[inspiring anthem]
00:00:02.80\00:00:09.27
[bagpipe music] JB:
This is It Is Written.
00:00:20.55\00:00:28.66
I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me
00:00:28.66\00:00:31.43
in Scotland. [bagpipes cont.]
00:00:31.43\00:00:34.93
Bagpipes, the Loch Ness Monster,
00:00:34.93\00:00:41.97
Scotch whiskey, Haggis,
00:00:41.97\00:00:45.17
the Lockerbie bombing:
difficult to think about,
00:00:45.17\00:00:48.51
impossible to
forget. Alexander Fleming,
00:00:48.51\00:00:53.05
the inventor of penicillin;
Alexander Graham Bell,
00:00:53.05\00:00:56.75
the inventor of the telephone;
Robert Louis Stevenson,
00:00:56.75\00:01:00.86
the author of books
like Treasure Island.
00:01:00.86\00:01:04.23
Five and a half million
people in an area the size of
00:01:04.23\00:01:07.36
South Carolina, at the
north end of Great Britain.
00:01:07.36\00:01:12.50
Even though in 2014 the Scots
voted on leaving Great Britain,
00:01:12.50\00:01:16.20
Scotland has been part of
Great Britain for more than
00:01:16.20\00:01:19.01
300 years.
00:01:19.01\00:01:20.51
Scotland's colorful history is
brilliantly adorned with kings
00:01:21.44\00:01:24.48
and queens and freedom
fighters like Robert the Bruce,
00:01:24.48\00:01:28.85
who fought the English and
who followed William Wallace,
00:01:28.85\00:01:31.25
the Scottish knight who
has become known as Braveheart.
00:01:31.25\00:01:36.16
There were four King
Malcolms, three King Alexanders,
00:01:37.33\00:01:40.03
seven James and a
couple of Marys, one of them
00:01:40.03\00:01:42.33
"Bloody Mary."
00:01:42.33\00:01:45.10
And Christianity has
played an enormous role in
00:01:46.40\00:01:49.20
Scotland's history. In
fact, thousands of Scots were
00:01:49.20\00:01:53.31
martyred for their faith in God.
But the person who had perhaps
00:01:53.31\00:01:58.31
the greatest impact on
Scotland, both religiously and
00:01:58.31\00:02:01.45
politically, is John
Knox. He was the founder of the
00:02:01.45\00:02:05.69
Presbyterian church
and a key figure in the
00:02:05.69\00:02:08.76
Protestant Reformation.
In fact, he's featured along
00:02:08.76\00:02:12.06
with John Calvin, William
Farel, and Theodore Beza on
00:02:12.06\00:02:15.43
the Reformation Wall
in Geneva, Switzerland.
00:02:15.43\00:02:19.30
John Knox was a giant
of the Christian faith.
00:02:19.30\00:02:26.14
Scotland was once a
hotbed of religious activity and
00:02:26.14\00:02:29.24
religious persecution,
but today you'd never know.
00:02:29.24\00:02:34.82
Even though Edinburgh Cathedral
or St. Giles Cathedral dominates
00:02:34.82\00:02:38.79
the skyline in
Edinburgh, churches today are
00:02:38.79\00:02:42.96
poorly attended.
Today, Scotland is an
00:02:42.96\00:02:46.59
extremely secular country.
John Knox occupied the pulpit
00:02:46.59\00:02:51.57
here between July of 1559 until
his death on November 24, 1572.
00:02:51.57\00:03:00.04
The Bible teachings Knox
championed are the basis of
00:03:00.04\00:03:03.45
biblical Christianity today.
It was Knox who famously prayed
00:03:03.45\00:03:07.82
to God and said,
"Give me Scotland
00:03:07.82\00:03:11.05
ëere I die." It was
clear that God heard
00:03:11.05\00:03:14.69
Knox's prayer. His
ministry turned Scotland
00:03:14.69\00:03:17.96
upside down, and through what
he accomplished here, John Knox
00:03:17.96\00:03:22.46
influenced the world.
Knox was born east of Edinburgh
00:03:22.46\00:03:29.70
in the town of
Haddington, in or around 1513.
00:03:29.70\00:03:34.48
His mother died when he was
young and he went on to run the
00:03:34.48\00:03:38.05
family business with
his brother, William.
00:03:38.05\00:03:41.68
But rather than work in
agriculture or business, John
00:03:41.68\00:03:45.65
wanted an academic career.
The most viable academic option
00:03:45.65\00:03:49.72
available was becoming a priest.
He studied in Fife at the
00:03:49.72\00:03:54.96
University of St. Andrews,
the third oldest university in
00:03:54.96\00:03:58.57
the English-speaking world.
He began serving in the diocese
00:03:58.57\00:04:02.94
of St. Andrews in 1540 and,
through tutoring the sons of a
00:04:02.94\00:04:07.51
Scottish noble, he was
exposed to the teachings of the
00:04:07.51\00:04:11.21
Protestant Reformation at a
time when the Reformation was
00:04:11.21\00:04:15.42
starting to shake all of
Europe. Now, keep in mind why.
00:04:15.42\00:04:20.66
Remember the background.
The Roman Catholic church was
00:04:20.66\00:04:23.32
the dominant church in Europe,
and it had a profound influence
00:04:23.32\00:04:26.43
on the governments of
many European countries.
00:04:26.43\00:04:29.90
Catholicism was the state
religion in Scotland, so when
00:04:29.90\00:04:33.44
somebody like John Knox or
Martin Luther or Ulrich Zwingli
00:04:33.44\00:04:37.21
came along, they weren't only
opposing a church, but they were
00:04:37.21\00:04:41.54
standing in opposition to
a government, to an entire
00:04:41.54\00:04:44.41
country. It took a
lot of faith to be a
00:04:44.41\00:04:47.82
Bible-believing
Christian in those days.
00:04:47.82\00:04:51.02
In fact, choosing to follow the
Bible could cost a person their
00:04:51.02\00:04:55.39
life. And in John
Knox's Scotland, and
00:04:55.39\00:04:58.83
throughout much of the
rest of Europe, it often did.
00:04:58.83\00:05:03.16
[solemn piano chords]
00:05:04.97\00:05:11.54
In Scotland, at the
time, the Roman Catholic church
00:05:11.94\00:05:14.31
owned half of the real estate
and had an income 18 times
00:05:14.31\00:05:18.48
higher than that
of the government.
00:05:18.48\00:05:20.95
Priests and bishops routinely
bought their way into religious
00:05:20.95\00:05:24.42
office, and many of them
lived openly immoral lives.
00:05:24.42\00:05:28.92
Cardinal David Beaton, who
was the cardinal at St. Andrews
00:05:28.92\00:05:31.89
Cathedral in Knox's day,
had a mistress and 10 children.
00:05:31.89\00:05:37.10
The need for reform was obvious.
00:05:37.10\00:05:40.17
[solemn music cont.]
00:05:40.87\00:05:48.84
It was the ministry of
the Reformer, George Wishart,
00:05:49.91\00:05:52.55
who confirmed in the mind
of John Knox the value and the
00:05:52.55\00:05:55.55
importance of Protestantism.
Knox was Wishart's personal
00:05:55.55\00:06:00.16
assistant for a time,
and he traveled with him on
00:06:00.16\00:06:03.06
speaking appointments.
Wishart introduced to Scotland
00:06:03.06\00:06:06.36
the teachings of
Zwingli and Calvin.
00:06:06.36\00:06:09.26
In 1545, Wishart
was arrested for heresy.
00:06:09.26\00:06:12.80
Knox volunteered to
follow Wishart into captivity,
00:06:12.80\00:06:17.27
but Wishart advised his
personal assistant not to do so.
00:06:17.27\00:06:22.01
He said, "One is
sufficient for a sacrifice."
00:06:22.01\00:06:26.55
In March of 1546, Wishart was
hanged and burned at the stake
00:06:26.55\00:06:31.65
in St. Andrews by the
immoral Cardinal Beaton for his
00:06:31.65\00:06:35.39
Bible-based beliefs. Knox
was set on fire with a zeal
00:06:35.39\00:06:39.63
for the Word of God as Wishart's
death set in motion a chain of
00:06:39.63\00:06:43.97
events that would
change Knox's life.
00:06:43.97\00:06:48.20
I'll have more in just a moment.
00:06:48.20\00:06:50.21
[Music]
00:06:50.81\00:06:56.48
"Promises of Power" is
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00:07:58.87\00:08:05.41
[Music] [waves gently lapping]
00:08:07.82\00:08:17.33
This is It Is
Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
00:08:17.33\00:08:19.73
Thanks for joining me in
Scotland, the home of John Knox,
00:08:19.73\00:08:24.53
the founder of the Presbyterian
church and one of the leading
00:08:24.53\00:08:27.84
figures of the
Protestant Reformation.
00:08:27.84\00:08:31.17
John Knox's ministry transformed
both the Scottish church and
00:08:31.17\00:08:34.71
government. But Knox
very nearly didn't make
00:08:34.71\00:08:37.75
it to his role as a Reformer
and influential church leader.
00:08:37.75\00:08:42.98
[music] [distant waves]
00:08:42.98\00:08:51.03
After George Wishart
was executed due to his
00:08:51.03\00:08:53.36
Protestant
beliefs, Cardinal Beaton,
00:08:53.36\00:08:55.76
the man who had
Wishart executed, was himself
00:08:55.76\00:08:58.83
murdered, and
St. Andrews castle,
00:08:58.83\00:09:01.24
which is right behind
me, was taken over by his
00:09:01.24\00:09:04.27
murderers. One
hundred fifty people sought
00:09:04.27\00:09:07.38
refuge inside the castle,
including John Knox and the
00:09:07.38\00:09:10.85
boys he tutored.
Knox was invited to preach
00:09:10.85\00:09:14.58
in St. Andrews castle,
and after some hesitation
00:09:14.58\00:09:17.92
he accepted the invitation
and then showed how the
00:09:17.92\00:09:21.16
Bible contradicted
the teachings of the Roman
00:09:21.16\00:09:24.36
Catholic church. He
spoke against the mass, and
00:09:24.36\00:09:27.76
he spoke against the false
doctrine of purgatory, and he
00:09:27.76\00:09:31.07
showed how Daniel chapter 7
identified the Roman Catholic
00:09:31.07\00:09:34.07
Papacy as the little
horn of Bible prophecy.
00:09:34.07\00:09:38.37
And it was here at St. Andrews
castle, during his ministry,
00:09:38.37\00:09:42.08
that John Knox developed the two
great themes that energized and
00:09:42.08\00:09:45.98
inspired the Protestant
Reformation in Europe: the
00:09:45.98\00:09:49.65
teaching that the Bible was the
sole rule of faith and practice
00:09:49.65\00:09:52.62
for the Christian believer and
that justification came by faith
00:09:52.62\00:09:56.83
alone, both teachings that
had been rejected by the Roman
00:09:56.83\00:10:01.60
Catholic church.
00:10:01.60\00:10:03.73
Before God would use Knox to
his full effectiveness, Knox,
00:10:04.93\00:10:08.20
like Moses, would
endure a wilderness experience;
00:10:08.20\00:10:12.77
a trying, difficult period where
his faith in God was severely
00:10:12.77\00:10:18.08
tested. Knox's
ministry in the castle in
00:10:18.08\00:10:21.35
St. Andrews was cut short when
the French fleet arrived to help
00:10:21.35\00:10:25.99
the Scots evict the rebels.
Knox and the others were taken
00:10:25.99\00:10:30.69
prisoner and became galley
slaves on a ship in the French
00:10:30.69\00:10:34.30
navy. Thousands of
Protestants endured
00:10:34.30\00:10:37.87
the same fate, chained to
benches or oars, and forced by
00:10:37.87\00:10:43.17
officers wielding whips to row
the ships, often all day long.
00:10:43.17\00:10:49.41
Once, when Knox was told to kiss
a picture of the Virgin Mary, he
00:10:49.41\00:10:53.72
threw the picture into the water
and said, "Let our Lady now save
00:10:53.72\00:10:57.45
herself. She is
light enough; let her
00:10:57.45\00:11:01.39
learn to swim." Knox
became desperately ill on
00:11:01.39\00:11:05.23
the ship and almost died, but
after 19 months of slavery, he
00:11:05.23\00:11:08.86
was released in
February of 1549.
00:11:08.86\00:11:12.53
He was free
again at the age of 36.
00:11:12.53\00:11:16.47
God clearly had a plan for
this man's life, a big plan.
00:11:16.47\00:11:21.78
He traveled back to England
and served as a chaplain in the
00:11:23.04\00:11:25.48
service of King Edward
VI, the son of Henry the VIII.
00:11:25.48\00:11:29.82
But after Edward's
death, Edward's half-sister,
00:11:29.82\00:11:32.09
Mary Tudor, reinstated
Catholicism as the state
00:11:32.09\00:11:35.19
religion in England.
Hundreds of Protestants were
00:11:35.19\00:11:39.19
then burned at the stake, which
is why that queen became known
00:11:39.19\00:11:42.66
as "Bloody Mary."
00:11:42.66\00:11:46.33
[dramatic score]
But Knox eventually
00:11:46.77\00:11:50.07
returned to
Scotland. He came to Edinburgh.
00:11:50.07\00:11:54.41
He would minister at St. Giles
Cathedral, and there he would
00:11:54.41\00:11:58.05
tangle with Bloody Mary.
00:11:58.05\00:12:00.58
[ominous music]
Now, keep this in mind
00:12:02.08\00:12:07.29
and imagine living
in this kind of society.
00:12:07.29\00:12:09.82
Queen Mary's father, Henry the
VIII, had split from the Church
00:12:09.82\00:12:13.76
of Rome. But
under Mary, the English
00:12:13.76\00:12:16.06
church came back under Roman
control, and persecution of
00:12:16.06\00:12:20.00
Protestants was
cruel and fierce.
00:12:20.00\00:12:23.10
Ridley, Latimer and Cranmer were
all executed by Bloody Mary.
00:12:23.10\00:12:27.48
Hundreds and hundreds of
Protestants, who could afford to
00:12:27.48\00:12:30.11
do so, fled the country.
Knox wrote scathing attacks
00:12:30.11\00:12:34.25
against Queen Mary, stating that
she was a traitoress and a rebel
00:12:34.25\00:12:38.29
against God. He said
that ordinary people had
00:12:38.29\00:12:40.79
the right to rebel
against unjust leaders.
00:12:40.79\00:12:44.33
Now, Knox, who carried a sword
when he accompanied Wishart,
00:12:44.33\00:12:47.96
said, "The sword of justice is
God's, but if princes and rulers
00:12:47.96\00:12:52.70
fail to use it, others may."
00:12:52.70\00:12:55.87
[ominous score
cont.] Knox was a firebrand.
00:12:56.77\00:13:01.34
He preached passionately against
idolatry, just as Farel had done
00:13:01.34\00:13:04.91
in Geneva. As a
result, altars and idols
00:13:04.91\00:13:08.62
were destroyed. Now,
it's said that when Knox
00:13:08.62\00:13:11.72
began his sermons, he'd
start by calmly reading from the
00:13:11.72\00:13:14.92
Scripture, then he'd apply
the lessons of Scripture to the
00:13:14.92\00:13:18.53
current situations
facing the lives of his hearers.
00:13:18.53\00:13:22.00
Knox would pound the pulpit as
he preached, always lifting up
00:13:22.00\00:13:25.97
the importance of the Word
of God at a time when it wasn't
00:13:25.97\00:13:29.47
fashionable to do so. On
one occasion, Queen Mary said
00:13:29.47\00:13:33.14
to John Knox, "Ye interpret the
Scriptures after one manner, and
00:13:33.14\00:13:37.31
they--that's the Roman Catholic
church--interpret them after
00:13:37.31\00:13:40.22
another. Whom
shall I believe, and who
00:13:40.22\00:13:42.92
shall be judge?" Knox
answered by saying, "Ye
00:13:42.92\00:13:47.42
shall believe God, that
plainly speaketh in His Word."
00:13:47.42\00:13:52.86
Now, it's said that that queen
said that she feared John Knox's
00:13:52.86\00:13:56.30
prayers more than she feared
all of the armies of Europe.
00:13:56.30\00:14:00.60
There's a chance that
statement may even be truth.
00:14:00.60\00:14:03.64
I'll have more in just a moment.
00:14:03.64\00:14:05.64
[gentle melody]
"Every Word" is a one-minute,
00:14:06.57\00:14:08.54
Bible-based daily devotional
presented by Pastor John
00:14:08.54\00:14:11.55
Bradshaw, and
designed especially for busy
00:14:11.55\00:14:13.95
people like you.
Look for "Every Word"
00:14:13.95\00:14:17.02
on selected networks or
watch it online every day
00:14:17.02\00:14:19.49
on our website, ItIsWritten.com.
00:14:19.49\00:14:22.99
[hopeful upbeat tune]
00:14:23.93\00:14:29.63
JB: Christianity isn't
best measured by how much you
00:14:29.90\00:14:32.40
know about the Bible.
It's best measured by how it
00:14:32.40\00:14:34.70
impacts your character.
And that's best revealed
00:14:34.70\00:14:37.11
in a crisis. In
Daniel, chapter 2, Daniel had
00:14:37.11\00:14:39.61
just learned he was about to
be put to death for something he
00:14:39.61\00:14:41.74
had nothing to do
with. And verse 14 says,
00:14:41.74\00:14:44.21
"Then Daniel answered with
counsel and wisdom to Arioch,
00:14:44.21\00:14:47.32
the captain of the king's guard,
which was gone forth to slay
00:14:47.32\00:14:50.32
the wise men of Babylon."
The man was there to kill him,
00:14:50.32\00:14:54.02
and Daniel was still able
to answer the man with respect
00:14:54.02\00:14:56.69
and equanimity. Now,
what does that say about
00:14:56.69\00:14:59.03
his experience with God?
It was real, so real God was
00:14:59.03\00:15:03.57
able to trust him with
the genuine gift of prophecy.
00:15:03.57\00:15:06.37
Daniel was the genuine article.
Prophecy is given to us so that
00:15:06.37\00:15:09.77
we can be transformed into
genuine believers, able to face
00:15:09.77\00:15:13.68
trials just like Daniel
did in his moment of crisis.
00:15:13.68\00:15:18.11
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:15:18.11\00:15:20.28
Let's live today by every word.
00:15:20.28\00:15:22.82
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00:15:24.19\00:15:29.12
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00:15:29.12\00:15:33.06
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00:15:33.06\00:15:35.56
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00:16:22.81\00:16:26.38
the precious gift of sight,
and in many cases people who are
00:16:26.38\00:16:29.82
totally blind have their sight
restored a hundred percent.
00:16:29.82\00:16:33.96
Imagine experiencing that.
You can share that experience
00:16:33.96\00:16:37.46
with others anxious to see
again--waiting, hoping, praying
00:16:37.46\00:16:41.83
that they may be able
to receive their sight.
00:16:41.83\00:16:44.87
To share the gift of sight,
here's all you need to do:
00:16:44.87\00:16:47.44
simply call (800)
253-3000. That's (800) 253-3000,
00:16:47.44\00:16:54.11
to donate and
support Eyes for India.
00:16:54.11\00:16:57.88
If you prefer, you can
write to It Is Written, Box 6,
00:16:57.88\00:17:02.05
Chattanooga, TN
37401. You'll also find more
00:17:02.05\00:17:06.86
information about Eyes for
India online at ItIsWritten.com.
00:17:06.86\00:17:11.43
Help today. Give
the gift of sight.
00:17:11.43\00:17:14.46
You can be the difference
between someone spending the
00:17:14.46\00:17:16.33
rest of their life in darkness
or having the ability to see.
00:17:16.33\00:17:21.00
Eyes for India is doing the very
work Jesus did in opening the
00:17:21.00\00:17:24.71
eyes of the blind and in opening
hearts to the love of God.
00:17:24.71\00:17:29.31
Let them see again, and let them
experience the grace of God.
00:17:29.31\00:17:34.12
You could be the one who makes
the difference between a life in
00:17:34.12\00:17:37.32
the dark and a life of
vision. Eyes for India and
00:17:37.32\00:17:42.56
It Is Written,
doing the work of Jesus
00:17:42.56\00:17:45.63
in opening eyes
and hearts. Join us.
00:17:45.63\00:17:50.20
Just call (800)
253-3000 or write to P.O. Box 6,
00:17:50.20\00:17:55.67
Chattanooga, TN 37401, or
visit www.ItIsWritten.com.
00:17:55.67\00:18:03.91
[soft piano chords] [whooshing]
00:18:05.48\00:18:16.83
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:18:20.93\00:18:23.33
I'm in Scotland, the land
of the great Scottish Reformer,
00:18:23.33\00:18:25.80
John Knox. Millions
of Christians around
00:18:25.80\00:18:28.64
the world today trace
their spiritual roots back to
00:18:28.64\00:18:31.94
this giant of faith.
Knox was influenced by key
00:18:31.94\00:18:36.68
Protestant leaders from England,
Germany, France, and Switzerland
00:18:36.68\00:18:40.48
at a time when the pendulum
of faith was swinging away from
00:18:40.48\00:18:44.19
Catholicism towards a Protestant
faith that urged a personal
00:18:44.19\00:18:48.66
relationship with
the God of heaven.
00:18:48.66\00:18:52.06
Knox taught that the Bible alone
should be the basis of faith
00:18:52.06\00:18:56.80
and practice. He
taught that the mass was an
00:18:56.80\00:19:00.24
abomination, that Mary should
not be worshiped or honored, and
00:19:00.24\00:19:04.97
that the bread and the wine used
in the Lord's Supper were simply
00:19:04.97\00:19:08.71
symbols and were not the
actual body and blood of Jesus.
00:19:08.71\00:19:12.71
He said those who adored
the bread and the wine were
00:19:12.71\00:19:15.02
committing idolatry, and
Knox taught that salvation
00:19:15.02\00:19:18.22
came only one way, by
grace alone through faith
00:19:18.22\00:19:21.86
alone in Christ alone,
and not by works or penances.
00:19:21.86\00:19:29.33
Today the Bible still says
in Ephesians 2, verses 8 and 9,
00:19:29.33\00:19:33.50
"For by grace you have been
saved through faith, and that
00:19:33.50\00:19:37.44
not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God, not of works,
00:19:37.44\00:19:41.94
lest any man should boast."
The Bible still teaches that
00:19:41.94\00:19:46.85
people are to live by every word
that proceeds out of the mouth
00:19:46.85\00:19:50.85
of God, Matthew 4 and verse 4.
The Bible still says, in John 3,
00:19:50.85\00:19:55.49
verse 16, that "God so loved
the world that he gave his only
00:19:55.49\00:20:00.30
begotten son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not
00:20:00.30\00:20:05.53
perish but have
everlasting life."
00:20:05.53\00:20:09.67
Knox's commitment to the
Word of God inspired others.
00:20:09.67\00:20:13.44
In the 17th
century, after Knox's death,
00:20:13.44\00:20:16.98
efforts were made to impose
a new liturgy on the Scottish
00:20:16.98\00:20:20.35
church. This gave
rise to a group that
00:20:20.35\00:20:23.72
became known as the Scottish
Covenanters, who ascribed to
00:20:23.72\00:20:27.96
covenants designed to preserve
the Scottish Protestant nature
00:20:27.96\00:20:32.86
of the church. The
Covenanters were furious
00:20:32.86\00:20:35.66
that King Charles I intended
to introduce a form of church
00:20:35.66\00:20:38.97
government, where the church
was governed by bishops rather
00:20:38.97\00:20:43.00
than the presbytery, or
local church governance.
00:20:43.00\00:20:46.31
Hundreds of pastors refused
to give their allegiance to
00:20:46.31\00:20:49.81
a bishop. Banished
from their churches,
00:20:49.81\00:20:52.88
they held church services
in the countryside, in defiance
00:20:52.88\00:20:55.85
of the king. Both
those pastors and those who
00:20:55.85\00:20:59.59
followed after
them were hunted down.
00:20:59.59\00:21:03.46
Many were imprisoned.
Thousands were martyred.
00:21:03.46\00:21:07.23
Hundreds were imprisoned here in
Greyfriar's churchyard, the very
00:21:07.23\00:21:10.90
place where some years before
their grandparents had signed
00:21:10.90\00:21:15.24
the covenant. Many
were sent as slaves
00:21:15.24\00:21:18.31
to the Caribbean. Two
women were killed, after
00:21:18.31\00:21:20.94
they were tied to stakes in
Solway Firth, and the tide rose
00:21:20.94\00:21:25.31
up over them and drowned
them. [sound of bagpipes]
00:21:25.31\00:21:39.46
Today, it's a
different Scotland.
00:21:39.46\00:21:41.90
While Christianity dominates
the skyline here, it no longer
00:21:41.90\00:21:46.20
dominates society.
Only about 50 percent of the
00:21:46.20\00:21:50.31
population even
identify as Christian now.
00:21:50.31\00:21:53.61
Membership in the Church
of Scotland is in freefall.
00:21:53.61\00:21:57.51
Church
attendance numbers are low.
00:21:57.51\00:22:00.92
Scotland is now a
very secular country.
00:22:00.92\00:22:05.72
What would John
Knox make of that?
00:22:05.72\00:22:08.32
His grave is now beneath a
parking lot in Parliament Square
00:22:08.32\00:22:11.73
behind the cathedral.
Knox awaits the Resurrection.
00:22:11.73\00:22:16.20
Someone else must rise up
with the same fire, praying
00:22:16.20\00:22:20.10
"Give me Scotland ere I die."
00:22:20.10\00:22:23.97
[bagpipe music cont.]
00:22:23.97\00:22:27.04
[gentle piano melody]
It's been 450 years or so
00:22:27.38\00:22:34.45
since John Knox died. He's
remembered today as a titan
00:22:34.45\00:22:38.85
of the Reformation, a man
who stood boldly for the Bible.
00:22:38.85\00:22:44.39
Though he incurred the wrath of
monarchs and was opposed by the
00:22:44.39\00:22:47.96
might of the Catholic
church, he fearlessly advanced
00:22:47.96\00:22:52.47
the Word of God.
Evidently difficult times
00:22:52.47\00:22:56.30
called for straight
talk. He said that Queen Mary,
00:22:56.30\00:22:59.91
Bloody Mary, was a
rebel and a traitoress against
00:22:59.91\00:23:04.08
God. There's no
doubt he was a flawed
00:23:04.08\00:23:07.52
figure, and he has his share
of detractors today, but what
00:23:07.52\00:23:11.65
people can't speak against is
Knox's commitment to God's Word.
00:23:11.65\00:23:16.39
In the 1500s, people were
just emerging from the midnight
00:23:16.39\00:23:20.23
of the Dark Ages. But
in spite of coming from an
00:23:20.23\00:23:24.07
era of spiritual destitution,
Knox urged people into the
00:23:24.07\00:23:28.64
light of the Bible. Knox
wasn't afraid to confront
00:23:28.64\00:23:32.87
tyranny in the church or the
government, and that boldness
00:23:32.87\00:23:36.78
turned the hearts of people
around the world away from
00:23:36.78\00:23:40.75
tradition and towards truth.
Born in a small, obscure town,
00:23:40.75\00:23:47.06
19 months a slave on a ship,
Knox might well have disappeared
00:23:47.06\00:23:53.60
from view. But with
the Bible in his hand
00:23:53.60\00:23:57.33
and God's Spirit in his heart,
his voice could be silenced
00:23:57.33\00:24:00.87
neither by church nor state, and
he gave everything he had to the
00:24:00.87\00:24:06.04
one task that consumed his
life: the honor of God and the
00:24:06.04\00:24:11.48
supremacy of God's
Word. So, how is it with you?
00:24:11.48\00:24:18.02
Are the flames of faith burning
bright, or are they flickering
00:24:18.02\00:24:22.69
and just burning dimly.
John Knox was a man who allowed
00:24:22.69\00:24:27.73
simple faith to take hold of his
life and as such God made him a
00:24:27.73\00:24:32.47
champion of truth, and today,
champions of truth are needed.
00:24:32.47\00:24:37.67
Perhaps God won't use you
on the same scale as He used
00:24:37.67\00:24:40.74
John Knox--maybe He will--
but what God does want to do
00:24:40.74\00:24:44.35
is make you a
person of strong faith.
00:24:44.35\00:24:48.15
He wants you to be connected to
Him, truly, so that when Jesus
00:24:48.15\00:24:52.45
returns He's going to take
you to be forever with Him.
00:24:52.45\00:24:56.49
And that day is
coming soon. [Music]
00:24:56.49\00:25:07.57
"Promises of Power" is
our free offer for you today.
00:25:11.11\00:25:14.68
This little book is a collection
of some of the most powerful
00:25:14.68\00:25:18.28
promises found in the Bible,
and it's ideal for sharing with
00:25:18.28\00:25:22.08
somebody else who needs to be
encouraged by the great promises
00:25:22.08\00:25:25.82
in the Bible. Now, to
get your free copy, just
00:25:25.82\00:25:29.02
call 1(800) 253-3000 and
ask for "Promises of Power."
00:25:29.02\00:25:34.20
There's no cost;
there's no obligation;
00:25:34.20\00:25:37.20
it's absolutely free.
You can call 24 hours a day.
00:25:37.20\00:25:40.57
Now, if the line's
busy, please keep trying.
00:25:40.57\00:25:44.24
You can also
request "Promises of Power"
00:25:44.24\00:25:46.81
by writing to It Is
Written, Box 6, Chattanooga,
00:25:46.81\00:25:50.35
TN 37401, and we'll
mail a copy to your address
00:25:50.35\00:25:54.75
in North America. Now,
please note: this free book
00:25:54.75\00:25:57.05
is limited to
the supply on hand.
00:25:57.05\00:25:59.55
For immediate access, you
can download a free electronic
00:25:59.55\00:26:02.22
version of the
book "Promises of Power"
00:26:02.22\00:26:04.16
from our
website, ItIsWritten.com.
00:26:04.16\00:26:07.56
It Is Written is a faith-based
ministry, and your support makes
00:26:07.56\00:26:11.43
it possible for us to share
God's good news with the world.
00:26:11.43\00:26:15.30
Your tax deductible gift can
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00:26:15.30\00:26:17.87
screen, or through our
website at ItIsWritten.com.
00:26:17.87\00:26:21.81
Thank you for your
continued prayerful support.
00:26:21.81\00:26:24.65
Again, our toll-free number
is (800) 253-3000, and our web
00:26:24.65\00:26:29.62
address is ItIsWritten.com.
00:26:29.62\00:26:33.22
Let's pray together.
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:37.56\00:26:40.86
we thank You today for Jesus.
We thank You for His Word.
00:26:40.86\00:26:44.90
I thank You for John Knox
and other great men and women of
00:26:44.90\00:26:48.70
faith like him, who You used to
bring the world out of darkness
00:26:48.70\00:26:55.24
and into the
light of Bible truth.
00:26:55.24\00:26:58.91
We thank You that they offered
to us then, and You offer to us
00:26:58.91\00:27:01.52
now, a faith based not on
tradition, on man-made rights
00:27:01.52\00:27:07.06
and rituals, but on
Your Word and on Your truth.
00:27:07.06\00:27:12.96
Fill us with Your Spirit that
we would be people of truth,
00:27:12.96\00:27:15.80
people of the Bible,
that our hearts would be
00:27:15.80\00:27:18.53
connected with Your heart.
Friend, if that's your desire,
00:27:18.53\00:27:21.24
even as we pray right
now, will you tell God.
00:27:21.24\00:27:24.37
I want to be
filled with Your Spirit;
00:27:24.37\00:27:26.71
I want to be all
Yours. Bless us, Lord.
00:27:26.71\00:27:29.51
Today we thank You, we thank
You for Jesus, we thank You for
00:27:29.51\00:27:32.38
truth, we thank You for
Your Word, and we pray in Jesus'
00:27:32.38\00:27:36.32
name. Amen.
00:27:36.32\00:27:39.75
[Music]
00:27:39.75\00:27:53.00
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:56.54\00:27:58.44
I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:58.44\00:28:00.51
Until then, remember: It
is written, man shall not
00:28:00.51\00:28:03.48
live by bread alone but
by every word that proceeds
00:28:03.48\00:28:08.18
from the mouth of God.
00:28:08.18\00:28:11.15
[hopeful anthem]
00:28:11.32\00:28:25.47