Participants: Doug Batchelor
Series Code: CSH
Program Code: CSH021409
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:46 >>WELCOME TO SACRAMENTO CENTRAL SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. 00:49 WE'RE SO HAPPY YOU'RE JOINING US THIS MORNING. 00:51 WHEREVER YOU ARE AND HOWEVER YOU ARE, YOU ARE WELCOME. 00:55 SO WE'VE HAD SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS THIS WEEK IN 00:58 SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. WE WERE DECLARED TO BE IN A 01:01 DROUGHT AND GOD SENT US THE RAIN, AMEN? AMEN. 01:05 SO I HOPE YOU'RE READY TO SING THIS MORNING. 01:07 I HOPE YOU HAVE YOUR HYMNALS OUT. OUR FIRST HYMN WILL BE HYMN 01:10 #86 - 'HOW GREAT THOU ART' - THIS IS AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE. 01:14 WE'LL SING THE FIRST, SECOND, AND FOURTH STANZAS. 01:18 THIS COMES AS A REQUEST FROM IRENE AND DENISE IN AUSTRALIA, 01:22 DORIS IN DENMARK, REINHARD AND ILSE IN GERMANY, RIANNA IN 01:28 INDIA, MAISIE AND KARL IN MAURITIUS, AND JAIME OR PROBABLY 01:33 JAIME - IN PERU. 'HOW GREAT THOU ART' - OH! 01:37 AND MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE PLANET. 01:38 WE'RE SURE THIS IS A GREAT REQUEST. 01:41 SO LET'S SING STANZAS 1, 2, AND 4. 01:44 (MUSIC) 05:35 >>AMEN. WOW, THAT JUST REALLY TOUCHED ME. 05:41 WHEN CHRIST SHALL COME WITH SHOUTS OF ACCLAMATION, WE WILL 05:45 ALL PROCLAIM HOW GREAT THOU ART. THANK YOU FOR THAT REQUEST. 05:49 IF YOU HAVE A REQUEST, WHETHER IT'S AN OLD SONG OR A NEW THAT 05:53 WE'VE FEATURED IN THE HYMNAL, VISIT US AT 'SACCENTRAL.ORG'. 05:57 WE CAN TAKE REQUESTS FROM ANYWHERE IN THE HYMNAL. 06:00 THAT'S 'WWW.SACCENTRAL.ORG'. CLICK ON THE 'CONTACT US' LINK 06:09 AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU. 06:11 SO OUR NEXT HYMN - IT'S A NEW SONG BUT IT'S RIGHT ON THE PAGE 06:14 OVER - IT'S #87 - 'GOD WHO SPOKE IN THE BEGINNING'. 06:19 WE'LL SING THE FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD STANZAS. 06:23 THIS COMES AS A REQUEST FROM JOYCE IN KENYA, FIONA IN 06:27 MASSACHUSETTS, AND EUGENE IN THAILAND. 06:30 (MUSIC) 08:11 >>IF I JUST COULD - 'HE WHO CALLS THE EARTH TO ORDER 08:16 GIVES HIS WORD AND IT IS DONE'. GOD WHO SPOKE IN THE BEGINNING - 08:22 WE KNOW FROM THE BIBLE THAT HE WILL SPEAK IN THE END AND HE'LL 08:26 SAY, 'IT IS DONE'. LET'S PRAY. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE'RE SO 08:35 THANKFUL AND BLESSED THAT YOU SPOKE US INTO EXISTENCE. 08:39 WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE AUTHOR AND THE FINISHER OF OUR FAITH 08:43 AND WE ASK THAT, IN FAITH, YOU WILL KEEP US HOLY AND TRUE TO 08:49 YOUR WORD. THIS MORNING - THIS SABBATH - WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU 08:54 OPEN OUR HEARTS TO - TO REALLY ACCEPT AND HEAR WHAT THE HOLY 09:00 SPIRIT HAS TO CONVICT OF US. WE SEEK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE 09:06 WITH OUR SPEAKER THIS MORNING AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR LOVING US. 09:12 WE LOVE YOU. IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. 09:17 OUR LESSON STUDY WILL BE BROUGHT TO US THIS MORNING BY 09:19 PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR. 09:26 >>MORNING. THANK YOU TO OUR MUSICIANS. 09:29 THANK YOU KULA, JENNIFER AND THE OTHERS - OUR PIANIST - 09:32 THAT WAS ENJOYABLE. I APPRECIATED THAT. 09:35 INSPIRING. HOW IS EVERYBODY? WELCOME TO ANY VISITORS WE MAY 09:39 HAVE HERE AT CENTRAL CHURCH. WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND TRUST 09:42 THAT YOU FIND WE'RE A FRIENDLY GROUP. 09:45 AND I ALSO WANT TO WELCOME THE EXTENDED CLASS THAT IS STUDYING 09:48 WITH US VIA THE INTERNET OR SATELLITE OR WHAT OTHER 09:52 MECHANISM YOU MIGHT BE LISTENING THROUGH. 09:55 AND WE'RE CONTINUING IN OUR STUDY DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT 09:59 OF DISCIPLESHIP AND IN JUST A MOMENT WE'LL GET TO LESSON #9, 10:03 WHICH IS OUR LESSON FOR TODAY, BUT BEFORE WE DO, AS IS 10:07 GENERALLY TRUE, WE HAVE A FREE OFFER AND THE OFFER TODAY IS 10:11 CALLED 'THE ARMOR OF GOD'. IT'S A BOOKLET THAT TALKS ABOUT 10:15 EPHESIANS CHAPTER 6 - WHAT THAT ARMOR REPRESENTS, HOW DO WE PUT 10:18 ON THAT ARMOR OF GOD TO PROTECT US IN THE DAILY BATTLES OF LIFE? 10:23 AND WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU FREE IF YOU ASK AND YOU PROMISE TO READ 10:26 IT. AND IT'S OFFER #173. WHEN YOU CALL THIS NUMBER: 10:30 866-STUDY-MORE - THAT'S 866-788-3966 - 10:36 AND ASK FOR OFFER #173 READ IT AND SHARE IT WITH 10:39 SOMEBODY ELSE. GOOD STUDY ON THE ARMOR OF GOD. 10:42 IN OUR LESSON WE'RE TALKING TODAY ABOUT THE POWERFUL - 10:47 'DISCIPLING THE POWERFUL'. 10:49 YOU'LL REMEMBER LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT THE RICH AND THE 10:51 FAMOUS AND THIS KIND OF GOES ALONG WITH THAT AND NOW WE'RE 10:54 GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE POWERFUL. 10:56 AND WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE THAT COMES FROM ACTS 6, VERSE 7. 11:01 AND THIS IS FROM THE NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION IN YOUR LESSON 11:04 - ACTS 6, VERSE 7 - IF YOU WOULD SAY IT ALONG WITH ME THEN I 11:09 APPRECIATE THE HELP. ARE YOU READY? 11:12 "THE WORD OF GOD CONTINUED TO SPREAD, THE NUMBER OF THE 11:16 DISCIPLES INCREASED GREATLY IN JERUSALEM AND A GREAT MANY OF 11:21 THE PRIESTS BECAME OBEDIENT TO THE FAITH." 11:25 NOW THAT REALLY IS AN AMAZING STATEMENT BECAUSE JUST ABOUT 11:31 EVERYTHING ELSE YOU READ ABOUT THE PRIESTS AND THE EARLY CHURCH 11:35 TALKS ABOUT THEM RESISTING THE FAITH, TRYING THE DISCIPLES, 11:39 PLOTTING AND SCHEMING AGAINST JESUS AND THE APOSTLES - AND 11:43 THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SAYS 'AND A GREAT MANY OF THE PRIESTS 11:45 BELIEVED'. YOU'RE GOING 'WOW, THAT SEEMS OUT OF CHARACTER'. 11:49 THESE WERE THE ONES THAT WERE - SEEMED TO BE THE MOST RABID 11:53 ENEMIES OF THE CAUSE ALONG THE WAY, BUT IN THE WAY THE 11:57 DISCIPLES CONDUCTED THEMSELVES AND THE APOSTLES, SOMETHING WAS 12:02 HAPPENING IN THEIR HEARTS. YOU KNOW, SO OFTEN WE RESENT 12:05 AUTHORITY AND WE FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES AUTHORITY IS 12:11 ABUSED. YOU'VE HEARD THE EXPRESSION, 12:14 'POWER CORRUPTS. ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS 12:18 ABSOLUTELY' AND IT IS TRUE THAT AUTHORITY IS OFTEN ABUSED. 12:23 AND EVEN IN RECENT YEARS AND DURING SOME OF THE POLITICAL 12:27 UPHEAVALS WE HAD PEOPLE PROTESTING IN THE CITIES AGAINST 12:32 THE 'ONE PERCENTERS'. 12:34 WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY SAY 'THE ONE PERCENTERS'? 12:37 THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RICH AND THE POWERFUL, RIGHT? 12:40 AND THERE WAS GREAT RESENTMENT ABOUT THE ABUSE OF POWER AND THE 12:43 PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE STOCKS AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE BANKS 12:46 AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE REINS OF GOVERNMENT AND - IS 12:49 THERE ABUSE? YES. BUT THERE'S NOT ONLY ABUSE AMONG 12:53 THE RICH, THERE'S ABUSE AMONG THE POOR. 12:55 WHEREVER YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE YOU'VE GOT SIN. AND SO YES - 12:58 BUT DOES THAT MEAN THAT JESUS IS NOT INTERESTED IN REACHING 13:03 PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY AND POWER? OF COURSE HE IS. 13:08 AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE WAYS THE APOSTLES, THE DISCIPLES, THE 13:12 LORD HIMSELF, AND WE'LL EVEN LOOK AT SOME OLD TESTAMENT 13:14 EXAMPLES - IN WHAT THEY SAID TO THESE PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF 13:18 POWER AND AUTHORITY, THEY WERE TRYING TO BE REDEMPTIVE. 13:23 SO WHILE IT IS TRUE IT IS HARDER FOR A RICH MAN - AND OFTEN 13:29 RICHES AND POWER GO TOGETHER, RIGHT? 13:31 BECAUSE MONEY OFTEN BRINGS A CERTAIN KIND OF POWER - WHILE IT 13:34 IS TRUE IT IS HARDER FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF 13:37 GOD THAN FOR A CAMEL TO GET THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE, THE 13:42 DISCIPLES SAID, 'WOW, WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?' 13:46 AND JESUS SAID, 'THESE THINGS THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE WITH MEN ARE 13:50 POSSIBLE WITH GOD. AND SO WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO 13:54 WRITE OFF THOSE THAT MAY BE IN THESE POSITIONS - SAY, 'WELL, 13:57 THEY'RE RICH AND THEY'RE POWERFUL SO THEY'RE 13:59 AUTOMATICALLY LOST.' IS IT MORE DIFFICULT SOMETIMES? YES. 14:03 BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AND 14:07 YOU DON'T HAVE THAT POWER AND THAT CONTROL, YOU START TURNING 14:11 TO GOD IN DESPERATION. SOME OF US PRAY FOR OUR DAILY 14:15 BREAD JUST BECAUSE WE'RE TOLD TO BUT WE DON'T REALLY WORRY ABOUT 14:18 OUR DAILY BREAD. THEN THERE ARE THOSE IN THE 14:20 WORLD THAT REALLY LEAN ON THE LORD FROM DAY TO DAY TO GET 14:22 THEIR BREAD, RIGHT? SOMEONE WAS ASKING A RABBI, 'WHY 14:30 DID GOD GIVE THE BREAD FROM HEAVEN SIX DAYS A WEEK? 14:35 WHY DIDN'T HE JUST GIVE THEM A YEAR'S SUPPLY AND MAKE IT LAST? 14:38 COULDN'T HE HAVE DONE THAT?' AND THE RABBI ANSWERED BY 14:42 SAYING, 'THERE WAS A KING THAT GAVE HIS SON AN ALLOWANCE EVERY 14:46 YEAR BUT HE NOTICED THAT THE CROWN PRINCE ONLY CAME TO SEE 14:50 HIM ONCE A YEAR - WHEN IT CAME TIME TO GET HIS ALLOWANCE. 14:54 SO WANTING TO HAVE MORE OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS SON, HE 14:57 DECIDED TO GIVE HIM HIS ALLOWANCE EVERY DAY AND HE HAD 15:01 TO COME TO HIM EVERY DAY. SO SOMETIMES THE LORD MAKES 15:04 PEOPLE STRUGGLE FROM DAY TO DAY BECAUSE THEY REALLY FEEL THEIR 15:07 DEPENDENCE, BUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE WEALTH AND POWER, THEY OFTEN 15:11 DON'T FEEL THEIR NEED OF GOD. THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE THINGS 15:14 OUT ON THEIR OWN AND IT IS TRUE IT'S HARDER SOMETIMES TO REACH 15:19 THESE PEOPLE, BUT 'WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH MEN IS POSSIBLE 15:23 WITH GOD.' DOES THE BIBLE HAVE EXAMPLES WHERE THE LORD 15:26 REACHED PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF POWER THROUGH HIS DISCIPLES? 15:34 DID THE PHARAOH OF EGYPT HAVE DREAMS FROM GOD? 15:39 DID GOD SPEAK TO HIM THROUGH JOSEPH? 15:42 DID THE KING OF BABYLON HAVE DREAMS FROM GOD? 15:45 DID GOD SPEAK TO HIM THROUGH DANIEL? 15:48 DID THE KING OF PERSIA HAVE DANIEL ALSO SPEAK TO HIM? 15:52 DARIUS - ONE WAS NEBUCHADNEZZER THE OTHER WAS DARIUS. 15:57 DID THE KING OF PERSIA HAVE ESTHER DISCIPLING HIM AND LATER 16:03 MORDECAI? DID JESUS SPEAK TO PILATE? 16:08 DID PAUL SPEAK TO AGRIPPA AND BERNIECE? 16:12 AND DID JOHN THE BAPTIST SPEAK TO HEROD? 16:15 YOU CAN JUST GO THROUGH THE BIBLE. DID PAUL SPEAK TO NERO? 16:21 YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE BIBLE AND SEE MANY, MANY, EXAMPLES WHERE 16:23 GOD BROUGHT HIS PEOPLE INTO POSITIONS WHERE THEY WERE ABLE 16:28 TO BE REDEMPTIVE AND SPEAK TO - AND YOU COULD SAY DISCIPLE 16:32 PEOPLE WHO HAD GREAT POWER - SOME OF THE GREAT LEADERS OF THE 16:35 WORLD. AND SO WHILE WE'RE STUDYING THE 16:37 THEME OF DISCIPLESHIP, LET'S REMEMBER THAT GOD WOULD HAVE US 16:41 KNOW HOW TO REACH PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY. 16:45 ALRIGHT, FIRST LET'S SET THE GROUND RULES. 16:48 JEREMIAH 9:23 AND 24 - A VERSE I THINK MOST OF US ARE ACQUAINTED 16:54 WITH - I LOVE THIS PASSAGE - "THUS SAYS THE LORD, 'LET NOT 16:59 THE WISE MAN GLORY IN HIS WISDOM, LET NOT THE MIGHTY MAN 17:04 GLORY IN HIS MIGHT, NOR LET THE RICH MAN GLORY IN HIS RICHES; 17:08 BUT LET HIM WHO GLORIES GLORY IN THIS, THAT HE UNDERSTANDS AND 17:12 KNOWS ME, THAT I AM THE LORD, EXERCISING LOVING KINDNESS, 17:16 JUDGMENT, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE EARTH. FOR IN THESE 17:19 I DELIGHT,' SAYS THE LORD." SO HERE THE LORD IS GIVING A 17:22 SCRIPTURE TO THE RICH MAN AND THE WISE MAN AND THE POWERFUL 17:25 MAN. WHY? BECAUSE HE WANTS THEM TO TRUST 17:29 IN HIM, NOT TRUST IN THEIR POWER AND THEIR RICHES. 17:32 NOW, OUR LESSON TELLS US, OF COURSE - RESPECTING AUTHORITY. 17:36 WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO TALK ABOUT THIS TOO. 17:38 NOT ONLY BE DISCIPLING AND BE REDEMPTIVE TO AUTHORITY, BUT 17:41 WHAT SHOULD BE THE CHRISTIAN'S ATTITUDE ABOUT THOSE IN 17:45 AUTHORITY? WHILE I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS, 17:48 LET'S FIGURE OUT WHERE OUR MICROPHONES ARE. 17:50 WE'VE GOT THE MIC ON THE RIGHT AND ONE ON THE RIGHT - MY RIGHT, 17:54 YOUR LEFT. WHO'S GOT A MIC OVER HERE SOMEWHERE? OKAY. 17:57 WE WANT TO LOOK UP - SOMEBODY'S GOT A SLIP - IT SAYS LUKE 20, 18:01 VERSE 25. WHO HAS THAT? JUST IT'S - OVER HERE? 18:04 OKAY, WE'LL GET YOU A MICROPHONE. 18:05 WE WANT YOU TO BE READY. SOMEONE HAS MARK 13:9. 18:09 WHO'S GOT MARK 13:9? DID SOMEONE GET THAT? 18:12 ALRIGHT, WE'LL GIVE THE MIC BACK TO YOU AFTERWARD. 18:14 ALRIGHT, ROMANS 13:1-7, "LET EVERY SOUL BE SUBJECT TO THE 18:22 GOVERNING AUTHORITIES." - DOES THAT CHAFE YOU A LITTLE 18:24 BIT TO THINK ABOUT THAT? LET ME SAY THAT A DIFFERENT WAY. 18:28 LET EVERY SOUL BE SUBJECT TO THE GOVERNMENT. 18:31 ISN'T THAT WHAT HE'S SAYING? GOVERNING AUTHORITIES. 18:34 DON'T PANIC YET, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS. 18:38 - "FOR THERE IS NO AUTHORITY EXCEPT FROM GOD," - DOES DANIEL 18:42 SAY GOD SETS UP KINGS AND TAKES THEM DOWN? - 18:46 "FOR THERE'S NO AUTHORITY EXCEPT FROM GOD AND THE 18:48 AUTHORITIES THAT EXIST ARE APPOINTED BY GOD. 18:51 THEREFORE WHOEVER RESISTS THE AUTHORITY RESISTS THE ORDINANCE 18:54 OF GOD, AND THOSE WHO RESIST WILL BRING JUDGMENT ON 18:57 THEMSELVES. FOR RULERS ARE NOT A TERROR TO 19:01 GOOD WORKS, BUT TO EVIL. DO YOU WANT TO BE UNAFRAID OF 19:05 THE AUTHORITY? DO WHAT IS GOOD," - OBEY THE 19:07 LAWS OF THE LAND, IN OTHER WORDS - "AND YOU WILL HAVE PRAISE FROM 19:09 THE SAME. FOR HE IS GOD'S MINISTER TO YOU 19:13 FOR GOOD. BUT IF YOU DO EVIL, BE AFRAID; 19:16 FOR HE DOES NOT BEAR THE SWORD IN VAIN;" - A MODERN 19:19 TRANSLATION: HE DOES NOT CARRY THE TICKET BOOK IN VAIN. 19:23 HE DOES NOT CARRY A PISTOL IN VAIN. 19:26 AND, WHILE THE BIBLE TELLS CHRISTIANS IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS 19:28 WITH EACH OTHER WE TURN THE OTHER CHEEK AND WE LOVE AND WE 19:31 FORGIVE, THAT IS NOT A COMMAND FOR GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES. 19:35 THE GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY COMMAND IS 'EYE FOR EYE, TOOTH FOR 19:37 TOOTH, FOOT FOR FOOT, HAND FOR HAND, LIFE FOR LIFE.' YOU 19:41 UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE? ONE IS A CIVIL LAW, ONE IS AN 19:43 INTERPERSONAL LAW. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE GOVERNMENT 19:46 IF THEY SAID, 'WELL, YOU KNOW, IF YOUR NEIGHBOR KNOCKS 19:49 OUT YOUR TOOTH JUST SAY, 'OOPS'. JUST - YOU CAN'T DO THAT. 19:54 THERE NEEDS TO BE PENALTIES FOR DISOBEYING AND GOD ESTABLISHES 19:57 THAT THERE ARE CIVIL GOVERNMENTS TO KEEP ORDER IN SOCIETY. 20:01 THIS IS NOT A VERSE THAT'S SAYING THAT THE LORD APPROVED OF 20:04 ADOLF HITLER. IT'S NOT SAYING THAT HE APPROVED 20:07 OF SOME OF THE TERRIBLE DESPOTS AND DICTATORS THAT HAVE TERRIBLY 20:10 ABUSED POWER. HE'S TALKING ABOUT TYPICALLY 20:13 THERE ARE GOVERNMENTS IN SOCIETY - THERE ARE POLICEMEN, THERE ARE 20:17 LAWS, THERE ARE SOLDIERS - TO MAINTAIN ORDER AND IF YOU FOLLOW 20:22 THE RULES YOU'LL BE PRAISED BY THE SAME, BUT THEY HAVE 20:26 AUTHORITY THAT MUST BE RESPECTED. 20:28 I KNOW SOME OF THE LAWS SEEM UNJUST, BUT IF THOSE LAWS DO NOT 20:33 REQUIRE YOU TO VIOLATE A LAW OF GOD, YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP IT. 20:38 RIGHT? I MEAN, LET'S FACE IT, THERE ARE 20:40 SOME LAWS I JUST THINK ARE THE - OH, DON'T GET ME STARTED. 20:44 YOU KNOW WHY THERE ARE SO MANY LAWS? 20:47 YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LAWS FOR A MORAL PEOPLE. 20:53 THE MORE IMMORAL A PEOPLE BECOME, THE MORE LAWS YOU NEED. 20:56 YOU KNOW EVERY NEW LAW ON THE BOOKS - YOU KNOW WHY IT'S THERE? 20:59 BECAUSE SOMEBODY DID SOMETHING REALLY STUPID AND THEY HAD TO 21:01 MAKE A LAW TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM DOING IT. 21:04 DO YOU KNOW THERE'S A LAW ON THE BOOKS THAT SAYS YOU'RE NOT 21:07 SUPPOSED TO PUT A SKUNK IN YOUR BOSS' DESK? 21:11 NOW DON'T YOU THINK THERE'S A STORY BEHIND THAT LAW? 21:15 WHAT DO YOU THINK BROUGHT ABOUT THAT STORY? 21:17 WELL, I'M JUST ASSUMING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STORY IS, 21:19 BUT I'M GUESSING SOMEBODY PUT A SKUNK IN THEIR BOSS' DESK. 21:23 THEY'VE GOT ALL THESE REALLY BIZARRE LAWS AND EVERY TIME YOU 21:27 READ SOME OF THESE LAWS YOU GO, 'I KNOW HOW THAT WAS FORMED.' 21:30 BUT THE MORE LAWFUL THE PEOPLE ARE - IF YOU'VE GOT A LAW INSIDE 21:33 - IF YOU'VE GOT THE LAW OF GOD INSIDE AND YOU LOVE YOUR 21:35 NEIGHBOR AND YOU LOVE GOD AND YOU FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE 'DO 21:39 UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU', WE WOULD HAVE 21:42 VERY FEW LAWS. I KNOW A FAMILY - WHEN OUR KIDS 21:47 WERE LITTLE - THEY SAID, 'WE'VE GOT THREE RULES FOR OUR KIDS.' 21:50 'THREE? YOU'VE GOT IT DOWN TO THREE?' 21:52 'YEP, THREE RULES.' 'WHAT ARE THEY, WE NEED TO HEAR THIS.' 21:54 'DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT WILL HURT ANYBODY ELSE. 21:59 DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT WILL HURT GOD. 22:02 DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT WILL HURT YOURSELF.' AND WHENEVER THEY 22:07 TOLD THEM ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T BE DOING SOMETHING, 22:10 THEY ALWAYS BROUGHT IT BACK TO THIS PRINCIPLE: THIS WILL HURT 22:13 SOMEBODY ELSE. THIS WILL HURT GOD. THIS WILL HURT YOU. 22:17 IF PEOPLE REALLY LIVED BY THOSE SIMPLE RULES - OH NO, I LEFT ONE 22:21 OUT. DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT WILL HURT 22:23 SOMEBODY ELSE, DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT WILL HURT YOURSELF AND 22:26 DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT WILL HURT SOME THING. 22:29 I THREW IN GOD THERE, BUT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT OUR RULES 22:31 DOWN HERE. SO SOMETIMES YOU DO SOMETHING 22:34 THAT - 'WHY CAN'T I COLOR ON THE WALLS?' 22:38 'WELL, IT HURTS THE WALLS.' RIGHT? 22:41 YOU'VE GOT TO EXPLAIN THAT STUFF. 22:43 AND SO THOSE THREE RULES SORT OF - THEY ENCOMPASS EVERYTHING. 22:46 SO, BACK TO - BACK TO ROMANS 13 - "FOR RULERS ARE NOT" - I'M IN 22:51 VERSE 3 - "RULERS ARE NOT A TERROR TO GOOD WORKS BUT TO 22:56 EVIL. DO YOU WANT TO BE UNAFRAID OF THE AUTHORITY? 22:59 DO WHAT IS GOOD, AND YOU WILL HAVE PRAISE FROM THE SAME. 23:02 FOR HE IS GOD'S MINISTER TO YOU FOR GOOD. BUT IF YOU DO EVIL, BE 23:06 AFRAID; FOR HE DOES NOT BEAR THE SWORD IN VAIN; FOR HE IS GOD'S 23:09 MINISTER, AN AVENGER TO EXECUTE WRATH ON HIM 23:12 WHO PRACTICES EVIL. THEREFORE YOU MUST BE SUBJECT, 23:15 NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF WRATH BUT ALSO FOR CONSCIENCE' SAKE." 23:19 - YOU DON'T JUST OBEY THE LAW BECAUSE YOU MIGHT GET PUNISHED, 23:23 BUT YOU WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING SOCIALLY - "FOR BECAUSE OF 23:26 THIS YOU ALSO PAY TAXES, FOR THEY ARE GOD'S MINISTERS 23:29 ATTENDING CONTINUALLY TO THIS VERY THING. 23:31 RENDER THEREFORE TO ALL THEIR DUE: TAXES TO WHOM TAXES ARE 23:35 DUE, CUSTOMS TO WHOM CUSTOMS, FEAR TO WHOM FEAR, HONOR TO 23:39 WHOM HONOR." ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO READ 23:44 LUKE 20, VERSE 25. ARE WE READY FOR THAT? OVER HERE. GO AHEAD. 23:50 >>"AND HE SAID TO THEM, 'RENDER THEREFORE TO CAESAR THE THINGS 23:54 THAT ARE CAESAR'S, AND TO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S.'" 23:58 >>DOES THE LORD WANT US TO PAY OUR TAXES? 24:02 SHOULD CHRISTIANS PAY THEIR TAXES? 24:05 WHO SAID THAT LAST VERSE? IT'S RED LETTER. 24:09 JESUS SAID, 'RENDER TO CAESAR THE THINGS THAT ARE CAESAR'S.' 24:13 I'M THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE PAVED ROADS. 24:16 AND WHILE SOME OF THE ROADS IN TOWN ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS, 24:19 I'VE BEEN TO COUNTRIES WHERE THE ROADS ARE BAD TO NONEXISTENT 24:23 BECAUSE THE TAXES ARE MISAPPLIED AND THEY DON'T USE THEM ON THE 24:27 ROADS. I DON'T LIKE WRITING THAT CHECK 24:31 TO UNCLE SAM BUT I'M THANKFUL I LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY WHERE 24:35 SOLDIERS WHO ARE SUPPORTED BY OUR TAXES HAVE KEPT US FREE. 24:39 I DON'T LIKE PAYING THOSE COUNTY TAXES BUT I'M GLAD I HAVE WATER 24:43 AT MY DOOR - AT LEAST FOR A LITTLE WHILE, WE'RE RATIONING 24:45 NOW - AND SOMEONE PICKS UP THE GARBAGE EVERY WEEK. 24:49 I'VE BEEN IN CITIES WHERE THEY DON'T PICK UP THE GARBAGE. 24:52 YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND SO WE MIGHT GRUMBLE AND 24:54 COMPLAIN AND TYPICALLY, WHENEVER YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION AND 24:57 YOU'VE GOT A GOVERNMENT, THERE'S GOING TO BE WASTE. 25:00 SOME OF IT WILL BE MISUSED AND SOME OF IT WILL BE SPENT POORLY 25:05 AND YOU'VE JUST GOT TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU PAY YOUR TAXES. 25:07 DO I TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY HONEST TAX LAW THERE IS TO 25:13 KEEP AS MUCH OF MY MONEY AS I CAN? YES! 25:18 I DON'T WANT - I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE EXTRA YOU'RE ALL 25:20 FREE TO DO THAT BUT, OF COURSE, YOU WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 25:25 THE BENEFITS AND THE LAWS THAT SAY THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO KEEP A 25:27 CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YOUR HARD-EARNED MONEY BUT YOU 25:31 SHOULDN'T BREAK THE LAW. IS IT A SIN TO SPEED? 25:35 OH, YOU ALL GOT QUIET. WELL LET ME TELL YOU WHAT, I'VE 25:40 GOT - AND I SAY THIS BY PERMISSION NOT BY COMMANDMENT. 25:44 YOU'VE GOT GOD'S LAW AND THEN YOU'VE GOT GOVERNMENT'S LAW. 25:48 YOU BREAK GOD'S LAW, THE PENALTY IS VERY SERIOUS. 25:51 IF YOU BREAK A GOVERNMENT LAW, YOU NEED TO BE WILLING TO PAY 25:54 THE PENALTY OF THE GOVERNMENT - THAT'S WHAT WE JUST READ. 25:57 IF YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE OVER THE SPEED LIMIT, YOU MIGHT GET A 26:00 TICKET. I THINK THERE'S ALSO WHAT THEY 26:03 CALL 'THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW' AND 'THE LETTER OF THE LAW'. 26:07 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A FREEWAY BEFORE WHERE THEY'VE GOT ONE 26:11 SPEED THAT IS POSTED BUT EVERYONE IS GOING A LITTLE 26:14 FASTER THAN THAT SPEED AND IF YOU GO THE ACTUAL SPEED YOU WILL 26:18 CAUSE A WRECK. IT'S JUST NOT SAFE. 26:21 YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? 26:22 SO I THINK GOD WANTS US TO USE COMMON SENSE. 26:24 AND, NOW THAT WAS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT TO SPEED. 26:28 I'M JUST SAYING THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LAW OF 26:30 GOD AND THE CIVIL LAWS AND IF YOU BREAK THE CIVIL LAWS, BE 26:32 PREPARED TO FACE THE CIVIL PENALTY. 26:35 OKAY, LET'S MOVE RIGHT ALONG THEN. 26:38 SO WHY DON'T WE TALK FOR A MOMENT - SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME 26:40 MARK 13:9 - I THINK THAT WAS NEXT. AND - DO YOU HAVE YOUR 26:45 MICROPHONE? ALRIGHT - AND BEFORE WE DO THAT, 26:49 I WANT TO READ SOMETHING TO YOU ABOUT AUTHORITY, BIBLICALLY. 26:53 IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT AUTHORITY IT WOULD BE GOOD TO 26:55 UNDERSTAND IT. THE NEW TESTAMENT WORD FOR 26:57 AUTHORITY IS 'EXOUSIA'. IT MEANS 'RIGHTFUL AND UNIMPEDED 27:02 POWER TO ACT; A VALID INNER AUTHORITY; 27:07 THE POSSESSION OR CONTROL OF AND THE RIGHT TO USE POWER' WHEREAS 27:10 THE WORD DYNAMOS -DUNAMIS, IT MEANS 'PHYSICAL POWER'. 27:16 THE BIBLE SAYS JESUS HAS AUTHORITY TO TEACH - MARK 1:22 - 27:20 TO FORGIVE SINS, TO CURE SICKNESS - MARK 9:6 - TO JUDGE - 27:25 IT'S THROUGH THE FULL AUTHORITY OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH 27:28 THAT HIS DISCIPLES WERE ABLE TO TEACH, TO HEAL THE SICK, TO CAST 27:31 OUT EVIL SPIRITS. HE SAID, 'ALL AUTHORITY IS GIVEN 27:34 UNTO ME' AND HE THEN, OSTENSIBLY, GIVES IT TO US. 27:38 PAUL ALSO CITED HIS APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY AND WARNED OTHERS NOT 27:43 TO ABUSE THEIR POWER. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS THE 27:46 POWER OF GOD THE FATHER ACTING THROUGH THE LIFE, DEATH, AND 27:50 RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST THAT MADE POSSIBLE THE ULTIMATE 27:53 AUTHORITY OVER ALL POWERS HUMAN AND SUPER HUMAN. AND, AS THE 27:58 WORD OF GOD, THE SCRIPTURES ARE REGARDED AS AUTHORITATIVE. 28:01 AND SO, BIBLICAL AUTHORITY IS BASED ON THESE SCRIPTURES AND 28:05 PRINCIPLES AS OPPOSED TO CIVIL AUTHORITY. 28:08 NOW, IN BIBLE TIMES IF - WHEN THEY WERE GOING THROUGH THE 28:14 WILDERNESS AND IF YOU BROKE THE SABBATH, WHAT DID THEY DO? 28:18 THERE'S ONLY ONE MAN THAT'S MENTIONED BUT HE WAS STONED. 28:22 THE PEOPLE SAID, 'WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT'S THE PENALTY?' 28:24 GOD'S VERY PRESENCE WAS THERE. SHEKINAH GLORY WAS THERE. 28:27 HE WAS LEADING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS AND GOD SAID, 'IF 28:29 YOU'RE GOING TO SIN IN A HIGH-HANDED WAY LIKE THAT, RIGHT 28:31 AFTER I'VE GIVEN YOU MY COMMANDMENT, THERE'S A DEATH 28:34 PENALTY.' WHY DON'T WE KILL PEOPLE FOR SABBATH BREAKING 28:36 TODAY? THEY ALSO HAD STONING - REMEMBER, THEY BROUGHT THE WOMAN 28:41 TO JESUS FOR ADULTERY. YOU EVER SEEN ANYONE LOCALLY BE 28:45 STONED FOR ADULTERY? WE'D BE MISSING A LOT OF PEOPLE 28:49 IN OUR SOCIETY. MOST TV PROGRAMS WOULD BE OFF 28:54 THE AIR IF FOLKS WERE STONED FOR ADULTERY, RIGHT? 29:01 WHEN THEY WERE LIVING UNDER A THEOCRACY - THAT'S DIFFERENT 29:03 FROM LIVING UNDER A MONARCHY OR A DEMOCRACY OR VARIOUS FORMS OF 29:07 GOVERNMENT, AND THOSE GOVERNMENTS IMPLEMENT THE 29:10 PENALTIES AND WHEN THEY GOT INTO A MONARCHY, IF THE PENALTY FOR 29:15 ADULTERY WAS STONING, WHY DIDN'T DAVID STONE HIMSELF? 29:19 SO, EVEN UNDER A MONARCHY THEY STARTED BEING PRETTY SOFT ON 29:22 SOME OF THOSE LAWS. BUT GOD - 'TO WHOM MUCH IS 29:24 GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED' - WHEN GOD'S PRESENCE WAS WITH THE 29:27 ISRAELITES RIGHT THERE IN THE WILDERNESS, HE EXPECTED THE 29:30 HIGHEST LEVEL OF OBEDIENCE AND THERE WAS THE HIGHEST PENALTY 29:33 FOR DISOBEDIENCE. STEALING - ACHAN STOLE, 29:37 WHAT HAPPENED? STONED. HE AND THE ACCOMPLICES IN HIS 29:41 FAMILY - STONED. IT WAS VERY SERIOUS. 29:44 SO IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY, DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP. 29:49 THEY ACT BY DIFFERENT PRINCIPLES. BUT, ULTIMATELY, 29:53 THE AUTHORITY COMES FROM GOD. ALRIGHT, SO LET'S MOVE ALONG 29:56 HERE. READ FOR US PLEASE MARK 13:9. 30:00 >>MARK 13:9, "BUT WATCH OUT FOR YOURSELVES, FOR THEY WILL 30:03 DELIVER YOU UP TO COUNCILS, AND YOU WILL BE BEATEN IN THE 30:06 SYNAGOGUES. YOU WILL BE BROUGHT BEFORE 30:08 RULERS AND KINGS FOR MY SAKE, FOR A TESTIMONY TO THEM." 30:12 >>THIS STATEMENT THAT YOU WILL BE BROUGHT BEFORE RULERS AND 30:15 KINGS FOR MY SAKE - DID THAT HAPPEN IN THE DISCIPLE'S LIVES? 30:21 IT DID. WILL IT HAPPEN AGAIN BEFORE THE END? 30:25 HAS IT HAPPENED THROUGH CHRISTIAN HISTORY? 30:27 LOOK AT THE STORY OF THE GREAT REFORMERS. 30:29 THINK ABOUT MARTIN LUTHER AT THE DIET OF WORMS. 30:31 HE STOOD BEFORE ONE OF THE MOST AUGUST ASSEMBLIES OF WORLD 30:35 LEADERS IN EUROPE AND MADE A DEFENSE FOR THE TRUTH. 30:39 AND JESUS SAID HE WOULD ARRANGE THESE APPOINTMENTS WHERE YOU'RE 30:45 - I HAD AN EXPERIENCE THIS - A FEW MONTHS AGO. 30:48 I WAS GOING TO SAY THIS YEAR BUT NOW WE'RE IN A NEW YEAR. 30:50 BUT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO I WAS AT THE SUPREME COURT AND I WAS 30:57 TALKING TO A CHURCH LEADER THERE, NOT OF OUR DENOMINATION, 31:02 AND HE STARTED ASKING ME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STATE OF THE 31:05 DEAD AND THE SABBATH. AND THIS PERSON IS ON RADIO 31:07 AROUND THE COUNTRY AND HE AND HIS WIFE - JUST HAVING A REAL 31:11 GOOD BIBLE STUDY. AND THE LORD BRINGS YOU - I 31:15 THOUGHT, 'WOW, THIS IS INTERESTING. 31:16 HERE WE ARE IN THE SUPREME COURT BUILDING HAVING THIS BIBLE 31:19 STUDY.' WE WERE WAITING FOR - THEY WERE GIVING US A TOUR OF 31:22 THE CHAMBERS AND WE WERE WAITING FOR OUR TURN TO GO IN AND - GOD 31:26 ARRANGES APPOINTMENTS AND HE WILL ARRANGE APPOINTMENTS FOR 31:29 YOU. IT'S INTERESTING HOW THE LORD DOES THAT. 31:32 YOU HAVE EXAMPLES OF THAT - ACTS 4:13 - PETER AND THE APOSTLES, 31:36 THEY WERE FISHERMEN AND IT SAYS THEY WERE BROUGHT BEFORE THE 31:39 HIGHEST COURT IN THE COUNTRY - THE SUPREME COURT - THE 31:42 SANHEDRIN, "NOW WHEN THEY SAW THE BOLDNESS OF PETER AND JOHN, 31:47 AND PERCEIVED THAT THEY WERE UNEDUCATED AND UNTRAINED MEN, 31:51 THEY MARVELED. AND THEY REALIZED THEY HAD BEEN 31:53 WITH JESUS.' WHERE DID THEY LEARN TO HAVE THIS CALM 31:56 CONFIDENCE AND THIS BOLDNESS TO SHARE? 32:00 I MEAN, MOST - THOSE SANHEDRIN LEADERS, THEY WERE USED TO 32:04 COMMON PEOPLE COMING IN AND TREMBLING BEFORE THEM WHEN THEY 32:08 WERE BROUGHT TO STAND TRIAL AND BE THREATENED WITH 32:10 EXCOMMUNICATION OR DEATH OR WHATEVER THE PENALTY WAS AND 32:14 PETER AND THE APOSTLES WERE FEARLESS. 32:17 THEY SAID, 'WOW, WHAT A HOLY AUDACITY. 32:20 WHERE'D THEY GET THAT?' THEY'D BEEN WITH JESUS. 32:24 ACTS 25:23, "SO THE NEXT DAY, WHEN AGRIPPA AND BERNICE HAD 32:29 COME WITH GREAT POMP, AND HAD ENTERED THE AUDITORIUM WITH THE 32:33 COMMANDERS AND THE PROMINENT MEN OF THE CITY, AT FESTUS' COMMAND 32:37 PAUL WAS BROUGHT IN." AND THEY SAID, 'YOU KNOW, 32:40 THERE'S THIS - THERE'S THIS FORMER PHARISEE THAT IS NOW A 32:44 CHRISTIAN AND THEY NEARLY TORE HIM LIMB FROM LIMB IN JERUSALEM 32:47 AND HE WAS BROUGHT IN' AND THEY SAID, 'OH, I'D LIKE TO HEAR. 32:49 HE'S ONE OF THESE NEW CHRISTIANS.' AND HERE PAUL IS 32:51 BROUGHT IN AND THEY SAID, 'YEAH, AND HE'S APPEALED TO CAESAR. 32:54 HE'S GETTING READY TO GO TO ROME AND SPEAK TO CAESAR.' SO PAUL IS 32:57 BROUGHT IN AND HERE HE'S GOT - WITH ALL POMP AND ALL GREAT MEN 33:01 OF THE CITY - AND THEY'RE STANDING THERE SAYING, 'TELL US 33:03 WHAT YOU BELIEVE.' AND YOU CAN READ ABOUT THAT THERE IN ACTS 25 33:07 - HE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS BEFORE THE KINGS AND THE 33:10 RULERS AND HE ACTUALLY IS PLEADING FOR THEIR SOULS. 33:15 PAUL IS NOT TRYING TO SAY, 'PLEASE LET ME OUT OF JAIL.' 33:18 THAT'S NOT WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT. 33:20 HE IS PRESENTING JESUS TO THEM AND ONE OF THEM SAYS, AT ONE 33:24 POINT, 'PAUL ALMOST THOU PERSUADEST ME TO BE A 33:28 CHRISTIAN.' IT'S TOO BAD HE SAID 'ALMOST'. 33:31 HE SAID, 'ALMOST THOU PERSUADEST ME TO BE A CHRISTIAN.' PAUL 33:34 SAYS, 'OTHER THAN THESE CHAINS I WISH THAT YOU WERE JUST LIKE ME, 33:37 A CHRISTIAN.' AND SO HE WAS TRYING TO DISCIPLE THESE RULERS 33:42 AND BE A WITNESS TO THEM. 33:44 ANOTHER EXAMPLE: ACTS 6:15 - THIS IS JUST BEFORE THE STONING 33:49 OF STEPHEN - "AND ALL WHO SAT IN THE COUNCIL, LOOKING STEADFASTLY 33:54 AT HIM, SAW HIS FACE AS THE FACE OF AN ANGEL." 33:59 AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GREATEST NEW TESTAMENT SERMONS 34:02 THAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND ANYWHERE IS THE PRESENTATION 34:05 THAT STEPHEN GIVES WHERE HE OUTLINES THE HISTORY OF GOD'S 34:08 LEADING HIS PEOPLE UP TO THE TIME OF CHRIST AND THEY WERE SO 34:12 CONVICTED THAT JESUS WAS THE CHRIST THAT THEY PLUGGED THEIR 34:16 EARS. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? THAT IF YOU WENT TO THE SUPREME 34:19 COURT AND YOU'RE MAKING YOUR DEFENSE AND YOU'RE NOT CURSING, 34:22 YOU'RE NOT BEING RUDE, YOU'RE JUST REASONING WITH THEM AND 34:24 YOUR LOGIC IS SO STRONG AND PROFOUND THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN 34:28 THE NINE JUSTICES AT THE SUPREME COURT GO, 'NO!' AND THEY PLUG 34:32 THEIR EARS. THAT'S WHAT THEY DID. 34:34 IT SAYS THEY GNASHED ON HIM WITH THEIR TEETH. 34:37 THAT JUST MEANS THEY WENT, 'OH NO, WE KILLED OUR MESSIAH.' AND 34:41 THEY TOOK HIM OUT AND THEY STONED HIM. 34:43 THEY DIDN'T EVEN - YOU KNOW, WITH JESUS THEY SAID, 'WE'VE GOT 34:45 TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS' AND THEY BROUGHT HIM 34:47 TO PILATE, BUT THEY WERE SO UPSET WITH STEPHEN, THEY DRUG 34:49 HIM RIGHT OUT AND THEY JUST STONED HIM. 34:52 AND, OF COURSE, PAUL - THEY LAID HIS CLOTHES DOWN AT PAUL'S FEET. 34:56 BUT STEPHEN HAD A CHANCE TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL TO THOSE IN 35:01 POWER AND AUTHORITY. AND WAS THAT A - WHEN STEPHEN 35:04 DID THAT, WAS THAT A SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL PROPHETIC EVENT? 35:10 THAT MARKED THE END OF THAT 490-YEAR PROPHECY WHERE THE 35:16 GOSPEL THAT HAD BEEN PREACHED THREE AND A HALF YEARS FROM 35:20 CHRIST'S ANOINTING UP UNTIL HIS DEATH, IT SAYS THAT HE WOULD 35:24 PREACH ANOTHER THREE AND A HALF YEARS THROUGH THOSE WHO HEARD 35:26 HIM - STEPHEN BEING ONE OF THOSE WHO HEARD HIM PERSONALLY - AND 35:30 HE MADE - HE WAS CHOSEN TO MAKE THAT FINAL PRESENTATION TO THE 35:34 JEWISH LEADERS AS A NATION AND AT THAT POINT, WHEN THEY PLUGGED 35:38 THEIR EARS THAT SENT A MESSAGE ABOUT HOW THEY WERE RESPONDING 35:41 TO THE GOSPEL. OFFICIALLY, AS A PEOPLE, THE 35:45 CURTAIN WAS GOING DOWN ON THAT NATION THEN. 35:47 OF COURSE, THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED IN 70 AD. ALRIGHT, 35:50 PRAY FOR THE AUTHORITIES. SOMETIMES IT'S HARD. 35:56 SOMETIMES - WILL ROGERS - ANY OF YOU REMEMBER HERE SOME OF THE 36:00 WIT AND HUMOR OF WILL ROGERS - THE HUMORIST? 36:05 AND HE SAID, 'WE OUGHT TO HAVE A SPAGHETTI DINNER FOR CONGRESS - 36:09 THEY'LL SUPPLY THE MEATBALLS.' BECAUSE WE HEAR ABOUT SOME OF 36:14 THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN GOVERNMENT AND THEN WHEN YOU 36:17 READ IN THE BIBLE THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PRAY FOR THOSE IN 36:20 LEADERSHIP. WHAT WE PRAY SOMETIMES IS YOU 36:24 WANT TO HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON THEIR HEAD WHEN YOU HEAR SOME OF 36:27 THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN GOVERNMENT. 36:29 AND THE POLITICS AND THE SHENANIGANS AND THE JOSTLING AND 36:34 THE POSITIONING AND THE GRANDSTANDING AND THE SPIN AND 36:37 ALL THE STUFF THAT HAPPENS IN POLITICS THAT, WHEN IT COMES 36:41 TIME TO VOTE, YOU WANT TO BE GOOD CITIZENS SO YOU SORT OF 36:43 HOLD YOUR NOSE AND YOU VOTE. BUT THE BIBLE SAYS WE SHOULD 36:47 PRAY FOR THOSE IN THOSE POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP. 36:50 YOU CAN READ HERE IN 1 TIMOTHY - SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME - LET ME 36:55 JUST FIND THIS MICROPHONE - EZRA 6:10 - WHO HAS THAT VERSE? 37:00 OVER HERE, LET'S GET YOU A MIC AND YOU'LL BE NEXT. 37:02 EZRA 6 VERSE 10. 1 TIMOTHY 2, VERSES 1 AND 2, 37:07 "THEREFORE I EXHORT FIRST OF ALL THAT SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, 37:12 INTERCESSIONS, AND GIVING OF THANKS BE MADE FOR ALL MEN, FOR 37:16 KINGS AND ALL WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY, THAT WE MAY LEAD A 37:21 QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS AND REVERENCE." 37:24 NOW WHY DO WE PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY - 37:27 PRESIDENTS AND KINGS? WHY DO YOU PRAY FOR THEM? 37:32 A FEW REASONS: ONE, THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED BECAUSE THEY'RE 37:35 PEOPLE THAT JESUS DIED FOR, RIGHT? 37:39 ANOTHER REASON IS THAT THEY GOVERN RIGHTEOUSLY SO THAT YOU 37:44 CAN HAVE FREEDOM AND PEACE - HE INCLUDES THAT THERE IN THE VERSE 37:47 - "THAT WE MIGHT LIVE A QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE." 37:50 HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TURMOIL IN OUR 37:52 SOCIETY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PRAYING FOR THE PEOPLE IN 37:54 LEADERSHIP? PAUL'S MAKING A CONNECTION THERE. 37:58 PRAY FOR THEM THAT THEY MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. 38:00 AND ANOTHER REASON IS YOU PRAY FOR THEM THAT THE GOSPEL WILL 38:04 STAY FREE. THOSE IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP 38:08 CAN CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL. 38:11 I PUT IT ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE YESTERDAY THAT THE MAGISTRATES 38:18 IN ENGLAND HAVE SUMMONED THE PRESIDENT OF THE MORMON CHURCH - 38:26 YOU KNOW THE PRESIDENT OF THE MORMON CHURCH IS ALSO THE 38:28 PROPHET OF THEIR CHURCH - BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY 38:33 BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN TEACHINGS OF THE MORMON CHURCH 38:36 THAT ARE NOT TRUE AND THAT THEY ARE TEACHING THINGS THAT ARE NOT 38:40 TRUE AND GETTING FUNDS - PEOPLE ARE SUPPORTING THE CHURCH WITH 38:43 MONEY - AND SO THEY FOUND A LAW THAT'S ON THE BOOKS THAT HAS TO 38:47 DO WITH FRAUD AND THEY'RE APPLYING IT NOW TO A RELIGION 38:50 AND THE JUDGES ARE GOING TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY THINK THE 38:52 MORMON FAITH IS TRUE. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS. 38:57 BY THE WAY, HE'S BEING SUMMONED. THAT MEANS THAT HE COULD - 39:00 THEORETICALLY, HE COULD BE EXTRADITED TO APPEAR IN THIS 39:03 COURT IN ENGLAND ON BEHALF OF ALL MORMONS. 39:05 OR THE MORMON RELIGION, IF THEY DON'T COOPERATE, COULD BE 39:08 OUTLAWED IN ENGLAND OR, IF HE DOESN'T COME, WHEN HE TRAVELS TO 39:11 ENGLAND HE COULD BE ARRESTED FOR NEGLECTING A SUMMONS. 39:14 THAT'S VERY SERIOUS. THE REASON IT'S SERIOUS - WHILE 39:18 I WOULD RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH MY MORMON FRIENDS AND THEIR 39:22 THEOLOGY - IT'S SERIOUS BECAUSE WHO COULD BE NEXT? 39:29 IF THE GOVERNMENT STARTS SAYING THAT WE ARE GOING TO EXAMINE THE 39:32 BELIEFS OF THE VARIOUS RELIGIONS AND DECIDE WHAT WE THINK IS TRUE 39:35 AND IF YOU'RE RAISING MONIES TO SPREAD YOUR RELIGION AND IT'S 39:39 NOT TRUE - IF WE DEEM IT'S NOT TRUE - IT'S RELIGIO ILLICITA - 39:45 FORBIDDEN RELIGION NOW. THAT'S VERY SERIOUS THAT 39:48 SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD HAPPEN. 39:53 OH, I'D BETTER NOT SAY THAT. WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, BUT I 39:58 THOUGHT IT WASN'T WISE TO SAY IT, IS THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS 40:01 INTERESTING THAT SO MANY OF THE CHURCHES IN ENGLAND ARE CLOSING 40:05 DOWN - THEY'RE BEING REPLACED BY MOSQUES - THAT'S A FACT. 40:09 BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH KORAN. 40:12 I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING. 40:15 ANYWAY, PRAY FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY. 40:20 YOU'RE GOING TO READ FOR US EZRA 6:10. WHO HAS THAT? OVER HERE. 40:25 >>EZRA 6:10, "THAT THEY MAY OFFER SACRIFICES OF SWEET AROMA 40:30 TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN, AND PRAY FOR THE LIFE OF THE KING AND HIS 40:34 SONS." >>NOW YOU KNOW WHO WROTE THAT? 40:37 NOT EZRA. CYRUS, THE PERSIAN KING SENT A 40:40 LETTER TO EZRA - THIS IS A QUOTE FROM HIS LETTER. 40:43 HE'S SAYING, 'PRAY FOR ME.' IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE KINGS 40:46 - THEY BELIEVED IN GOD - THAT THEY HAD PRIESTS THAT THEY 40:49 THOUGHT WERE GOOD PRIESTS INTERCEDE FOR THEM AND PRAY FOR 40:53 THEM. DID YOU EVER PLAY CHESS? 40:56 YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADMIT IT, BUT WHAT WERE THE PIECES RIGHT NEXT 41:01 TO THE KING AND THE QUEEN? BISHOPS. 41:04 BECAUSE SO MANY TIMES THROUGH THE HISTORY - I MEAN, EVEN IN 41:07 EGYPT YOU HAD THE PHARAOH AND RIGHT NEXT TO HIM WERE THE 41:10 PRIESTS. AND WHO DID THE PHARAOH GIVE 41:13 JOSEPH FOR A BRIDE? DAUGHTER OF A PRIEST. 41:17 AND SO THERE WAS A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP - PRIESTS WERE THE 41:18 ONES WHO WERE TAX FREE IN THE KINGDOM. 41:21 AND SO THEY WOULD ASK THE PRIESTS TO INTERCEDE. 41:24 FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOUR BIG JOB WAS TO PRAY FOR THE KING. 41:26 SOLOMON CAME INTO POWER - WHAT WAS HIS CONCERN? 41:30 'LORD, I'M JUST A CHILD. 41:31 I DON'T KNOW HOW TO COME IN OR GO OUT.' HE HAD GREAT AUTHORITY 41:34 AND POWER BUT HE REALIZED HE NEEDED GOD. 41:37 DID DAVID LISTEN TO THE PROPHETS THAT CAME TO HIM? 41:41 YES HE DID. THEY HAD GREAT RESPECT FOR THE 41:43 PROPHETS AND THE PRIESTS. SO WE'RE TO PRAY. 41:46 THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT - I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TO SAY. 41:53 I COULD TELL YOU SOME VERY INTERESTING STORIES. 41:55 BUT ONE THING HAPPENED THIS WEEK - I COULD TELL YOU A LOT OF 41:59 INTERESTING STORIES - ONE, A LITTLE THING I'LL SHARE 42:01 WITH YOU. I JUST - I DON'T KNOW HOW TO 42:02 SHARE THESE THINGS WITHOUT SOUNDING ANY MORE PIG HEADED 42:05 THAN I AM, BUT I WAS TALKING TO JIM GILLEY AT 3ABN THIS WEEK - I 42:11 HOPE HE DOESN'T MIND MY SHARING THIS. 42:13 AND HE SAID, 'DOUG,' - HE SAID - 'WE DID AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN 42:17 ASHCROFT, WHO WAS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DURING THE BUSH ERA AND 42:22 HE SAID, 'NOW, IS THAT BALD GUY GOING TO BE THERE?' 42:27 AND JIM SAID, 'WE'VE GOT A LOT OF BALD GUYS, WHAT ARE YOU 42:29 TALKING ABOUT?' HE SAID, 'IS THAT GUY BATCHELOR 42:32 - HE'S NOT GOING TO INTERVIEW ME' - HE SAID - 'HE'S TOO FAST.' 42:37 AND THE ONLY REASON I'M TELLING YOU IS TO KNOW - HERE'S SOMEONE 42:40 WHO'S A FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL - HE STILL HAS A CONSULTING 42:43 COMPANY IN WASHINGTON DC - AND HE'S WATCHING THE PROGRAMS. 42:47 SO THESE PEOPLE OUT THERE, THEY'RE SEARCHING - THEY'RE 42:50 PRAYING JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, AMEN? 42:54 ALRIGHT, JOHN 19, VERSE 8, "THEREFORE, WHEN PILATE HEARD 42:58 THAT SAYING, HE WAS THE MORE AFRAID," - IF YOU'RE PILATE - HE 43:03 WAS IN A POSITION OF POWER AND JUDGMENT, HE'S GOT TO MAKE A 43:05 DECISION, BUT HIS WIFE SENDS HIM A LETTER THAT SAYS, 'HAVE 43:08 NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT RIGHTEOUS MAN' AND THEN HE 43:13 BECAME A LITTLE CONCERNED AND HE SAID TO JESUS, "'WHERE ARE YOU 43:16 FROM?' BUT JESUS GAVE HIM NO ANSWER. 43:19 THEN PILATE SAID TO HIM, 'ARE YOU NOT SPEAKING TO ME? 43:23 DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT I HAVE POWER TO CRUCIFY YOU, AND POWER 43:26 TO RELEASE YOU?' JESUS ANSWERED, 'YOU COULD HAVE 43:29 NO POWER AT ALL AGAINST ME UNLESS IT HAD BEEN GIVEN YOU 43:33 FROM ABOVE.'" - NOW THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING STATEMENT. 43:37 JESUS IS LOOKING PILATE IN THE EYE, UNSHAKEN, HE SAYS, 'YOU 43:41 DON'T HAVE ANY POWER OVER ME.' I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT. 43:43 HERE HE'S TALKING TO THE ONE WHO MADE THE WORLD. 43:45 PILATE IS TALKING TO THE ONE WHO MADE THE UNIVERSE. 43:47 HE SAID, 'DON'T YOU KNOW I'VE GOT POWER OVER YOU?' 43:50 JESUS SAID, 'NO, YOU'VE GOT IT BACKWARDS. 43:52 YOU DON'T HAVE ANY POWER OVER ME. 43:54 YOU COULDN'T HAVE ANY POWER THAT ISN'T ALLOWED.' JESUS SAID, 'YOU 43:58 DON'T TAKE MY LIFE. I'M LAYING IT DOWN.' BUT HE - 44:02 NOTICE THAT CHRIST, IN THAT STATEMENT, HE DOES SAY, 'IT IS 44:04 BEING GIVEN YOU.' POWER HAS BEEN GIVEN YOU. 44:07 THESE PEOPLE IN POWER, SOME OF THEM ABUSE IT, BUT THEY'RE BEING 44:10 GIVEN THE POWER BY GOD. PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF PREACHING 44:13 OR TEACHING - THAT'S POWER - BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DANGEROUS 44:17 POWER AND THE BIBLE SAYS YOU OUGHT TO TAKE IT UP VERY 44:19 CAREFULLY BECAUSE 'TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED' AND 44:23 JAMES SAYS TEACHER AND PREACHERS AND PEOPLE IN POWER WILL GIVE A 44:26 MORE CAREFUL ACCOUNT OF WHAT THEY SAY AND WHAT THEY DO. 44:31 THAT'S ONE REASON TO PRAY FOR THOSE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY. 44:34 IT CAN BE FRIGHTENING. ALRIGHT, ACTS 23 - SOMEONE LOOK 44:40 UP FOR ME MATTHEW 7:28 - WHO HAS THAT VERSE? RIGHT OVER HERE? 44:44 MATTHEW 7:28 - WE'LL GET TO YOU IN JUST A MOMENT. 44:47 I'M GOING TO READ ACTS 23:1-5. 44:50 PAUL IS NOW BEING TRIED AT THE SANHEDRIN AND HE SAYS, "THEN 44:55 PAUL, LOOKING EARNESTLY AT THE COUNCIL, SAID, 'MEN AND 44:58 BRETHREN, I HAVE LIVED IN ALL GOOD CONSCIENCE BEFORE GOD UNTIL 45:01 THIS DAY.' AND THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS" - YOU KNOW WHO THAT 45:04 HIGH PRIEST IS? HE WAS THE SON-IN-LAW OF CAIPHUS 45:07 THAT TRIED JESUS AND HAD HIM EXECUTED. HE'S STILL IN POWER 45:11 DURING THIS TIME WHEN PAUL IS TRIED AND THAT - NOW HE'S THE 45:14 HIGH PRIEST COMPLETELY. CAIPHUS HAD DIED AT THIS POINT - 45:18 "COMMANDED THOSE WHO STOOD BY HIM TO STRIKE HIM ON THE MOUTH." 45:22 - CAN YOU IMAGINE GOING TO COURT AND YOU MAKE A STATEMENT - 45:25 YOU'RE NOT BEING RUDE, YOU JUST SAY, 'I'VE LIVED IN GOOD 45:27 CONSCIENCE BEFORE GOD' AND THE JUDGE SAYS, 'STRIKE HIM ON THE 45:30 MOUTH.' - I WAS IN COURT ONE DAY AND I SAID SOMETHING - JUST MADE 45:39 A SIMPLE CORRECTION OF SOMEBODY WHO WAS SPEAKING - I WAS SITTING 45:43 RIGHT NEXT TO THEM - AND OH BOY, THE JUDGE JUMPED RIGHT OUT AND 45:48 THEY GAVE A WRONG DATE, INADVERTENTLY, AND THE JUDGE 45:51 JUMPED RIGHT ON ME AND SAID, 'DID I ASK YOU ANYTHING? 45:53 DON'T SPEAK.' BUT NOBODY PUNCHED ME IN THE MOUTH. 46:01 AND SO, PAUL, HE KNEW THAT WASN'T EVEN LEGAL BACK THEN. 46:07 THE HIGH PRIEST "COMMANDED THOSE WHO STOOD BY HIM TO STRIKE HIM 46:09 ON THE MOUTH. THEN PAUL SAID TO HIM," - PAUL SAID TO THE 46:12 HIGH PRIEST - "'GOD WILL STRIKE YOU, YOU WHITEWASHED WALL! 46:15 FOR YOU SIT TO JUDGE ME ACCORDING TO THE LAW, AND DO YOU 46:18 COMMAND ME TO BE STRUCK CONTRARY TO THE LAW?'" 46:21 AND EVERYBODY TOOK A BIG BREATH. 46:23 THEY WENT 'OHHHH, PAUL IS REVILING THE HIGH - HE'S 46:26 CORRECTING' - AND HE WAS RIGHT TOO - 'PAUL IS REBUKING THE HIGH 46:30 PRIEST.' "AND THOSE WHO STOOD BY SAID, 'DO YOU REVILE GOD'S HIGH 46:34 PRIEST?'" - AND PAUL - YOU REALIZE PAUL SAYS, 'I'VE GOT A 46:38 THORN IN MY SIDE.' YOU KNOW WHAT PAUL'S THORN PROBABLY WAS? 46:41 REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS BLINDED AFTER HE SAW JESUS? 46:44 THEN, EVENTUALLY THE SCALES FELL FROM HIS EYES - HE COULD 46:46 SEE, BUT HE COULD NEVER SEE VERY CLEAR FROM FAR AWAY. 46:50 THAT'S WHY PAUL HAD PEOPLE WRITING HIS LETTERS FOR HIM. 46:53 HE COULDN'T SEE. THAT'S WHY HE ALWAYS TRAVELED 46:55 WITH A COMPANION. PAUL COULDN'T SEE. 46:58 AND WHEN HE WAS IN THIS COURT ROOM AND HE SAID, 'ARE YOU 47:02 COMMANDING ME?' BECAUSE HE HEARD SOMEBODY SAY, 47:04 'STRIKE HIM ON THE MOUTH.' PAUL'S GOING, 'YOU WHITEWASHED' 47:09 - AND THEY SAID, 'YOU'RE REVILING THE HIGH PRIEST.' HE'S 47:11 GOING, 'OH, I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THE HIGH PRIEST.' BUT THE REASON 47:15 PAUL SAID THAT - AND THEN HE QUOTES THE SCRIPTURE AND PAUL 47:19 SAYS, 'I'M SORRY, IT IS WRITTEN, 'YOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL 47:23 AGAINST THE RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.' AND SO HE SAID, 'I 47:26 APOLOGIZE. I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT. I DIDN'T REALIZE 47:29 WHO IT WAS.' SO WE'RE TO RESPECT THE RULERS OF THE PEOPLE, 47:33 RESPECT THEIR POSITION. ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS FOR ME - 47:36 YOU KNOW, I WENT TO MILITARY SCHOOL ABOUT THREE YEARS. 47:40 ONCE, WHEN I WAS FIVE TO SIX YEARS OLD, AND THEN I WENT BACK 47:45 TO MILITARY SCHOOL WHEN I WAS ELEVEN TO THIRTEEN - NEW YORK 47:49 MILITARY ACADEMY - AND, FOR ME, IT WAS MILITARY SCHOOL. 47:53 AT THAT POINT THE VIETNAM WAR WAS GOING ON, I WAS DONE WITH 47:56 THE MILITARY. FORTUNATELY I WAS NEVER DRAFTED. BY THE WAY, 47:59 THAT'S PART OF THE REASON I WENT UP TO THE CAVE - IN CASE I WAS 48:01 DRAFTED - BUT BY THAT TIME THEY'D STOPPED THE DRAFT. 48:03 AND - BUT I WAS SO FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I OFTEN HAD PEOPLE OVER 48:09 ME - THAT HAD AUTHORITY OVER ME - WHETHER IT WAS A CORPORAL, 48:12 SERGEANT, CAPTAIN - THAT WERE TELLING ME WHAT TO DO - AND 48:15 THESE WERE KIDS - YOU KNOW, I WAS A KID, BUT IN MILITARY 48:17 SCHOOL KIDS HAD RANK TOO. AND I KNEW - AT LEAST I THOUGHT 48:21 - I WAS TEN TIMES SMARTER THAN THEY WERE AND THEY WOULD GIVE ME 48:24 ORDERS AND I HAD TO LISTEN TO THEM OR THEY WOULD PULL RANK. 48:27 YOU EVER HEARD THAT EXPRESSION? THEY'D PULL RANK. 48:29 AND SO ONE THING YOU HAVE TO LEARN WHEN YOU'RE IN THE 48:31 MILITARY IS SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE, BECAUSE OF 48:34 THEIR AUTHORITY, EVEN THOUGH YOU THINK THEY'RE DOING IT ALL 48:36 WRONG. WHEN YOU'RE ON THE FRONT LINES 48:40 DURING A BATTLE AND THE SERGEANT SAYS 'CHARGE' YOU DON'T HAVE A 48:43 COMMITTEE MEETING, RIGHT? A MILITARY CAN'T OPERATE THAT 48:48 WAY WHERE YOU SAY, 'LET'S TAKE CONSENSUS RIGHT NOW. 48:52 LET'S DO A STRAW POLL.' WHEN THEY SAY 'CHARGE' YOU CHARGE 48:56 EVEN IF YOU THINK IT'S A SUICIDE MISSION, YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN TO 48:58 OBEY ORDERS OR YOU CAN'T HAVE A MILITARY. 49:01 AND SO IT'S THAT WAY IN THE CHURCH. 49:03 IT'S THAT WAY IN THE WORLD. YOU NEED TO RESPECT THOSE THAT 49:06 HAVE AUTHORITY. AND IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU NEVER 49:08 QUESTION, BUT THE BIBLE SHOWS THAT PAUL DID THAT. 49:13 ESTHER 9 - OH, WAIT A SECOND, I WAS GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE READ 49:18 MATTHEW 7:28 AND 29 - WHERE'S THAT? YES. 49:21 >>"AND IT HAPPENED WHEN JESUS HAD FINISHED THESE WORDS THE 49:26 CROWD WERE ASTONISHED AT HIS DOCTRINE, FOR HE TAUGHT THEM AS 49:33 ONE HAVING AUTHORITY, AND NOT AS THE SCRIBES." 49:38 >>THE TEACHING OF JESUS WAS DONE WITH AUTHORITY. 49:41 NOW, WHEN IT USES THE WORD 'AUTHORITY', NOT ONLY DID JESUS 49:43 HAVE AUTHORITY FROM GOD, THAT MEANT HE TAUGHT THEM WITH A 49:47 VOICE OF AUTHORITY AND HE SAID, 'THIS IS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. 49:50 THIS IS WHAT THE TRUTH IS.' WHEREAS THE SCRIBES, THEY WOULD 49:53 SAY, 'WELL, RABBI SO AND SO, HE THINKS IT MEANS THIS.' AND 49:56 'RABBI SO AND SO, HE THINKS THIS VERSE MEANS THAT.' AND 'YOU 49:59 KNOW, NOBODY CAN BE EXACTLY SURE.' AND THE SCRIBES HAD 50:03 EVERYBODY IN CONFUSION AND THEY WERE QUOTING ALL THESE DIFFERENT 50:05 RABBIS AND NOTHING WAS DEFINITE AND YOU COULD KIND OF ALL DRAW 50:08 YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS. 50:10 YOU KNOW, AT AMAZING FACTS, WE'RE AN EVANGELISTIC 50:12 ORGANIZATION AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WHEN AN 50:14 EVANGELIST TEACHES, THAT HE DOES IT WITH AUTHORITY BASED ON THE 50:18 WORD OF GOD, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE WANTING PEOPLE TO CHANGE THEIR 50:22 LIVES - IF YOU'RE WANTING PEOPLE TO TAKE A STAND - SOME OF THEM 50:24 MAY LOSE THEIR JOBS - SOME OF THEM HAVE TO MAKE RADICAL 50:27 CHANGES. IF YOU TEACH THEM IN A WISHY-WASHY WAY - 'WELL, IT 50:30 COULD MEAN THIS. IT COULD MEAN SOMETHING ELSE. 50:33 I THINK IT MIGHT MEAN THIS.' 50:34 YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYWHERE. 50:36 JESUS TAUGHT WITH AUTHORITIES - WITH AUTHORITY - THOSE THAT 50:40 JESUS SENT SHOULD GO OUT WITH HIS WORD, TEACHING WITH THE 50:44 AUTHORITY THAT CHRIST HAS GIVEN. HE SAID, 'ALL AUTHORITY IN 50:47 HEAVEN AND EARTH IS GIVEN TO ME. GO YE, THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL 50:50 NATIONS.' DO WE TEACH THEM TIMIDLY OR WITH AUTHORITY? 50:55 WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT HIS WORD SAYS, BUT WE SHOULD DO IT WITH 50:58 CONFIDENCE IN WHAT THE TRUTH IS. 51:01 IF YOU DON'T - YOU'RE NOT CONFIDENT ABOUT SOMETHING BEING 51:03 THE TRUTH THEN YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TO TEACH IT. 51:06 YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE. 51:08 AND THEN YOU CAN READ IN ESTHER 9:29 - IT TALKS ABOUT THIS 51:11 AUTHORITY THAT SHE WROTE LETTERS. 51:15 "THEN QUEEN ESTHER, THE DAUGHTER OF ABIHAIL, WITH MORDECAI THE 51:17 JEW, WROTE WITH FULL AUTHORITY TO CONFIRM THIS SECOND LETTER 51:20 ABOUT PURIM." THAT'S WHEN THEY FINALLY HAD 51:23 THIS DAY OF DELIVERANCE FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE. 51:25 SHE WROTE - THE KING GAVE ESTHER HIS SIGNET RING AND ESTHER AND 51:32 MORDECAI WERE ABLE TO WRITE LETTERS IN THE NAME OF THE KING. 51:35 NOW IS THAT AUTHORITY? 51:37 HAVE WE BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY BY OUR KING? 51:40 IF YOU'VE GOT THE WORD OF GOD BEHIND YOU, YOU'VE GOT THAT 51:43 ROYAL AUTHORITY THAT COMES FROM JESUS. 51:46 MATTHEW 21, VERSE 23, "NOW WHEN HE CAME INTO THE TEMPLE, THE 51:51 CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE CONFRONTED HIM AS HE 51:54 WAS TEACHING, AND SAID, 'BY WHAT AUTHORITY ARE YOU DOING THESE 51:57 THINGS? AND WHO GAVE YOU THIS AUTHORITY?' BUT JESUS ANSWERED 52:01 AND SAID TO THEM, 'I ALSO WILL ASK YOU ONE THING, WHICH IF YOU 52:04 TELL ME, I LIKEWISE WILL TELL YOU BY WHAT AUTHORITY I DO 52:06 THESE THINGS: THE BAPTISM OF JOHN - WHERE WAS IT FROM? 52:10 FROM HEAVEN OR FROM MEN?'" - THEY HAD A HUDDLE - "AND 52:15 THEY REASONED AMONG THEMSELVES, SAYING, 'IF WE SAY, 'FROM 52:17 HEAVEN,' HE WILL SAY TO US, 'WHY THEN DID YOU NOT BELIEVE HIM?' 52:20 BUT IF WE SAY 'FROM MEN,' WE FEAR THE MULTITUDE, FOR ALL 52:22 COUNT JOHN AS A PROPHET.'" - SO THEY CAME BACK TO JESUS AND THEY 52:25 ANSWERED, "'WE DO NOT KNOW.' AND HE SAID TO THEM, 'NEITHER WILL I 52:29 TELL YOU BY WHAT AUTHORITY I DO THESE THINGS.'" SEE, THAT 52:32 FURTHER ILLUSTRATES THAT THEY WOULD SAY, 'WELL, WE'RE NOT 52:35 SURE.' THEY WERE ALWAYS NOT SURE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TIE 52:38 THEMSELVES DOWN. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, AS A 52:41 BELIEVER, YOU NEED TO TAKE SOME TIME TO STUDY WHAT YOU BELIEVE. 52:44 WHEN YOU'RE NOT SURE, STUDY IT OUT AND MAKE A DECISION. 52:48 GET ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN YOUR FAITH BECAUSE SOME DAY WE MAY BE 52:52 ASKED TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE AND WE NEED TO 52:55 HAVE AN AUTHORITY REGARDING WHAT OUR CONVICTIONS ARE THAT WE ARE 52:59 CERTAIN ABOUT WHAT WE BELIEVE. 53:02 CASE IN POINT: DANIEL 3:16-18, "SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO 53:09 ANSWERED AND SAID TO THE KING, 'O NEBUCHADNEZZAR, WE HAVE NO 53:13 NEED TO ANSWER YOU IN THIS MATTER. 53:15 IF THAT IS THE CASE, OUR GOD WHOM WE SERVE IS ABLE TO DELIVER 53:17 US FROM THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE, AND HE WILL DELIVER US 53:21 FROM YOU HAND, O KING. BUT IF NOT, LET IT BE KNOWN TO 53:24 YOU, O KING, THAT WE DO NOT SERVE YOUR GODS, NOR WILL WE 53:28 WORSHIP THE GOLD IMAGE WHICH YOU HAVE SET UP.'" 'WAIT A SECOND. 53:31 PASTOR DOUG, YOU JUST TOLD US WE'RE SUPPOSED TO OBEY THE LAWS 53:33 OF THE LAND.' DIDN'T I SAY THAT? AS LONG AS THE LAWS OF THE LAND 53:39 DO NOT CONFLICT WITH THE LAW OF GOD. 53:42 SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO WERE THREE OF THE MOST FAITHFUL 53:46 CITIZENS IN THE BABYLONIAN GOVERNMENT. 53:49 THEY WERE SEEKING THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE, THEY WERE PRAYING 53:52 FOR THE KING, THEY WERE OBEYING THE LAWS, THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T 53:55 EVEN SPEED IN THEIR CHARIOTS. 53:58 BUT WHEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR ASKED THEM TO BOW DOWN AND TO WORSHIP 54:01 THE GOLDEN IMAGE, THEY SAID, 'WE MUST FOLLOW A HIGHER AUTHORITY. 54:07 YOUR AUTHORITY IS BEING VETOED BY THE AUTHORITY OF GOD THAT 54:11 SAYS, 'DO NOT WORSHIP IMAGES.' THERE'S A STATEMENT IN YOUR 54:15 LESSON, LET ME READ IT TO YOU - IT'S FROM THE TESTIMONIES, 54:18 VOLUME 6, PAGE 402 - "THE PEOPLE OF GOD WILL RECOGNIZE HUMAN 54:22 GOVERNMENT AS AN ORDINANCE OF DIVINE APPOINTMENT AND WILL 54:26 TEACH OBEDIENCE TO IT AS A SACRED DUTY WITHIN ITS 54:29 LEGITIMATE SPHERE. BUT WHEN ITS CLAIMS CONFLICT 54:33 WITH THE CLAIMS OF GOD, THE WORD OF GOD MUST BE RECOGNIZED AS 54:36 ABOVE ALL HUMAN LEGISLATION. 'THUS SAITH THE LORD' IS NOT TO 54:40 BE SET ASIDE FOR 'THUS SAITH THE CHURCH' OR THE STATE. 54:44 THE CROWN OF CHRIST IS TO BE UPLIFTED ABOVE THE DIADEMS 54:47 OF EARTHLY POTENTATES." 54:50 SO A LAW FROM SOME CHURCH OR A GOVERNMENT, IF IT CONFLICTS WITH 54:54 THE LAW OF GOD, THE LAW OF GOD ALWAYS COMES FIRST. 54:59 MARK 2, VERSES 23 THROUGH 28, "NOW IT HAPPENED THAT HE WENT 55:03 THROUGH THE GRAINFIELDS ON THE SABBATH; AND AS THEY WENT HIS 55:07 DISCIPLES BEGAN TO PLUCK THE HEADS OF GRAIN. 55:09 AND THE PHARISEES SAID TO HIM, 'LOOK, WHY DO THEY DO WHAT IS 55:12 NOT LAWFUL ON THE SABBATH?' BUT HE SAID TO THEM, 'HAVE YOU 55:15 NEVER READ WHAT DAVID DID WHEN HE WAS IN NEED AND HUNGRY, HE 55:20 AND THOSE WITH HIM: HOW HE WENT INTO THE HOUSE OF GOD IN THE 55:22 DAYS OF ABIATHAR THE HIGH PRIEST, AND ATE THE SHOWBREAD, 55:27 WHICH IS NOT LAWFUL TO EAT EXCEPT FOR THE PRIESTS, AND ALSO 55:31 GAVE SOME TO THOSE WHO WERE WITH HIM?' AND HE SAID TO THEM, 'THE 55:34 SABBATH WAS MADE FOR MAN, AND NOT MAN FOR THE SABBATH. 55:37 THEREFORE THE SON OF MAN IS ALSO LORD OF THE SABBATH.'" JESUS WAS 55:42 CONSTANTLY IN DISPUTE WITH THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND THE 55:46 PRIESTS. SO WHERE DID HE REFER THEM? 55:49 'THUS SAITH THE LORD' - 'HAVE YOU NOT READ' - CONSTANTLY JESUS 55:56 WAS TAKING THEM BACK TO THEIR OWN TEACHINGS. 55:58 WHY? HE WAS TRYING TO BE REDEMPTIVE. 56:01 HE WASN'T JUST TRYING TO PROVE THEM WRONG AND EMBARRASS THEM, 56:04 HE WAS TRYING TO GET THEM TO THINK BECAUSE CHRIST WAS TRYING 56:07 TO DISCIPLE THOSE IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP. 56:10 AND THEN WE READ ALSO EARLIER, AS A RESULT OF THAT, A GREAT 56:14 MANY OF THE PRIESTS WERE OBEDIENT TO THE FAITH AS WELL. 56:18 LAST THOUGHT - I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE - THE CENTURION. 56:23 HAVE YOU NOTICED - THE CENTURION TYPICALLY HAD A HUNDRED ROMAN 56:27 SOLDIERS UNDER HIS CHARGE AND SOMETIMES THERE WERE OTHER 56:29 CONTINGENTS OF SLAVES THAT WERE UNDER THEM, SO THEY OFTEN HAD A 56:33 LOT OF POWER. THEY WERE CONSIDERED, USUALLY, TO BE THE 56:36 MOST FAITHFUL, HONEST, HARD WORKING, SINCERE PEOPLE IN THE 56:39 ROMAN ARMY BECAUSE OF JUST WHERE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES PUT THEM. 56:44 CAN YOU THINK OF SOME GOOD CENTURIONS IN THE BIBLE? 56:49 DID PAUL HAVE A CENTURION THAT SAVED HIS LIFE? JULIUS. 56:54 WAS A CENTURION AT THE CROSS OF CHRIST THAT SAID, 56:57 'TRULY THIS WAS THE SON OF GOD'? WAS THERE A CENTURION THAT PETER 57:02 PREACHED TO BY THE NAME OF CORNELIUS THAT WAS AN HONEST 57:05 MAN? AND THEN THERE WAS THE CENTURION 57:08 THAT WE READ ABOUT WHERE JESUS HEALS HIS SERVANT. 57:10 CHRIST IS ON HIS WAY TO HEAL HIS SERVANT AND HE HEARS ABOUT IT 57:13 AND HE SAYS, 'YOU DON'T NEED TO COME TO MY HOUSE BECAUSE I'M A 57:16 MAN THAT HAS AUTHORITY AND I TELL PEOPLE 'DO THIS AND DO 57:19 THAT' AND THEY DO IT. YOU HAVE AUTHORITY. JUST SPEAK AND MY 57:23 SERVANT WILL BE HEALED.' AND WHAT DID JESUS SAY? 57:26 'ASSUREDLY I SAY TO YOU I HAVE NOT FOUND SUCH GREAT FAITH IN 57:30 ALL ISRAEL.' AND WAS THAT CENTURION'S PRAYER ANSWERED? 57:34 HIS SERVANT WAS HEALED. SO WE COULD TAKE A LOT MORE TIME 57:38 AND TALK ABOUT AUTHORITY. IT'S A VERY IMPORT SUBJECT. 57:40 SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CENTURIONS, WE'RE GOING TO OFFER 57:43 YOU 'THE ARMOR OF GOD'. AND IF YOU'D LIKE A FREE COPY OF 57:46 THIS BOOK, CALL THE PHONE NUMBER, 866-STUDY-MORE - 57:50 866-788-3966. ASK FOR OFFER #173. 57:55 WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU. PLEASE READ IT WHEN YOU DO. 57:57 BUT WITH THAT OUR TIME IS UP FOR SABBATH SCHOOL THIS WEEK. 58:01 GOD WILLING WE'LL STUDY TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT WEEK. 58:05 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17