What is one of the
most amazing questions
00:00:01.21\00:00:03.02
that Christ asked His Disciples?
00:00:03.03\00:00:05.19
Standby, we'll be right back.
00:00:05.20\00:00:07.76
Welcome to "Issues & Answers."
00:00:32.11\00:00:33.71
My name is J.D. Quinn.
00:00:33.72\00:00:35.41
As I asked a while ago
what is one of the most
00:00:35.42\00:00:38.03
amazing questions that
Christ asked of His disciples.
00:00:38.04\00:00:41.54
Today, I have a friend by
the name of Troy Fitzgerald
00:00:41.55\00:00:45.40
and he's gonna help
us answers that question.
00:00:45.41\00:00:47.79
Troy welcome to
"Issues & Answers."
00:00:47.80\00:00:49.63
Oh, good to be here, thank you.
00:00:49.64\00:00:51.50
Please tell our audience
something about yourself.
00:00:51.51\00:00:55.14
Well, I have a lovely
wife, her name is Julia.
00:00:55.15\00:00:59.11
We've been married
19 years just about here
00:00:59.12\00:01:03.01
and we have two
beautiful boys, 12-year-old
00:01:03.02\00:01:05.91
Cameron and
Morgan he's 7 years old.
00:01:05.92\00:01:09.88
And they are all boys, I'll bet.
00:01:09.89\00:01:11.11
They are all boys and we live in
00:01:11.12\00:01:15.33
College Place,
Walla Walla, Washington
00:01:15.34\00:01:18.30
and I'm the pastor
for youth and young adult
00:01:18.31\00:01:22.59
at Walla Walla,
University Church, okay.
00:01:22.60\00:01:25.61
I've been there
12 years-- 12 years.
00:01:25.62\00:01:27.92
And they haven't found a
way to get rid of me yet.
00:01:27.93\00:01:29.42
Amen, amen, well,
just in that little time
00:01:29.43\00:01:32.69
that I've had to share with you,
00:01:32.70\00:01:33.95
you are an easy person
to really enjoy and love.
00:01:33.96\00:01:37.41
You know, you can just
see Christ through you.
00:01:37.42\00:01:40.21
Praise God, you talk Christ
00:01:40.22\00:01:42.06
and I truly believe in my heart
00:01:42.07\00:01:44.21
that you do the very
best that you can do to live,
00:01:44.22\00:01:47.46
to live out your
beliefs, thank you.
00:01:47.47\00:01:49.67
Tell us about what
we're talking about here,
00:01:49.68\00:01:52.93
one of the most
amazing questions
00:01:52.94\00:01:55.39
that Christ
asked of His disciples.
00:01:55.40\00:01:57.34
Yeah, as I was going
through the questions
00:01:57.35\00:01:59.23
that God asked people
00:01:59.24\00:02:00.57
because it's
been a study of mine,
00:02:00.58\00:02:03.18
I keep coming
up to the questions
00:02:03.19\00:02:07.92
that Jesus asked
His disciples or people
00:02:07.93\00:02:10.33
that he just interacts with.
00:02:10.34\00:02:11.50
Most of the questions of course
00:02:11.51\00:02:13.05
are in the life of Christ,
00:02:13.06\00:02:14.59
there are many
in the Old Testament
00:02:14.60\00:02:16.59
but most of them are
right there in the New Testament
00:02:16.60\00:02:19.84
with the four gospels.
00:02:19.85\00:02:22.18
As I looked at
some of the things
00:02:22.19\00:02:23.80
that Jesus said
to the disciples,
00:02:23.81\00:02:25.85
they asked him a
lot of questions,
00:02:25.86\00:02:27.63
you know, when is
all this gonna happen
00:02:27.64\00:02:29.64
and what do You
think about forgiveness
00:02:29.65\00:02:32.28
and there is just
a dozen too questions
00:02:32.29\00:02:35.12
that the disciples
are always wondering
00:02:35.13\00:02:36.73
about the kingdom
and what does this mean
00:02:36.74\00:02:39.24
and what does that mean?
00:02:39.25\00:02:41.64
It's the
questions that Christ asked
00:02:41.65\00:02:43.31
His disciples that
really give you a glimpse into
00:02:43.32\00:02:45.45
what it means to
be a disciple, amen.
00:02:45.46\00:02:48.01
It gives you a glimpse
into what Christ hopes for
00:02:48.02\00:02:51.04
and wants them to think and do.
00:02:51.05\00:02:54.58
I think the one that
just gets me every time,
00:02:54.59\00:02:59.20
the one question that's
I believe was preeminent is
00:02:59.21\00:03:07.09
when Jesus asked the disciples
00:03:07.10\00:03:09.61
as a whole very basic question.
00:03:09.62\00:03:12.54
The first question was
00:03:12.55\00:03:14.43
so what does
everybody think of me,
00:03:14.44\00:03:16.34
what is
somebody saying about me,
00:03:16.35\00:03:19.16
and disciples murmur, you know,
00:03:19.17\00:03:21.88
well, some say you are Jeremiah,
00:03:21.89\00:03:24.35
some say you are
Elijah, John the Baptist
00:03:24.36\00:03:29.09
and then Jesus stops
00:03:29.10\00:03:31.49
and then He asked a
more personal question
00:03:31.50\00:03:34.75
and this is the question
00:03:34.76\00:03:35.73
that I think is perhaps
one of the most profound.
00:03:35.74\00:03:39.36
He asked a questioned
who do you say, that I am?
00:03:39.37\00:03:44.79
The disciples apparently
I can only imagine it,
00:03:44.80\00:03:47.33
they get quiet
because now it's not what,
00:03:47.34\00:03:50.31
what do the people think of you,
00:03:50.32\00:03:52.17
that's an easy think to answer
00:03:52.18\00:03:53.47
You just paraphrase
what's everybody is saying,
00:03:53.48\00:03:55.94
give some options, but
it's entirely different
00:03:55.95\00:04:01.15
when you ask somebody to
tell you what they think of you.
00:04:01.16\00:04:06.66
Now I had the
dull-mindedness to ask
00:04:06.67\00:04:13.24
that question
of a girl one time.
00:04:13.25\00:04:15.90
I said, what do
you really think of me?
00:04:15.91\00:04:21.95
It didn't turn out very well.
00:04:21.96\00:04:24.82
She said, things like,
00:04:24.83\00:04:25.86
well, I think
you're really a nice guy
00:04:25.87\00:04:27.85
but you're good friend
but, so you got to be careful
00:04:27.86\00:04:32.70
how you ask that question.
00:04:32.71\00:04:34.00
Jesus was not afraid
to ask that question.
00:04:34.01\00:04:36.25
He asked them
who do you say I am?
00:04:36.26\00:04:42.60
I believe that's probably
one of the biggest questions
00:04:42.61\00:04:45.22
that the Christian
church needs to answer.
00:04:45.23\00:04:50.13
What do we think of Christ?
00:04:50.14\00:04:52.32
Beyond all the
platitudes and the packaging
00:04:52.33\00:04:55.20
that we've put
him in over the years,
00:04:55.21\00:04:57.65
what do we really think of him?
00:04:57.66\00:05:00.41
Because I think
everything depends on it.
00:05:00.42\00:05:03.25
Peter--of course all
the disciples were quiet,
00:05:03.26\00:05:06.34
but Peter, Peter
steps up and he answers.
00:05:06.35\00:05:11.58
And this is one
of Peter's moments.
00:05:11.59\00:05:14.63
He has lots of
moments in the gospels,
00:05:14.64\00:05:18.71
this is one his big ones
00:05:18.72\00:05:21.14
where he steps
forward and he says,
00:05:21.15\00:05:23.94
I believe you are the Christ
the son of the living God.
00:05:23.95\00:05:30.12
What do you think
to he meant by that?
00:05:30.13\00:05:33.08
Well, whatever
he meant he didn't
00:05:33.09\00:05:36.33
really fully
understand it you can tell.
00:05:36.34\00:05:40.48
Because only moments
later after having said
00:05:40.49\00:05:43.87
this great theologically
correct personal statement
00:05:43.88\00:05:48.08
about who Christ is,
00:05:48.09\00:05:50.62
Jesus walks
along the road with him
00:05:50.63\00:05:53.30
and he tells his
disciples that the chief priests
00:05:53.31\00:05:57.38
and the rulers are
gonna put him to death.
00:05:57.39\00:06:01.00
And Peter-- this is that moment
00:06:01.01\00:06:02.50
were Peter just
fresh after saying
00:06:02.51\00:06:05.33
that great
statement Peter rebukes Jesus
00:06:05.34\00:06:10.23
and says don't talk
like that, it can't be so.
00:06:10.24\00:06:14.81
And Jesus said,
they get behind me Satan,
00:06:14.82\00:06:21.81
so going back to that moment
00:06:21.82\00:06:25.13
when Peter said those words,
00:06:25.14\00:06:27.99
he didn't fully
understand Christ kingdom.
00:06:28.00\00:06:31.54
He didn't understand
00:06:31.55\00:06:32.54
what it meant to
be a disciple either.
00:06:32.55\00:06:36.07
He didn't understand
00:06:36.08\00:06:37.05
what the church was
supposed to be about.
00:06:37.06\00:06:39.17
He just responded to
the best of his ability
00:06:39.18\00:06:42.92
and to where he
was at that moment.
00:06:42.93\00:06:44.26
I love the fact
that Jesus affirms him
00:06:44.27\00:06:47.89
and the affirmation is
what's most profound too
00:06:47.90\00:06:51.40
Jesus tells Peter
and the other disciples
00:06:51.41\00:06:55.52
'cause they're probably
all nodding in affirmation.
00:06:55.53\00:06:58.56
Jesus says, you
did not get this alone.
00:06:58.57\00:07:02.24
This did not come
00:07:02.25\00:07:03.23
because of your own doing Peter,
00:07:03.24\00:07:05.55
God gave that to you, amen.
00:07:05.56\00:07:07.86
And he says and not
even-- I'm gonna build my church
00:07:07.87\00:07:11.38
on people like you who stand up
00:07:11.39\00:07:14.02
and speak what you think of me.
00:07:14.03\00:07:18.15
And I'm gonna
build my church on that
00:07:18.16\00:07:20.54
and the gates of
hell will not overcome it,
00:07:20.55\00:07:23.97
it will not prevail.
00:07:23.98\00:07:26.33
And even though Peter is weak
00:07:26.34\00:07:28.41
and shortsighted and
not clued into exactly
00:07:28.42\00:07:33.35
what the
kingdom of God is about,
00:07:33.36\00:07:36.88
God's promise in
Christ about Peter comes true.
00:07:36.89\00:07:42.20
It hasn't over--the
gates of hell have not overcome
00:07:42.21\00:07:45.80
people stepping
up and testifying
00:07:45.81\00:07:48.45
as to what they
think who Jesus is, amen.
00:07:48.46\00:07:52.55
and I--you know, I would like to
00:07:52.56\00:07:55.90
look at myself in that
way, if nothing more than,
00:07:55.91\00:07:59.00
you know, let me tell you
00:07:59.01\00:08:01.20
who I think you are Jesus.
00:08:01.21\00:08:02.99
Superimpose it, write it out.
00:08:03.00\00:08:04.95
In fact I had some young
people do that not long ago.
00:08:04.96\00:08:08.52
I said, go through the gospels,
00:08:08.53\00:08:11.98
go through the story of Christ
00:08:11.99\00:08:14.57
and you write
out your own gospel
00:08:14.58\00:08:17.21
of what you see, what you think.
00:08:17.22\00:08:20.13
And write it out and
compare each others gospels
00:08:20.14\00:08:23.36
because there is
a gospel of John.
00:08:23.37\00:08:26.13
John's no better than any of you
00:08:26.14\00:08:29.40
and Peter, you
know, is no better than
00:08:29.41\00:08:31.71
any--Right out your
gospels of what you think,
00:08:31.72\00:08:34.98
you know, is true
and good about God.
00:08:34.99\00:08:37.29
Now to the degree
that we're watching
00:08:37.30\00:08:40.55
and paying
attention to who Christ is,
00:08:40.56\00:08:43.61
the Lord can
inspire of our thoughts
00:08:43.62\00:08:45.39
and I'm not-- we're
not trying to create a
00:08:45.40\00:08:46.88
bunch of prophets our
there, that's not the point.
00:08:46.89\00:08:49.07
The point is--is that
this church grows and continues
00:08:49.08\00:08:53.60
because people think and speak
00:08:53.61\00:08:57.18
what they believe
to be good, right,
00:08:57.19\00:08:58.42
and true about Christ.
00:08:58.43\00:09:01.88
Oftentimes people, you
know, just think things.
00:09:01.89\00:09:06.14
I think there's been surveys
around at least North America
00:09:06.15\00:09:09.38
but I'm sure
they've been in other places
00:09:09.39\00:09:10.84
about what people believe,
00:09:10.85\00:09:13.25
believe that Jesus
is God, many people do,
00:09:13.26\00:09:17.24
but if that's the case how come
00:09:17.25\00:09:18.48
we're not talking about it more.
00:09:18.49\00:09:21.20
We don't speak up and
how come we don't testify.
00:09:21.21\00:09:25.00
I learned the
value of this question
00:09:25.01\00:09:28.63
because Jesus isn't asking
them to just think about Him,
00:09:28.64\00:09:34.27
He is not even asking
them to just believing Him,
00:09:34.28\00:09:37.51
He is saying, speak up.
00:09:37.52\00:09:40.01
If you could say out loud
00:09:40.02\00:09:42.08
what you believe
to be true about me,
00:09:42.09\00:09:45.70
you know, there
is gonna came a day
00:09:45.71\00:09:47.10
when your life
is going to depend
00:09:47.11\00:09:49.78
or your death is gonna depend
00:09:49.79\00:09:51.49
on whether you're
willing to do that.
00:09:51.50\00:09:54.43
I always go back, I mean,
00:09:54.44\00:09:56.47
I've never needed a witness
00:09:56.48\00:09:59.26
before like I did one
00:09:59.27\00:10:01.02
I think it was about 10
years ago, 11 years ago.
00:10:01.03\00:10:03.90
I was driving along
New Year's Eve, my wife
00:10:03.91\00:10:07.93
and son were up visiting family.
00:10:07.94\00:10:10.26
We had just moved,
I was unpacking boxes,
00:10:10.27\00:10:12.02
so I went and grabbed a pizza.
00:10:12.03\00:10:13.85
I was gonna do New
Years by myself and
00:10:13.86\00:10:16.12
I'm driving along
and all of a sudden
00:10:16.13\00:10:19.20
this 1974 Dodge Dart
turns into the middle lane
00:10:19.21\00:10:24.41
and then into my
lane, the oncoming lane
00:10:24.42\00:10:26.48
and hits me
head-on, and smashes my car,
00:10:26.49\00:10:30.20
I hit the window,
I'm all over the place,
00:10:30.21\00:10:32.90
I'm shaken up, then knocked me
00:10:32.91\00:10:35.07
into the juniper bushes
along the side of the road.
00:10:35.08\00:10:39.31
I had no idea what
happened and I open my eyes
00:10:39.32\00:10:43.02
and I'm just kind of
coming to and I see this,
00:10:43.03\00:10:47.82
this very healthy old
lady leaving the Dodge Dart
00:10:47.83\00:10:53.92
and I think, well, she is coming
00:10:53.93\00:10:54.90
by to see if I'm okay.
00:10:54.91\00:10:57.47
She walks right by my
car and she keeps walking
00:10:57.48\00:11:00.99
and I look over my shoulder
00:11:01.00\00:11:02.65
and she is
walking up to the bank.
00:11:02.66\00:11:05.09
She is going to make
a deposit at the bank.
00:11:05.10\00:11:07.84
It was New Year's Eve apparently
00:11:07.85\00:11:09.07
she wanted to do that.
00:11:09.08\00:11:10.16
I had no idea what was going on.
00:11:10.17\00:11:11.74
The police, the fireman,
00:11:11.75\00:11:12.72
they're all
members of my church,
00:11:12.73\00:11:13.84
they show up, they said
what happened pastor Troy
00:11:13.85\00:11:15.84
what's going on here and
where is the other person?
00:11:15.85\00:11:18.80
I said, she is in the bank.
00:11:18.81\00:11:21.35
I thought, why
is she in the bank?
00:11:21.36\00:11:24.40
I think she has to
make a deposit I said
00:11:24.41\00:11:26.78
well, what happened?
00:11:26.79\00:11:27.76
And I tried
explaining my story to them
00:11:27.77\00:11:30.57
and they're looking at
the car and her car is,
00:11:30.58\00:11:33.61
there is nothing wrong with it,
00:11:33.62\00:11:34.65
the little piece of
bumper had been--74 of course
00:11:34.66\00:11:38.46
and hers is made
out of real metal
00:11:38.47\00:11:41.18
and mine was
made out of tin foil.
00:11:41.19\00:11:44.08
Mine was completed totaled.
00:11:44.09\00:11:47.32
And she came back and
I, you know, I felt bad,
00:11:47.33\00:11:52.02
but the lady says, well,
I don't know why he hit me,
00:11:52.03\00:11:54.62
I was just turning in and
he smashed right in to me.
00:11:54.63\00:11:57.35
It was my word against hers.
00:11:57.36\00:11:58.92
I didn't want to get
agitated or anything I said, no,
00:11:58.93\00:12:02.97
I had the right away,
you're supposed to wait
00:12:02.98\00:12:04.52
before you turn-in
and just at that time,
00:12:04.53\00:12:08.81
a man drove up and pulled up,
00:12:08.82\00:12:11.07
got out of his car
and he said these words
00:12:11.08\00:12:13.67
which were like a
Calvary coming to my rescue
00:12:13.68\00:12:18.96
I saw, the whole thing
00:12:18.97\00:12:21.79
and of course they
vindicated me at that point.
00:12:21.80\00:12:27.37
I don't think they
did anything to the woman
00:12:27.38\00:12:30.44
and in fact I met family members
00:12:30.45\00:12:32.05
of that later on in life
00:12:32.06\00:12:33.27
but they just
spoke volumes to me about
00:12:33.28\00:12:36.88
what it really
means to be a witness.
00:12:36.89\00:12:40.01
You want to know
what we can do for God,
00:12:40.02\00:12:42.05
you want to no how to do this?
00:12:42.06\00:12:43.86
God isn't asking us to
do anything complicated.
00:12:43.87\00:12:46.43
He's not asking us to
know more and then tell.
00:12:46.44\00:12:50.19
He's asking us to write
00:12:50.20\00:12:51.37
where we are at
like Peter, amen.
00:12:51.38\00:12:53.54
Testify, because
you're not a witness
00:12:53.55\00:12:55.96
if you just think something.
00:12:55.97\00:12:57.08
I can ask you, do you believe?
00:12:57.09\00:12:59.17
And if you just sit
there and nod, maybe,
00:12:59.18\00:13:01.70
but you're a
witness you become a witness
00:13:01.71\00:13:04.39
when you speak up
00:13:04.40\00:13:05.58
and you testify on
behalf of the savior.
00:13:05.59\00:13:08.66
Amen, and I would imagine
00:13:08.67\00:13:12.04
in following this
particular vein here
00:13:12.05\00:13:14.78
that there are people out there
00:13:14.79\00:13:17.24
that the Holy Spirit
impresses them quickly
00:13:17.25\00:13:20.74
and they're ready to go out
and do something for the Lord.
00:13:20.75\00:13:24.45
Yeah and sometimes
people are like at that stage
00:13:24.46\00:13:27.64
where they are
very new in their faith.
00:13:27.65\00:13:29.94
There maybe people
watching right now who say,
00:13:29.95\00:13:32.60
I've never really
studied the Bible very much
00:13:32.61\00:13:35.56
but I believe
this, I heard this song,
00:13:35.57\00:13:37.25
I heard that story,
and I think God is real
00:13:37.26\00:13:39.67
and I know Jesus is loving
and all these different things
00:13:39.68\00:13:43.61
but God asked us
to testifying now
00:13:43.62\00:13:46.05
about what's
going on in our hearts
00:13:46.06\00:13:47.47
and lives just like Peter.
00:13:47.48\00:13:49.11
Now, Peter he didn't
know, like we said before,
00:13:49.12\00:13:52.63
he didn't know
much about the kingdom
00:13:52.64\00:13:54.41
and the nature of what Christ
was really calling him to.
00:13:54.42\00:13:57.67
He thought it was something else
00:13:57.68\00:13:58.86
but it was still
worth for Peter to stay
00:13:58.87\00:14:01.24
by Christ side
but all down the road
00:14:01.25\00:14:04.26
Peter is making bold
claims and statements about
00:14:04.27\00:14:08.17
who he was gonna be
and what was gonna happen.
00:14:08.18\00:14:10.75
You may recall, Peter barreling
00:14:10.76\00:14:13.44
out his chest and saying,
00:14:13.45\00:14:15.71
how many times should we forgive
00:14:15.72\00:14:17.06
our neighbor, three times?
00:14:17.07\00:14:20.40
That's what the Pharisees say,
00:14:20.41\00:14:21.88
how about seven?
00:14:21.89\00:14:24.60
Seven, does that impress you?
00:14:24.61\00:14:27.10
And then Jesus
said keep counting,
00:14:27.11\00:14:29.43
get out your calculator,
00:14:29.44\00:14:30.57
Simon Peter seven times seventy
00:14:30.58\00:14:33.04
and just keep going
until you really understand
00:14:33.05\00:14:35.97
what it's like
to give grace away.
00:14:35.98\00:14:38.84
And so Peter fumbled
there, he gets out in the boat
00:14:38.85\00:14:42.47
and he wants to walk
on water to come to Jesus
00:14:42.48\00:14:45.75
but then the
grandeur of the moment
00:14:45.76\00:14:47.79
in his
leadership starts to emerge
00:14:47.80\00:14:49.94
and he starts to count
how many medals he's gonna get
00:14:49.95\00:14:54.04
by this or but exactly
what was going through his head
00:14:54.05\00:14:56.62
but he wasn' focusing on Christ
00:14:56.63\00:14:58.31
and he sank another moment,
00:14:58.32\00:15:00.58
time after time
Peter just steps up
00:15:00.59\00:15:05.87
and it becomes very clear
00:15:05.88\00:15:07.14
that he's
shortsighted and he fails.
00:15:07.15\00:15:09.21
And the most--the most
prominent moment for him was
00:15:09.22\00:15:13.40
when he claimed that not
only would he not deny Jesus
00:15:13.41\00:15:19.41
but that he would
even die for Jesus
00:15:19.42\00:15:23.08
and then when the moment
comes for him to testify,
00:15:23.09\00:15:25.66
do you know this man?
00:15:25.67\00:15:27.56
I saw you, aren't you
one of Jesus' disciples,
00:15:27.57\00:15:30.61
all he had to do is
nod, but he couldn't do that,
00:15:30.62\00:15:34.83
so in all that he
knew and all that he was
00:15:34.84\00:15:37.52
he still failed miserably
but Christ and His ministry
00:15:37.53\00:15:44.96
and the work of the church
still has not been overcome
00:15:44.97\00:15:48.60
even when
imperfect people--amen.
00:15:48.61\00:15:51.02
Share what they
know to be good, right,
00:15:51.03\00:15:52.77
and true about Christ, amen.
00:15:52.78\00:15:55.51
I think that the
promise that he made
00:15:55.52\00:15:59.67
even afterwards
he said to Peter,
00:15:59.68\00:16:01.52
do you love me?
00:16:01.53\00:16:02.50
I mean there's probably the
next best question in my mind.
00:16:02.51\00:16:05.75
Do you love me?
And Peter answers,
00:16:05.76\00:16:08.35
he says Lord, I love you,
00:16:08.36\00:16:11.17
but, you know, what that means.
00:16:11.18\00:16:13.49
I mean Peter had to not trust
his own words at that point.
00:16:13.50\00:16:18.63
He doesn't want to
answer with this word.
00:16:18.64\00:16:20.06
He'd rather just
answer with his devotion
00:16:20.07\00:16:23.43
but that wasn't the case.
00:16:23.44\00:16:25.51
Christ was
asking him to step up.
00:16:25.52\00:16:27.88
And you just
see, I mean if this is
00:16:27.89\00:16:29.49
about Peter in that moment
00:16:29.50\00:16:31.14
you see the
growth over three years.
00:16:31.15\00:16:34.08
You see him at the temple gate
00:16:34.09\00:16:35.32
after Christ goes to heaven
00:16:35.33\00:16:37.62
and he walks up
to the temple gate
00:16:37.63\00:16:40.28
and he knows what to say,
look I don't have any silver,
00:16:40.29\00:16:43.96
I don't have any
gold, but here's what I have
00:16:43.97\00:16:47.57
and at Pentecost,
you know, he got up
00:16:47.58\00:16:50.93
and he said
these bold brave words
00:16:50.94\00:16:54.14
about who Christ
was and the church
00:16:54.15\00:16:58.10
has not been overcome
00:16:58.11\00:17:00.27
because people are
willing to step up, stand up,
00:17:00.28\00:17:03.15
and just say, you know,
00:17:03.16\00:17:05.16
what they believe to
be true about Christ.
00:17:05.17\00:17:08.65
It is a simple
principle, isn't it?
00:17:08.66\00:17:09.99
Most simple principle,
00:17:10.00\00:17:11.94
you know, and that
is you've got to act.
00:17:11.95\00:17:15.57
And then he'll help your,
00:17:15.58\00:17:17.29
you know, but he just wants
00:17:17.30\00:17:18.65
to make sure that you are game.
00:17:18.66\00:17:23.10
Yeah, that's right
and even the gospels
00:17:23.11\00:17:25.63
that were written by
John at the end of it he says,
00:17:25.64\00:17:28.17
look I could've wrote
down a bunch of other things,
00:17:28.18\00:17:31.13
you know, they're
lots of other stories
00:17:31.14\00:17:32.52
but I write these things
so that you might believe.
00:17:32.53\00:17:35.69
Even in this letter, he says,
00:17:35.70\00:17:37.33
these things that I've touched
00:17:37.34\00:17:38.48
and tasted and
handled with my own hands,
00:17:38.49\00:17:40.50
these things about Christ,
00:17:40.51\00:17:42.18
these are the
things I proclaim to you.
00:17:42.19\00:17:45.00
I'm not gonna talk
about stuff that I don't know.
00:17:45.01\00:17:47.66
I don't know about some things.
00:17:47.67\00:17:49.53
I don't have the
answers to all the questions
00:17:49.54\00:17:52.96
people have in
life but I do have
00:17:52.97\00:17:54.58
my answer to
who is Christ, amen.
00:17:54.59\00:17:57.37
And who is He to me today?
00:17:57.38\00:18:00.23
And I can answer
that and we need to answer
00:18:00.24\00:18:03.12
that because God will evolve.
00:18:03.13\00:18:05.54
He will foster
and grow and build
00:18:05.55\00:18:09.09
those responses to people
00:18:09.10\00:18:10.58
but that's what
changes the minds of people.
00:18:10.59\00:18:13.69
I mean, I bet you can
think of countless moments
00:18:13.70\00:18:15.81
in scripture where someone's
00:18:15.82\00:18:18.11
simple testimony
made the difference
00:18:18.12\00:18:23.41
and, you know, so I
look at--I just look at
00:18:23.42\00:18:28.35
all those times like
this Samaritan woman.
00:18:28.36\00:18:31.57
Most certainly, yeah.
00:18:31.58\00:18:32.97
And what did she say?
00:18:32.98\00:18:34.01
I'm just trying to
recall what she said.
00:18:34.02\00:18:36.49
She said, I met
a man, who knew me,
00:18:36.50\00:18:41.05
I think he
might-- could she says,
00:18:41.06\00:18:44.70
I mean is it possible that just
00:18:44.71\00:18:47.43
my question can be a testimony.
00:18:47.44\00:18:51.21
Could he be the one
that we're looking for?
00:18:51.22\00:18:55.02
The demoniac
that had been healed
00:18:55.03\00:18:56.93
by the Sea of Gennesaret,
you know, just go tell them.
00:18:56.94\00:19:02.65
What God has done for you
00:19:02.66\00:19:04.28
and how he's had mercy on you.
00:19:04.29\00:19:05.89
Yeah, but I want
to go with you Jesus.
00:19:05.90\00:19:07.68
Yeah, no, I know
you're afraid he would say,
00:19:07.69\00:19:10.56
I know you're afraid that
demons are gonna comeback,
00:19:10.57\00:19:12.81
I know you're afraid
this thing is gonna go away,
00:19:12.82\00:19:14.79
I know you're afraid that
Monday morning is gonna come
00:19:14.80\00:19:16.76
and you're gonna be
depressed again or oppressed.
00:19:16.77\00:19:20.73
Now the victory is in speaking--
00:19:20.74\00:19:24.51
and, you know, I
probably have mentioned
00:19:24.52\00:19:26.63
this to others
before but there's something
00:19:26.64\00:19:30.01
very profound about speaking
00:19:30.02\00:19:34.19
the things that are
in here in our mind.
00:19:34.20\00:19:37.84
There is something biochemical
00:19:37.85\00:19:41.56
about saying words
that are in our heart,
00:19:41.57\00:19:45.11
like when people who are going
00:19:45.12\00:19:46.96
through recovery for addictions
00:19:46.97\00:19:49.72
and they're trying
to resist the temptation
00:19:49.73\00:19:52.24
of whatever it might be,
00:19:52.25\00:19:53.82
one of the things that
they tell them is, say no.
00:19:53.83\00:19:56.68
Say it out loud, so
your own ears can hear
00:19:56.69\00:20:00.32
what your mind and
your mouth is saying.
00:20:00.33\00:20:03.18
It becomes more of
a holistic response
00:20:03.19\00:20:07.33
and you can just talk to
people who practice that.
00:20:07.34\00:20:10.00
They are
emboldened and strengthened
00:20:10.01\00:20:12.52
by just being been able
to speak it and to say it.
00:20:12.53\00:20:15.93
And you can even
take it a step further
00:20:15.94\00:20:18.25
as your children
hear you saying it.
00:20:18.26\00:20:21.56
Yes, you know,
00:20:21.57\00:20:23.71
sometimes to me, that's probably
00:20:23.72\00:20:26.37
the way most of
us even gets started
00:20:26.38\00:20:28.93
in our walk with the Lord
is by listening to our parents
00:20:28.94\00:20:31.24
to keep those
family fires burning.
00:20:31.25\00:20:34.22
Yes. You know, so.
00:20:34.23\00:20:36.51
Yeah, and I
believe it was a story
00:20:36.52\00:20:38.52
that was told in the
book "Case for Christianity."
00:20:38.53\00:20:43.36
Festo Kivengere
is a Christian leader
00:20:43.37\00:20:48.19
and he's been
doing prison ministry,
00:20:48.20\00:20:50.24
I think this was in 1974.
00:20:50.25\00:20:54.63
He's been doing
this prison ministry
00:20:54.64\00:20:56.11
where he goes in to these
prisons in Africa in Uganda
00:20:56.12\00:20:59.52
and he meets with the prisoners
00:20:59.53\00:21:01.50
and he tells them
the story of Christ.
00:21:01.51\00:21:04.72
And on one occasion he
tells how these three men
00:21:04.73\00:21:07.50
were going to be executed by,
00:21:07.51\00:21:11.62
you know, by gunshot in
the middle of a stadium,
00:21:11.63\00:21:14.61
like a soccer
stadium and he went to go
00:21:14.62\00:21:18.32
to the execution
because he was asked to go,
00:21:18.33\00:21:20.72
he'd shared the gospel
with some of the prisoners.
00:21:20.73\00:21:24.40
And here these
prisoners-- they're in there
00:21:24.41\00:21:25.80
for crimes that they had
done and according to their law
00:21:25.81\00:21:28.64
they were getting their justice,
00:21:28.65\00:21:30.87
so there is no question
about that part for them
00:21:30.88\00:21:34.82
but as the pastor
comes out on to the field
00:21:34.83\00:21:38.52
to say final words to
these three prisoners,
00:21:38.53\00:21:42.38
one of them turns
and looks at the pastor
00:21:42.39\00:21:45.82
and he's overjoyed.
00:21:45.83\00:21:48.24
His eyes grow wide
and his hands are clanking
00:21:48.25\00:21:51.13
with chains on them
00:21:51.14\00:21:52.40
and he raises
them up in the air,
00:21:52.41\00:21:53.79
he says, pastor I'm so
glad you came to my execution.
00:21:53.80\00:21:58.10
Those are strange words to say.
00:21:58.11\00:22:00.30
He is not
afraid, he is not angry,
00:22:00.31\00:22:03.33
he says, I'm so glad you came,
00:22:03.34\00:22:05.71
I want to thank you for
telling me the story of Christ
00:22:05.72\00:22:08.58
because I came to believe
that I have been forgiven
00:22:08.59\00:22:13.21
and I have a home in eternity.
00:22:13.22\00:22:16.50
And he's just so
filled with excitement.
00:22:16.51\00:22:18.37
His chains are rattling
and they are making noise
00:22:18.38\00:22:20.96
and the others next to
him are in a similar way
00:22:20.97\00:22:24.17
and so this pastor instead
of speaking words to him,
00:22:24.18\00:22:27.05
he speaks words to the guards
00:22:27.06\00:22:29.94
and to the crowd
that's gathered there
00:22:29.95\00:22:32.71
for the execution.
00:22:32.72\00:22:34.69
And this
prisoner who is so elated
00:22:34.70\00:22:37.81
to know the gospel
begins to waves his hands
00:22:37.82\00:22:41.27
with chains attached to him,
00:22:41.28\00:22:43.32
waving back and
forth to the crowd,
00:22:43.33\00:22:45.15
and the crowd stunned by
this display of joy and hope
00:22:45.16\00:22:50.68
the crowd starts
waving back at him.
00:22:50.69\00:22:53.06
What an amazing scene?
00:22:53.07\00:22:55.72
And he goes on to
tell the story, he says
00:22:55.73\00:22:58.48
he says go back
and tell my wife,
00:22:58.49\00:23:01.10
go tell my
children, what you told me,
00:23:01.11\00:23:04.22
tell them that I
have received Christ
00:23:04.23\00:23:06.07
and I will wait
for them in heaven
00:23:06.08\00:23:08.43
that my Jesus forgave me
00:23:08.44\00:23:10.22
and He's making a home for me
00:23:10.23\00:23:12.63
as you told me in
the gospel of John.
00:23:12.64\00:23:17.64
Then the fire--
the shots were fired
00:23:17.65\00:23:20.57
and their lives were ended
00:23:20.58\00:23:22.97
but this pastor goes
back and he tells the story
00:23:22.98\00:23:27.21
and throughout that
whole Kasese district,
00:23:27.22\00:23:32.00
the gospel just
spreads, spreads like wildflower
00:23:32.01\00:23:36.64
because of the
story that this man told.
00:23:36.65\00:23:39.76
Amen, so he went
to sleep in Jesus
00:23:39.77\00:23:42.33
and what he was
wanting to do is just,
00:23:42.34\00:23:44.62
you know, someday, you know,
00:23:44.63\00:23:46.99
he'll be back together again.
00:23:47.00\00:23:48.70
But like Peter, like
the woman at the well,
00:23:48.71\00:23:52.07
Like John the gospel writer
00:23:52.08\00:23:54.18
and the
revelator, like the demoniac,
00:23:54.19\00:23:56.90
like every other apostle,
00:23:56.91\00:24:00.60
a disciple that
has gone before us,
00:24:00.61\00:24:03.60
the reason why
we know of Christ.
00:24:03.61\00:24:06.06
It isn't because some book
00:24:06.07\00:24:07.22
magically appeared
throughout the centuries.
00:24:07.23\00:24:10.70
This book was written by people.
00:24:10.71\00:24:13.15
Who tell the story of
Christ and we know that
00:24:13.16\00:24:17.29
that's the most profound thing.
00:24:17.30\00:24:18.47
People ask me and
say, how do you do it?
00:24:18.48\00:24:20.26
How do I-- where do I start?
00:24:20.27\00:24:22.53
I just tell them
simply a couple things,
00:24:22.54\00:24:24.65
I just say first of all,
00:24:24.66\00:24:27.11
what was your life
like before you met Christ.
00:24:27.12\00:24:30.40
And if you've grownup with him,
00:24:30.41\00:24:31.89
tell them what
it was like anyway.
00:24:31.90\00:24:33.17
I've always grown up with Jesus
00:24:33.18\00:24:35.68
but then ask
yourself at what moment,
00:24:35.69\00:24:39.34
what pivotal moment did Christ
00:24:39.35\00:24:42.13
and His mercy
become so real to you.
00:24:42.14\00:24:45.07
It could be in a church service,
00:24:45.08\00:24:46.35
it could've been on the streets,
00:24:46.36\00:24:47.97
it could been in a Bible study,
00:24:47.98\00:24:49.52
or in a series of
meetings, or in a song,
00:24:49.53\00:24:51.78
or just waking down the
road, or somewhere in nature,
00:24:51.79\00:24:54.39
somehow, someway
God got through to you
00:24:54.40\00:24:57.34
and Christ became real.
00:24:57.35\00:25:00.39
What happened?
00:25:00.40\00:25:01.62
That's the second part
00:25:01.63\00:25:03.31
What was it like
before, what happened?
00:25:03.32\00:25:05.75
Now the third thing I
always tell people is,
00:25:05.76\00:25:09.00
so what's different now?
00:25:09.01\00:25:12.08
Tell me the story of your life
00:25:12.09\00:25:14.19
and this is what
we are taught to do.
00:25:14.20\00:25:15.95
This is the
story telling component
00:25:15.96\00:25:17.77
from the Old Testament.
00:25:17.78\00:25:19.39
Moses said tell people
how you were a slave in Egypt
00:25:19.40\00:25:22.92
and how God had delivered you.
00:25:22.93\00:25:25.55
Tell them the
story of the Red Sea.
00:25:25.56\00:25:28.22
Tell them the great
things God has done for you
00:25:28.23\00:25:31.23
I mean, so it
just keeps coming up.
00:25:31.24\00:25:34.41
And I think of what
Peter said in his first letter,
00:25:34.42\00:25:38.97
in the first chapter,
00:25:38.98\00:25:41.29
you know, he describes
00:25:41.30\00:25:43.37
the tough times that they're
going through and he says,
00:25:43.38\00:25:45.86
many of you even
though you have not seen Him,
00:25:45.87\00:25:50.33
you love Him, and even though
00:25:50.34\00:25:52.45
you do not see Him now
you are being, you know Him
00:25:52.46\00:25:56.31
and you love Him
and you believe in Him
00:25:56.32\00:25:59.65
and you are being filled
with his inexpressible joy
00:25:59.66\00:26:03.64
which is the
assurance of your faith.
00:26:03.65\00:26:07.15
These are words
that Peter knows too well
00:26:07.16\00:26:11.99
and when Peter goes to the end--
00:26:12.00\00:26:13.49
like if you go
into Second Peter now
00:26:13.50\00:26:15.51
you start getting
glimpses of how his kingdom,
00:26:15.52\00:26:19.10
his idea of the
kingdom has really matured
00:26:19.11\00:26:21.85
and Peter says look,
I tell you these things
00:26:21.86\00:26:25.34
and I've had my
exodus and I'm going home
00:26:25.35\00:26:27.92
and I'm gonna die just
like the Lord told me I would,
00:26:27.93\00:26:32.03
but these are my words
00:26:32.04\00:26:33.71
and I'm not
walking away from it.
00:26:33.72\00:26:35.52
This is my story and
essentially Peter's saying,
00:26:35.53\00:26:38.77
I'm sticking to it.
00:26:38.78\00:26:40.06
Amen, amen and you
know it all started with
00:26:40.07\00:26:42.81
"Who do you say that I am?"
00:26:42.82\00:26:44.31
Who do you say that I am?
00:26:44.32\00:26:45.53
And so I just appeal to
every believer out there
00:26:45.54\00:26:49.42
even if you only
believe a little bit,
00:26:49.43\00:26:52.60
even if you only got a little
bit of support to stand on,
00:26:52.61\00:26:57.99
even if you have
only a story or a song.
00:26:58.00\00:27:03.80
For some people all they have
in spite of all the evidence
00:27:03.81\00:27:07.54
that's out there all
they have is the notion
00:27:07.55\00:27:10.32
that God really is that good.
00:27:10.33\00:27:12.75
Paul talks about that too.
00:27:12.76\00:27:15.04
He says there are some people
00:27:15.05\00:27:16.02
that all they're
gonna have is the blossoming
00:27:16.03\00:27:17.32
of a flower to
know that I am God
00:27:17.33\00:27:19.49
but those of us
who have this book,
00:27:19.50\00:27:21.92
we have Christ,
we have the story,
00:27:21.93\00:27:24.80
and we have these words,
and those words as we know
00:27:24.81\00:27:28.67
who Christ is
to us, we speak it,
00:27:28.68\00:27:33.47
we have to testify to it.
00:27:33.48\00:27:35.37
As we do that, that's
what changes the world
00:27:35.38\00:27:38.94
and that's what transforms
the nature of our work
00:27:38.95\00:27:42.37
as a church
throughout the centuries.
00:27:42.38\00:27:45.26
Lesson fantastic, you
know, so just thank you
00:27:45.27\00:27:49.69
for the gift that
you're sharing with us.
00:27:49.70\00:27:51.59
Praise God, yeah.
00:27:51.60\00:27:53.46
We enjoyed you being
here, appreciate you coming,
00:27:53.47\00:27:56.06
and we look forward to
seeing you another time.
00:27:56.07\00:27:58.81
Glad to be back here.
00:27:58.82\00:27:59.81
Just want to once again
00:27:59.82\00:28:01.69
thank you for being with us
00:28:01.70\00:28:02.97
today on "Issues & Answers."
00:28:02.98\00:28:05.85
We love each one of you
00:28:05.86\00:28:07.72
and just pray that God
blesses you abundantly.
00:28:07.73\00:28:10.75