Welcome to a new Carter Report series, 00:00:01.36\00:00:03.87 The Game Changers. 00:00:03.90\00:00:05.73 These rare individuals appear once in a lifetime. 00:00:05.77\00:00:09.47 Like a blazing meteor across the night sky, 00:00:09.50\00:00:12.41 they change the course of history. 00:00:12.44\00:00:15.21 They show us the way forward. 00:00:15.24\00:00:18.18 Welcome to The Game Changers. 00:00:18.21\00:00:22.55 Welcome back, my friends, 00:00:25.65\00:00:26.99 to the great Lady Game Changers. 00:00:27.02\00:00:29.62 We've been talking about that fascinating character, 00:00:29.66\00:00:32.63 Mary Magdalene, the ex-prostitute. 00:00:32.66\00:00:36.16 I want you to notice something amazing about this lady, 00:00:36.20\00:00:40.37 found in Mark 14:3-9, 00:00:40.40\00:00:44.67 take your Bible, Matthew, 00:00:44.71\00:00:46.68 Mark 14:3-9. 00:00:46.71\00:00:52.05 "And being in Bethany 00:00:52.08\00:00:55.62 at the house of Simon the leper," the Pharisee, 00:00:55.65\00:00:59.55 "as He sat at the table, 00:00:59.59\00:01:00.92 a woman came having an alabaster flask 00:01:00.96\00:01:03.86 of very costly oil of spikenard." 00:01:03.89\00:01:07.26 $50,000 worth. 00:01:07.30\00:01:09.30 "Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 00:01:09.33\00:01:13.20 But there were some who were indignant 00:01:13.23\00:01:14.80 among themselves, and said, 00:01:14.84\00:01:16.37 'Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 00:01:16.40\00:01:19.17 For it might have been sold for more than 300 denarii, 00:01:19.21\00:01:23.51 a year's wages, and given to the poor.' 00:01:23.55\00:01:26.21 And they criticized her sharply. 00:01:26.25\00:01:28.38 But Jesus said, 'Let her alone. 00:01:28.42\00:01:32.05 Why do you trouble her? 00:01:32.09\00:01:33.42 She has done good work for Me. 00:01:33.46\00:01:35.92 For you have the poor with you always, 00:01:35.96\00:01:38.23 and whenever you wish you may do good to them, 00:01:38.26\00:01:42.46 but Me you do not always have. 00:01:42.50\00:01:44.93 She has done what she could." 00:01:44.97\00:01:46.40 Look at this. 00:01:46.43\00:01:47.77 "She has prepared my body beforehand 00:01:47.80\00:01:51.94 to anoint my body for burial. 00:01:51.97\00:01:54.88 Assuredly, I say to you, 00:01:54.91\00:01:56.28 wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, 00:01:56.31\00:01:59.25 what this woman has done 00:01:59.28\00:02:00.72 will also be told as a memorial." 00:02:00.75\00:02:05.35 Want you to notice something, most folks don't get... 00:02:05.39\00:02:08.42 I never got it. 00:02:08.46\00:02:10.29 She broke the alabaster vase. 00:02:10.33\00:02:14.93 That sounds again an awful waste of me. 00:02:14.96\00:02:17.97 And alabaster vase 00:02:18.00\00:02:20.34 is worth a lot of money. 00:02:20.37\00:02:24.07 Why did she do this? 00:02:24.11\00:02:27.08 Why did she break the alabaster vase? 00:02:27.11\00:02:30.25 Did you know this at a Jewish funeral, 00:02:30.28\00:02:34.28 at the ceremony, 00:02:34.32\00:02:35.85 when they would anoint the corpse with oil, 00:02:35.88\00:02:40.52 they broke the vase. 00:02:40.56\00:02:43.96 And then they put the vase 00:02:43.99\00:02:45.99 with the corpse in the coffin. 00:02:46.03\00:02:51.53 Jesus said, "Let her alone, she broke it 00:02:51.57\00:02:56.44 because she knows 00:02:56.47\00:02:58.37 I'm going to the cross." 00:02:58.41\00:03:02.74 But nobody else got it. 00:03:02.78\00:03:04.25 The men didn't get it. 00:03:07.82\00:03:10.65 Remember Peter? 00:03:10.69\00:03:12.22 He said, "This is not going to happen to you, Lord." 00:03:12.25\00:03:17.33 When the men didn't get it, 00:03:17.36\00:03:19.03 when the apostles didn't get it, 00:03:19.06\00:03:22.46 the ex-prostitute got it. 00:03:22.50\00:03:25.77 What does that tell you? 00:03:25.80\00:03:27.54 It tells you about the grace of God. 00:03:27.57\00:03:30.71 She had a heart for God 00:03:30.74\00:03:32.77 because the gospel was revealed to her. 00:03:32.81\00:03:36.95 I'm going to say something to you, 00:03:36.98\00:03:38.55 you're either going to get this 00:03:38.58\00:03:40.32 or else it's going to wash over your head, 00:03:40.35\00:03:43.45 something you're just not going to comprehend it, 00:03:43.49\00:03:47.49 but some of you will. 00:03:47.52\00:03:50.16 The truth of the gospel of Christ 00:03:50.19\00:03:54.20 is a mystery. 00:03:54.23\00:03:57.50 It is not only taught from the pulpit, 00:03:57.53\00:04:01.00 it is revealed supernaturally by the Holy Spirit. 00:04:01.04\00:04:05.54 And if it isn't supernaturally revealed to you, 00:04:05.57\00:04:09.08 you will be a hard hearted Pharisee in the church. 00:04:09.11\00:04:14.95 The men didn't get it, but the ex-prostitute got it. 00:04:18.62\00:04:24.46 You know why she got it? 00:04:24.49\00:04:26.76 She felt her need. 00:04:26.80\00:04:28.30 She and the other women 00:04:32.30\00:04:33.87 took care of Jesus out of their own means. 00:04:33.90\00:04:37.37 When Jesus and his rag tag army came into town, 00:04:37.41\00:04:42.01 Mary was there, mentioned first. 00:04:42.04\00:04:45.11 When the disciples ran away, Mary was there. 00:04:45.15\00:04:48.05 Mark 15:39-41, look at this text. 00:04:48.08\00:04:53.12 So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, 00:04:53.15\00:04:55.56 saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, 00:04:55.59\00:04:59.26 'Truly this man was the Son of God! 00:04:59.29\00:05:02.00 There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were," 00:05:02.03\00:05:05.43 number one, "Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James 00:05:05.47\00:05:08.54 the Less and of Joses, 00:05:08.57\00:05:09.90 and Salome, who had also followed Him 00:05:09.94\00:05:12.44 and ministered to him when He was in Galilee, 00:05:12.47\00:05:14.94 and many other women 00:05:14.98\00:05:16.31 who came up with Him to Jerusalem." 00:05:16.34\00:05:19.25 Mary is there, when the men ran to the hills, 00:05:23.69\00:05:29.62 Mary ran to the cross. 00:05:29.66\00:05:34.46 She watched as He was laid in the tomb. 00:05:34.50\00:05:37.03 She was at the cross, she was at the tomb. 00:05:37.07\00:05:40.60 Mark 15:46, 47, 00:05:40.64\00:05:44.47 "Then he brought fine linen," this is Joseph of Arimathea, 00:05:44.51\00:05:48.91 "took Him down and wrapped Him in the linen. 00:05:48.94\00:05:51.85 He laid Him in a tomb 00:05:51.88\00:05:53.21 which had been hewn out of the rock, 00:05:53.25\00:05:55.18 and rolled a stone," a great stone, 00:05:55.22\00:05:57.59 "against the door of the tomb. 00:05:57.62\00:05:58.95 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses 00:05:58.99\00:06:03.22 observed where He was laid." 00:06:03.26\00:06:05.36 She was there at the tomb. 00:06:05.39\00:06:09.70 She helped to prepare the oils to anoint his broken body, 00:06:09.73\00:06:14.00 she had done it before. 00:06:14.04\00:06:16.04 I'm not going to read it to you now 00:06:16.07\00:06:17.41 'cause I don't have time. 00:06:17.44\00:06:18.77 Nicodemus, one of the leaders of the Jews, 00:06:18.81\00:06:20.58 not all the Jews crucified Christ. 00:06:20.61\00:06:23.95 Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin. 00:06:23.98\00:06:26.68 He was the child of God. 00:06:26.72\00:06:28.52 And he came out of the dark, he'd been a Christian, 00:06:28.55\00:06:32.12 he'd been hiding in the dark, he came to Jesus by night. 00:06:32.15\00:06:35.39 And he comes to anoint the Lord's body. 00:06:35.42\00:06:39.39 And if you read it in many translations 00:06:39.43\00:06:42.03 like this one here, the New King James version, 00:06:42.06\00:06:44.43 it says, "He brought 100 pounds." 00:06:44.47\00:06:48.77 If you work that out, spikenard, 00:06:52.74\00:06:55.04 it means $5 million worth. 00:06:55.08\00:06:57.85 But it wasn't enough for Mary. 00:07:02.28\00:07:06.49 You know why? 00:07:06.52\00:07:08.02 Because on that Friday afternoon, 00:07:08.06\00:07:11.03 she goes home and she prepares more. 00:07:11.06\00:07:16.16 You know whom God loves? 00:07:16.20\00:07:17.53 A generous person. 00:07:17.57\00:07:20.04 You know a person who is closest to the devil 00:07:20.07\00:07:22.64 in character are scrooge, 00:07:22.67\00:07:25.71 a mean, a tight person. 00:07:25.74\00:07:29.14 If you met them, 00:07:29.18\00:07:31.31 maybe there are some here today. 00:07:31.35\00:07:33.85 People who are tight. 00:07:33.88\00:07:35.72 John 20:1 says... 00:07:35.75\00:07:39.35 John 20:1, "Now the first day of the week, 00:07:39.39\00:07:43.19 Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, 00:07:43.22\00:07:46.16 while it was still dark, 00:07:46.19\00:07:47.53 and saw that the stone had been taken away 00:07:47.56\00:07:49.60 from the tomb." 00:07:49.63\00:07:51.00 She was first at the tomb, at the cross, 00:07:51.03\00:07:55.44 ex-prostitute, think about it. 00:07:55.47\00:08:00.08 She found Him in the garden. 00:08:00.11\00:08:03.18 She was the first person Christ spoke to, Mary. 00:08:03.21\00:08:07.22 John 20:10-16, 00:08:07.25\00:08:10.15 "Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. 00:08:10.19\00:08:12.89 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping," 00:08:12.92\00:08:15.82 it says in other translations, sobbing, sobbing, 00:08:15.86\00:08:21.40 "and as she wept she stooped down 00:08:21.43\00:08:23.00 and looked into the tomb. 00:08:23.03\00:08:24.37 And she saw two angels in white sitting, 00:08:24.40\00:08:26.80 one at the head and the other at the feet, 00:08:26.84\00:08:28.84 where the body of Jesus had lain. 00:08:28.87\00:08:30.71 Then they said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' 00:08:30.74\00:08:33.14 She said to them, 00:08:33.17\00:08:34.51 'Because they have taken away my Lord, 00:08:34.54\00:08:36.51 and I do not know where they laid Him.' 00:08:36.54\00:08:39.58 Now when she had said this, 00:08:39.61\00:08:41.68 she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, 00:08:41.72\00:08:44.42 and did not know that it was Jesus." 00:08:44.45\00:08:47.16 Why? 00:08:47.19\00:08:48.89 Because she's crying. 00:08:48.92\00:08:51.76 People say, "I don't want any emotion in my religion." 00:08:51.79\00:08:55.80 Then you'll never have Christ. 00:08:55.83\00:08:57.87 You'll be cold as a Pharisee. 00:08:57.90\00:09:00.80 "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? 00:09:00.84\00:09:03.71 Whom are you seeking? 00:09:03.74\00:09:05.07 She, supposing Him to be the gardener said to Him, 00:09:05.11\00:09:07.58 'Sir, if you've carried Him away, 00:09:07.61\00:09:10.55 tell me where you have laid Him, 00:09:10.58\00:09:12.21 and I will take Him away.' 00:09:12.25\00:09:14.85 How? 00:09:14.88\00:09:17.02 "Jesus said to her, "Mariah!" 00:09:17.05\00:09:19.95 The ex-prostitute. 00:09:23.36\00:09:26.70 Think about it. 00:09:26.73\00:09:28.30 Mary anointed Him to prepare for His death. 00:09:28.33\00:09:30.47 On Friday, she prepared anointing oils 00:09:30.50\00:09:33.13 for His broken body. 00:09:33.17\00:09:35.17 If you read the gospels, it says, "After the Sabbath, 00:09:35.20\00:09:37.74 on the Saturday night." 00:09:37.77\00:09:39.67 I've missed this for years. 00:09:39.71\00:09:41.04 "She went out and bought some more. 00:09:41.08\00:09:44.25 A hundred pounds is not enough. 00:09:44.28\00:09:47.65 She was there at the cross, she was first at the tomb, 00:09:47.68\00:09:52.52 she was first to bring, meet the resurrected Lord. 00:09:52.55\00:09:56.26 She was the first to bring the disciples good news, 00:09:56.29\00:09:59.09 she became the apostle 00:09:59.13\00:10:02.36 to the apostles. 00:10:02.40\00:10:06.00 That's why God loved her so much. 00:10:06.03\00:10:08.64 He had a special love for Mary 00:10:08.67\00:10:11.81 because Mary has got a heart like God, 00:10:11.84\00:10:13.88 it's a generous heart. 00:10:13.91\00:10:15.61 The Pharisee heart is the heart of the devil. 00:10:15.64\00:10:20.05 Some people say, "I couldn't do, 00:10:20.08\00:10:21.42 I couldn't go, I can't..." 00:10:21.45\00:10:25.25 Then you are of your father, the devil. 00:10:25.29\00:10:29.22 She, the ex-prostitute, was honored to heaven. 00:10:29.26\00:10:32.39 She was redeemed and saved from a life of sin. 00:10:32.43\00:10:35.70 She provided the Lord with food on His journeys. 00:10:35.73\00:10:39.47 She anointed Him with fragrant spices twice. 00:10:39.50\00:10:43.91 She was with Him when He died. 00:10:43.94\00:10:45.57 She was first at the tomb. 00:10:45.61\00:10:48.48 She was the first person to see Him 00:10:48.51\00:10:50.25 when He was resurrected. 00:10:50.28\00:10:51.65 The first person to announce His resurrection. 00:10:51.68\00:10:56.58 And hence, the ex-prostitute, 00:10:56.62\00:11:02.52 is one of the greatest game changers in history. 00:11:02.56\00:11:05.99 The story of Mary tells us 00:11:06.03\00:11:08.10 there's hope for every one of us. 00:11:08.13\00:11:10.23 God saved Mary, there's hope for you. 00:11:10.27\00:11:15.64 His grace is greater than all our sins. 00:11:15.67\00:11:17.77 The love of God to save Mary, but there's one thing 00:11:17.81\00:11:20.28 that God finds it very hard to deal with. 00:11:20.31\00:11:23.58 I want to tell you, 00:11:23.61\00:11:24.95 and that is a self-righteous 00:11:24.98\00:11:27.38 hard heart. 00:11:27.42\00:11:31.65 Those people put Christ on the cross. 00:11:31.69\00:11:34.32 Mary was ahead of them all. 00:11:37.89\00:11:42.96 Then there's Tabitha. 00:11:43.00\00:11:45.83 Dorcas, the lady who was raised from the dead. 00:11:45.87\00:11:49.27 Acts 9:36, 37, "At Joppa, 00:11:49.30\00:11:53.94 there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, 00:11:53.98\00:11:56.38 which is translated Dorcas. 00:11:56.41\00:11:58.91 This woman was full of good works 00:11:58.95\00:12:00.68 and charitable deeds which she did. 00:12:00.72\00:12:03.15 But it happened in those days that she became sick and died." 00:12:03.18\00:12:06.52 Good people die. 00:12:06.55\00:12:08.69 "When they had washed her, 00:12:08.72\00:12:10.06 they laid her in an upper room." 00:12:10.09\00:12:14.10 In Arabic and Greek a name means gazelle, 00:12:14.13\00:12:16.23 an animal noted for its graceful movements 00:12:16.26\00:12:19.17 and large beautiful eyes. 00:12:19.20\00:12:23.20 She was not famous for teaching or preaching. 00:12:23.24\00:12:27.71 She was famous 00:12:27.74\00:12:29.88 for kindness. 00:12:29.91\00:12:34.08 Remember what the little girl said, 00:12:34.12\00:12:35.78 "Dear, God, make all the bad people good, 00:12:35.82\00:12:38.69 and all the good people kind." 00:12:38.72\00:12:42.42 Are you a good person? 00:12:42.46\00:12:43.79 Are you kind? 00:12:43.83\00:12:45.16 God especially loves kind, generous people. 00:12:48.10\00:12:53.03 When I was a student studying for the ministry, 00:12:53.07\00:12:55.50 I was very poor. 00:12:55.54\00:12:58.87 I worked full-time studying, and also had to work long hours 00:12:58.91\00:13:01.81 to pay for board and tuition costs. 00:13:01.84\00:13:04.88 During vacation breaks, 00:13:04.91\00:13:06.98 I work selling books from door-to-door, 00:13:07.02\00:13:09.22 Beverley did the same. 00:13:09.25\00:13:11.19 She's followed a similar program. 00:13:11.22\00:13:14.02 We don't regret it. We... 00:13:14.06\00:13:15.42 It was good for us and taught us 00:13:15.46\00:13:17.46 the value of paying for what you get 00:13:17.49\00:13:19.33 without government handouts. 00:13:19.36\00:13:21.73 When I was at Avondale with cold, 00:13:25.53\00:13:28.80 I did not have warm clothes or warm blankets. 00:13:28.84\00:13:31.71 I was frequently sick. 00:13:31.74\00:13:34.71 The Dorcas Society heard about this skinny boy 00:13:34.74\00:13:37.85 who was freezing in his refrigerator cell 00:13:37.88\00:13:41.32 at Avonjail, 00:13:41.35\00:13:43.72 which is what we call it, Avonjail. 00:13:43.75\00:13:46.59 They made me a warm, thick bed cover 00:13:46.62\00:13:49.16 and secretly delivered it, they delivered it 00:13:49.19\00:13:51.89 when I was out working because I knew 00:13:51.93\00:13:54.56 I didn't want handouts, I'd rather freeze. 00:13:54.60\00:13:59.30 For the first time in a long time 00:13:59.33\00:14:01.27 I was warm at nights. 00:14:01.30\00:14:02.87 And thank God for Dorcas, she gave me a handout. 00:14:02.90\00:14:07.64 I'm all for handouts, I'm not for... 00:14:07.68\00:14:10.11 I'm all for handups, I'm not for handouts. 00:14:10.15\00:14:16.05 God was so impressed with Dorcas, Tabitha, 00:14:16.08\00:14:19.59 that He raised her from the dead, 00:14:19.62\00:14:21.29 didn't do that for too many people. 00:14:21.32\00:14:23.32 Acts 9:40, 41, 00:14:23.36\00:14:26.70 "But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. 00:14:26.73\00:14:30.10 Turning to the body he heard, 'Tabitha, arise.' 00:14:30.13\00:14:32.73 She opened her eyes, when she saw Peter, she sat up. 00:14:32.77\00:14:36.00 Then he gave her his hand, lifted her up, 00:14:36.04\00:14:38.97 and when he called the saints and widows, 00:14:39.01\00:14:42.58 he presented her alive.'" 00:14:42.61\00:14:45.38 She must have been pretty special. 00:14:45.41\00:14:48.18 God is not in the business of going around 00:14:48.22\00:14:50.22 raising people up all the time, 00:14:50.25\00:14:51.95 He'll do that at the resurrection. 00:14:51.99\00:14:54.69 Since then millions have been given a hand up 00:14:54.72\00:14:58.03 by Dorcas societies around the world. 00:14:58.06\00:15:02.73 The gazelle lady was a genuine lady game changer 00:15:02.76\00:15:07.44 and so was Phoebe, 00:15:07.47\00:15:10.97 the ambassador of God to the city of Rome. 00:15:11.01\00:15:14.78 Turn in your Bible, Romans 16:1, 2, Spurgeon said, 00:15:14.81\00:15:20.55 "Weak Christians own Bibles 00:15:20.58\00:15:23.79 and feed on newspapers." 00:15:23.82\00:15:27.16 It say, today, we Christians own Bibles 00:15:27.19\00:15:29.66 and watch television all the time, 00:15:29.69\00:15:31.49 and they've got nothing left between their ears. 00:15:31.53\00:15:34.06 Roman 16:1, 2, "I commend you Phoebe our sister, 00:15:34.10\00:15:39.53 who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 00:15:39.57\00:15:43.20 that you may receive her in the Lord 00:15:43.24\00:15:46.31 in a manner worthy of the saints, 00:15:46.34\00:15:48.71 and a sister in whatever business 00:15:48.74\00:15:51.81 she has need of you, 00:15:51.85\00:15:54.72 for indeed she has been a helper 00:15:54.75\00:15:56.99 of many and of myself also." 00:15:57.02\00:16:02.86 Now Phoebe came from Corinth, 00:16:02.89\00:16:04.56 or a little town next to current Cenchrea. 00:16:04.59\00:16:08.00 Corinth was one of the most wicked cities 00:16:08.03\00:16:09.80 of the Roman world. 00:16:09.83\00:16:11.90 Phoebe is actually named after the Greek moon goddess. 00:16:11.93\00:16:15.47 It means radiant or bright. 00:16:15.50\00:16:19.87 She was a leader of the church in Cenchrea. 00:16:19.91\00:16:23.11 Oh, a small town a few miles from Corinth, 00:16:23.14\00:16:27.55 she is called in scripture in the Greek 00:16:27.58\00:16:31.62 a diakonon or a deacon, 00:16:31.65\00:16:35.62 also called a prostatis in the Greek. 00:16:35.66\00:16:39.26 It means a benefactor. 00:16:39.29\00:16:41.46 She must have had some money. 00:16:41.50\00:16:45.40 Her church, most likely, was a home church. 00:16:45.43\00:16:48.50 In those days, there were no buildings for churches. 00:16:48.54\00:16:51.44 People say, "This is my church." 00:16:51.47\00:16:53.78 What? 00:16:53.81\00:16:55.14 Your church is made out of concrete? 00:16:55.18\00:16:57.78 Church is made out of people, don't you know that? 00:16:57.81\00:17:03.59 The church most likely was raised up by Paul. 00:17:03.62\00:17:08.19 Now listen to this. 00:17:08.22\00:17:10.03 She was Paul's ambassador to the Romans. 00:17:10.06\00:17:15.33 Rome was a big, wicked, 00:17:15.36\00:17:19.67 and dangerous place. 00:17:19.70\00:17:22.60 It was ruled over by the tyrant, you know who? 00:17:22.64\00:17:26.51 Nero. 00:17:26.54\00:17:28.61 In those days, it was huge, 00:17:28.64\00:17:30.55 being about a million in population. 00:17:30.58\00:17:33.21 Half the children died by five years. 00:17:33.25\00:17:36.02 It is full of violence, social unrest, depravity, 00:17:36.05\00:17:40.56 at least half the people or more were slaves. 00:17:40.59\00:17:45.59 Phoebe travels from Corinth to Rome. 00:17:45.63\00:17:50.33 And that's a long trip. 00:17:50.37\00:17:52.57 And she carries under her robe, 00:17:52.60\00:17:57.67 the Book of Romans. 00:17:57.71\00:17:59.04 Romans was written by Paul in Corinth 00:18:04.31\00:18:06.88 where he probably stayed with Gaius. 00:18:06.92\00:18:09.15 Romans 16:23 says, "Gaius, my host, 00:18:09.18\00:18:14.62 and the host of the whole church, greets you, 00:18:14.66\00:18:17.09 Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, 00:18:17.13\00:18:20.10 and Quartus, a brother." 00:18:20.13\00:18:21.96 He probably stayed with Gaius. 00:18:22.00\00:18:26.47 And she carries Paul's magnum opus. 00:18:26.50\00:18:31.01 And with Romans, 00:18:31.04\00:18:34.38 she carries the future of the church 00:18:34.41\00:18:37.61 and the future of the world. 00:18:37.65\00:18:39.95 A woman does it. 00:18:39.98\00:18:43.69 Romans, which is the most misunderstood 00:18:43.72\00:18:48.59 and least understood book in the Christian Church 00:18:48.62\00:18:53.56 is probably the most important book ever written. 00:18:53.60\00:18:57.77 It shows how the sinner is legally made right with God. 00:18:57.80\00:19:01.20 Romans 1:16, 17, 00:19:01.24\00:19:03.27 "I'm not ashamed of the gospel," 00:19:03.30\00:19:04.64 Paul said, "It is the power of God for salvation 00:19:04.67\00:19:07.51 for everyone who believes, 00:19:07.54\00:19:08.88 for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 00:19:08.91\00:19:10.68 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed 00:19:10.71\00:19:14.15 from faith to faith, as it is written, 00:19:14.18\00:19:17.65 'The just shall live by faith.'" 00:19:17.69\00:19:19.22 We are saved by the righteousness of God. 00:19:19.25\00:19:22.59 What does it mean? 00:19:22.62\00:19:24.79 Coming up soon, I'm going to talk about Paul 00:19:24.83\00:19:30.30 and his book, Romans. 00:19:30.33\00:19:32.83 This book, my American friends and the rest of you, 00:19:32.87\00:19:38.37 started the Protestant Reformation 00:19:38.41\00:19:40.41 that produced the great democracies 00:19:40.44\00:19:42.71 and a mighty wave of freedom 00:19:42.74\00:19:44.15 and prosperity around the world. 00:19:44.18\00:19:46.01 There would have been no America without Paul 00:19:46.05\00:19:50.79 and the Book of Romans, 00:19:50.82\00:19:52.89 and probably no Book of Romans delivered without this lady. 00:19:52.92\00:19:58.03 God entrusted this book to Phoebe. 00:19:58.06\00:20:00.96 It is through her that the church got hold 00:20:01.00\00:20:02.96 of Romans that the British reformer Tyndale 00:20:03.00\00:20:06.13 described as, "Good, glad, and merry tidings 00:20:06.17\00:20:11.61 that makes a man's heart to sing for joy 00:20:11.64\00:20:15.61 and his feet to dance." 00:20:15.64\00:20:17.28 Why are there so many sour people 00:20:17.31\00:20:20.98 who call themselves religious? 00:20:21.02\00:20:23.92 It's because they've got religion 00:20:23.95\00:20:25.29 but they haven't got the gospel. 00:20:25.32\00:20:27.59 And the gospel is good, glad, and merry tidings. 00:20:27.62\00:20:30.53 Phoebe carried it. 00:20:30.56\00:20:32.76 Thank God for Paul. 00:20:32.79\00:20:34.56 Thank God for Phoebe. 00:20:34.60\00:20:36.16 Now, Priscilla and Aquila 00:20:36.20\00:20:41.00 or Prisca. 00:20:41.04\00:20:42.54 Priscilla and Aquila, Priscilla was a woman, 00:20:42.57\00:20:45.44 who with her husband Aquila 00:20:45.47\00:20:48.98 was one of the great leaders of the early Christian church. 00:20:49.01\00:20:52.05 Roman 16:3, 4, 00:20:52.08\00:20:54.98 Paul writes, writing from Corinth, 00:20:55.02\00:20:59.32 these folks are now back in Rome. 00:20:59.35\00:21:00.86 "Great Priscilla and Aquila, 00:21:00.89\00:21:02.22 my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 00:21:02.26\00:21:04.09 who risked their own necks for my life, 00:21:04.13\00:21:06.70 to whom not only I give thanks, 00:21:06.73\00:21:09.03 but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 00:21:09.06\00:21:12.70 Priscilla and Aquila, 00:21:12.73\00:21:16.64 they originally came from Pontus on the Black Sea. 00:21:16.67\00:21:21.88 Aquila was a Jew. 00:21:21.91\00:21:24.25 We're not so sure about his wife, 00:21:24.28\00:21:27.82 probably she was. 00:21:27.85\00:21:29.25 One thing is certain, 00:21:29.28\00:21:30.62 it appears she was the leader. 00:21:30.65\00:21:35.32 In a world dominated by men, one would expect 00:21:35.36\00:21:39.83 her husband's name to come first, 00:21:39.86\00:21:42.66 but not so, my dear friends. 00:21:42.70\00:21:47.30 They are mentioned as a team 00:21:47.34\00:21:49.00 seven times in the New Testament. 00:21:49.04\00:21:51.27 And Priscilla is mentioned 00:21:51.31\00:21:53.38 first five times. 00:21:53.41\00:21:57.91 You read in off the screen. That's not fair. 00:21:57.95\00:22:00.58 The Bible teaches the equality of the sexes. 00:22:00.62\00:22:04.89 And women are liberated by the Gospel of Christ. 00:22:04.92\00:22:10.46 They had been living in wicked old Rome, 00:22:10.49\00:22:12.79 but were forced to leave by the Emperor Claudius. 00:22:12.83\00:22:15.66 Acts 18:1-3, Acts 18, 00:22:15.70\00:22:20.27 "After these things Paul departed 00:22:20.30\00:22:22.10 from Athens, went to Corinth. 00:22:22.14\00:22:24.14 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, 00:22:24.17\00:22:28.54 who had recently come from Italy 00:22:28.58\00:22:30.11 with his wife Priscilla, 00:22:30.15\00:22:31.71 because Claudius had commanded all the Jews 00:22:31.75\00:22:34.35 to depart from Rome, and he came to them. 00:22:34.38\00:22:37.19 So, because he was of the same trade, 00:22:37.22\00:22:39.85 he stayed with them and worked, 00:22:39.89\00:22:41.72 for by occupation they were tentmakers." 00:22:41.76\00:22:46.39 And so Paul gets with them. 00:22:46.43\00:22:50.73 Paul had been taught a trade. 00:22:50.77\00:22:53.54 They worked together making tents. 00:22:53.57\00:22:56.60 Hard manual work is honorable. 00:22:56.64\00:22:59.21 If a minister can't do the hard, honorable work, 00:22:59.24\00:23:02.88 he's not going to be worth anything as a minister. 00:23:02.91\00:23:05.95 Every Jewish boy was taught a trade. 00:23:05.98\00:23:08.88 Paul, by trade, was a tentmaker. 00:23:08.92\00:23:12.42 As a boy of 16, I was taught how to drive a bulldozer. 00:23:12.45\00:23:16.66 By trade, I'm a bulldozer driver. 00:23:16.69\00:23:19.49 I worked 12 hours a day 00:23:19.53\00:23:20.90 constructing a huge irrigation drain 00:23:20.93\00:23:23.97 that was 60 feet deep. 00:23:24.00\00:23:26.74 Hard, honest, manual work is great preparation 00:23:26.77\00:23:30.21 for the ministry. 00:23:30.24\00:23:32.07 Priscilla and her husband became Christians 00:23:32.11\00:23:34.51 after working with Paul. 00:23:34.54\00:23:37.28 What a man. 00:23:37.31\00:23:38.95 Then they traveled with Paul to Ephesus. 00:23:38.98\00:23:42.08 They were part of his team, special. 00:23:42.12\00:23:45.05 Paul went on to the region of Galatia and Phrygia. 00:23:45.09\00:23:48.16 Priscilla set up home in Ephesus. 00:23:48.19\00:23:50.96 And something of great significance 00:23:50.99\00:23:52.53 and importance occurred. 00:23:52.56\00:23:53.90 Apollos comes to Ephesus, he's a mighty preacher. 00:23:53.93\00:23:58.47 He was a Jew, mighty in the scriptures. 00:23:58.50\00:24:01.24 He didn't know the gospel. 00:24:01.27\00:24:02.94 Acts 18:24-26, "Now certain Jew named Apollos, 00:24:02.97\00:24:08.28 born at Alexandria, an eloquent man 00:24:08.31\00:24:10.61 and mighty in the scriptures came to Ephesus. 00:24:10.65\00:24:13.25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, 00:24:13.28\00:24:16.02 and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately 00:24:16.05\00:24:18.92 the things of the Lord, 00:24:18.95\00:24:20.29 though he knew only the baptism of John. 00:24:20.32\00:24:22.72 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. 00:24:22.76\00:24:25.49 When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, 00:24:25.53\00:24:29.10 they took him aside and explained to him 00:24:29.13\00:24:32.20 the way of God more accurately. 00:24:32.23\00:24:34.47 He was taught the gospel 00:24:34.50\00:24:37.64 by Priscilla and Aquila. 00:24:37.67\00:24:42.08 You don't have to be ordained by men 00:24:42.11\00:24:45.08 to teach the Word of God. 00:24:45.11\00:24:46.55 Women say, "You know, I just want to preach." 00:24:46.58\00:24:49.02 "Well, go ahead and preach. 00:24:49.05\00:24:50.39 But win souls, you got to win souls. 00:24:50.42\00:24:54.46 You got to build up, not pull down." 00:24:54.49\00:24:57.79 Women can teach, women can win souls. 00:24:57.83\00:25:01.50 Dear old John Wesley, 00:25:01.53\00:25:02.93 he had on one of these evangelistic trips, 00:25:02.96\00:25:05.27 and he heard that his mother was teaching and preaching. 00:25:05.30\00:25:09.00 He got mad and he said, "You got to stop this." 00:25:09.04\00:25:11.44 She said, "No, my boy, 00:25:11.47\00:25:13.64 because God has called me to preach the Word." 00:25:13.68\00:25:17.68 And this woman was called to preach the Word. 00:25:17.71\00:25:23.65 Apollos went on to become one of the greatest preachers 00:25:23.69\00:25:26.02 in the church, it was Priscilla who showed the way. 00:25:26.05\00:25:29.92 She had a church in her own house. 00:25:29.96\00:25:33.70 It says that in 1 Corinthians 16:19, 00:25:33.73\00:25:37.17 says that, 1 Corinthians chapter... 00:25:37.20\00:25:39.67 "The churches of Asia greet you. 00:25:39.70\00:25:41.64 Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, 00:25:41.67\00:25:44.47 with the church that is in their house. 00:25:44.51\00:25:49.21 So they had a church. 00:25:49.24\00:25:51.78 And on one occasion, 00:25:51.81\00:25:53.15 they risked their lives for Paul. 00:25:53.18\00:25:54.65 Maybe it was the riot in Ephesus. 00:25:54.68\00:25:58.79 Often revivals are accompanied by riots. 00:25:58.82\00:26:02.49 If you can't have a revival, you better have a riot. 00:26:02.52\00:26:06.83 In Ephesus, the crowd was out to kill Paul. 00:26:06.86\00:26:09.76 And Priscilla and Aquila saved his life. 00:26:09.80\00:26:14.44 Well, now, they were a special couple, 00:26:14.47\00:26:19.27 Priscilla and Aquila. 00:26:19.31\00:26:22.04 Now, my friends, 00:26:22.08\00:26:23.51 I'm going to skip down a little bit. 00:26:23.55\00:26:26.18 We've studied the lives of some great ladies, 00:26:26.21\00:26:29.38 Eve, yeah, and Sarah, 00:26:29.42\00:26:34.39 and Hatshepsut, 00:26:34.42\00:26:36.46 and Jacobeth, Miriam, Vashti, 00:26:36.49\00:26:40.50 Esther, Ruth, we salute them. 00:26:40.53\00:26:43.26 Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, 00:26:43.30\00:26:46.57 Mary the sister of Martha, 00:26:46.60\00:26:48.87 Tabitha, Phoebe, and Priscilla. 00:26:48.90\00:26:53.51 Listen to me. 00:26:53.54\00:26:55.44 These are history's 00:26:55.48\00:26:59.21 great game changers. 00:26:59.25\00:27:02.58 They are the mighty women, 00:27:02.62\00:27:06.09 and we salute them, and we say, 00:27:06.12\00:27:10.09 "God bless them." 00:27:10.13\00:27:11.99 Everyone, in Jesus name, 00:27:12.03\00:27:16.06 amen. 00:27:16.10\00:27:19.03 Amen. 00:27:19.07\00:27:20.77 Praise God for the ladies. 00:27:20.80\00:27:22.40 Time, it takes only a minute to have eternal life. 00:27:26.94\00:27:30.85 How can you get saved in a minute? 00:27:30.88\00:27:32.31 It's simple. 00:27:32.35\00:27:33.68 First, believe that Jesus was the Son of God. 00:27:33.72\00:27:36.58 Second, accept His free gift of eternal life, 00:27:36.62\00:27:39.59 and then you're saved. 00:27:39.62\00:27:41.52 It's not hard. 00:27:41.56\00:27:42.89 It doesn't take any time. 00:27:42.92\00:27:44.29 You can be saved in a minute right now. 00:27:44.33\00:27:47.40 Pray with me, "Lord God, I realize that I am a sinner. 00:27:47.43\00:27:51.47 My sin has separated me from You. 00:27:51.50\00:27:53.90 I accept that Your Son Jesus Christ died for me. 00:27:53.94\00:27:56.91 I ask Jesus into my heart." 00:27:56.94\00:27:58.94 If you prayed this prayer, you are saved. 00:27:58.97\00:28:01.81 The next thing to do is, tell someone. 00:28:01.84\00:28:04.51 Fellowship with other followers of Jesus, 00:28:04.55\00:28:07.32 get baptized, read your Bible, and pray. 00:28:07.35\00:28:10.95 Choices, we make them every day, all day. 00:28:10.99\00:28:14.49 The most important choice you'll make in your life 00:28:14.52\00:28:17.36 is whether to choose eternal life 00:28:17.39\00:28:19.39 or let it pass you by. 00:28:19.43\00:28:21.20 If you would like more information 00:28:21.23\00:28:22.56 about your new life, 00:28:22.60\00:28:23.93 call the number and visit our website. 00:28:23.97\00:28:25.73 For a copy of today's program, 00:28:29.90\00:28:31.97 please contact us at P.O. Box 1900, 00:28:32.01\00:28:35.61 Thousand Oaks, California 91358. 00:28:35.64\00:28:39.78 Or in Australia, contact us at P.O. Box 861, 00:28:39.81\00:28:44.85 Terrigal, New South Wales 2260. 00:28:44.89\00:28:49.12 This program is made possible 00:28:49.16\00:28:50.96 through the generous support of viewers like you. 00:28:50.99\00:28:53.90 We thank you for your continued support. 00:28:53.93\00:28:57.00 May God richly bless you. 00:28:57.03\00:28:59.00