[inspiring anthem]
00:00:02.73\00:00:09.14
[bagpipe music] JB:
This is It Is Written.
00:00:20.48\00:00:28.52
I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me
00:00:28.59\00:00:31.23
in Scotland. [bagpipes cont.]
00:00:31.29\00:00:34.73
Bagpipes, the Loch Ness Monster,
00:00:34.83\00:00:41.77
Scotch whiskey, Haggis,
00:00:41.84\00:00:44.97
the Lockerbie bombing:
difficult to think about,
00:00:45.04\00:00:48.31
impossible to
forget. Alexander Fleming,
00:00:48.38\00:00:52.85
the inventor of penicillin;
Alexander Graham Bell,
00:00:52.91\00:00:56.55
the inventor of the telephone;
Robert Louis Stevenson,
00:00:56.62\00:01:00.66
the author of books
like Treasure Island.
00:01:00.72\00:01:04.03
Five and a half million
people in an area the size of
00:01:04.09\00:01:07.13
South Carolina, at the
north end of Great Britain.
00:01:07.23\00:01:12.30
Even though in 2014 the Scots
voted on leaving Great Britain,
00:01:12.37\00:01:16.00
Scotland has been part of
Great Britain for more than
00:01:16.07\00:01:18.81
300 years.
00:01:18.87\00:01:20.31
Scotland's colorful history is
brilliantly adorned with kings
00:01:21.31\00:01:24.28
and queens and freedom
fighters like Robert the Bruce,
00:01:24.35\00:01:28.65
who fought the English and
who followed William Wallace,
00:01:28.72\00:01:30.99
the Scottish knight who
has become known as Braveheart.
00:01:31.05\00:01:35.89
There were four King
Malcolms, three King Alexanders,
00:01:37.13\00:01:39.76
seven James and a
couple of Marys, one of them
00:01:39.83\00:01:42.06
"Bloody Mary."
00:01:42.13\00:01:44.83
And Christianity has
played an enormous role in
00:01:46.20\00:01:48.94
Scotland's history. In
fact, thousands of Scots were
00:01:49.00\00:01:53.04
martyred for their faith in God.
But the person who had perhaps
00:01:53.11\00:01:58.05
the greatest impact on
Scotland, both religiously and
00:01:58.11\00:02:01.18
politically, is John
Knox. He was the founder of the
00:02:01.25\00:02:05.42
Presbyterian church
and a key figure in the
00:02:05.49\00:02:08.49
Protestant Reformation.
In fact, he's featured along
00:02:08.56\00:02:11.79
with John Calvin, William
Farel, and Theodore Beza on
00:02:11.86\00:02:15.16
the Reformation Wall
in Geneva, Switzerland.
00:02:15.23\00:02:19.03
John Knox was a giant
of the Christian faith.
00:02:19.10\00:02:25.87
Scotland was once a
hotbed of religious activity and
00:02:25.94\00:02:28.98
religious persecution,
but today you'd never know.
00:02:29.04\00:02:34.48
Even though Edinburgh Cathedral
or St. Giles Cathedral dominates
00:02:34.55\00:02:38.45
the skyline in
Edinburgh, churches today are
00:02:38.52\00:02:42.62
poorly attended.
Today, Scotland is an
00:02:42.69\00:02:46.26
extremely secular country.
John Knox occupied the pulpit
00:02:46.33\00:02:51.23
here between July of 1559 until
his death on November 24, 1572.
00:02:51.30\00:02:59.64
The Bible teachings Knox
championed are the basis of
00:02:59.71\00:03:03.11
biblical Christianity today.
It was Knox who famously prayed
00:03:03.18\00:03:07.48
to God and said,
"Give me Scotland
00:03:07.55\00:03:10.72
ëere I die." It was
clear that God heard
00:03:10.79\00:03:14.36
Knox's prayer. His
ministry turned Scotland
00:03:14.42\00:03:17.63
upside down, and through what
he accomplished here, John Knox
00:03:17.69\00:03:22.13
influenced the world.
Knox was born east of Edinburgh
00:03:22.20\00:03:29.37
in the town of
Haddington, in or around 1513.
00:03:29.44\00:03:34.08
His mother died when he was
young and he went on to run the
00:03:34.14\00:03:37.65
family business with
his brother, William.
00:03:37.71\00:03:41.28
But rather than work in
agriculture or business, John
00:03:41.35\00:03:45.25
wanted an academic career.
The most viable academic option
00:03:45.32\00:03:49.32
available was becoming a priest.
He studied in Fife at the
00:03:49.39\00:03:54.56
University of St. Andrews,
the third oldest university in
00:03:54.63\00:03:58.17
the English-speaking world.
He began serving in the diocese
00:03:58.23\00:04:02.54
of St. Andrews in 1540 and,
through tutoring the sons of a
00:04:02.60\00:04:07.11
Scottish noble, he was
exposed to the teachings of the
00:04:07.18\00:04:10.81
Protestant Reformation at a
time when the Reformation was
00:04:10.88\00:04:15.02
starting to shake all of
Europe. Now, keep in mind why.
00:04:15.08\00:04:20.26
Remember the background.
The Roman Catholic church was
00:04:20.32\00:04:22.92
the dominant church in Europe,
and it had a profound influence
00:04:22.99\00:04:26.03
on the governments of
many European countries.
00:04:26.09\00:04:29.50
Catholicism was the state
religion in Scotland, so when
00:04:29.56\00:04:32.97
somebody like John Knox or
Martin Luther or Ulrich Zwingli
00:04:33.03\00:04:36.74
came along, they weren't only
opposing a church, but they were
00:04:36.81\00:04:41.08
standing in opposition to
a government, to an entire
00:04:41.14\00:04:43.95
country. It took a
lot of faith to be a
00:04:44.01\00:04:47.35
Bible-believing
Christian in those days.
00:04:47.42\00:04:50.55
In fact, choosing to follow the
Bible could cost a person their
00:04:50.62\00:04:54.92
life. And in John
Knox's Scotland, and
00:04:54.99\00:04:58.36
throughout much of the
rest of Europe, it often did.
00:04:58.43\00:05:02.70
[solemn piano chords]
00:05:04.57\00:05:11.07
In Scotland, at the
time, the Roman Catholic church
00:05:11.54\00:05:13.84
owned half of the real estate
and had an income 18 times
00:05:13.91\00:05:18.01
higher than that
of the government.
00:05:18.08\00:05:20.48
Priests and bishops routinely
bought their way into religious
00:05:20.55\00:05:23.95
office, and many of them
lived openly immoral lives.
00:05:24.02\00:05:28.46
Cardinal David Beaton, who
was the cardinal at St. Andrews
00:05:28.52\00:05:31.36
Cathedral in Knox's day,
had a mistress and 10 children.
00:05:31.43\00:05:36.56
The need for reform was obvious.
00:05:36.63\00:05:39.63
[solemn music cont.]
00:05:40.40\00:05:48.31
It was the ministry of
the Reformer, George Wishart,
00:05:49.41\00:05:52.01
who confirmed in the mind
of John Knox the value and the
00:05:52.08\00:05:55.02
importance of Protestantism.
Knox was Wishart's personal
00:05:55.08\00:05:59.55
assistant for a time,
and he traveled with him on
00:05:59.62\00:06:02.52
speaking appointments.
Wishart introduced to Scotland
00:06:02.59\00:06:05.83
the teachings of
Zwingli and Calvin.
00:06:05.89\00:06:08.73
In 1545, Wishart
was arrested for heresy.
00:06:08.80\00:06:12.27
Knox volunteered to
follow Wishart into captivity,
00:06:12.33\00:06:16.74
but Wishart advised his
personal assistant not to do so.
00:06:16.81\00:06:21.48
He said, "One is
sufficient for a sacrifice."
00:06:21.54\00:06:26.01
In March of 1546, Wishart was
hanged and burned at the stake
00:06:26.08\00:06:31.05
in St. Andrews by the
immoral Cardinal Beaton for his
00:06:31.12\00:06:34.79
Bible-based beliefs. Knox
was set on fire with a zeal
00:06:34.86\00:06:39.03
for the Word of God as Wishart's
death set in motion a chain of
00:06:39.09\00:06:43.37
events that would
change Knox's life.
00:06:43.43\00:06:47.60
I'll have more in just a moment.
00:06:47.67\00:06:49.60
[Music]
00:06:50.27\00:06:55.88
"Promises of Power" is
our free offer for you today.
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00:07:58.27\00:08:04.75
[Music] [waves gently lapping]
00:08:07.22\00:08:16.66
This is It Is
Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
00:08:16.73\00:08:19.06
Thanks for joining me in
Scotland, the home of John Knox,
00:08:19.13\00:08:23.87
the founder of the Presbyterian
church and one of the leading
00:08:23.93\00:08:27.17
figures of the
Protestant Reformation.
00:08:27.24\00:08:30.51
John Knox's ministry transformed
both the Scottish church and
00:08:30.57\00:08:34.04
government. But Knox
very nearly didn't make
00:08:34.11\00:08:37.08
it to his role as a Reformer
and influential church leader.
00:08:37.15\00:08:42.32
[music] [distant waves]
00:08:42.38\00:08:50.36
After George Wishart
was executed due to his
00:08:50.43\00:08:52.69
Protestant
beliefs, Cardinal Beaton,
00:08:52.76\00:08:55.10
the man who had
Wishart executed, was himself
00:08:55.16\00:08:58.17
murdered, and
St. Andrews castle,
00:08:58.23\00:09:00.57
which is right behind
me, was taken over by his
00:09:00.64\00:09:03.61
murderers. One
hundred fifty people sought
00:09:03.67\00:09:06.71
refuge inside the castle,
including John Knox and the
00:09:06.78\00:09:10.18
boys he tutored.
Knox was invited to preach
00:09:10.25\00:09:13.92
in St. Andrews castle,
and after some hesitation
00:09:13.98\00:09:17.25
he accepted the invitation
and then showed how the
00:09:17.32\00:09:20.49
Bible contradicted
the teachings of the Roman
00:09:20.56\00:09:23.69
Catholic church. He
spoke against the mass, and
00:09:23.76\00:09:27.13
he spoke against the false
doctrine of purgatory, and he
00:09:27.20\00:09:30.33
showed how Daniel chapter 7
identified the Roman Catholic
00:09:30.40\00:09:33.34
Papacy as the little
horn of Bible prophecy.
00:09:33.40\00:09:37.64
And it was here at St. Andrews
castle, during his ministry,
00:09:37.71\00:09:41.34
that John Knox developed the two
great themes that energized and
00:09:41.41\00:09:45.25
inspired the Protestant
Reformation in Europe: the
00:09:45.31\00:09:48.92
teaching that the Bible was the
sole rule of faith and practice
00:09:48.98\00:09:51.89
for the Christian believer and
that justification came by faith
00:09:51.95\00:09:56.09
alone, both teachings that
had been rejected by the Roman
00:09:56.16\00:10:00.90
Catholic church.
00:10:00.96\00:10:03.00
Before God would use Knox to
his full effectiveness, Knox,
00:10:04.27\00:10:07.47
like Moses, would
endure a wilderness experience;
00:10:07.54\00:10:12.04
a trying, difficult period where
his faith in God was severely
00:10:12.11\00:10:17.35
tested. Knox's
ministry in the castle in
00:10:17.41\00:10:20.62
St. Andrews was cut short when
the French fleet arrived to help
00:10:20.68\00:10:25.25
the Scots evict the rebels.
Knox and the others were taken
00:10:25.32\00:10:29.96
prisoner and became galley
slaves on a ship in the French
00:10:30.03\00:10:33.50
navy. Thousands of
Protestants endured
00:10:33.56\00:10:37.07
the same fate, chained to
benches or oars, and forced by
00:10:37.13\00:10:42.37
officers wielding whips to row
the ships, often all day long.
00:10:42.44\00:10:48.61
Once, when Knox was told to kiss
a picture of the Virgin Mary, he
00:10:48.68\00:10:52.91
threw the picture into the water
and said, "Let our Lady now save
00:10:52.98\00:10:56.65
herself. She is
light enough; let her
00:10:56.72\00:11:00.59
learn to swim." Knox
became desperately ill on
00:11:00.66\00:11:04.43
the ship and almost died, but
after 19 months of slavery, he
00:11:04.49\00:11:08.06
was released in
February of 1549.
00:11:08.13\00:11:11.73
He was free
again at the age of 36.
00:11:11.80\00:11:15.67
God clearly had a plan for
this man's life, a big plan.
00:11:15.74\00:11:20.98
He traveled back to England
and served as a chaplain in the
00:11:22.31\00:11:24.68
service of King Edward
VI, the son of Henry the VIII.
00:11:24.75\00:11:29.02
But after Edward's
death, Edward's half-sister,
00:11:29.08\00:11:31.22
Mary Tudor, reinstated
Catholicism as the state
00:11:31.29\00:11:34.32
religion in England.
Hundreds of Protestants were
00:11:34.39\00:11:38.33
then burned at the stake, which
is why that queen became known
00:11:38.39\00:11:41.80
as "Bloody Mary."
00:11:41.86\00:11:45.47
[dramatic score]
But Knox eventually
00:11:45.97\00:11:49.20
returned to
Scotland. He came to Edinburgh.
00:11:49.27\00:11:53.54
He would minister at St. Giles
Cathedral, and there he would
00:11:53.61\00:11:57.18
tangle with Bloody Mary.
00:11:57.25\00:11:59.65
[ominous music]
Now, keep this in mind
00:12:01.28\00:12:06.42
and imagine living
in this kind of society.
00:12:06.49\00:12:08.96
Queen Mary's father, Henry the
VIII, had split from the Church
00:12:09.02\00:12:12.89
of Rome. But
under Mary, the English
00:12:12.96\00:12:15.20
church came back under Roman
control, and persecution of
00:12:15.26\00:12:19.13
Protestants was
cruel and fierce.
00:12:19.20\00:12:22.24
Ridley, Latimer and Cranmer were
all executed by Bloody Mary.
00:12:22.30\00:12:26.61
Hundreds and hundreds of
Protestants, who could afford to
00:12:26.68\00:12:29.24
do so, fled the country.
Knox wrote scathing attacks
00:12:29.31\00:12:33.31
against Queen Mary, stating that
she was a traitoress and a rebel
00:12:33.38\00:12:37.35
against God. He said
that ordinary people had
00:12:37.42\00:12:39.85
the right to rebel
against unjust leaders.
00:12:39.92\00:12:43.39
Now, Knox, who carried a sword
when he accompanied Wishart,
00:12:43.46\00:12:47.03
said, "The sword of justice is
God's, but if princes and rulers
00:12:47.10\00:12:51.77
fail to use it, others may."
00:12:51.83\00:12:54.94
[ominous score
cont.] Knox was a firebrand.
00:12:55.90\00:13:00.41
He preached passionately against
idolatry, just as Farel had done
00:13:00.48\00:13:03.98
in Geneva. As a
result, altars and idols
00:13:04.05\00:13:07.68
were destroyed. Now,
it's said that when Knox
00:13:07.75\00:13:10.79
began his sermons, he'd
start by calmly reading from the
00:13:10.85\00:13:13.99
Scripture, then he'd apply
the lessons of Scripture to the
00:13:14.06\00:13:17.59
current situations
facing the lives of his hearers.
00:13:17.66\00:13:21.06
Knox would pound the pulpit as
he preached, always lifting up
00:13:21.13\00:13:25.03
the importance of the Word
of God at a time when it wasn't
00:13:25.10\00:13:28.54
fashionable to do so. On
one occasion, Queen Mary said
00:13:28.60\00:13:32.14
to John Knox, "Ye interpret the
Scriptures after one manner, and
00:13:32.21\00:13:36.31
they--that's the Roman Catholic
church--interpret them after
00:13:36.38\00:13:39.21
another. Whom
shall I believe, and who
00:13:39.28\00:13:41.92
shall be judge?" Knox
answered by saying, "Ye
00:13:41.98\00:13:46.42
shall believe God, that
plainly speaketh in His Word."
00:13:46.49\00:13:51.86
Now, it's said that that queen
said that she feared John Knox's
00:13:51.93\00:13:55.30
prayers more than she feared
all of the armies of Europe.
00:13:55.36\00:13:59.53
There's a chance that
statement may even be truth.
00:13:59.60\00:14:02.64
I'll have more in just a moment.
00:14:02.70\00:14:04.64
[gentle melody]
"Every Word" is a one-minute,
00:14:05.64\00:14:07.54
Bible-based daily devotional
presented by Pastor John
00:14:07.61\00:14:10.55
Bradshaw, and
designed especially for busy
00:14:10.61\00:14:12.95
people like you.
Look for "Every Word"
00:14:13.01\00:14:16.02
on selected networks or
watch it online every day
00:14:16.08\00:14:18.49
on our website, ItIsWritten.com.
00:14:18.55\00:14:21.99
[hopeful upbeat tune]
00:14:22.99\00:14:28.63
JB: Christianity isn't
best measured by how much you
00:14:28.96\00:14:31.33
know about the Bible.
It's best measured by how it
00:14:31.40\00:14:33.64
impacts your character.
And that's best revealed
00:14:33.70\00:14:36.04
in a crisis. In
Daniel, chapter 2, Daniel had
00:14:36.10\00:14:38.54
just learned he was about to
be put to death for something he
00:14:38.61\00:14:40.68
had nothing to do
with. And verse 14 says,
00:14:40.74\00:14:43.14
"Then Daniel answered with
counsel and wisdom to Arioch,
00:14:43.21\00:14:46.25
the captain of the king's guard,
which was gone forth to slay
00:14:46.31\00:14:49.25
the wise men of Babylon."
The man was there to kill him,
00:14:49.32\00:14:52.95
and Daniel was still able
to answer the man with respect
00:14:53.02\00:14:55.62
and equanimity. Now,
what does that say about
00:14:55.69\00:14:57.96
his experience with God?
It was real, so real God was
00:14:58.03\00:15:02.50
able to trust him with
the genuine gift of prophecy.
00:15:02.56\00:15:05.30
Daniel was the genuine article.
Prophecy is given to us so that
00:15:05.37\00:15:08.70
we can be transformed into
genuine believers, able to face
00:15:08.77\00:15:12.61
trials just like Daniel
did in his moment of crisis.
00:15:12.67\00:15:17.05
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:15:17.11\00:15:19.21
Let's live today by every word.
00:15:19.28\00:15:21.75
Imagine being able to
see and then--nothing.
00:15:23.18\00:15:28.06
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Now, how would that affect
00:15:28.12\00:15:31.93
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everything would change.
00:15:31.99\00:15:34.46
How much would you
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00:15:34.50\00:15:37.83
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00:15:37.90\00:15:40.80
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00:16:16.04\00:16:21.68
now to donate. Each
cataract surgery restores
00:16:21.74\00:16:25.25
the precious gift of sight,
and in many cases people who are
00:16:25.31\00:16:28.68
totally blind have their sight
restored a hundred percent.
00:16:28.75\00:16:32.75
Imagine experiencing that.
You can share that experience
00:16:32.82\00:16:36.26
again--waiting, hoping, praying
00:16:36.32\00:16:40.66
that they may be able to
00:16:40.73\00:16:41.66
receive their sight.
00:16:41.73\00:16:43.67
To share the gift of sight,
00:16:43.73\00:16:44.57
here's all you need to do:
00:16:44.63\00:16:46.23
simply call (800) 253-3000.
00:16:46.30\00:16:49.77
That's (800) 253-3000,
00:16:49.84\00:16:52.91
to donate and support
00:16:52.97\00:16:54.78
Eyes for India.
00:16:54.84\00:16:56.68
If you prefer, you can write
00:16:56.75\00:16:57.88
to It Is Written, Box 6,
00:16:57.95\00:17:00.85
Chattanooga, TN 37401.
00:17:00.92\00:17:04.65
You'll also find more
00:17:04.72\00:17:05.65
information about Eyes for India
00:17:05.72\00:17:07.22
online at ItIsWritten.com.
00:17:07.29\00:17:10.23
Help today.
00:17:10.29\00:17:11.13
Give the gift of sight.
00:17:11.19\00:17:13.26
You can be the difference
00:17:13.33\00:17:13.93
between someone spending the
00:17:14.00\00:17:15.13
rest of their life in darkness
00:17:15.20\00:17:17.13
or having the ability to see.
00:17:17.20\00:17:19.80
Eyes for India is doing the very
00:17:19.87\00:17:21.27
work Jesus did in opening the
00:17:21.34\00:17:23.51
eyes of the blind and in opening
00:17:23.57\00:17:25.54
hearts to the love of God.
00:17:25.61\00:17:28.11
Let them see again, and let them
00:17:28.18\00:17:30.55
experience the grace of God.
00:17:30.61\00:17:32.85
You could be the one who makes
the difference between a life in
00:17:32.91\00:17:36.05
the dark and a life of
vision. Eyes for India and
00:17:36.12\00:17:41.29
It Is Written,
doing the work of Jesus
00:17:41.36\00:17:44.36
in opening eyes
and hearts. Join us.
00:17:44.43\00:17:48.93
Just call (800)
253-3000 or write to P.O. Box 6,
00:17:49.00\00:17:54.40
Chattanooga, TN 37401, or
visit www.ItIsWritten.com.
00:17:54.47\00:18:02.64
[soft piano chords] [whooshing]
00:18:04.28\00:18:15.56
on It Is Written. I'm in
Scotland, the land of the
00:18:19.73\00:18:23.10
great Scottish
Reformer, John Knox.
00:18:23.16\00:18:26.20
Millions of Christians around
the world today trace their
00:18:26.27\00:18:28.97
spiritual roots back
to this giant of faith.
00:18:29.04\00:18:33.61
Knox was influenced by key
Protestant leaders from England,
00:18:33.68\00:18:37.21
Germany, France, and Switzerland
at a time when the pendulum of
00:18:37.28\00:18:41.35
faith was swinging away from
Catholicism towards a Protestant
00:18:41.42\00:18:45.32
faith that urged a personal
relationship with the God
00:18:45.39\00:18:49.52
of heaven. Knox
taught that the Bible alone
00:18:49.59\00:18:53.70
should be the basis
of faith and practice.
00:18:53.76\00:18:56.73
He taught that the mass was
an abomination, that Mary should
00:18:56.80\00:19:01.14
not be worshiped or honored, and
that the bread and the wine used
00:19:01.20\00:19:05.44
in the Lord's Supper were simply
symbols and were not the actual
00:19:05.51\00:19:09.18
body and blood of
Jesus. He said those who adored
00:19:09.24\00:19:12.58
the bread and the wine
were committing idolatry, and
00:19:12.65\00:19:15.48
Knox taught that
salvation came only one way,
00:19:15.55\00:19:18.25
by grace alone through
faith alone in Christ alone, and
00:19:18.32\00:19:23.49
not by works or penances.
Today the Bible still says in
00:19:23.56\00:19:29.36
Ephesians 2, verses 8 and
9, "For by grace you have been
00:19:29.43\00:19:33.90
saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves: it is the
00:19:33.97\00:19:38.81
gift of God, not of works,
lest any man should boast."
00:19:38.87\00:19:42.88
The Bible still teaches that
people are to live by every word
00:19:42.94\00:19:47.92
that proceeds out of the mouth
of God, Matthew 4 and verse 4.
00:19:47.98\00:19:52.35
The Bible still says, in John 3,
verse 16, that "God so loved the
00:19:52.42\00:19:56.46
world that he gave his only
begotten son, that whosoever
00:19:56.52\00:20:01.60
believeth in him
should not perish but have
00:20:01.66\00:20:06.17
everlasting life."
Knox's commitment to the Word
00:20:06.23\00:20:09.87
of God inspired
others. In the 17th century,
00:20:09.94\00:20:13.84
after Knox's death,
efforts were made to impose
00:20:13.91\00:20:17.25
a new liturgy on
the Scottish church.
00:20:17.31\00:20:20.48
This gave rise to a group that
became known as the Scottish
00:20:20.55\00:20:24.22
Covenanters, who ascribed to
covenants designed to preserve
00:20:24.29\00:20:29.22
the Scottish
Protestant nature of the church.
00:20:29.29\00:20:32.99
The Covenanters were furious
that King Charles I intended
00:20:33.06\00:20:35.93
to introduce a form of church
government, where the church
00:20:36.00\00:20:39.43
was governed by bishops
rather than the presbytery, or
00:20:39.50\00:20:42.87
local church governance.
Hundreds of pastors refused
00:20:42.94\00:20:46.91
to give their
allegiance to a bishop.
00:20:46.98\00:20:49.74
Banished from their churches,
they held church services in
00:20:49.81\00:20:52.91
the countryside, in
defiance of the king.
00:20:52.98\00:20:55.95
Both those pastors and those
who followed after them were
00:20:56.02\00:21:00.12
hunted down.
Many were imprisoned.
00:21:00.19\00:21:03.59
Thousands were martyred.
Hundreds were imprisoned here in
00:21:03.66\00:21:07.20
Greyfriar's churchyard, the very
place where some years before
00:21:07.23\00:21:11.43
their grandparents
had signed the covenant.
00:21:11.50\00:21:15.64
Many were sent as
slaves to the Caribbean.
00:21:15.70\00:21:18.11
Two women were killed, after
they were tied to stakes in
00:21:18.17\00:21:21.31
Solway Firth, and the tide rose
up over them and drowned them.
00:21:21.38\00:21:28.02
[sound of bagpipes]
Today, it's a different
00:21:28.08\00:21:39.19
Scotland. While
Christianity dominates
00:21:39.26\00:21:42.03
the skyline here, it no
longer dominates society.
00:21:42.10\00:21:46.97
Only about 50 percent of
the population even identify
00:21:47.04\00:21:50.27
as Christian now.
Membership in the Church of
00:21:50.34\00:21:53.78
Scotland is in freefall.
Church attendance numbers
00:21:53.84\00:21:57.65
are low. Scotland is now a very
00:21:57.71\00:22:01.38
secular country.
What would John Knox make
00:22:01.45\00:22:05.55
of that? His
grave is now beneath a
00:22:05.62\00:22:08.16
parking lot in Parliament
Square behind the cathedral.
00:22:08.22\00:22:11.99
Knox awaits the Resurrection.
Someone else must rise up with
00:22:12.06\00:22:17.13
the same fire,
praying "Give me Scotland
00:22:17.20\00:22:20.74
ere I die."
[bagpipe music cont.]
00:22:20.80\00:22:25.57
[gentle piano melody]
It's been 450 years or so
00:22:25.97\00:22:32.91
since John Knox died. He's
remembered today as a titan
00:22:32.98\00:22:37.32
of the Reformation, a man
who stood boldly for the Bible.
00:22:37.39\00:22:42.86
Though he incurred the wrath of
monarchs and was opposed by the
00:22:42.92\00:22:46.43
might of the Catholic
church, he fearlessly advanced
00:22:46.49\00:22:50.93
the Word of God.
Evidently difficult times
00:22:51.00\00:22:54.77
called for straight
talk. He said that Queen Mary,
00:22:54.84\00:22:58.37
Bloody Mary, was a
rebel and a traitoress against
00:22:58.44\00:23:02.54
God. There's no
doubt he was a flawed
00:23:02.61\00:23:05.98
figure, and he has his share
of detractors today, but what
00:23:06.05\00:23:10.12
people can't speak against is
Knox's commitment to God's Word.
00:23:10.19\00:23:14.86
In the 1500s, people were
just emerging from the midnight
00:23:14.92\00:23:18.69
of the Dark Ages. But
in spite of coming from an
00:23:18.76\00:23:22.53
era of spiritual destitution,
Knox urged people into the
00:23:22.60\00:23:27.10
light of the Bible. Knox
wasn't afraid to confront
00:23:27.17\00:23:31.27
tyranny in the church or the
government, and that boldness
00:23:31.34\00:23:35.18
turned the hearts of people
around the world away from
00:23:35.24\00:23:39.15
tradition and towards truth.
Born in a small, obscure town,
00:23:39.21\00:23:45.45
19 months a slave on a ship,
Knox might well have disappeared
00:23:45.52\00:23:51.99
from view. But with
the Bible in his hand
00:23:52.06\00:23:55.73
and God's Spirit in his heart,
his voice could be silenced
00:23:55.80\00:23:59.20
neither by church nor state, and
he gave everything he had to the
00:23:59.27\00:24:04.44
one task that consumed his
life: the honor of God and the
00:24:04.51\00:24:09.88
supremacy of God's
Word. So, how is it with you?
00:24:09.94\00:24:16.42
Are the flames of faith burning
bright, or are they flickering
00:24:16.48\00:24:21.09
and just burning dimly.
John Knox was a man who allowed
00:24:21.16\00:24:26.13
simple faith to take hold of his
life and as such God made him a
00:24:26.19\00:24:30.80
champion of truth, and today,
champions of truth are needed.
00:24:30.87\00:24:36.00
Perhaps God won't use you
on the same scale as He used
00:24:36.07\00:24:39.07
John Knox--maybe He will--
but what God does want to do
00:24:39.14\00:24:42.68
is make you a
person of strong faith.
00:24:42.74\00:24:46.48
He wants you to be connected to
Him, truly, so that when Jesus
00:24:46.55\00:24:50.79
returns He's going to take
you to be forever with Him.
00:24:50.85\00:24:54.82
And that day is
coming soon. [Music]
00:24:54.89\00:25:05.90
"Promises of Power" is
our free offer for you today.
00:25:09.50\00:25:13.01
This little book is a collection
of some of the most powerful
00:25:13.07\00:25:16.61
promises found in the Bible,
and it's ideal for sharing with
00:25:16.68\00:25:20.42
somebody else who needs to be
encouraged by the great promises
00:25:20.48\00:25:24.15
in the Bible. Now, to
get your free copy, just
00:25:24.22\00:25:27.36
call 1(800) 253-3000 and
ask for "Promises of Power."
00:25:27.42\00:25:32.49
There's no cost;
there's no obligation;
00:25:32.56\00:25:35.46
it's absolutely free.
You can call 24 hours a day.
00:25:35.53\00:25:38.83
Now, if the line's
busy, please keep trying.
00:25:38.90\00:25:42.50
You can also
request "Promises of Power"
00:25:42.57\00:25:45.07
by writing to It Is
Written, Box 6, Chattanooga,
00:25:45.14\00:25:48.61
TN 37401, and we'll
mail a copy to your address
00:25:48.68\00:25:53.01
in North America. Now,
please note: this free book
00:25:53.08\00:25:55.32
is limited to
the supply on hand.
00:25:55.38\00:25:57.82
For immediate access, you
can download a free electronic
00:25:57.89\00:26:00.49
version of the
book "Promises of Power"
00:26:00.56\00:26:02.42
from our
website, ItIsWritten.com.
00:26:02.49\00:26:05.83
It Is Written is a faith-based
ministry, and your support makes
00:26:05.89\00:26:09.70
it possible for us to share
God's good news with the world.
00:26:09.76\00:26:13.57
Your tax deductible gift can
be sent to the address on your
00:26:13.64\00:26:16.14
screen, or through our
website at ItIsWritten.com.
00:26:16.20\00:26:20.08
Thank you for your
continued prayerful support.
00:26:20.14\00:26:22.91
Again, our toll-free number
is (800) 253-3000, and our web
00:26:22.98\00:26:27.88
address is ItIsWritten.com.
00:26:27.95\00:26:31.42
Let's pray together.
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:35.82\00:26:39.06
we thank You today for Jesus.
We thank You for His Word.
00:26:39.13\00:26:43.10
I thank You for John Knox
and other great men and women of
00:26:43.16\00:26:46.90
faith like him, who You used to
bring the world out of darkness
00:26:46.97\00:26:53.44
and into the
light of Bible truth.
00:26:53.51\00:26:57.11
We thank You that they offered
to us then, and You offer to us
00:26:57.18\00:26:59.65
now, a faith based not on
tradition, on man-made rights
00:26:59.71\00:27:05.25
and rituals, but on
Your Word and on Your truth.
00:27:05.32\00:27:11.16
Fill us with Your Spirit that
we would be people of truth,
00:27:11.23\00:27:14.00
people of the Bible,
that our hearts would be
00:27:14.10\00:27:16.73
connected with Your heart.
Friend, if that's your desire,
00:27:16.80\00:27:19.43
even as we pray right
now, will you tell God.
00:27:19.50\00:27:22.57
I want to be
filled with Your Spirit;
00:27:22.64\00:27:24.91
I want to be all
Yours. Bless us, Lord.
00:27:24.97\00:27:27.71
Today we thank You, we thank
You for Jesus, we thank You for
00:27:27.78\00:27:30.51
truth, we thank You for
Your Word, and we pray in Jesus'
00:27:30.58\00:27:34.45
name. Amen.
00:27:34.52\00:27:37.89
[Music]
00:27:37.95\00:27:51.13
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:54.74\00:27:56.57
I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:56.64\00:27:58.57
Until then, remember: It
is written, man shall not
00:27:58.64\00:28:01.61
live by bread alone but
by every word that proceeds
00:28:01.68\00:28:06.31
from the mouth of God.
00:28:06.38\00:28:09.28
[hopeful anthem]
00:28:09.52\00:28:23.60