14:33.35\00:14:35.13
the Jews that
are outside of Judea.
00:14:35.16\00:14:37.14
Right.
00:14:37.17\00:14:38.20
So Jews of the Diaspora
00:14:38.23\00:14:40.94
were more
receptive to the message
00:14:40.97\00:14:44.88
such of Messiah than
the Jews of Jerusalem.
00:14:44.91\00:14:49.61
So why do you think that was--
00:14:49.64\00:14:50.75
do you think that there was
less influenced by the temple,
00:14:50.78\00:14:55.15
by the
Pharisees, by the Sadducees,
00:14:55.18\00:14:56.91
the further they
moved away from Judea.
00:14:56.94\00:14:58.56
Yes, yes.
00:14:58.59\00:14:59.81
There was less political issues.
00:14:59.84\00:15:03.58
There was less you know--
00:15:03.61\00:15:05.24
Maybe people felt freer
00:15:05.27\00:15:07.12
to explore
things that were outside
00:15:07.15\00:15:08.98
what was being taught by
the established leaders--
00:15:09.01\00:15:11.05
Oh, yes, oh yes, oh yes.
00:15:11.08\00:15:12.77
That's why even the
Pharisees in the Diaspora
00:15:12.80\00:15:15.32
would be more receptive.
00:15:15.35\00:15:16.92
Although it's
interesting that Acts 15
00:15:16.95\00:15:20.80
points to us that the community,
00:15:20.83\00:15:22.86
the church in Jerusalem
00:15:22.89\00:15:25.18
did have number
of former Pharisees.
00:15:25.21\00:15:28.18
And by the way Steven was stoned
00:15:28.21\00:15:31.95
if you look at
the Book of Acts 7.
00:15:31.98\00:15:35.67
Steven was stoned
because he preached the message
00:15:35.70\00:15:39.96
so fervently
that even the priests
00:15:39.99\00:15:45.11
were accepting Jesus.
00:15:45.14\00:15:46.52
And that's what cause, you know.
00:15:46.55\00:15:49.39
I mean, look at
Barnabas, who was Barnabas?
00:15:49.42\00:15:52.55
It says in the
Book of Acts, you know,
00:15:52.58\00:15:54.19
famous apostle but in the
Book of Acts he was a Levite.
00:15:54.22\00:15:58.45
So at the stoning of Steven,
00:15:58.48\00:16:01.21
that's when we first
learn about Paul, right,
00:16:01.24\00:16:05.22
that he's there
when that's happening.
00:16:05.25\00:16:09.94
Yet, by the time
we jump ahead now
00:16:09.97\00:16:12.28
and even further into Acts 18.
00:16:12.31\00:16:15.21
Paul is-- scripture says that
he's occupied with the word,
00:16:15.24\00:16:18.81
he's testifying
to the Jews, right?
00:16:18.84\00:16:22.13
That the Christ, that
the Messiah was indeed
00:16:22.16\00:16:25.58
Jesus, right.
00:16:25.61\00:16:28.34
It says that they
opposed and reviled him.
00:16:28.37\00:16:31.79
Now this is his
Jewish contemporary.
00:16:31.82\00:16:35.00
The ones that he had
walked with, you know,
00:16:35.03\00:16:37.94
I don't know what
the time period was
00:16:37.97\00:16:39.80
from the time
that Steven is stoned
00:16:39.83\00:16:41.86
that he experiences that,
00:16:41.89\00:16:43.14
that he's the
one pursuing the Jews
00:16:43.17\00:16:45.40
that believed
calling them the heretics
00:16:45.43\00:16:47.61
and then he becomes a "heretic"
himself following the Messiah.
00:16:47.64\00:16:53.49
Now there's a key scripture that
00:16:53.52\00:16:56.50
I want to spent at
least a few minutes
00:16:56.53\00:16:58.49
and maybe have
you give your thoughts
00:16:58.52\00:17:00.60
because this is so
controversial, all right.
00:17:00.63\00:17:04.62
In terms of how this
affected the relationship
00:17:04.65\00:17:07.11
that the Jews had and
the God had with the Jews
00:17:07.14\00:17:09.62
because I've heard
people use this, okay,
00:17:09.65\00:17:12.50
and it's simply this.
00:17:12.53\00:17:13.78
So Paul is testifying,
he's talking about the Jews,
00:17:13.81\00:17:16.56
they opposed and
they reviled him.
00:17:16.59\00:17:18.52
He shook out his
garments, scripture says,
00:17:18.55\00:17:20.83
and he said, your
blood be upon your own heads,
00:17:20.86\00:17:24.82
I am innocent, now I am
going to go to the Gentiles.
00:17:24.85\00:17:29.05
I've heard people
used that in the context of
00:17:29.08\00:17:33.65
here's one more proof--
00:17:33.68\00:17:35.49
That the Jews rejected Jesus.
00:17:35.52\00:17:37.10
That they rejected and
that-- They made their decision.
00:17:37.13\00:17:40.39
Paul even affirms
that and moves on, okay.
00:17:40.42\00:17:45.33
Well--
00:17:45.36\00:17:46.46
And then they take that
as an example for today.
00:17:46.49\00:17:48.37
Now, you know, just
forget about the Jews,
00:17:48.40\00:17:49.76
they already made their
decision, let's just do it.
00:17:49.79\00:17:51.27
Exactly.
00:17:51.30\00:17:52.56
The problem is
that they don't read
00:17:52.59\00:17:54.74
what these
words mean in context.
00:17:54.77\00:17:57.39
Paul goes across the
road to the different location
00:17:57.42\00:18:03.36
and with Paul he takes the--
00:18:03.39\00:18:08.50
Crispus the
ruler of the synagogue,
00:18:08.53\00:18:10.60
it says, believed in the Lord
together was entire household
00:18:10.63\00:18:14.18
and many of the Corinthians
hearing Paul believed
00:18:14.21\00:18:16.81
and were baptized.
00:18:16.84\00:18:18.18
Exactly. So all
these words, you know,
00:18:18.21\00:18:21.70
what we always have to remember,
00:18:21.73\00:18:24.32
Jews are loud
people, isn't it so?
00:18:24.35\00:18:26.78
Just a little.
00:18:26.81\00:18:29.09
And so Paul was no less
loud than the Jews today
00:18:29.12\00:18:33.57
and the discussions get heated,
00:18:33.60\00:18:35.89
but in every community
00:18:35.92\00:18:38.02
you have people
who accept Jesus,
00:18:38.05\00:18:40.55
you have people
who reject Jesus.
00:18:40.58\00:18:42.48
We have-- when we read about
00:18:42.51\00:18:44.98
the missionary journeys of Paul,
00:18:45.01\00:18:47.59
time after time we
will see one pattern,
00:18:47.62\00:18:51.92
Paul goes into synagogue--
00:18:51.95\00:18:53.75
First. First. Yeah.
00:18:53.78\00:18:56.25
Because there was no other--
00:18:56.28\00:18:58.73
this place for Paul to
preach the gospel to the people.
00:18:58.76\00:19:03.59
Paul once attempted to go
in Athens to the Areopagus,
00:19:03.62\00:19:10.71
the place where
philosophers meet.
00:19:10.74\00:19:14.05
And, you know, he was
really, really killed there.
00:19:14.08\00:19:17.98
Philosophers just
didn't get anything,
00:19:18.01\00:19:21.58
it was so foreign to them.
00:19:21.61\00:19:23.41
There was one
fellow whom he convert
00:19:23.44\00:19:25.62
but Paul would
go into synagogue,
00:19:25.65\00:19:27.89
the synagogue would split
00:19:27.92\00:19:30.29
and the split of
part of the synagogue,
00:19:30.32\00:19:34.23
it's that's what the--
00:19:34.26\00:19:36.86
that's what becomes
a new Christian church.
00:19:36.89\00:19:40.71
You know, what I
find interesting today,
00:19:40.74\00:19:42.37
there's been this
reaction in the Jewish community
00:19:42.40\00:19:44.65
for those who accept Jesus
00:19:44.68\00:19:46.00
and instead of even
calling themselves Christian.
00:19:46.03\00:19:48.49
There's a lot Jews that
feel much more comfortable
00:19:48.52\00:19:50.52
with saying, "I am
a believer" just to,
00:19:50.55\00:19:53.04
you know, make the point that
00:19:53.07\00:19:54.79
they are not leaving
all of their Judaism behind.
00:19:54.82\00:19:57.52
And in a way they
are basically saying,
00:19:57.55\00:19:59.08
I am not in a new religion,
00:19:59.11\00:20:00.23
I just feel in
some sense completed
00:20:00.26\00:20:03.02
because I've accepted Messiah.
00:20:03.05\00:20:04.55
It's like a new phrase today.
00:20:04.58\00:20:05.61
Well, I think also
Rachel, that's a great point.
00:20:05.64\00:20:08.10
And I think that the tendency
00:20:08.13\00:20:10.65
also is to look at
from a Jewish perspective.
00:20:10.68\00:20:15.22
All the baggage
that they would perceive
00:20:15.25\00:20:16.97
goes along with the term--
00:20:17.00\00:20:18.34
Christian, exactly.
00:20:18.37\00:20:19.61
Because from a
Jewish perspective
00:20:19.64\00:20:22.08
you would look at "Christian"
00:20:22.11\00:20:23.96
and it's everything oppose
to everything that Jewish is.
00:20:23.99\00:20:26.99
Right. Right?
00:20:27.02\00:20:28.08
From the holidays
that are celebrated
00:20:28.11\00:20:30.73
to the total approach.
00:20:30.76\00:20:33.09
I think it's one of
the things that makes
00:20:33.12\00:20:36.24
Seventh-day Adventist poise
to reach the Jewish people.
00:20:36.27\00:20:39.43
Yeah, exactly.
00:20:39.46\00:20:40.49
I'm not sure
everybody totally realizes
00:20:40.52\00:20:43.18
how much the
Seventh-day Adventist
00:20:43.21\00:20:45.32
denomination really has
with Jews compared to, you know,
00:20:45.35\00:20:47.55
everyday simple denomination.
00:20:47.58\00:20:50.32
Right, there are
so many similarities.
00:20:50.35\00:20:51.84
But, Sasha, let's, I feel like
00:20:51.87\00:20:54.20
we kind of strayed a little bit
00:20:54.23\00:20:55.40
and I do want to go back
to Acts Chapter 11, okay.
00:20:55.43\00:20:59.42
Why don't you pick
it up there because
00:20:59.45\00:21:00.99
we wanting to look at
when this term Christian
00:21:01.02\00:21:04.12
really popped on to the scene.
00:21:04.15\00:21:06.81
Well, if you look at Chapter 11,
00:21:06.84\00:21:09.31
you have this
sequence of statements.
00:21:09.34\00:21:12.38
Statement number one.
00:21:12.41\00:21:13.96
After the stoning of Steven,
00:21:13.99\00:21:18.31
number of believers
went away from Judea,
00:21:18.34\00:21:23.03
they came in as we
said into Diaspora,
00:21:23.06\00:21:25.74
preached the word to
the Jews of the Diaspora.
00:21:25.77\00:21:28.36
Number of the
Jews in the Diaspora
00:21:28.39\00:21:31.38
accepted the word
00:21:31.41\00:21:33.21
and somehow they made
their way into the Antioch.
00:21:33.24\00:21:37.77
Antioch, if you
look geographically,
00:21:37.80\00:21:40.60
it's on the north, close
in the Mediterranean Coast
00:21:40.63\00:21:45.04
and it's in today's Syria.
00:21:45.07\00:21:47.34
So it's kind of close to Judea.
00:21:47.37\00:21:49.31
So they made
their way and it says,
00:21:49.34\00:21:51.60
the disciples of Antioch
begin to be called Christians.
00:21:51.63\00:21:57.06
So they made
these Jews of Diaspora
00:21:57.09\00:22:02.79
who became convicted
that Jesus was their Messiah
00:22:02.82\00:22:10.14
kind of founded
that community in Antioch
00:22:10.17\00:22:15.82
and that community
was called Christians.
00:22:15.85\00:22:18.07
Actually, well, if we
talk about Christians,
00:22:18.10\00:22:20.42
you know, Christós Christ
in Greek means Messiah, Masia?,
00:22:20.45\00:22:26.98
The anointed one.
00:22:27.01\00:22:28.32
So there, you know, basically
00:22:28.35\00:22:31.14
there is a term today
in English, Messianic.
00:22:31.17\00:22:34.56
So in Hebrew they would be
called like Messianic believers.
00:22:34.59\00:22:39.63
Right, you know,
isn't that crazy thing
00:22:39.66\00:22:41.06
there was that anyone
00:22:41.09\00:22:42.64
who believes
that Jesus is Messiah
00:22:42.67\00:22:44.44
can rightly be called Messianic.
00:22:44.47\00:22:46.09
Exactly, 'cause
they believe in Messiah.
00:22:46.12\00:22:47.85
Right.
00:22:47.88\00:22:49.24
So it's funny how it's just been
00:22:49.27\00:22:50.78
pigeonholed into this one idea.
00:22:50.81\00:22:53.12
Oh, you are Messianic.
00:22:53.15\00:22:54.93
Well, you are
not Messianic, right?
00:22:54.96\00:22:57.91
Yeah.
00:22:57.94\00:22:58.97
When Paul, when we get this idea
00:23:01.68\00:23:05.16
that Paul is the
first Christian, all right.
00:23:05.19\00:23:09.11
I would like to propose that
like you said, that's erroneous.
00:23:09.14\00:23:12.76
Paul was not the
first Christian. No.
00:23:12.79\00:23:15.33
I don't think that,
well past the first century
00:23:15.36\00:23:21.43
that those believers
thought they were anything
00:23:21.46\00:23:23.98
but Jewish
following the Jewish Messiah.
00:23:24.01\00:23:26.34
Absolutely. Totally.
00:23:26.37\00:23:27.46
Even though--I have to
make this understand our viewers
00:23:27.49\00:23:31.74
that those people who
accepted the message of Jesus,
00:23:31.77\00:23:36.62
they were not of
a Jewish descent,
00:23:36.65\00:23:39.46
but Paul found most
of them in the synagogue.
00:23:39.49\00:23:44.26
You have to
understand that in those period,
00:23:44.29\00:23:48.00
the synagogue was the only place
where people of all nations
00:23:48.03\00:23:53.18
and cultures could
find the faith in one God.
00:23:53.21\00:23:57.67
And this is why they
were coming for teaching.
00:23:57.70\00:24:00.28
People a lot of
times I think get confused
00:24:00.31\00:24:03.92
with the idea of the
temple and the synagogue.
00:24:03.95\00:24:07.80
Two completely
different places, two complete--
00:24:07.83\00:24:09.90
as were in the later show,
00:24:09.93\00:24:11.63
we're going to go in
detail about the temple.
00:24:11.66\00:24:14.43
But, you know, to speak to this
00:24:14.46\00:24:16.37
we mentioned Acts
19, specifically verse 8.
00:24:16.40\00:24:21.90
Listen to this.
00:24:21.93\00:24:23.58
"And he entered the synagogue,"
00:24:23.61\00:24:25.07
he is Paul, right?
00:24:25.10\00:24:26.88
"He entered the synagogue
00:24:26.91\00:24:28.02
and for three
months spoke boldly,
00:24:28.05\00:24:30.49
reasoning and persuading
them about the Kingdom of God."
00:24:30.52\00:24:34.84
So once again, we
have very clear evidence
00:24:34.87\00:24:37.72
and proof that to think
that the body of Messiah
00:24:37.75\00:24:44.14
in its earliest
form was anything
00:24:44.17\00:24:46.18
but the natural outgrowth
00:24:46.21\00:24:49.21
of what God had
planned from the beginning,
00:24:49.24\00:24:51.84
the followers of Messiah.
00:24:51.87\00:24:54.62
I think, it's totally missing
on so many levels the point.
00:24:54.65\00:24:59.73
Yeah, the Book of Acts
is absolutely clear on that.
00:24:59.76\00:25:03.81
So, Rachel, and I are
going to sing a song here
00:25:03.84\00:25:07.27
and Sasha, if you
tell our friends about it.
00:25:07.30\00:25:09.46
Hodu, give thanks
to the Lord, Psalm 136.
00:25:09.49\00:25:15.53
( singing in foreign language )
00:25:18.69\00:25:20.69
Give thanks to
the Lord He is good
00:26:15.02\00:26:22.16
He is mercy forever endures
00:26:22.19\00:26:29.42
Give thanks to
the Lord He is good
00:26:29.45\00:26:36.50
His mercy forever endures
00:26:36.53\00:26:41.38
So we give thanks.
00:26:41.41\00:26:43.28
Oh, give thanks, give
thanks, give thanks, give thanks
00:26:43.31\00:26:50.44
Oh, give thanks to
the Lord He is good
00:26:50.47\00:26:57.63
Oh, give thanks, give
thanks, give thanks, give thanks
00:26:57.66\00:27:04.78
Give thanks to
the Lord He is good
00:27:04.81\00:27:11.69
(singing in foreign language)
00:27:11.72\00:27:13.69
Give thanks to the
Lord, He is so good.
00:27:42.60\00:27:45.49
And may the Lord bless
you and may He keep you
00:27:45.52\00:27:48.87
and may the Lord make
his face to shine upon you
00:27:48.90\00:27:51.24
and be gracious to you.
00:27:51.27\00:27:52.99
May the Lord lift
His countenance upon you
00:27:53.02\00:27:55.30
and bring you His peace.
00:27:55.33\00:27:56.92
Join us once again
on Back to our Roots.
00:27:56.95\00:27:59.60