...is a shelter like no other
00:00:27.23\00:00:30.10
Your name, let the
nations sing it louder
00:00:30.13\00:00:36.85
'Cause nothing
has the power to save
00:00:36.88\00:00:43.26
But Your name
00:00:43.29\00:00:47.25
Is a strong and mighty tower
00:00:47.28\00:00:50.11
Your name is a
shelter like no other
00:00:50.14\00:00:56.74
Your name, let the
nations sing it louder
00:00:56.77\00:01:03.80
'Cause nothing
has the power to save
00:01:03.83\00:01:09.98
But Your name
00:01:10.01\00:01:14.87
I was raised an Adventist,
00:01:26.26\00:01:28.28
but I backslid
for a couple of years.
00:01:28.31\00:01:32.75
At the time when I met
Allen, I was actually a Buddhist
00:01:34.84\00:01:40.37
which Buddhism's all about
being peaceful and everything,
00:01:40.40\00:01:44.84
but I had such a problem
with anger and addiction.
00:01:44.87\00:01:50.22
I've been reading these
books that I'd found in my house
00:01:57.97\00:02:00.83
that my grandpa,
he wasn't a Christian,
00:02:00.86\00:02:03.45
but he used to
sell Ellen White books
00:02:03.48\00:02:05.53
and when he quit doing it he
gave all the books to my mom.
00:02:05.56\00:02:09.29
So growing up I had all these
Ellen White books in my house
00:02:09.32\00:02:12.15
and I was reading through them
00:02:12.18\00:02:14.38
and I felt the urge
to start going to church.
00:02:14.41\00:02:20.88
After we got married, it was
about a year-and-a-half later
00:02:20.91\00:02:24.11
that we got evicted
from our apartment in Tucson
00:02:24.14\00:02:29.95
and we packed up
everything that we had
00:02:29.98\00:02:33.55
that could fit into
our Lincoln Town car.
00:02:33.58\00:02:39.00
When we got to
Dallas, we were homeless
00:02:39.03\00:02:42.25
and we pretty much floated
around from place to place.
00:02:42.28\00:02:46.44
Forever would take this time.
00:02:46.47\00:02:48.52
Yeah, for about two years,
we had nowhere else to go,
00:02:48.55\00:02:53.07
no one else would let us
stay with them, like, we had--
00:02:53.10\00:02:56.34
we didn't have
enough to get a place
00:02:56.37\00:02:58.02
so we put everything that
we had in our van and we left.
00:02:58.05\00:03:04.87
So when we left Texas, we
only had about $1,200 with us
00:03:04.90\00:03:11.29
and we didn't
really know where to go,
00:03:11.32\00:03:15.77
so we prayed about it and
she just opened up the atlas
00:03:15.80\00:03:20.65
and she pointed to
the Upper Peninsula.
00:03:20.68\00:03:24.39
When we got to
the Upper Peninsula,
00:03:24.42\00:03:27.58
we had to pay tithe on
the money that we did have.
00:03:27.61\00:03:31.46
So I sent that to my grandfather
who worked for the Conference.
00:03:31.49\00:03:37.10
And he always calls me
to thank me for the tithe.
00:03:37.13\00:03:43.40
And so when he did call he said,
00:03:43.43\00:03:46.27
why don't you head
down to Berrien Springs.
00:03:46.30\00:03:49.66
After he got off the
phone with his grandfather,
00:03:49.69\00:03:52.06
we prayed about it
and about 30 minutes later
00:03:52.09\00:03:55.00
we decided to leave and
head down to Berrien Springs.
00:03:55.03\00:04:01.23
The following
Sabbath, we went to Tennessee
00:04:01.26\00:04:05.02
and it was a communion service.
00:04:05.05\00:04:08.33
And I loved it
because it felt like
00:04:08.36\00:04:12.42
the Holy Spirit was right there.
00:04:12.45\00:04:14.64
It was just a
very strong experience.
00:04:14.67\00:04:17.55
We had both grown closer to God
00:04:17.58\00:04:21.13
and we had recommitted
ourselves and everything
00:04:21.16\00:04:24.60
and so we wanted to kind of
00:04:24.63\00:04:27.38
start a new life with
Christ and everything.
00:04:27.41\00:04:31.75
That is some
testimony, Allen, Danae.
00:04:39.78\00:04:45.64
I mean, do I have
the story straight?
00:04:45.67\00:04:47.41
Here is this Buddhist teenager
00:04:47.44\00:04:51.18
whose grandpa leaves
some Christian books,
00:04:51.21\00:04:54.02
one of which
was "Desire of Ages"
00:04:54.05\00:04:56.75
and "The Uncle
Arthur Bible Stories."
00:04:56.78\00:05:00.08
So you grew up
in this godless home
00:05:00.11\00:05:01.91
with these godly books
and then you go to a website.
00:05:01.94\00:05:06.58
What's the name of
that website? Straight edge.
00:05:06.61\00:05:08.25
Straight edge, a
sexual purity website
00:05:08.28\00:05:11.12
and you bump into this
kid across the country. Yes.
00:05:11.15\00:05:15.46
Do you get the
feeling like God has been
00:05:15.49\00:05:18.25
moving you both
step by step? No doubt.
00:05:18.28\00:05:21.33
Yeah, I mean you
end up here at Andrews.
00:05:21.36\00:05:22.55
I meet you at
the summer graduation
00:05:22.58\00:05:24.66
because you're running
cameras for graduation here.
00:05:24.69\00:05:28.83
We got you on our
television crew now,
00:05:28.86\00:05:32.09
but here you are
00:05:32.12\00:05:34.40
because this is what a
husband and a wife need to do,
00:05:34.43\00:05:38.36
at some point we've got to go
the journey with Christ together
00:05:38.39\00:05:43.82
And I'm so proud of you.
00:05:43.85\00:05:45.51
Allen, you could be
taking theology here. Yes.
00:05:45.54\00:05:47.86
Danae, you're working
on... General studies.
00:05:47.89\00:05:50.80
General studies, that's it.
00:05:50.83\00:05:53.54
But God's dream that got
you to that website together,
00:05:53.57\00:05:57.71
in living in that
car all these months,
00:05:57.74\00:06:01.56
God's dream that has brought
you here to Andrews University,
00:06:01.59\00:06:05.51
is just the beginning.
00:06:05.54\00:06:07.01
This testimony of yours now,
00:06:07.04\00:06:08.80
you got to turn your
story into His story,
00:06:08.83\00:06:11.06
so history is His story.
00:06:11.09\00:06:12.43
You got to turn you
story into His story
00:06:12.46\00:06:14.96
and God is gonna use
your friendship with Christ,
00:06:14.99\00:06:19.88
how you found
Him to draw others.
00:06:19.91\00:06:22.19
You got a unique
story that others
00:06:22.22\00:06:24.74
who also have unique
stories can be drawn to.
00:06:24.77\00:06:27.71
So here it is, Revelation 12:11,
00:06:27.74\00:06:30.08
"And they overcame the
dragon by the blood of the Lamb
00:06:30.11\00:06:34.02
and by the word
of their testimony."
00:06:34.05\00:06:36.92
Don't you ever be afraid or
ashamed of sharing the story.
00:06:36.95\00:06:41.64
The world needs to hear it
00:06:41.67\00:06:42.70
because it's the
story of Jesus, right?
00:06:42.73\00:06:44.47
Right. The world
needs to hear it.
00:06:44.50\00:06:46.60
So you want to become a part
of the Pioneer Memorial Church,
00:06:46.63\00:06:50.89
body of Christ,
both of you? Yes.
00:06:50.92\00:06:53.58
You're willing to
follow Jesus every step? Yes.
00:06:53.61\00:06:55.86
Until He comes? Yes.
00:06:55.89\00:06:57.79
How about a congregation show,
we just raise our two hands,
00:06:57.82\00:07:01.08
two hands and just say,
"Hey, Danae, Allen Lowder,
00:07:01.11\00:07:04.88
you've come to us,
we're proud of you."
00:07:04.91\00:07:07.17
I want to pray for you both.
00:07:07.20\00:07:09.94
Dear Father, what
a story, praise God,
00:07:09.97\00:07:14.93
but that's the glory of you.
00:07:14.96\00:07:17.50
It doesn't matter our story,
you can get there from here
00:07:17.53\00:07:22.69
and so we rejoice
with Allen and Danae,
00:07:22.72\00:07:25.47
take this moment,
seal it in their hearts
00:07:25.50\00:07:28.08
and make them bold
witnesses for Christ,
00:07:28.11\00:07:31.57
wherever on earth You lead them.
00:07:31.60\00:07:33.56
And even as I put my
hands upon their heads,
00:07:33.59\00:07:36.10
may this be a symbol
of the mighty infilling
00:07:36.13\00:07:38.99
of the third person of
the godhead, Holy Spirit,
00:07:39.02\00:07:41.56
who himself will bring a
cluster of spiritual gifts
00:07:41.59\00:07:44.47
and will unleash this couple
00:07:44.50\00:07:47.12
in this generation
before the return of Christ.
00:07:47.15\00:07:50.70
Bring them much joy
as they share their story
00:07:50.73\00:07:54.28
and lead others
to the same Jesus.
00:07:54.31\00:07:56.47
In His name, we pray. Amen.
00:07:56.50\00:07:59.21
Amen. Amen.
00:07:59.24\00:08:00.91
All right, Allen,
you're the husband,
00:08:00.94\00:08:02.69
I'm gonna start with you.
00:08:02.72\00:08:06.52
You made the
decision, you told us,
00:08:10.11\00:08:12.99
I'm going all the way,
I'm gonna stay all the way.
00:08:13.02\00:08:15.55
Because you made that decision,
00:08:15.58\00:08:17.60
it's my joy to baptize you now
in the name of God the Father,
00:08:17.63\00:08:21.78
God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit.
00:08:21.81\00:08:25.66
And, Danae,
welcome to the family.
00:08:44.54\00:08:48.87
Because you've made the
same decision your husband has,
00:08:48.90\00:08:51.86
to stick with Jesus
every step of the way,
00:08:51.89\00:08:54.64
I'm delighted and
honored to baptize you now
00:08:54.67\00:08:57.51
in the name of
God who is our Father,
00:08:57.54\00:08:59.14
God who is our Savior and
Son and God, the Holy Spirit.
00:08:59.17\00:09:03.27
How would you like to
be on trial for your faith?
00:09:18.84\00:09:20.98
If you were being cross-examined
for what you believe,
00:09:24.48\00:09:31.86
I wonder if you would
fare like Joanne White did
00:09:31.89\00:09:39.86
in the Blount County, Tennessee,
00:09:39.89\00:09:42.33
courtroom of
Judge W. Dale Young.
00:09:42.36\00:09:48.69
I read a story this
summer in the July issue
00:09:48.72\00:09:50.85
of Liberty
Magazine and I was appalled.
00:09:50.88\00:09:55.92
It was the final divorce hearing
00:09:55.95\00:09:57.17
involving the custody of
her two teenage children.
00:09:57.20\00:10:01.27
Joanne is a
Seventh-day Adventist Christian.
00:10:01.30\00:10:04.57
Let me read you
from that court hearing.
00:10:04.60\00:10:10.79
This is a piece by
Celeste Perrino Walker.
00:10:10.82\00:10:15.30
"Almost most Christians
know in the back of their mind
00:10:15.33\00:10:17.15
that it's possible
they'll be called on the stand
00:10:17.18\00:10:19.48
and asked to
defend their beliefs.
00:10:19.51\00:10:22.05
Few of them actually
believe it will really happen
00:10:22.08\00:10:23.80
and even fewer go through
00:10:23.83\00:10:25.08
the actual
experience as Joanne White did.
00:10:25.11\00:10:30.81
She was asked about her
religious beliefs extensively."
00:10:30.84\00:10:35.79
Listen, "I knew that they
were gonna do this," White says,
00:10:35.82\00:10:39.14
"but I didn't know
how hard it was gonna be.
00:10:39.17\00:10:41.13
I was told not much
religion goes in the courtroom,
00:10:41.16\00:10:45.05
but between them Judge
Young and Craig Garrick,
00:10:45.08\00:10:47.33
her ex-husband's
attorney, asked her questions
00:10:47.36\00:10:50.29
about subjects
including mark of the beast,
00:10:50.32\00:10:54.26
the fourth
commandment, the reformers."
00:10:54.29\00:10:57.73
Say, what do you
know about the reformers?
00:10:57.76\00:10:58.96
Tell us about the reformers.
00:10:58.99\00:11:01.86
"The Sabbath changing
from Saturday to Sunday,
00:11:01.89\00:11:05.41
the papacy,
worship, the seal of God,
00:11:05.44\00:11:08.96
recognizing the
Sabbath, keeping it holy.
00:11:08.99\00:11:11.56
Though he protested many times,
00:11:11.59\00:11:13.54
her own attorney Kevin Shepherd,
00:11:13.57\00:11:14.97
was unable to deter
the line of questioning."
00:11:15.00\00:11:19.12
Now here's from the
actual court transcripts.
00:11:19.15\00:11:21.95
Mr. Shepherd, that's
her attorney speaking now.
00:11:21.98\00:11:24.34
"Your Honor, I'm gonna object.
00:11:24.37\00:11:25.60
I feel like the
court is attacking
00:11:25.63\00:11:27.12
my client's religious beliefs."
00:11:27.15\00:11:29.00
The court, that
would be his honor,
00:11:29.03\00:11:30.85
"I'm not attacking anybody,
00:11:30.88\00:11:32.00
I just want to understand
what she's talking about.
00:11:32.03\00:11:35.41
"They just kept on," says White.
00:11:35.44\00:11:37.46
He, judge Young,
didn't tell Craig Garrick
00:11:37.49\00:11:39.04
to stop the line of questioning,
00:11:39.07\00:11:40.42
he told Kevin
Shepherd to basically,
00:11:40.45\00:11:41.97
her attorney, sit down.
00:11:42.00\00:11:43.13
"I was up there helpless.
00:11:43.16\00:11:44.19
Kevin couldn't help
me and he, Judge Young,
00:11:44.22\00:11:45.98
did not tell Craig
Garrick to be quiet.
00:11:46.01\00:11:47.99
He just kept
asking me questions."
00:11:48.02\00:11:50.67
The transcript reads further,
00:11:50.70\00:11:52.19
the court, the
judge speaking again,
00:11:52.22\00:11:53.71
"Well, I'd like
to understand it,
00:11:53.74\00:11:55.36
I really would
and I'm not trying
00:11:55.39\00:11:56.53
to harp on you
or put you in a box,
00:11:56.56\00:11:58.21
but you've got to tell me,
you got to explain it to me,
00:11:58.24\00:12:02.62
why were her
religious beliefs even an issue?
00:12:02.65\00:12:07.98
Well, that's what bothered
me, says Shepherd, her attorney.
00:12:08.01\00:12:10.42
It really wasn't an
issue and my concern was
00:12:10.45\00:12:12.80
that Joanne really felt mocked
00:12:12.83\00:12:14.63
You could tell by
watching her on the stand
00:12:14.66\00:12:16.21
that she was
feeling very uncomfortable
00:12:16.24\00:12:17.97
and I think she truly felt
that she was being attacked.
00:12:18.00\00:12:22.00
The irony of it is that although
00:12:22.03\00:12:23.33
the case was not
about religion at all,
00:12:23.36\00:12:25.79
there was
nevertheless, it nevertheless
00:12:25.82\00:12:28.39
was the main topic
of cross examination."
00:12:28.42\00:12:32.02
Final line, says Joanne White,
00:12:32.05\00:12:34.46
"I gave an hour long bible study
course to a judge in a courtroom
00:12:34.49\00:12:37.68
where church and state
are supposed to be separate,
00:12:37.71\00:12:40.31
that's the bottom-line."
00:12:40.34\00:12:44.49
How would you like to
be in that hot seat, huh?
00:12:44.52\00:12:48.14
Maybe someday you will.
00:12:48.17\00:12:50.45
In fact, the biblical
line that is the premise,
00:12:50.48\00:12:54.69
the logical premise for
this new series called Primetime
00:12:54.72\00:12:58.11
suggests that, in
fact, one day you will.
00:12:58.14\00:13:01.71
I want you take a
look at that line.
00:13:01.74\00:13:03.40
1 Peter, find 1
Peter in your Bible.
00:13:03.43\00:13:06.44
I don't want you to
read it on the screen,
00:13:06.47\00:13:07.81
you got to read
this in your Bible.
00:13:07.84\00:13:09.08
If you don't have a Bible, grab
the pew Bible in front of you.
00:13:09.11\00:13:11.10
1 Peter, Chapter 3, one line,
00:13:11.13\00:13:17.46
this is the
rationale for why you and I
00:13:17.49\00:13:19.53
are plunging into
this Primetime series.
00:13:19.56\00:13:21.35
We're not taking
this stuff lightly.
00:13:21.38\00:13:24.29
One line, 1 Peter 3:15,
00:13:24.32\00:13:30.74
cut right to the
heart of verse 15,
00:13:30.77\00:13:33.05
you see these words
there, verse 1 Peter 3.
00:13:33.08\00:13:35.92
By the way it's page
816 in the pew Bible,
00:13:35.95\00:13:38.18
if you're looking
on in the pew Bible.
00:13:38.21\00:13:40.69
Right in the middle of
that verse, here comes the line.
00:13:40.72\00:13:43.09
"always be ready
to give a defense."
00:13:43.12\00:13:46.26
There's a courtroom word,
00:13:46.29\00:13:48.24
"always be ready to
give a defense to everyone
00:13:48.27\00:13:51.02
who asks you a reason
for the hope that is in you."
00:13:51.05\00:13:56.46
You know how Peter knows that
that in fact has to be true,
00:13:56.49\00:13:59.29
because of his own
bitter experience, that's why.
00:13:59.32\00:14:02.03
He learnt the hard way.
00:14:02.06\00:14:03.34
You better be
ready with an answer.
00:14:03.37\00:14:05.28
That little girl
sitting on the other side
00:14:05.31\00:14:06.78
of the bonfire that dark night,
00:14:06.81\00:14:08.36
she looks through
the orange shadows,
00:14:08.39\00:14:09.68
says, "hey, boy,
haven't I seen you before?
00:14:09.71\00:14:12.26
Aren't you a
follower of that man on trial,
00:14:12.29\00:14:14.08
Jesus of Nazareth?"
00:14:14.11\00:14:15.54
Peter was not
ready with an answer
00:14:15.57\00:14:17.02
for the reason of the
hope that is within him.
00:14:17.05\00:14:18.65
He didn't know what
to say and then we know
00:14:18.68\00:14:20.83
the tragic meltdown
that took place to cover up.
00:14:20.86\00:14:25.78
The glorious truth about failure
is that you can learn from it
00:14:25.81\00:14:29.50
and Peter learned
and now he tells us,
00:14:29.53\00:14:31.57
hey, hey, hey, when
you're in the witness stand,
00:14:31.60\00:14:34.89
be ready, be
ready to give a defense,
00:14:34.92\00:14:38.55
the hope that is inside of you.
00:14:38.58\00:14:40.80
You're in a
classroom, raise your hand.
00:14:44.40\00:14:48.69
You're in a boardroom,
00:14:48.72\00:14:50.11
Mr. Chair, I
have something to say.
00:14:50.14\00:14:52.74
You're in the court of law,
you're on the basketball court,
00:14:52.77\00:14:55.54
it doesn't matter where you are,
00:14:55.57\00:14:56.88
just be ready
24x7 to give a defense.
00:14:56.91\00:15:01.55
That's Peter's point.
00:15:01.58\00:15:04.32
And right now
with your permission
00:15:04.35\00:15:06.53
for the defense
that you will make,
00:15:06.56\00:15:08.88
I want to place in
your hands a single tool,
00:15:08.91\00:15:12.33
a single truth, you get
this straight, and you will,
00:15:12.36\00:15:16.10
a single truth that nobody,
and I mean nobody, will ever,
00:15:16.13\00:15:20.50
even in a court of
law be able to refute
00:15:20.53\00:15:22.53
or countermand
what you're saying,
00:15:22.56\00:15:25.00
a single
strategic tool in your hand.
00:15:25.03\00:15:31.81
You see this series Primetime,
we set it all up talking about
00:15:31.84\00:15:33.91
how important young adults
are in God's end time strategy.
00:15:33.94\00:15:37.03
We move now past the setup.
00:15:37.06\00:15:38.64
We are plunging
now into the how-to,
00:15:38.67\00:15:40.36
the rest of the
series is how-to.
00:15:40.39\00:15:41.75
Don't miss, coming up soon.
00:15:41.78\00:15:43.24
Two parts, how to
testify to an atheist,
00:15:43.27\00:15:47.50
how to reach an atheist
with the gospel of Christ.
00:15:47.53\00:15:50.65
So in order to plunge
into this particular how-to,
00:15:50.68\00:15:52.74
we got to go to
the book of Acts again
00:15:52.77\00:15:53.88
because that's our
textbook for this series.
00:15:53.91\00:15:55.47
So find Acts
chapter 9, incredible story.
00:15:55.50\00:15:58.56
This has to be one of the great,
00:15:58.59\00:15:59.67
great, great
stories of all Christianity,
00:15:59.70\00:16:03.40
not as great as Calvary,
not as great as Calvary,
00:16:03.43\00:16:06.68
but here's the
effect of Calvary.
00:16:06.71\00:16:08.79
Take a look at
this, Acts Chapter 9.
00:16:08.82\00:16:11.85
I'm in the Today's
New International Version.
00:16:11.88\00:16:13.63
You follow along,
00:16:13.66\00:16:14.69
whatever translation
you brought with you.
00:16:14.72\00:16:17.44
Acts Chapter 9, we're gonna
find out what this tool is,
00:16:17.47\00:16:19.53
you're gonna see
it wielded skillfully
00:16:19.56\00:16:21.36
and you're gonna
realize I can do that, too.
00:16:21.39\00:16:23.99
All right, Acts 9:1,
00:16:24.02\00:16:25.40
"Meanwhile, Saul
was still breathing out
00:16:25.43\00:16:28.23
murderous threats
against the Lord's disciples."
00:16:28.26\00:16:31.27
Hey, who's this Saul guy?
00:16:31.30\00:16:33.28
You know, a lot of--
the problem with most of us,
00:16:33.31\00:16:35.12
when we see the word "Saul,"
00:16:35.15\00:16:36.27
'cause we know he's
gonna eventually become Paul,
00:16:36.30\00:16:37.87
we imagine him to be
an old man right here.
00:16:37.90\00:16:41.49
He is not an old man right now.
00:16:41.52\00:16:44.34
In fact, I need to show you that
00:16:44.37\00:16:45.40
in fact he's your
age, he is a young adult.
00:16:45.43\00:16:47.90
Watch this, you
got to skip Chapter 8,
00:16:47.93\00:16:49.63
go back to the end of Chapter 7
because at the end of Chapter 7,
00:16:49.66\00:16:53.17
a trial has been brought
to its rump court conclusion.
00:16:53.20\00:16:57.96
Another young adult, you say,
00:16:57.99\00:16:59.62
Dwight, how do we know the other
young adult is a young adult?
00:16:59.65\00:17:02.26
Because it is clear
from Acts 6, 7 and 8,
00:17:02.29\00:17:06.14
you weave these
three chapters together,
00:17:06.17\00:17:08.58
it is clear that the young adult
who's on trial for his faith,
00:17:08.61\00:17:12.08
an Hellenized Jew
who's become a Christian,
00:17:12.11\00:17:15.76
his name is Stephen, Stephen
has already met this Saul.
00:17:15.79\00:17:21.72
Oh, they met all right.
00:17:21.75\00:17:23.14
In Acts 6, Stephen goes into
00:17:23.17\00:17:25.24
a Cilician
synagogue in Jerusalem.
00:17:25.27\00:17:27.56
Saul is from Tarsus of Cilicia,
00:17:27.59\00:17:30.33
he goes into a
Silesian synagogue
00:17:30.36\00:17:32.08
and he debates
the brightest minds
00:17:32.11\00:17:34.16
that synagogue has to offer.
00:17:34.19\00:17:35.60
And he-- I was
gonna say, hoops them,
00:17:35.63\00:17:40.26
but that didn't sound
like a very spiritual term.
00:17:40.29\00:17:42.08
He beat them.
The record is clear.
00:17:42.11\00:17:45.75
They could not answer
his debating strategy.
00:17:45.78\00:17:50.57
He beats Saul
and Saul is smarting
00:17:50.60\00:17:54.11
from that public humiliation
00:17:54.14\00:17:56.01
and the very next
verse in Acts 6 says,
00:17:56.04\00:17:58.18
so immediately they set
about to trump up false charges.
00:17:58.21\00:18:02.86
You can be certain
that Saul is behind
00:18:02.89\00:18:05.98
the court scene
in Acts Chapter 7.
00:18:06.01\00:18:08.58
Now there was no--
Stephen knew this is no hearing,
00:18:08.61\00:18:11.81
I'm not gonna get a jury's vote.
00:18:11.84\00:18:13.63
This is the
Sanhedrin and it's over for me.
00:18:13.66\00:18:16.11
And sure enough,
look at verse 57,
00:18:16.14\00:18:18.09
this is the tail
end of Acts 7:57,
00:18:18.12\00:18:20.46
"At this" because he
just said I see Jesus standing
00:18:20.49\00:18:23.22
beside the eternal God and
the throne of the universe.
00:18:23.25\00:18:26.00
"At this" verse 57, the court,
00:18:26.03\00:18:28.13
"they cover their ears
00:18:28.16\00:18:29.19
and yelling at the
top of their voices,
00:18:29.22\00:18:30.77
they all rushed at Stephen,
they dragged him out of the city
00:18:30.80\00:18:33.95
and they began to stone him.
00:18:33.98\00:18:36.02
Meanwhile, the
witnesses laid their coats
00:18:36.05\00:18:38.28
at the feet of a
young man named Saul."
00:18:38.31\00:18:40.66
He won't touch a stone.
00:18:40.69\00:18:42.62
He set this whole thing up,
00:18:42.65\00:18:44.10
he's just there to
make sure it happens
00:18:44.13\00:18:46.00
and all the coats,
'cause you get sweaty
00:18:46.03\00:18:48.32
when you're trying to
stone somebody to death.
00:18:48.35\00:18:51.38
All the coats are
at the feet of a young,
00:18:51.41\00:18:54.22
did you see that, young man.
00:18:54.25\00:18:56.71
He's a young
adult, he's your age,
00:18:56.74\00:18:58.11
maybe late 20s,
Stephen is young.
00:18:58.14\00:19:03.42
Saul is standing there with
the coats heaped at his feet
00:19:03.45\00:19:06.47
and he's
watching them kill a man.
00:19:06.50\00:19:08.76
I've never seen
somebody kill a man,
00:19:08.79\00:19:10.58
but I only can imagine
00:19:10.61\00:19:12.67
that once you see
someone kill a human being,
00:19:12.70\00:19:16.79
you will never forget it
for the rest of your life.
00:19:16.82\00:19:23.19
The young adult is being
stoned while the other watches.
00:19:23.22\00:19:28.34
Who wins now,
Stephen? Who wins now?
00:19:28.37\00:19:34.85
And so Stephen, verse
60, "He falls to his knees."
00:19:34.88\00:19:41.49
I'll pick it up in verse 59,
"While they were stoning him,
00:19:41.52\00:19:43.40
Stephen prayed, 'Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit.'"
00:19:43.43\00:19:45.74
Saul is hearing
this whole testimony.
00:19:45.77\00:19:50.17
And when he fell to his
knees, here it is, verse 60,
00:19:50.20\00:19:51.95
"Then he fell to his
knees and he cried out,
00:19:51.98\00:19:53.17
'Lord, do not hold
this sin against them.'
00:19:53.20\00:19:55.86
And when he had said
this, he fell asleep."
00:19:55.89\00:19:58.85
By the way just take
note that in the Bible
00:19:58.88\00:20:00.93
when you die, you
don't go to heaven,
00:20:00.96\00:20:02.82
you don't go to
hell, you go to sleep,
00:20:02.85\00:20:04.88
this is the Bible
truth, you go to sleep.
00:20:04.91\00:20:07.68
He fell asleep.
But that's not over.
00:20:07.71\00:20:10.04
And Saul approved
of their killing him.
00:20:10.07\00:20:14.36
This has been a
setup from the beginning.
00:20:14.39\00:20:17.04
I got rid of him, blood on
the stones, the man's dead,
00:20:17.07\00:20:21.72
but something
happens in the heart
00:20:21.75\00:20:24.24
of one who represses the memory.
00:20:24.27\00:20:27.76
And the only way to
deal with a repressed memory
00:20:27.79\00:20:31.41
is to in theory,
distract your own attention.
00:20:31.44\00:20:36.06
And that's
precisely what he does.
00:20:36.09\00:20:37.31
"And on that day,"
look at this, Acts 8:1,
00:20:37.34\00:20:39.80
"On that day a great
persecution broke out
00:20:39.83\00:20:41.61
against the church in Jerusalem,
00:20:41.64\00:20:42.89
and all except the
apostles were scattered
00:20:42.92\00:20:44.43
throughout Judea and Samaria."
00:20:44.46\00:20:45.49
Verse 2, "Godly
men buried Stephen
00:20:45.52\00:20:47.93
and mourned deeply for him.
00:20:47.96\00:20:49.06
But Saul still
driven by this memory,
00:20:49.09\00:20:52.06
Saul began to
destroy the church.
00:20:52.09\00:20:53.50
Going from house to house,
00:20:53.53\00:20:54.56
he dragged off both men and
women and put them in prison."
00:20:54.59\00:20:58.00
That's the
background, he's a young man.
00:20:58.03\00:21:00.10
Chapter 9 now, one of the
greatest stories in history.
00:21:00.13\00:21:03.21
He's a young man, not an
old man, he's a young man.
00:21:03.24\00:21:06.91
All right, back to Chapter 9:1,
00:21:06.94\00:21:08.98
"Meanwhile, Saul was
still breathing out,"
00:21:09.01\00:21:11.22
the Semitic mind
associates anger with breath,
00:21:11.25\00:21:15.41
and by the way,
that's absolutely true.
00:21:15.44\00:21:17.52
The next time you see
somebody angry in front of you,
00:21:17.55\00:21:20.29
you watch, their
nostrils will flare,
00:21:20.32\00:21:21.73
they'll begin to
breathe shallowly.
00:21:21.76\00:21:24.75
When you're mad, it
happens the same way to you.
00:21:24.78\00:21:28.03
That's just you can't help it,
00:21:28.06\00:21:29.40
it is a
psychosomatic reaction to anger.
00:21:29.43\00:21:33.18
A synthetic mind breathing
out means he's furious.
00:21:33.21\00:21:36.85
"Meanwhile, Saul
was still breathing out
00:21:36.88\00:21:38.12
murderous threats
against the Lord's disciples."
00:21:38.15\00:21:40.05
He's not content
with Stephen's blood,
00:21:40.08\00:21:41.61
he's not content
with Jerusalem's blood
00:21:41.64\00:21:42.94
and so, He went to the
high priest," in verse 2,
00:21:42.97\00:21:44.76
"He asked the
high priest for letters
00:21:44.79\00:21:46.42
to the synagogues in Damascus,
00:21:46.45\00:21:48.67
so that if he found anyone
there who belonged to the Way,"
00:21:48.70\00:21:51.38
that's what they were calling
00:21:51.41\00:21:52.44
this new
Christian movement, the Way.
00:21:52.47\00:21:53.82
Jesus said "I am the
way, the truth and the life."
00:21:53.85\00:21:56.35
So if he found
anybody in Damascus,
00:21:56.38\00:21:58.45
by the way, Damascus is
oldest existing city on earth,
00:21:58.48\00:22:02.15
continuously
existing, it still exists today,
00:22:02.18\00:22:04.53
oldest city on earth.
00:22:04.56\00:22:05.80
Now it's older than Cairo,
older than Jerusalem, Damascus.
00:22:05.83\00:22:09.03
He says just let
me go up to Damascus,
00:22:09.06\00:22:10.22
let me have papers
that allow me to arrest
00:22:10.25\00:22:11.97
anybody belonging to the
Way, whether men or women.
00:22:12.00\00:22:14.93
Desperation comes when
you go for women and children,
00:22:14.96\00:22:17.14
you're desperate and
that's what's happening here.
00:22:17.17\00:22:19.82
That "he might take them
as prisoners to Jerusalem."
00:22:19.85\00:22:21.54
Look at verse 3, "As he
neared Damascus on his journey,"
00:22:21.57\00:22:25.63
all right, the most famous
conversion story in history,
00:22:25.66\00:22:28.97
"as he neared
Damascus on his journey,
00:22:29.00\00:22:32.12
suddenly a light from
heaven flashed around him."
00:22:32.15\00:22:35.57
Have you ever seen those
old and black white pictures
00:22:35.60\00:22:37.36
of the A-bomb
Hiroshima or the testing done
00:22:37.39\00:22:41.21
out in the New
Mexico wilderness?
00:22:41.24\00:22:42.94
It's this just this...
00:22:42.97\00:22:44.38
It's this white light
and then the mushroom cloud.
00:22:44.41\00:22:48.93
It was a white light just...
00:22:48.96\00:22:52.11
and everybody in the passing,
everybody is flat on the ground.
00:22:52.14\00:22:58.61
"And he fell to
the ground," verse 4,
00:22:58.64\00:23:00.50
"And he heard a
voice say to him,
00:23:00.53\00:23:02.63
'Saul, Saul, Saul,
Saul, why do you persecute me?
00:23:02.66\00:23:10.63
Who are you, Lord?'"
00:23:10.66\00:23:13.39
By the way this is not, he's
not saying this is the Lord God.
00:23:13.42\00:23:15.95
It's just sir, who are you, Sir?
00:23:15.98\00:23:21.27
And the voice responds,
"I am Jesus, whom you,"
00:23:21.30\00:23:26.18
the Greek is
emphatic, "you are persecuting."
00:23:26.21\00:23:32.83
"Now," verse 6, "get up,"
the voice continues to speak.
00:23:32.86\00:23:35.73
"Get up and go into the city,
00:23:35.76\00:23:38.00
and you will be
told what you must do."
00:23:38.03\00:23:39.88
Goodbye, gone.
00:23:39.91\00:23:43.30
That's it. What happens?
00:23:43.33\00:23:47.40
"The men traveling with
Saul stood there speechless."
00:23:47.43\00:23:50.02
Saul later tells the story
00:23:50.05\00:23:51.21
and he says
everybody's flat on the ground.
00:23:51.24\00:23:52.40
So they have gotten up now,
00:23:52.43\00:23:53.76
they're up and
Saul, where is Saul?
00:23:53.79\00:23:58.48
The men traveling with
Saul stood there speechless,
00:23:58.51\00:24:00.68
they heard the
sound, they heard,
00:24:00.71\00:24:02.04
the Greek word is
actually the voice,
00:24:02.07\00:24:03.50
but they did not see anyone.
00:24:03.53\00:24:04.82
Verse 8, now the man for whom
00:24:04.85\00:24:07.53
this nuclear
flash has taken place
00:24:07.56\00:24:10.05
pushes himself
on that rocky road,
00:24:10.08\00:24:13.23
he pushes himself up,
finally stagers to his feet,
00:24:13.26\00:24:17.08
but when he opens his eyes,
00:24:17.11\00:24:20.07
but did he-- his
eyes could see nothing.
00:24:20.10\00:24:26.69
So they led him by the hand.
00:24:26.72\00:24:27.79
Obviously, they're
close to Damascus to do this.
00:24:27.82\00:24:29.61
They led him by
the hand into Damascus.
00:24:29.64\00:24:31.76
And verse 9, "For
three days he was blind,
00:24:31.79\00:24:33.92
and did not eat, he
did not drink anything."
00:24:33.95\00:24:36.67
Three tortured
days of pitch black,
00:24:36.70\00:24:40.72
nothing but my
thoughts, nothing but my mind.
00:24:40.75\00:24:45.07
And Stephen's last
prayer, God, forgive me.
00:24:45.10\00:24:51.68
Three days of that, tell
you what, you'd be ready,
00:24:51.71\00:24:56.74
you'd be ready for
anybody to visit you.
00:24:56.77\00:24:59.68
And sure enough
that's what happens here.
00:24:59.71\00:25:01.94
Verse 10, "In Damascus there
was a disciple named Ananias."
00:25:01.97\00:25:04.91
His name means the Lord is
gracious, yahweh is gracious"
00:25:04.94\00:25:07.90
And the Lord called to him
in a vision, 'Hey, Ananias'"
00:25:07.93\00:25:11.89
Saul he has to call it
twice to get his attention.
00:25:11.92\00:25:13.87
With Ananias it's
just one call, "Ananias."
00:25:13.90\00:25:15.88
Ananias recognizes
it's Jesus calling him.
00:25:15.91\00:25:19.44
But once you get used
to that voice of the Lord
00:25:19.47\00:25:21.60
in your heart,
you know, Ananias.
00:25:21.63\00:25:25.69
"Yes, Lord," he answered.
00:25:25.72\00:25:27.80
Verse 11, "The Lord told him,
00:25:27.83\00:25:29.77
'Go to the house of
Judas on Straight Street
00:25:29.80\00:25:32.79
and ask for a man
from Tarsus named Saul.'"
00:25:32.82\00:25:35.85
Isn't it great,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:25:35.88\00:25:37.34
when God is after you,
when God is hot on your trail,
00:25:37.37\00:25:40.49
He already knows your
house address? Hallelujah.
00:25:40.52\00:25:46.05
He doesn't have to go
on Google and find you.
00:25:46.08\00:25:49.20
He has the address on
the tip of his tongue.
00:25:49.23\00:25:50.62
He says, go to that address.
00:25:50.65\00:25:52.34
By the way the Straight Street
is still in Damascus today.
00:25:52.37\00:25:56.73
You go to Straight
Street, you find Judas' house
00:25:56.76\00:25:59.81
and you ask for a man from
Tarsus named Saul, he's praying.
00:25:59.84\00:26:03.05
Oh, by the way, I need
to tell you this, Ananias
00:26:03.08\00:26:04.97
he's just had a
vision and in that--
00:26:05.00\00:26:06.61
God is very sweet and gracious.
00:26:06.64\00:26:09.27
He gives further instructions
by tangentially pointing it out.
00:26:09.30\00:26:13.02
Oh, by the way, he's
had a vision, Ananias,
00:26:13.05\00:26:14.71
and in the vision he
saw a man named Ananias come
00:26:14.74\00:26:16.69
and place his hands on
him to restore his sight.
00:26:16.72\00:26:18.64
Timeout, timeout, are you
talking about this Ananias?
00:26:18.67\00:26:23.29
Are you talking about this
Ananias from Damascus? I am.
00:26:23.32\00:26:29.07
But then you're not
talking about the Saul,
00:26:29.10\00:26:30.75
maybe Saul at
Bethlehem or Saul at Jerusalem,
00:26:30.78\00:26:32.83
but you're not talking about
Saul at Tarsus, are you? I am.
00:26:32.86\00:26:37.73
Verse 13, "Lord, I have heard
many reports about this man
00:26:37.76\00:26:40.56
and all the harm he's done
to your people in Jerusalem.
00:26:40.59\00:26:42.91
And word on the
street is he's come here
00:26:42.94\00:26:44.35
with the authority
from the chief priests
00:26:44.38\00:26:45.76
to arrest all who
call on your name."
00:26:45.79\00:26:47.65
You can't be serious? I am, go.
00:26:47.68\00:26:52.62
I tell you what,
when you get the go,
00:26:52.65\00:26:54.82
when you finally get to
go, there's only one choice
00:26:54.85\00:26:57.70
if you're a disciple
of the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:26:57.73\00:26:59.47
you got to go,
you got to go. "Go!
00:26:59.50\00:27:04.27
This man is a chosen instrument
00:27:04.30\00:27:05.57
to proclaim my
nam to the Gentiles
00:27:05.60\00:27:07.47
and their kings and
to the people of Israel.
00:27:07.50\00:27:09.21
I will show him how much
he must suffer for my name."
00:27:09.24\00:27:11.93
Goodbye, gone.
"Then Ananias went."
00:27:11.96\00:27:19.68
There it is, he
went to the house.
00:27:19.71\00:27:22.86
I want to tell you something,
00:27:22.89\00:27:23.92
what do you suppose his
pulse rate is right now?
00:27:23.95\00:27:27.83
He knows this is the
killer, the young adult killer.
00:27:27.86\00:27:32.19
Don't you suppose he's about
120 beats a minute, maybe 140?
00:27:32.22\00:27:39.25
He finds that
address and goes inside.
00:27:39.28\00:27:40.99
He said, do you
have Saul of Tarsus here?
00:27:41.02\00:27:42.55
Hey, how do you
know? I need to see him.
00:27:42.58\00:27:47.70
He walks into the room, there's
a blind man sitting there.
00:27:47.73\00:27:49.83
A man is blind, he can't move,
he's in that chair sitting.
00:27:49.86\00:27:55.24
And Ananias comes
walking up to him,
00:27:55.27\00:27:57.34
isn't this beautiful,
placing his hands on Saul.
00:27:57.37\00:28:00.63
Look at this, Jesus said
you're safe, you're safe.
00:28:00.66\00:28:03.84
And he put his hands, he put
his hands down on the killer.
00:28:03.87\00:28:09.01
"Placing his hands on
Saul, he said, 'Brother Saul.'"
00:28:09.04\00:28:12.17
Ananias becomes Saul's
first post conversion friend.
00:28:12.20\00:28:17.03
And he called him a
brother, isn't that great?
00:28:17.06\00:28:19.39
Called him a brother.
He didn't say, hey, you!
00:28:19.42\00:28:22.09
He said, Brother Saul.
00:28:22.12\00:28:24.51
"Brother, the Lord
Jesus who appeared to you
00:28:24.54\00:28:27.11
on the road as
you were coming here,
00:28:27.14\00:28:28.55
the Lord has sent me
so that you may see again
00:28:28.58\00:28:31.64
and be filled
with the Holy Spirit."
00:28:31.67\00:28:33.63
And in that
instance, something like scales
00:28:33.66\00:28:35.74
white flaky substance
trickling down Saul's cheeks
00:28:35.77\00:28:39.27
out of his eyes
and he could see again
00:28:39.30\00:28:41.72
and he got up and the
first thing he did was
00:28:41.75\00:28:43.91
I got to get baptized,
I'm not wasting a minute.
00:28:43.94\00:28:47.90
I don't need food, get me saved.
00:28:47.93\00:28:50.14
That's how important baptism is.
00:28:50.17\00:28:55.83
You can go without your food,
00:28:55.86\00:28:57.52
but you can't go without
being baptized by the water.
00:28:57.55\00:29:01.21
You haven't been baptized
by the water, my friend,
00:29:01.24\00:29:03.01
you got a huge chapter
in your life coming up.
00:29:03.04\00:29:05.51
Don't put it off.
00:29:05.54\00:29:09.07
The greatest Christian in
the history of Christianity,
00:29:09.10\00:29:12.40
his first response is get
me to water and baptize me.
00:29:12.43\00:29:16.61
And Ananias baptizing
just as you saw it here
00:29:16.64\00:29:19.48
in the water, down
under and back out again.
00:29:19.51\00:29:25.02
And after taking
some food, verse 19,
00:29:25.05\00:29:26.65
after his baptism, he
regained his strength.
00:29:26.68\00:29:28.25
And I love this
'cause here's the after.
00:29:28.28\00:29:30.68
"Saul spent several days
with the disciples in Damascus."
00:29:30.71\00:29:32.92
Can you imagine
people walking in the room
00:29:32.95\00:29:34.20
and saying, you
ripped him? No, I am, I am.
00:29:34.23\00:29:39.03
And at once Saul,
look at this verse 20,
00:29:39.06\00:29:40.96
he began to
preach in the synagogues
00:29:40.99\00:29:42.64
that Jesus is the Son of God.
00:29:42.67\00:29:43.93
The only place
in the book of Acts
00:29:43.96\00:29:44.99
you'll find that
phrase "Son of God,"
00:29:45.02\00:29:46.50
because it's so
critical here that this Jew,
00:29:46.53\00:29:50.00
this rabbi is now declaring
that Christ is the Son of God.
00:29:50.03\00:29:56.69
I heard Stephen say he saw Him.
00:29:56.72\00:29:59.42
I met Him on the
road, He is the Messiah.
00:29:59.45\00:30:04.11
All those who heard, verse 21,
00:30:04.14\00:30:06.27
they are
astonished and they asked,
00:30:06.30\00:30:07.55
"hey, isn't he the man
who raised havoc in Jerusalem
00:30:07.58\00:30:10.39
among those who
call on His name?
00:30:10.42\00:30:11.49
And hasn't he come here
00:30:11.52\00:30:12.55
to take us prisoners
to the chief priests?
00:30:12.58\00:30:14.33
Yet Saul grew more
and more powerful."
00:30:14.36\00:30:16.49
I'm telling you
the moment you accept
00:30:16.52\00:30:18.02
the Lord Jesus
Christ as your Savior
00:30:18.05\00:30:19.81
and you begin to
testify in His name,
00:30:19.84\00:30:22.01
you'll become more
powerful and more powerful.
00:30:22.04\00:30:24.87
But if you say, well,
I'm not quite ready yet,
00:30:24.90\00:30:26.83
you won't get an ounce of power.
00:30:26.86\00:30:28.50
The power comes in the act
of witnessing, not prior to it.
00:30:28.53\00:30:33.22
The more you witness, the
more power will be unleashed.
00:30:33.25\00:30:35.85
The more you talk, the
more Holy Spirit takes charge.
00:30:35.88\00:30:39.57
That's what's happening to Saul.
00:30:39.60\00:30:41.22
And he became
more and more powerful.
00:30:41.25\00:30:43.80
He baffled the
Jews living in Damascus
00:30:43.83\00:30:45.86
by proving that
Jesus is the Messiah.
00:30:45.89\00:30:49.08
There it is,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:30:49.11\00:30:50.16
the Damascus road conversion
story of Saul who became Paul.
00:30:50.19\00:30:54.93
And by the way, Damascus road
now has become global metaphor.
00:30:54.96\00:30:57.43
You don't even have to be
00:30:57.46\00:30:58.49
a believer in
the Lord Jesus Christ
00:30:58.52\00:30:59.70
and you can say, you know,
00:30:59.73\00:31:00.76
I had a Damascus road experience
00:31:00.79\00:31:02.54
and everybody knows
you're talking about
00:31:02.57\00:31:04.08
a radical
about-face in your thinking.
00:31:04.11\00:31:07.03
Everybody knows Damascus road,
00:31:07.06\00:31:08.45
now thanks to
Saul who became Paul.
00:31:08.48\00:31:14.54
And out of that
crisis, one blinding instant
00:31:14.57\00:31:18.92
and 72 hours of pitch darkness,
00:31:18.95\00:31:22.16
out of that
crisis, the most dramatic
00:31:22.19\00:31:24.72
about-face in the history
of the church took place.
00:31:24.75\00:31:28.19
An arch enemy of Christ
is transformed in 72 hours
00:31:28.22\00:31:35.05
into the most
passionate and devoted follower
00:31:35.08\00:31:37.11
Jesus has ever had on earth.
00:31:37.14\00:31:40.38
You may equal Saul, you
will never surpass Saul.
00:31:40.41\00:31:45.84
Young adult, young man Saul.
00:31:45.87\00:31:50.68
Proof enough by the way
that when you meet Jesus,
00:31:50.71\00:31:53.72
when you really,
truly, personally meet Jesus,
00:31:53.75\00:31:58.35
you'll never be the same
again, never, never, never,
00:31:58.38\00:32:01.24
never be the same again.
00:32:01.27\00:32:03.32
And once you've met
Jesus, oh, boy, you got to talk,
00:32:03.35\00:32:06.90
you have to tell the story,
you can't keep it to yourself.
00:32:06.93\00:32:12.93
Watch Paul, now
what I'm gonna do,
00:32:12.96\00:32:16.77
obviously, Paul has shared
his testimony hundreds of times
00:32:16.80\00:32:19.71
in the course of the history
00:32:19.74\00:32:20.82
of these 20 years
in the book of Acts.
00:32:20.85\00:32:23.52
Obviously, Dr. Luke goes
and records it three times,
00:32:23.55\00:32:28.14
rather repetitious,
but he's trying to tell us,
00:32:28.17\00:32:29.91
look, this is important,
you got to tell your story.
00:32:29.94\00:32:31.53
So we've got the
story three times.
00:32:31.56\00:32:33.68
I'm gonna go to those
three stories right now with you
00:32:33.71\00:32:35.47
and I want to show you there
tucked away in those stories
00:32:35.50\00:32:37.92
are some very simple
instructions that will enable
00:32:37.95\00:32:40.89
you to tell your
story just as powerfully,
00:32:40.92\00:32:43.38
just as effectively
as Saul did, all right?
00:32:43.41\00:32:46.04
So get your study guide out.
00:32:46.07\00:32:47.12
You got your study
guide, pull it out.
00:32:47.15\00:32:48.47
Actually let's make
sure that everybody here
00:32:48.50\00:32:50.31
gets these simple instructions
on how to tell your own story.
00:32:50.34\00:32:54.84
Hold your hand up if you
don't have a study guide.
00:32:54.87\00:32:56.72
Ushers, all the way up
to the back of the balcony,
00:32:56.75\00:32:58.58
in the overflow
room, hold your hand up.
00:32:58.61\00:33:00.75
And those of you
watching on television,
00:33:00.78\00:33:02.15
we're delighted to have you.
00:33:02.18\00:33:03.21
Let me put our
website on the screen for you
00:33:03.24\00:33:04.82
and you can find
the same study guide.
00:33:04.85\00:33:06.98
There it is, www.pmchurch.tv
00:33:07.01\00:33:10.41
Go to that website,
00:33:10.44\00:33:11.47
you're looking for
the series Primetime.
00:33:11.50\00:33:13.60
This is part five of Primetime.
00:33:13.63\00:33:15.85
You're looking for the teaching
00:33:15.88\00:33:16.93
entitled, turning
your story into His-story,
00:33:16.96\00:33:20.67
which of course,
is the word history.
00:33:20.70\00:33:22.35
History is His-story,
two words put in the one,
00:33:22.38\00:33:24.88
turning your
story into His-story.
00:33:24.91\00:33:28.57
And when you click on
study guide right there,
00:33:28.60\00:33:30.19
you'll have the
same one we have.
00:33:30.22\00:33:31.98
All right, now get
your study guide out,
00:33:32.01\00:33:33.65
we're not gonna
write in it, just yet.
00:33:33.68\00:33:35.25
I'm gonna do this very quickly,
00:33:35.28\00:33:36.96
so have your pen ready to go.
00:33:36.99\00:33:38.87
Let's do these in three stories.
00:33:38.90\00:33:39.93
These are three times
Paul shares his testimony.
00:33:39.96\00:33:42.04
My story, number one,
00:33:42.07\00:33:44.05
you know what
they said about Paul?
00:33:44.08\00:33:45.76
I love this,
you know, they said,
00:33:45.79\00:33:48.07
whenever Paul showed up in town,
00:33:48.10\00:33:50.06
there was either
a revival or a riot.
00:33:50.09\00:33:53.65
And that's a gospel truth.
00:33:53.68\00:33:55.15
I'm telling you
wherever this guy goes,
00:33:55.18\00:33:56.83
he's so
radically devoted to Christ
00:33:56.86\00:33:58.91
that they're either gonna
have a big revival in the church
00:33:58.94\00:34:00.80
or there's gonna be
a riot in that city.
00:34:00.83\00:34:02.63
This story is about the
riot. There is a huge riot.
00:34:02.66\00:34:06.36
I want you to go to Chapter 21.
00:34:06.39\00:34:08.40
Chapter 21, my story number one,
00:34:08.43\00:34:11.29
'cause there's a
truth tucked away.
00:34:11.32\00:34:13.37
You learn this truth, you
know how to tell your own story.
00:34:13.40\00:34:15.87
Keep this little
study guide with you
00:34:15.90\00:34:17.82
and eventually you'll
have your own story written up.
00:34:17.85\00:34:19.46
Okay, we're going
to Acts Chapter 21.
00:34:19.49\00:34:21.76
Now he's come back from
his third missionary tour.
00:34:21.79\00:34:26.10
I mean, he's been all
over the Mediterranean,
00:34:26.13\00:34:27.68
particularly Asia Minor.
00:34:27.71\00:34:29.85
He's come back, he's brought
some Gentile converts with him,
00:34:29.88\00:34:35.24
they become
believers in the most High God.
00:34:35.27\00:34:38.98
He's gone to the temple.
00:34:39.01\00:34:42.07
You got to understand this
about the temple in Jerusalem.
00:34:42.10\00:34:43.99
There's an outer
court for Gentiles,
00:34:44.02\00:34:46.69
then there's a court for women,
00:34:46.72\00:34:48.57
then there's a court for men.
00:34:48.60\00:34:50.99
Some Jews from Asia
Minor see Saul, now Paul,
00:34:51.02\00:34:56.49
they recognize him,
their nemesis and he's here.
00:34:56.52\00:34:59.95
They saw him a moment ago
00:34:59.98\00:35:01.68
out on the street
with a Gentile convert,
00:35:01.71\00:35:04.92
they assume he's
taking that Gentile convert
00:35:04.95\00:35:07.65
all the way in to the
sacred court of the men
00:35:07.68\00:35:11.38
and they explode,
they may be trumped up,
00:35:11.41\00:35:14.35
I have no idea, but
they explode and they say,
00:35:14.38\00:35:16.63
"men and brothers, did you
see what this guy has just done?
00:35:16.66\00:35:21.69
He's desecrated our temple."
00:35:21.72\00:35:24.37
And, boy, just like
that there is a riot.
00:35:24.40\00:35:27.47
All right, take it up here in--
00:35:27.50\00:35:29.93
they are tearing
Paul to pieces by the way,
00:35:29.96\00:35:32.82
they're tearing him
when the Roman centurion
00:35:32.85\00:35:35.36
and his guard,
they come racing in
00:35:35.39\00:35:36.65
to deliver whoever it
is, he has no idea who it is.
00:35:36.68\00:35:38.73
He thinks it's an
Egyptian, it's not.
00:35:38.76\00:35:40.59
Turns out he's a
Roman citizen, Paul,
00:35:40.62\00:35:42.02
as he was speaking the
language of the centurion
00:35:42.05\00:35:43.60
and as they are
taking him up in chains,
00:35:43.63\00:35:44.82
up the stairs to the barracks,
Paul says to the centurion,
00:35:44.85\00:35:47.33
"do you mind if I say
a word to this crowd?"
00:35:47.36\00:35:50.29
And when he heard him
speak in his own tongue,
00:35:50.32\00:35:52.81
"sir, I didn't know you
could"-- "Can I say a word?"
00:35:52.84\00:35:55.78
Said, "you may."
00:35:55.81\00:35:56.88
So Paul turns around
halfway up to the barracks
00:35:56.91\00:35:59.21
and he addresses the
rabble, they are furious.
00:35:59.24\00:36:02.69
And now here's where
we pick it up, verse 40,
00:36:02.72\00:36:06.02
"Having received the
commander's permission"
00:36:06.05\00:36:07.73
all right, here we go,
00:36:07.76\00:36:08.79
"Paul stood on the steps
and he motioned to the crowd.
00:36:08.82\00:36:11.52
When they were all silent,"
you can just see it happening.
00:36:11.55\00:36:13.76
"He said to them in
Aramaic" that's their tongue,
00:36:13.79\00:36:16.50
"He said to them in
Aramaic, 'Brothers and fathers,
00:36:16.53\00:36:18.31
listen now to my defense.'"
00:36:18.34\00:36:20.38
And when they heard him
speaking to them in Aramaic,
00:36:20.41\00:36:23.15
they became shh, shh.
00:36:23.18\00:36:27.27
Then Paul said, "I am a
Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia,
00:36:27.30\00:36:31.84
but brought up in this city.
00:36:31.87\00:36:33.19
I studied under the
great Rabbi Gamaliel.
00:36:33.22\00:36:35.23
I was thoroughly trained
in the law of our ancestors.
00:36:35.26\00:36:37.50
I was just as zealous for
God as any of you are today."
00:36:37.53\00:36:40.13
And boom, here
goes his testimony.
00:36:40.16\00:36:42.37
We're not even gonna read
it, because it's a repetition
00:36:42.40\00:36:43.95
of what we've
already just read in Acts 9.
00:36:43.98\00:36:45.72
But you know what
he does, he tells them,
00:36:45.75\00:36:46.78
here's my life
before I met Jesus,
00:36:46.81\00:36:48.96
here's how I met Jesus
and now here is my life today.
00:36:48.99\00:36:52.40
He is going just fine
00:36:52.43\00:36:54.20
until he makes the mistake
of using the word Gentile.
00:36:54.23\00:36:56.66
And the moment he says Gentile,
00:36:56.69\00:36:59.29
the place, they read
the riot act all over again
00:36:59.32\00:37:02.35
and the guards whisk him away.
00:37:02.38\00:37:04.57
This guy is
lethal whoever it is.
00:37:04.60\00:37:08.01
All right, my story number one,
00:37:08.04\00:37:09.24
write it down, here we
go, my story number one,
00:37:09.27\00:37:11.26
what do I learn from
this? Keep it simple.
00:37:11.29\00:37:13.16
Write it down, keep it
simple, very simple story.
00:37:13.19\00:37:15.77
I'm gonna tell
you where I was born,
00:37:15.80\00:37:16.83
I'm gonna tell
you where I grew up,
00:37:16.86\00:37:17.89
I'm gonna tell
you how I met Jesus
00:37:17.92\00:37:19.05
and now here's what's happening.
00:37:19.08\00:37:20.28
Very simple, keep it
simple. Keep your pen moving.
00:37:20.31\00:37:23.44
Let your story be a
simple timeline that includes
00:37:23.47\00:37:26.18
"my life before I met
Jesus, how I met Jesus,
00:37:26.21\00:37:30.23
my life after meeting Jesus."
00:37:30.26\00:37:32.30
Listen, folks,
there's nothing erudite,
00:37:32.33\00:37:34.11
there's nothing fancy or
complicated, highfalutin.
00:37:34.14\00:37:37.09
No, no, no, you already
have these three components.
00:37:37.12\00:37:39.72
What your life was before Jesus,
00:37:39.75\00:37:41.39
how you met Jesus and
now your life after Jesus,
00:37:41.42\00:37:44.78
after walking with Jesus.
00:37:44.81\00:37:48.59
Weave them together
and you have your story
00:37:48.62\00:37:50.02
and you can turn
your story into His story.
00:37:50.05\00:37:51.69
You can turn your
story into His story
00:37:51.72\00:37:53.19
doing it just like Paul.
00:37:53.22\00:37:54.25
All right,
that's story number one.
00:37:54.28\00:37:55.31
Keep it simple. Here
goes story number two.
00:37:55.34\00:37:57.71
The very next
day-- I love this story.
00:37:57.74\00:38:00.15
This is in
Chapter 22, so the guard--
00:38:00.18\00:38:02.47
so the centurion says, "okay,
listen, I got to figure out,
00:38:02.50\00:38:05.13
what are the religious
charges against this holy man?
00:38:05.16\00:38:09.25
I'm gonna convene the Sanhedrin
and I'll take Paul down there
00:38:09.28\00:38:12.98
and they can cross-examine him."
00:38:13.01\00:38:14.11
So Paul is taken in
chains to the Sanhedrin.
00:38:14.14\00:38:17.16
Now these are his colleagues,
00:38:17.19\00:38:18.60
Paul was a
member of the Sanhedrin
00:38:18.63\00:38:21.68
before he became a Christian.
00:38:21.71\00:38:23.19
These are his colleagues,
00:38:23.22\00:38:24.25
he knows them all,
they know who he is.
00:38:24.28\00:38:25.65
Don't play dumb with
me, you know who I am.
00:38:25.68\00:38:29.15
But he knows he's not
gonna get a hearing here.
00:38:29.18\00:38:32.01
They'll nail him,
they will kill him.
00:38:32.04\00:38:34.54
And he's worried for his
life and I would be, too.
00:38:34.57\00:38:37.11
And so Paul does a mastiff,
a brilliant piece of strategy.
00:38:37.14\00:38:41.11
He takes his life story and
reduces it to a single sentence.
00:38:41.14\00:38:45.01
He says let's try
this because you see,
00:38:45.04\00:38:46.73
there are two groups here.
00:38:46.76\00:38:47.80
They're the Sadducees,
these are the liberals,
00:38:47.83\00:38:49.90
no resurrection,
no angels, no nothing.
00:38:49.93\00:38:51.83
Then over here,
all the Pharisees.
00:38:51.86\00:38:53.13
Paul is a
Pharisee, all the Pharisees,
00:38:53.16\00:38:54.95
yes, there are angels,
yes, there is a resurrection.
00:38:54.98\00:38:57.16
And Paul realized I've
got to split this court
00:38:57.19\00:38:59.32
and split it fast.
00:38:59.35\00:39:00.76
And so he stands before them
with his chains on his wrist
00:39:00.79\00:39:03.17
and he said, "men and brethren,
00:39:03.20\00:39:04.61
I'm here to tell
you that I'm on trial
00:39:04.64\00:39:06.32
because I'm a
Pharisee of the Pharisees
00:39:06.35\00:39:08.97
and I believe in
the resurrection."
00:39:09.00\00:39:10.68
And just like that everybody who
had been prepared to lynch him,
00:39:10.71\00:39:14.84
half of the group
said, "hey, timeout,
00:39:14.87\00:39:16.76
hey, hey, this
guy is one of us."
00:39:16.79\00:39:20.19
And there is a
roaring controversy now
00:39:20.22\00:39:24.31
because everybody's
stepping off the plane saying
00:39:24.34\00:39:25.64
you know what, please this guy,
there's nothing wrong with him.
00:39:25.67\00:39:27.75
What's the problem?
Why is he arrested anyway?
00:39:27.78\00:39:30.68
The Sadducees want him,
but Paul split the court.
00:39:30.71\00:39:33.40
In fact, it's so bad,
you drop down here to 23:10,
00:39:33.43\00:39:40.97
Acts 23:10, "The
dispute became so violent
00:39:41.00\00:39:43.65
that the commander was afraid
Paul would be torn into pieces."
00:39:43.68\00:39:46.06
The Sadducees want him
and the Pharisees want him.
00:39:46.09\00:39:49.11
So he sends the
troops in, he's out.
00:39:49.14\00:39:51.00
Okay, there's my
story number two,
00:39:51.03\00:39:52.63
that's it, one line, one line,
write it down, keep it short.
00:39:52.66\00:39:56.63
My story number
two, keep it short.
00:39:56.66\00:39:58.37
What do I get from
this story? Keep it short.
00:39:58.40\00:39:59.70
First one, keep
it simple, simple.
00:39:59.73\00:40:01.34
Number two, keep it short.
00:40:01.37\00:40:04.34
Keep your pen moving,
00:40:04.37\00:40:06.48
to defend your faith
by telling your story.
00:40:06.51\00:40:09.24
Come on, you don't
need a long testimony.
00:40:09.27\00:40:10.99
In fact, jot this down,
00:40:11.02\00:40:12.05
some suggest that you can
do it in less than 100 words.
00:40:12.08\00:40:16.50
Keep it short, my
story number three,
00:40:16.53\00:40:21.06
only three of
these, here's number three.
00:40:21.09\00:40:23.48
Paul can no longer be entrusted
to the temple hierarchy.
00:40:23.51\00:40:27.35
It's clear
they're gonna kill him.
00:40:27.38\00:40:29.26
Paul realizes he has no
hope with appealing to the Jews
00:40:29.29\00:40:32.15
and so Paul is taken up to
Caesarea by the Roman guard,
00:40:32.18\00:40:36.91
kept in a prison in Caesarea
which is still in Palestine.
00:40:36.94\00:40:40.51
And finally Paul
says the only way
00:40:40.54\00:40:42.05
I'm gonna get out of here
alive is if I appeal to Caesar.
00:40:42.08\00:40:45.28
And so he says, "I exercise
my rights as a Roman citizen,
00:40:45.31\00:40:48.08
I appeal to Caesar, please."
00:40:48.11\00:40:51.32
To Caesar you've
appealed, to Caesar you'll go.
00:40:51.35\00:40:53.70
A Roman gets that, get it,
00:40:53.73\00:40:55.35
just a
privilege and prerogative.
00:40:55.38\00:40:58.42
But Festus, the Roman governor
00:40:58.45\00:40:59.74
doesn't know what
to do with this guy.
00:40:59.77\00:41:01.29
I mean the religious
hierarchy wants him executed.
00:41:01.32\00:41:03.58
I can't find
anything wrong with him.
00:41:03.61\00:41:05.07
Ah, I have your
highness King Herod Agrippa II,
00:41:05.10\00:41:10.44
I'm gonna have the king come.
00:41:10.47\00:41:11.68
And so he invites the
king, great pomp and ceremony.
00:41:11.71\00:41:14.59
He invites the king
with his wife Bernice.
00:41:14.62\00:41:17.11
You see Agrippa, this is a
brilliant move on Festus' part.
00:41:17.14\00:41:19.62
Agrippa is the great
grandson of Herod the Great,
00:41:19.65\00:41:22.97
through the Jewish
wife of Herod the Great.
00:41:23.00\00:41:25.98
So there is a little bit of
Jewish blood in Herod Agrippa.
00:41:26.01\00:41:31.06
This is perfect,
but Herod Agrippa
00:41:31.09\00:41:32.49
is strictly loyal only to Rome.
00:41:32.52\00:41:34.59
So he has a man who
can represent both sides.
00:41:34.62\00:41:36.81
Now listen, oh, King,
you listen carefully now,
00:41:36.84\00:41:39.03
I'm gonna have this man talk.
00:41:39.06\00:41:40.27
Give me something to
put in the legal document
00:41:40.30\00:41:42.31
that sends him to Caesar.
00:41:42.34\00:41:43.48
I've got to have something.
King says bring him in.
00:41:43.51\00:41:45.75
And they bring him
in, where is this, 26,
00:41:45.78\00:41:48.13
they bring him in, Acts
26:1, then Agrippa said to Paul,
00:41:48.16\00:41:51.47
"okay, you go,
00:41:51.50\00:41:53.74
you have permission
now to speak for yourself."
00:41:53.77\00:41:55.38
And you know what
Paul does? Brilliant.
00:41:55.41\00:41:58.95
He adjusts his
testimony to fit his audience.
00:41:58.98\00:42:01.41
Watch, what he does.
00:42:01.44\00:42:02.83
When he's talking to the
Jews on the barrack stairs,
00:42:02.86\00:42:05.49
no mention, no
mention of Gentile
00:42:05.52\00:42:07.90
until he slipped
right at the end.
00:42:07.93\00:42:10.12
Why? Because that
will only inflame them.
00:42:10.15\00:42:12.36
When he's talking to the
Jews, he mentions Ananias,
00:42:12.39\00:42:14.50
a holy and devout
Jew living in Damascus,
00:42:14.53\00:42:17.06
but when he's in
front of Gentiles,
00:42:17.09\00:42:19.11
a room of Gentiles
now no mention of Ananias,
00:42:19.14\00:42:23.48
no mention of Ananias.
00:42:23.51\00:42:25.17
And instead, he weaves
into the Damascus road movement
00:42:25.20\00:42:28.08
Jesus saying, I'm the road,
I'm sending you to the Gentiles.
00:42:28.11\00:42:31.35
Why has he changed his story?
00:42:31.38\00:42:33.23
It's true, but he's changed
it to adapt to his audience
00:42:33.26\00:42:37.20
and he wants the
Gentiles, he wants their souls
00:42:37.23\00:42:40.21
and so he says I'll
talk to you about Gentiles.
00:42:40.24\00:42:42.42
God cares about Gentiles.
00:42:42.45\00:42:45.16
See, it's
brilliant. What did he do?
00:42:45.19\00:42:49.92
Here's the third
point, my story number three,
00:42:49.95\00:42:51.41
write it down, keep it suitable.
00:42:51.44\00:42:54.40
You know how you put a suit
on when you go to one place,
00:42:54.43\00:42:56.29
then you get another suit of
clothes, you go somewhere else,
00:42:56.32\00:42:57.89
put on another suit of clothes
when you go somewhere else?
00:42:57.92\00:42:59.91
That's what it
means to be suitable,
00:42:59.94\00:43:01.17
you've got to fit the
occasion, keep it suitable.
00:43:01.20\00:43:04.62
If you're sharing your
testimony with a roommate down
00:43:04.65\00:43:07.06
or a friend down
the hall in the dorm,
00:43:07.09\00:43:11.00
you're gonna put
this suit of clothes on.
00:43:11.03\00:43:13.29
If you are in an airplane
00:43:13.32\00:43:14.35
and you're sitting
beside a Fortune 500 executive,
00:43:14.38\00:43:16.97
you're gonna put
this suit of clothes on.
00:43:17.00\00:43:20.07
If you're writing an
email to somebody and said,
00:43:20.10\00:43:21.23
I need help. Can you help me?
00:43:21.26\00:43:22.90
And you're gonna tell
your story in that email,
00:43:22.93\00:43:24.28
you're gonna put the suit on
00:43:24.31\00:43:25.34
that's appropriate to the
person you are talking to.
00:43:25.37\00:43:27.35
Keep your testimony suitable.
00:43:27.38\00:43:29.70
You can change your clothes,
and the story is still the same.
00:43:29.73\00:43:31.96
That's what Paul does.
00:43:31.99\00:43:33.81
And when he's with the
Pharisees, I'm a Pharisee.
00:43:33.84\00:43:36.00
One line story
now. Keep it suitable.
00:43:36.03\00:43:39.61
Keep it simple, keep it
short, keep it suitable.
00:43:39.64\00:43:42.73
And finally how can
I do it? Here we go.
00:43:42.76\00:43:44.66
Bill Hybels, very helpful book,
00:43:44.69\00:43:46.96
"Just Walk Across The
Room," which by the way
00:43:46.99\00:43:48.54
they have on sale over here
00:43:48.57\00:43:49.61
at the ABC Christian book
store just across the street.
00:43:49.64\00:43:52.26
So you can go over there,
pick up the book, if you like.
00:43:52.29\00:43:56.08
Hybels shares some
very practical counsel
00:43:56.11\00:43:59.46
and how to write up your
own story and then share it.
00:43:59.49\00:44:01.63
I mean this guy
has listened to stories
00:44:01.66\00:44:03.86
because he's
been coaching people
00:44:03.89\00:44:04.92
how to be contagious
Christians for years.
00:44:04.95\00:44:06.82
He's heard hundreds of
these bumbling, stumbling
00:44:06.85\00:44:09.46
Christian testimonies and in
all candor he makes this point.
00:44:09.49\00:44:12.61
I got to put the
words on the screen for you,
00:44:12.64\00:44:13.83
he makes this point,
00:44:13.86\00:44:14.89
he said some of these
testimonies are so annoying,
00:44:14.92\00:44:17.59
exhausting and circuitist,
I have thought to myself,
00:44:17.62\00:44:20.48
and now here are his
words put on the screen,
00:44:20.51\00:44:22.12
I have thought to myself,
00:44:22.15\00:44:23.46
"If I were a
person living far from God
00:44:23.49\00:44:26.49
and had even a tinge of interest
00:44:26.52\00:44:28.26
in this thing
called Christianity,
00:44:28.29\00:44:30.04
after hearing your story,
00:44:30.07\00:44:31.45
I think I'd
recommit myself to paganism."
00:44:31.48\00:44:35.06
You didn't
dodge me into a thing.
00:44:35.09\00:44:36.56
I don't want whatever you've
got If that's your story...
00:44:36.59\00:44:38.46
So Hybels says,
listen, let me help you,
00:44:40.85\00:44:42.63
let me give you four
critiques, four critiques.
00:44:42.66\00:44:45.54
He said this is the problem
I see in some testimonies.
00:44:45.57\00:44:47.13
Don't let this be your problem.
00:44:47.16\00:44:48.52
Criticism number
one, write it down,
00:44:48.55\00:44:49.99
criticism number one,
long-windedness. All right.
00:44:50.02\00:44:54.45
Our testimony, keep writing,
00:44:54.48\00:44:55.69
ought not to be no
longer than 3 minutes.
00:44:55.72\00:44:57.60
I've got mine down
to just about 100 words.
00:44:57.63\00:45:00.94
Pay attention to the
other person's body language.
00:45:00.97\00:45:03.55
Look at, if they're
looking all over the room,
00:45:03.58\00:45:04.98
if they're-- you know,
their arms are crossed,
00:45:05.01\00:45:07.04
that means
they're not listening.
00:45:07.07\00:45:08.41
Arms crossed, that
means I'm shut off to you now.
00:45:08.44\00:45:11.68
Watch the body sign.
00:45:11.71\00:45:12.81
You don't have to
finish the testimony.
00:45:12.84\00:45:14.14
It's not like you get a
little extra star in your crown
00:45:14.17\00:45:16.47
if you can get it
all the way through.
00:45:16.50\00:45:19.16
No, you're
supposed to be thoughtful.
00:45:19.19\00:45:21.62
You don't have to
share the rest of the story.
00:45:21.65\00:45:22.79
I'll tell you some other time.
00:45:22.82\00:45:24.40
Keep your story short
enough, jot this down,
00:45:24.43\00:45:25.68
to allow the other
person to ask questions.
00:45:25.71\00:45:27.72
Hey, tell me about that, I
mean, what really happened?
00:45:27.75\00:45:30.36
You can't tell
it all in 100 words,
00:45:30.39\00:45:31.96
but, you don't need to.
00:45:31.99\00:45:33.02
You want to whet Holy
Spirit, whet an appetite,
00:45:33.05\00:45:35.59
I want to know more.
00:45:35.62\00:45:36.74
Okay, criticism number
two, write it down, fuzziness.
00:45:36.77\00:45:39.52
Hybels says "the only
thing worse than a long story
00:45:39.55\00:45:41.62
is a long story
that is incoherent."
00:45:41.65\00:45:44.70
Man, where are you
going with this thing?
00:45:44.73\00:45:45.95
Where are you going
with this? I don't know.
00:45:45.98\00:45:50.75
"Keep your stories
simple," I like this counsel,
00:45:50.78\00:45:53.24
"containing one clear
plot line" write it down,
00:45:53.27\00:45:56.28
"one clear plot line
that appropriately conveys
00:45:56.31\00:45:58.78
the heartbeat of
your faith journey."
00:45:58.81\00:46:00.92
See there's a
keyword about your past,
00:46:00.95\00:46:03.29
there's a keyword
now that needs to explain
00:46:03.32\00:46:04.98
your life since meeting Jesus.
00:46:05.01\00:46:07.18
You'll figure it out,
I'll show you in just a minute.
00:46:07.21\00:46:09.45
Now criticism
number three, religioinese.
00:46:09.48\00:46:12.49
Hybels writes it takes
a lot of work to expunge
00:46:12.52\00:46:14.27
insider jargon from your
story, but it's worth it.
00:46:14.30\00:46:17.26
I was amazed, I wrote mine out,
00:46:17.29\00:46:18.61
I was amazed I'm
still talking to a Christian
00:46:18.64\00:46:20.41
that's what I'm doing,
00:46:20.44\00:46:21.47
make the story so that
it's heard by a non-Christian.
00:46:21.50\00:46:24.08
You can't say
to a non Christian,
00:46:24.11\00:46:25.25
listen, when
the Holy Spirit came
00:46:25.28\00:46:27.17
into my heart,
he set me on fire.
00:46:27.20\00:46:30.29
Like what? How they get it out?
00:46:30.32\00:46:34.94
You know, set me on
fire. What does that mean?
00:46:34.97\00:46:36.72
Means nothing to
secular person. Nothing.
00:46:36.75\00:46:40.23
You know, my life changed.
00:46:40.26\00:46:42.46
Well, then tell
me how it changed.
00:46:42.49\00:46:44.14
Then you tell me. All right.
00:46:44.17\00:46:46.14
Watch out for these religionese.
00:46:46.17\00:46:47.40
Okay, final criticism,
number four, superiority.
00:46:47.43\00:46:51.26
Hybels writes, "there
may be no quicker way to send
00:46:51.29\00:46:53.01
an unbeliever to the hills
than to play the piety card."
00:46:53.04\00:46:56.25
Since I've become
so good and so perfect
00:46:56.28\00:47:01.01
and I sure feel sorry for you,
but if you come to my Jesus,
00:47:01.04\00:47:05.91
you can become
the same way as me.
00:47:05.94\00:47:08.89
You get the
point, drop it, drop it.
00:47:08.92\00:47:12.69
Your superiority is your intent,
00:47:12.72\00:47:14.64
you'll never
reach anybody anyway,
00:47:14.67\00:47:16.55
'cause it isn't your
story that reaches up soul.
00:47:16.58\00:47:18.25
It's Jesus story
tucked away in your story,
00:47:18.28\00:47:20.64
that's the whole point.
00:47:20.67\00:47:22.19
All right, four
critiques, they're good,
00:47:22.22\00:47:24.05
hang on to that
little study guide.
00:47:24.08\00:47:25.64
Now to protect us from
these four common pitfalls,
00:47:25.67\00:47:27.97
you and I need to remember this.
00:47:28.00\00:47:29.89
Look at, Madison Avenue,
they're selling everything.
00:47:29.92\00:47:31.85
Boy, the economy is so bad,
00:47:31.88\00:47:33.09
they're just hoping you'll buy
anything at all for Christmas.
00:47:33.12\00:47:37.43
It's bad, but the
way Madison Avenue
00:47:37.46\00:47:39.61
has leant to sell effectively
is to do a before and after.
00:47:39.64\00:47:46.20
Have you ever
seen those diet loss,
00:47:46.23\00:47:48.09
those weight loss
diet advertisements?
00:47:48.12\00:47:50.98
Have you seen
those? They're crazy.
00:47:51.01\00:47:53.37
So I go on the internet, I say,
okay, I got to find a real one.
00:47:53.40\00:47:55.95
So I went on the internet and
I came to an internet article,
00:47:55.98\00:47:59.77
getting healthy the geeky way.
00:47:59.80\00:48:02.61
I said I'd be
interesting in that,
00:48:02.64\00:48:04.28
well, because
right there, sure enough,
00:48:04.31\00:48:07.07
look at this, before and after.
00:48:07.10\00:48:08.94
Whoa, I said I got
to try this method.
00:48:08.97\00:48:10.85
So here I was, this is
directly from the internet,
00:48:10.88\00:48:13.01
first, the before picture,
00:48:13.04\00:48:14.98
look at that,
isn't he a handsome dude?
00:48:15.01\00:48:16.23
Look at that, look at
that after look at that after.
00:48:16.26\00:48:21.21
I tell you what, can you
really go from there to there?
00:48:21.24\00:48:24.38
Are you serious? Is
it some kind of trick?
00:48:24.41\00:48:26.74
No, it's really is me. It is.
00:48:26.77\00:48:29.85
Man, I'm the before,
but here's the point,
00:48:29.88\00:48:32.45
ladies and
gentlemen, I'm the before,
00:48:32.48\00:48:34.23
I share your before and I want
to now experience your after.
00:48:34.26\00:48:39.97
In fact would you write
that down please, write it down.
00:48:40.00\00:48:41.96
"Because when you share the same
"before" with somebody else,
00:48:41.99\00:48:44.54
you are seeking
the same "after."
00:48:44.57\00:48:47.17
Nothing is more
persuasive than the testimony,
00:48:47.20\00:48:49.47
'it worked for me!'
00:48:49.50\00:48:53.25
Show me that before
and after picture again.
00:48:53.28\00:48:55.08
Oh, boy, it really did
work for you, didn't it?
00:48:55.11\00:48:58.15
I want the same
thing to happen to me.
00:48:58.18\00:49:00.29
Guys, that's how they
make billions of dollars.
00:49:00.32\00:49:04.22
Because we believe the
testimony before and after.
00:49:04.25\00:49:07.68
And when you're
telling the truth, God wins.
00:49:07.71\00:49:11.25
So here's what you got to do,
00:49:11.28\00:49:12.51
you got to know
what your before is.
00:49:12.54\00:49:14.23
I hope you haven't
been a Christian so long
00:49:14.26\00:49:16.16
that you can't
remember what your before was.
00:49:16.19\00:49:18.89
What was it,
fear? Or was it guilt?
00:49:18.92\00:49:22.40
Or was it self
destruction? Or was it ego?
00:49:22.43\00:49:26.68
There's somebody on this
planet that has your before
00:49:26.71\00:49:30.63
and who needs to hear
how you got to this after.
00:49:30.66\00:49:33.42
I mean, I looked
just like you before,
00:49:33.45\00:49:35.55
how do I get to this
after, you got to tell them.
00:49:35.58\00:49:38.53
You know what, I
was filled with fear
00:49:38.56\00:49:40.41
till I met Jesus
and when Jesus came,
00:49:40.44\00:49:43.66
when Jesus took over my life and
I began to trust myself to him,
00:49:43.69\00:49:46.24
you know what,
I got peace today.
00:49:46.27\00:49:49.02
Really? You can go
from fear to peace?
00:49:49.05\00:49:50.64
Yeah, look at
me, I'm living proof.
00:49:50.67\00:49:53.89
Before I met Jesus I'm
telling you I felt so guilty
00:49:53.92\00:49:56.89
I was practicing, I
was practicing a life
00:49:56.92\00:49:59.45
that I couldn't even
go to sleep at night.
00:49:59.48\00:50:01.52
I had to medicate
myself to get to sleep,
00:50:01.55\00:50:03.13
I felt so guilty
and then I met Jesus
00:50:03.16\00:50:05.57
and I found out that
you can get forgiveness
00:50:05.60\00:50:07.31
and you can be accepted
by the God of the universe
00:50:07.34\00:50:09.29
and he has brought me a
sense of accepting peace.
00:50:09.32\00:50:17.24
Let me tell you something,
I was a self destructive man.
00:50:17.27\00:50:18.93
You don't know all
the stuff I did before.
00:50:18.96\00:50:21.32
I was self destructive
and then I met Jesus,
00:50:21.35\00:50:23.71
He found me and
now my heart is growing
00:50:23.74\00:50:27.26
in healthily emotional ways
I could never dreamed possible.
00:50:27.29\00:50:31.44
I was egotistical before,
00:50:31.47\00:50:33.01
I was depending on
my own achievement,
00:50:33.04\00:50:34.80
I was certain that I could
get there by my accomplishments
00:50:34.83\00:50:37.84
and then I met Jesus
and I learned the truth.
00:50:37.87\00:50:40.26
You know what, you really,
00:50:40.29\00:50:43.21
you really need the
gift of humble service.
00:50:43.24\00:50:49.78
God's still working on
me, but I'm telling you what,
00:50:49.81\00:50:51.99
I'm finding that the life
with Jesus is so much better.
00:50:52.02\00:50:57.04
You see what it is, guys?
00:50:57.07\00:50:58.10
This is not rocket
science, it's what Paul did.
00:50:58.13\00:51:00.42
Before I was this, then I
met Jesus on the Damascus road
00:51:00.45\00:51:03.17
and now I'm this
and he adapted it to fit
00:51:03.20\00:51:05.96
the needs of whoever he
was sharing his story with.
00:51:05.99\00:51:09.10
Isn't that great?
00:51:09.13\00:51:10.16
Bill Hybels will end
with this, Bill Hybels,
00:51:10.19\00:51:12.38
look at that quotation,
he puts this distinctly,
00:51:12.41\00:51:15.46
"it's worth sharing your
heart and soul to firm up
00:51:15.49\00:51:17.80
the three-pronged
foundation of your story."
00:51:17.83\00:51:19.81
Here's a little review for you.
00:51:19.84\00:51:21.07
The key word or
concept that describes
00:51:21.10\00:51:23.21
who you were
before you met Christ.
00:51:23.24\00:51:25.12
I was filled with fear.
00:51:25.15\00:51:27.00
Then the fact that you came
to a relationship with Jesus.
00:51:27.03\00:51:30.68
But then Jesus found me.
00:51:30.71\00:51:32.21
I've begun a friendship
with him and now the key word
00:51:32.24\00:51:34.78
or concept that
describes who you are
00:51:34.81\00:51:36.34
after walking
with Christ for a time,
00:51:36.37\00:51:38.20
my fear has been
exchanged by peace.
00:51:38.23\00:51:41.44
I can't even explain it to you
00:51:41.47\00:51:42.63
but when I put my head
on the pillow at night,
00:51:42.66\00:51:44.71
I fall straight asleep.
00:51:44.74\00:51:47.27
Something has happened to me
00:51:47.30\00:51:48.98
and, my friend, it
can happen to you, too.
00:51:49.01\00:51:52.10
Same Jesus can do it for you.
00:51:52.13\00:51:53.94
You see the before and
after and let me tell you
00:51:53.97\00:51:56.18
the greatest before and
after in all of Christendom
00:51:56.21\00:51:59.05
is probably Paul but
here's the second greatest,
00:51:59.08\00:52:01.26
I once was lost
but now I'm found,
00:52:01.29\00:52:04.88
was blind but now I see.
00:52:04.91\00:52:09.07
That's before and
after, that's John Newton,
00:52:09.10\00:52:10.81
the slave trader who saidi,
my life before I met Jesus,
00:52:10.84\00:52:13.69
I was a mess, I was lost, blind,
00:52:13.72\00:52:18.67
but I met Christ and now
I can see 'cause I'm found.
00:52:18.70\00:52:23.62
That's it, ladies
and gentlemen, that's it.
00:52:23.65\00:52:26.68
This is not some kind
of you got to get a PhD
00:52:26.71\00:52:29.51
and how to give a
testimony installment.
00:52:29.54\00:52:33.08
No, all you need
is to have met Jesus.
00:52:33.11\00:52:37.96
If you haven't met Jesus,
00:52:37.99\00:52:40.33
then there is a new
story just waiting to get told.
00:52:40.36\00:52:43.44
If you haven't met Jesus,
00:52:43.47\00:52:45.47
oh, my, this may be
the best day of your life.
00:52:45.50\00:52:50.01
But before I get to
that, I'm praying this morning
00:52:50.04\00:52:54.20
in my little study back at home,
00:52:54.23\00:52:56.92
everything is
done, just thinking
00:52:56.95\00:52:59.78
and the Holy
Spirit said, hey, Dwight,
00:52:59.81\00:53:01.46
you forgot a key
verse. I said, you're right.
00:53:01.49\00:53:06.15
How could I miss that?
It's not in the study guide.
00:53:06.18\00:53:09.78
We got together with
out PowerPoint producer,
00:53:09.81\00:53:12.39
he produced it for me.
00:53:12.42\00:53:14.23
Here's the verse, I put
it on the screen for you.
00:53:14.26\00:53:16.22
Look at this, Revelation 12:11,
00:53:16.25\00:53:20.35
the generation
living at the end of time,
00:53:20.38\00:53:23.41
they young and the not so young,
00:53:23.44\00:53:25.27
triumphed over the
dragon by the blood of the Lamb
00:53:25.30\00:53:28.50
and most people stop
the verse right there.
00:53:28.53\00:53:30.36
Scribble this down in your
study guide, Revelation 12:11.
00:53:30.39\00:53:33.24
Most people stop
the verse right there,
00:53:33.27\00:53:35.07
but there's a
second half to that.
00:53:35.10\00:53:36.71
It's not only Calvary that wins.
00:53:36.74\00:53:38.62
Calvary can only
win when people see
00:53:38.65\00:53:40.85
a before and after
picture as a result of Calvary.
00:53:40.88\00:53:44.29
Calvary is not enough.
00:53:44.32\00:53:46.32
Calvary says I need
some human witnesses
00:53:46.35\00:53:49.96
in the defense
stand to tell the truth
00:53:49.99\00:53:53.31
about what I've
done in their lives.
00:53:53.34\00:53:55.75
They overcame the
dragon by the blood of the Lamb
00:53:55.78\00:53:57.79
and by the word
of their testimony.
00:53:57.82\00:54:00.80
If you don't have a testimony,
00:54:00.83\00:54:01.99
the Holy Spirit is
about to give you a testimony.
00:54:02.02\00:54:06.25
It's been a long time
since you've had a testimony?
00:54:06.28\00:54:08.51
I got some good news for you.
00:54:08.54\00:54:09.64
It doesn't matter
how long it's been.
00:54:09.67\00:54:11.86
You say, Dwight, I've
never told my story to anybody.
00:54:11.89\00:54:13.47
You know why I haven't
told my story to anybody?
00:54:13.50\00:54:15.01
Because I didn't have a
Damascus road experience.
00:54:15.04\00:54:16.88
I grew up in a happy home.
00:54:16.91\00:54:18.93
My parents never
divorced, I never took drugs,
00:54:18.96\00:54:21.67
you know, I've just been trying
to be faithful all my life.
00:54:21.70\00:54:24.32
I have no great story.
00:54:24.35\00:54:26.21
My dear friend, that is
the story that God needs
00:54:26.24\00:54:31.77
because there are
people out there just like you.
00:54:31.80\00:54:34.84
They didn't do
the whole nine yards,
00:54:34.87\00:54:37.42
they just haven't found Jesus.
00:54:37.45\00:54:38.60
They're living a great
life but something's missing,
00:54:38.63\00:54:41.36
and you can come
along and say, hey,
00:54:41.39\00:54:43.20
you don't have to do
drugs in order to find Jesus.
00:54:43.23\00:54:45.54
You don't have to
sleep with every woman
00:54:45.57\00:54:47.02
in the city in
order to find Jesus.
00:54:47.05\00:54:49.05
You can just have a
hunger in your heart realizing
00:54:49.08\00:54:51.17
like the rich young ruler that
when you go to bed at night,
00:54:51.20\00:54:53.65
something
doesn't feel quite right.
00:54:53.68\00:54:56.97
I'm telling you why
you don't feel quite right
00:54:57.00\00:54:58.46
because you
don't have Jesus yet.
00:54:58.49\00:54:59.74
I found Jesus. I
kind of grew into it.
00:54:59.77\00:55:03.68
But the closer I have come to
know him, the more I realized,
00:55:03.71\00:55:07.46
without Jesus
this world is shut.
00:55:07.49\00:55:10.11
I wish you would
the Jesus I've found.
00:55:10.14\00:55:12.77
See, how simple that is.
00:55:12.80\00:55:14.49
You don't need
some horrendous story,
00:55:14.52\00:55:17.80
you just need a story,
you just need to find Jesus.
00:55:17.83\00:55:22.28
This is a strategic weapon
for you, you wield this right.
00:55:27.20\00:55:32.16
Your before and after picture
will go into the internet,
00:55:32.19\00:55:34.43
it will go around the world,
00:55:34.46\00:55:37.02
your little
world, your office world,
00:55:37.05\00:55:38.39
your class world,
your dormitory world,
00:55:38.42\00:55:40.54
your story will go
through your neighborhood world,
00:55:40.57\00:55:43.00
your story as simple as it is,
00:55:43.03\00:55:45.55
before and after
is waiting to be told.
00:55:45.58\00:55:50.58
There are some
people on this planet
00:55:50.61\00:55:52.05
who will only be
reached by your story.
00:55:52.08\00:55:55.58
The other
stories won't touch them.
00:55:55.61\00:55:57.43
So the Holy
Spirit's gonna make sure
00:55:57.46\00:55:59.27
that somebody who is
in need of your story
00:55:59.30\00:56:01.63
crosses your
path this next week.
00:56:01.66\00:56:04.12
If you say to the Holy Spirit,
00:56:04.15\00:56:06.01
Holy Spirit, I would
like my life to help you.
00:56:06.04\00:56:11.71
Give me somebody with
whom I can share my story.
00:56:11.74\00:56:15.25
If you pray that
prayer, next week,
00:56:15.28\00:56:18.31
you be patient, you be patient,
00:56:18.34\00:56:21.90
somebody will cross your
path who needs your story.
00:56:21.93\00:56:28.11
It's that simple.
We're talking strategy now.
00:56:28.14\00:56:32.04
We're talking a generation that
approaching the edge of crisis.
00:56:32.07\00:56:35.37
We're talking
about it's the right time
00:56:35.40\00:56:39.96
to tell your story and let it
be transformed into His story.
00:56:39.99\00:56:47.24
It's been a pleasure to be able
to worship with you again today.
00:56:48.58\00:56:51.43
I hope the Spirit of Jesus
has blessed your time with us.
00:56:51.46\00:56:54.29
You know what, we've got
people all over this earth
00:56:54.32\00:56:56.63
who join us every
week for this worship hour.
00:56:56.66\00:56:59.40
Now as a consequence we're
always looking for new ways
00:56:59.43\00:57:02.18
to bridge to somehow
allow these who worship with us
00:57:02.21\00:57:05.71
to be bridged to
the truth about Jesus
00:57:05.74\00:57:08.74
for this
critical time in history.
00:57:08.77\00:57:10.93
One of the areas of bridging
00:57:10.96\00:57:12.85
that's quickly
growing is our website.
00:57:12.88\00:57:14.52
We have more than
140,000 visitors a year.
00:57:14.55\00:57:17.93
It is an amazing opportunity
that God has given us
00:57:17.96\00:57:20.71
to expand His
kingdom here on earth.
00:57:20.74\00:57:23.06
If you'd like
to partner with us,
00:57:23.09\00:57:24.92
as we seek to spread
the everlasting gospel,
00:57:24.95\00:57:27.30
I tell you what, would you
be willing to call this number?
00:57:27.33\00:57:30.17
Let me put it on the screen
for you, 877-- it's toll free,
00:57:30.20\00:57:33.45
877, the two words, His Will.
00:57:33.48\00:57:36.26
One of our operators
will be glad to help you,
00:57:36.29\00:57:38.84
walk through the
details of that partnership,
00:57:38.87\00:57:41.24
or if you prefer
you can do it all online
00:57:41.27\00:57:43.22
in the privacy of your own home.
00:57:43.25\00:57:45.43
The website, you
know it, www.pmchurch.tv
00:57:45.46\00:57:51.04
I've been honored for
the privilege of partnering
00:57:51.07\00:57:52.75
with you as we
seek to spread the truth
00:57:52.78\00:57:54.74
about Jesus for this generation.
00:57:54.77\00:57:56.94
If ever there were
an urgent generation
00:57:56.97\00:57:59.35
to get the good news
out, it's got to be this one.
00:57:59.38\00:58:02.51
So once again,
the toll free number,
00:58:02.54\00:58:04.18
877, two words, His Will.
00:58:04.21\00:58:06.89
Thank you in
advance for your generosity.
00:58:06.92\00:58:08.85
I'm looking forward to
the continuing worship journey
00:58:08.88\00:58:11.66
that you and I share right here.
00:58:11.69\00:58:14.19