Participants:
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021536A
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:34 >>GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS, AND WELCOME AGAIN TO 00:37 SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR. 00:39 A VERY SPECIAL WELCOME TO OUR FRIENDS JOINING US ACROSS THE 00:41 COUNTRY, AROUND THE WORLD, AND ALSO A SPECIAL WELCOME TO OUR 00:45 ONLINE MEMBERS WHO ARE JOINING US EVERY WEEK STUDYING TOGETHER. 00:49 I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH MEMBERS AND 00:52 ALSO A VERY SPECIAL GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE JOINED US 00:55 FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS. WE HAVE THE AFCOE PROGRAM THAT 00:59 IS STARTING HERE AT THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH. 01:01 A NUMBER OF OUR AFCOE STUDENTS ARE HERE TODAY. 01:04 A VERY WARM WELCOME TO YOU. 01:05 I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE TRAVELED SOME LONG DISTANCES TO BE HERE - 01:08 ALL THE WAY FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND, I UNDERSTAND, MADAGASCAR - 01:12 SO WELCOME. GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. 01:14 WELL, BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR LESSON FOR TODAY, WHICH IS 01:18 LESSON #10 - PHILIP AS A MISSIONARY - I'D LIKE TO LET OUR 01:22 VIEWERS KNOW ABOUT A FREE OFFER THAT WE HAVE. 01:24 IT IS ENTITLED THE SAVIOR AND THE SERPENT . 01:27 WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS BOOK TO ANYBODY WHO CALLS AND ASKS. 01:30 THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR 01:36 OFFER #798. THAT NUMBER, AGAIN, IS 01:40 866-788-3966. ASK FOR OFFER #798. 01:46 THE BOOK, AGAIN, IS ENTITLED THE SAVIOR AND THE SERPENT . 01:49 WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO ANYBODY WHO CALLS AND ASKS. 01:52 THIS MORNING I'D LIKE TO INVITE DARRIN DEE TO COME JOIN ME HERE 01:56 ON STAGE. WE JUST RECENTLY - THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH JUST RECENTLY 02:00 CAME BACK FROM A MEXICO MISSION TRIP IN ENSENADA AND WE'RE GOING 02:04 TO TRY AND SHOW A VIDEO HERE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS, 02:07 BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. 02:09 DARRIN, YOU'RE INVOLVED IN HELPING TO ORGANIZE AND LEAD OUT 02:12 WITH THE MISSION TRIP DOWN THERE. WHAT WERE YOU FOLKS DOING 02:15 IN MEXICO? >>WELL, PRAISE GOD, WE HAD AN 02:18 OPPORTUNITY TO GO DOWN TO ENSENADA. 02:20 IT WAS OUR FIRST INTERNATIONAL MISSION TRIP AS A CHURCH. 02:23 WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL, A 02:26 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, AS WELL AS A MEDICAL/DENTAL CLINIC. 02:30 >>NOW, LATER ON TODAY, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE AND ALSO FOR 02:33 OUR FRIENDS WANTING TO JOIN US, WE WILL BE STREAMING OUR MISSION 02:36 REPORT PROGRAM AT 2:00 THIS AFTERNOON PACIFIC TIME AND WE'LL 02:40 HAVE A MUCH MORE DETAILED REPORT WITH SOME GREAT STORIES. 02:42 BUT YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US JUST SOMETHING THAT STOOD OUT IN 02:45 YOUR MIND AS A RESULT OF THIS MISSION ACTIVITY. 02:48 >>YOU KNOW, WHAT STOOD OUT IN MY MIND WAS THE BONDING THAT 02:52 HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THIS MISSION TRIP BETWEEN THE CHURCH 02:56 MEMBERS. THERE WERE A LOT OF NEW CHURCH 02:58 MEMBERS WHO WENT ALONG OR SOME WHO'VE BEEN AROUND AND WE JUST 03:01 HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET A CHANCE TO MEET AND GET TO 03:04 KNOW BETTER BECAUSE WE'RE GROWING SO RAPIDLY AND WE REALLY 03:07 GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER AND GROW TOGETHER AND I 03:11 THINK WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT OURSELVES INDIVIDUALLY ALSO. 03:14 AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE GOT A CHANCE TO SEE THE INCREDIBLE 03:17 BLESSINGS THAT THE LORD PROVIDED ON OURSELF, ON OUR GROUP, AND, 03:23 HOPEFULLY, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE - SHINE - HAVE JESUS 03:26 SHINE THROUGH US TO THE PEOPLE DOWN THERE THAT WE WERE 03:29 MINISTERING TO. >>AMEN. ABSOLUTELY. 03:32 I'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REPORT SO FAR AND I'M 03:34 LOOKING VERY FORWARD TO THE FULL REPORT THIS AFTERNOON - 03:37 AGAIN, 2:00. THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN BE HERE, COME JOIN US. 03:40 AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF WE CAN SHOW YOU JUST A SHORT 03:43 LITTLE VIDEO CLIP OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING A 03:46 COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WITH OUR MISSION TRIP IN MEXICO. 03:51 (MUSIC) >>SO THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH WAS 03:53 REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE WE HAD CONDUCTED TWO PRIOR MISSION 03:56 TRIPS AND WE WANTED TO DO ANOTHER ONE. 03:59 SO THAT'S WHEN WE DECIDED TO CONSIDER AN INTERNATIONAL 04:02 MISSION TRIP. AND SO WE CONTACTED THE 04:04 CONFERENCE THAT OVERSAW THE ENSENADA TERRITORY AND WE CAME 04:08 OUT AND LOOKED AND WHEN WE GOT HERE WE SAW THAT, IMMEDIATELY, 04:11 THE TERRITORY WAS RIPE FOR A MISSION TRIP. 04:15 >>WE JUST COME DOWN HERE TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN 04:18 HOPES THAT WE CAN UPLIFT EVERYBODY AROUND. 04:21 IT'S JUST BEEN A PLEASURE TO HAVE MY WHOLE CREW HERE AND 04:23 EVERYBODY AND ALL THE FRIENDS FROM OUR LOCAL AREA BACK HOME. 04:28 >>DEFINITELY THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE. 04:30 THEY ARE VERY HAPPY, THEY ARE VERY BLESSED BY BEING HERE AND 04:33 THEY WERE THANKFUL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO COME AND HELP THEM OUT. 04:36 >>SO HERE WE ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THEM JUST WITH THE LANGUAGE 04:41 OF LOVE, SO TO SPEAK, SO THAT WE CAN DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THESE 04:44 CHILDREN AND REACH THEM. AND, REALLY, OUR WHOLE FOCUS AND 04:48 OUR GOAL HERE IS FOR THESE CHILDREN TO SEE JESUS 04:51 IN ALL OF THIS. (MUSIC) 05:05 >>AMEN. WELL THERE'S JUST A LITTLE TASTE OF THE MISSION 05:07 REPORT. YOU'LL HAVE MORE THIS AFTERNOON - 2:00 WE'LL BE GIVING 05:11 YOU A MUCH MORE IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCE OF WHAT HAPPENED DOWN 05:14 THERE. JUST SOME WONDERFUL TESTIMONIES. WELL, AT THIS TIME, 05:17 WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN OUR STUDY OF LESSON #10. IT'S ENTITLED 05:21 PHILIP AS A MISSIONARY . BUT BEFORE I INVITE PASTOR DOUG TO 05:24 COME FORWARD, LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. 05:26 DEAR FATHER, ONCE AGAIN WE THANK YOU THAT WE HAVE THIS 05:27 OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY THE BIBLE. WE INVITE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO 05:31 COME AND GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS AS WE LOOK AT THESE 05:33 GREAT BIBLE CHARACTERS AND HOW THEY HAD A PASSION FOR SHARING 05:37 THE GOSPEL WITH OTHERS. MAY WE ALSO BE INSPIRED TO DO WHAT WE 05:41 CAN, TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH OTHERS. BLESS OUR TIME TOGETHER, 05:45 FOR WE ASK THIS IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. I'D LIKE TO INVITE PASTOR 05:49 DOUG TO COME FORWARD AND LEAD US IN OUR STUDY TODAY. 05:56 >>THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS, APPRECIATE THAT. 05:58 IT WAS VERY EXCITING BEING ON THAT MISSION TRIP AND JUST 06:01 SEEING HOW ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF MINISTRY CAME 06:05 TOGETHER. THERE WAS PUBLISHING MINISTRY HAPPENING. 06:08 THERE WAS MEDICAL MINISTRY THAT WAS HAPPENING. 06:10 THERE WAS CHILDREN'S MINISTRY THAT WAS HAPPENING. 06:12 THERE WAS EVANGELISM THAT WAS HAPPENING. 06:14 AND THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION - TWO BY FOUR MINISTRY - THAT WAS 06:17 HAPPENING. AND SO, ALL OF THAT TOGETHER, IT 06:20 REALLY HAD A WONDERFUL IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. 06:22 I WANT TO WELCOME AGAIN - TO OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE PART OF OUR 06:24 CLASS THAT ARE WATCHING AND THE MEMBERS - THE NEW AFCOE CLASS - 06:28 WELCOME TO THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH. AND WE'RE CONTINUING OUR 06:32 STUDY DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT OF BIBLICAL MISSIONARIES. 06:36 TODAY, IN PARTICULAR, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PHILIP. 06:38 NOW WE'LL EXPLAIN WHICH PHILIP IN JUST A MOMENT, BECAUSE THAT'S 06:42 ACTUALLY PART OF THE LESSON, BUT WE START WITH A MEMORY VERSE AND 06:46 THE MEMORY VERSE IS FROM ACTS CHAPTER 1, VERSE 8. 06:50 IF YOU HAVE YOUR LESSON YOU CAN READ IT OUT OF YOUR LESSON. 06:54 ACTS CHAPTER 1, VERSE 8 AND WE READ, "BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE 06:59 POWER" - NOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT WITH ME. READY? 07:04 "BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ON YOU AND 07:08 YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM, IN ALL JUDEA, IN 07:13 SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH." 07:16 AND I THINK IT SAYS IN THE KING JAMES, 'THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF 07:20 THE EARTH.' SO THIS IS REALLY TALKING ABOUT MISSION WORK AND, 07:24 IN PARTICULAR, THE MISSION WORK THAT GOD DID THROUGH PHILIP. 07:27 NOW THERE ARE SEVERAL GREAT COMMISSION STATEMENTS THAT YOU 07:32 FIND IN THE BIBLE. THESE ARE THE STATEMENTS THAT REALLY IDENTIFY 07:34 WHAT IS THE MISSION STATEMENT FOR CHRISTIANS. 07:38 YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS SIT SOMETIMES FOR 07:41 HOURS AND DAYS AND THEY PROCESS WHAT IS THEIR MISSION STATEMENT 07:44 AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE SLOGANS. YOU'VE GOT - LIKE WHEN YOU THINK 07:51 OF NIKE, WHAT WAS THEIR SLOGAN? >>JUST DO IT. 07:56 >>JUST DO IT. SEE? YOU GUYS KNOW THAT. 07:58 AND DIFFERENT CORPORATIONS HAVE THEIR SLOGAN AND THEY'VE GOT 08:03 THEIR MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. 08:05 WE HAVE ONE AT AMAZING FACTS, BUT I ALWAYS SAID, 'HOW CAN WE 08:09 POSSIBLY IMPROVE ON THE ONE JESUS GAVE US?' 08:12 AND IT'S REALLY MATTHEW CHAPTER 28 - MATTER OF FACT, SOME OF YOU 08:18 ARE GOING TO READ A COUPLE OF THESE FOR ME. 08:20 WHO HAS MARK 16? YOU'LL DO THAT IN JUST A MINUTE. 08:23 MATTHEW 28:18, "AND JESUS CAME AND SPOKE TO THEM, SAYING, 'ALL 08:27 AUTHORITY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH. 08:30 GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS, BAPTIZING 08:34 THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY 08:38 SPIRIT, TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS THAT I HAVE COMMANDED 08:41 YOU; AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE 08:44 AGE.'" JUST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE I CAME IN HERE TO TEACH, I WAS 08:47 VISITING WITH ONE OF OUR ASSOCIATE PASTORS OUT IN THE 08:50 FOYER AND HE SAID, 'THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S INTERESTED IN 08:53 BAPTISM AND WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU'D BAPTIZE HIM.' AND I 08:56 THOUGHT, 'WHY WOULDN'T I?' AND I SAID. 08:58 'IF THAT'S NOT PART OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION OF A PASTOR, WHAT 09:02 IS?' AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR MARCHING ORDERS. 09:05 'GO THEREFORE, TEACH AND BAPTIZE.' AND SO - BUT YOU'LL 09:09 FIND THESE MISSION STATEMENTS OF JESUS SEVERAL PLACES. 09:14 WE READ ONE TO YOU JUST A MOMENT AGO IN ACTS CHAPTER 1 - THAT WAS 09:18 OUR MEMORY VERSE. NOW THERE'S ANOTHER ONE. 09:20 GO AHEAD, READ PLEASE ACTS - I'M SORRY, MARK 16:15 AND 16. 09:24 >>AND HE SAID TO THEM, 'GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE 09:28 GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE. 09:30 HE WHO BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED; BUT HE WHO DOES 09:34 NOT BELIEVE WILL BE CONDEMNED.'" >>NOTICE IT SAYS, 'HE WHO 09:38 BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED BUT HE THAT DOES NOT 09:41 BELIEVE WILL BE CONDEMNED.' SO THERE MAY BE SOME WHO ARE SAVED 09:46 THAT WERE NOT BAPTIZED BECAUSE THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE ARE 09:49 CONDEMNED. BUT HE WANTS US TO BELIEVE AND 09:52 BE BAPTIZED AND, ALSO, IT SAYS 'GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND 09:57 PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.' ALL THE WORLD - EVERY 10:02 CREATURE. NOW DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE 10:04 SUPPOSED TO PREACH TO THE VEGETABLES AND THE BIRDS? 10:07 IT'S TALKING ABOUT EVERY HUMAN CREATURE. 10:10 YOU FIND ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE MISSION STATEMENTS - LUKE 10:14 24 - LUKE 24:46, "AND HE SAID TO THEM" - THIS IS AFTER JESUS ROSE 10:19 - "'THUS IT IS WRITTEN, AND THUS IS WAS NECESSARY FOR THE CHRIST 10:22 TO SUFFER AND TO RISE FROM THE DEAD THE THIRD DAY, AND THAT 10:26 REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS SHOULD BE PREACHED IN HIS NAME 10:30 TO ALL NATIONS, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM. 10:33 AND YOU ARE WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS.'" SO IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE 10:36 PREACHED TO ALL NATIONS BEGINNING IN JERUSALEM. 10:38 AND THEN YOU GO TO JOHN 20 - JOHN'S IS NOT AS CLEAR. 10:41 THE - YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT THE ONE FROM MATTHEW, MARK, JOHN, 10:44 ACTS - THEY ALL HAVE A MISSION STATEMENT THERE, BUT JOHN PUTS 10:48 IT THIS WAY - JESUS SAID - JOHN 20, VERSE 21, 10:51 "SO JESUS SAID TO THEM AGAIN, 'PEACE TO YOU! 10:55 AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, I ALSO SEND YOU.' AND WHEN HE SAID 11:00 THIS, HE BREATHED ON THEM, AND SAID TO THEM, 'RECEIVE THE HOLY 11:02 SPIRIT.'" AND SO THIS IS OUR MISSION. 11:04 HE SAYS, 'I AM SENDING YOU AS THE FATHER SENT ME.' NOW, YOU 11:08 KNOW, DID YOU CATCH ANYTHING INTERESTING IN COMMON ABOUT ALL 11:12 FIVE OF THESE STATEMENTS THAT WE JUST READ? 11:15 MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, JOHN, AND ACTS - THESE GREAT COMMISSION 11:18 STATEMENTS? WHEN WERE THEY GIVEN? 11:20 BEFORE OR AFTER THE RESURRECTION? 11:23 >>AFTER. >>ALL OF THESE ARE GIVEN AFTER 11:27 THE RESURRECTION, BEFORE THE ASCENSION - DURING THAT 40-DAY 11:30 PERIOD. IT WAS A LOT CLEARER TO THEM. 11:32 AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT AT LEAST TWO OR THREE OF THEM MENTIONED, 11:36 IN PARTICULAR - DOES GOD TELL THEM NOT ONLY WHAT TO DO - DOES 11:39 HE TELL THEM WHERE TO START? >>YES. 11:42 >>HE SAYS START WHERE? >>JERUSALEM. 11:44 >>JERUSALEM, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE - WHERE WAS THE HOLY SPIRIT 11:46 POURED OUT? 'THERE WERE DWELLING IN 11:48 JERUSALEM AT THAT TIME, DEVOUT JEWS OUT OF EVERY NATION UNDER 11:51 HEAVEN.' YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? 11:54 GOD WANTS YOU TO BEGIN WHERE YOU ARE. HE WANTS YOU TO BEGIN - 11:57 SOME PEOPLE SAY, 'I WANT TO BE A MISSIONARY. 12:00 I'M GOING TO GO TO SOME FOREIGN COUNTRY AND DO MISSION WORK.' 12:02 YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO ENSENADA, MEXICO. 12:05 EVERYBODY, WHEN YOU COME TO JESUS YOU WANT TO - 'WHO IS MY 12:08 NEIGHBOR?' WHOEVER YOU ENCOUNTER THAT DAY 12:11 IS YOUR NEIGHBOR, IS WHAT JESUS BASICALLY SAID IN THE PARABLE OF 12:14 THE GOOD SAMARITAN. SO WE'RE ALL TO START WHERE WE ARE. 12:17 ALRIGHT, LET'S GO TO PHILIP THE EVANGELIST - 12:19 THAT WOULD BE OUR FIRST DAY IN OUR STUDY. 12:22 AND YOU CAN READ IN YOUR LESSON, THE WORD 'PHILIP' - IT MEANS 'A 12:25 LOVER OF HORSES' AND IT COMES FROM A COUPLE OF GREEK WORDS: 12:30 'PHILIPPOS', WHICH MEANS 'LOVE'. YOU KNOW, THE WORD 'PHILEO' IS 12:36 ONE OF THE WORDS FOR LOVE - PHILADELPHIA - THAT'S WHERE THE 12:40 POPE'S GOING IN SEPTEMBER - THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE. 12:43 PHILADELPHIA WAS ONE OF THE CHURCHES THAT YOU FIND IN THE 12:46 MESSAGES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES. 'PHILEO' AND 'HIPPOS' - NOW, IF 12:53 SOMEONE CALLED YOU A HIPPO, WOULD YOU TAKE THAT AS A 12:55 COMPLIMENT? BECAUSE YOU THINK OF A 12:57 HIPPOPOTAMUS, BUT A HIPPOPOTAMUS IN GREEK IS A WATER HORSE AND SO 13:03 PHILIPPOS WAS A LOVER OF HORSES - HIPPO IS HORSE IN GREEK AND SO 13:08 THAT'S WHERE THE NAME COMES FROM. 13:11 THERE WERE SEVERAL VERY FAMOUS GREEK KINGS BY THE NAME OF 13:14 PHILIP, ONE OF THEM BEING THE FATHER - PHILIP OF MACEDON WAS 13:18 THE FATHER OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT. 13:21 I THINK, TECHNICALLY, HE WAS PHILIP THE SECOND OF MACEDON AND 13:24 SO IT WAS A VERY COMMON NAME. SO I SAY ALL THAT BECAUSE IN THE 13:28 NEW TESTAMENT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THREE OR FOUR PHILIPS - ONE 13:31 WAS A REALLY BAD GUY, HEROD PHILIP. 13:34 YOU REMEMBER HEROD ANTIPAS TOOK HIS BROTHER'S WIFE WHO WAS 13:38 PHILIP - HE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE NORTH. 13:42 HAD A COUPLE OF GOOD PHILIPS AND ONE OF THEM WAS AN APOSTLE. 13:46 HE WAS FROM BETHSAIDA. HE WAS THE ONE WHO WENT TO 13:50 NATHANIEL AND SAID, 'WE HAVE FOUND THE MESSIAH.' AND YOU ALSO 13:53 FIND HIM REFERENCED A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, 13:56 PHILIP THE APOSTLE. OUR STUDY TODAY ABOUT PHILIP THE 13:59 EVANGELIST IS NOT PHILIP THE APOSTLE AND SO - AND LET ME JUST 14:06 GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF REASONS WHY WE KNOW THAT. 14:08 SO THE FIRST PHILIP IS PHILIP OF BETHSAIDA AND YOU FIND HIM IN 14:12 JOHN 1, VERSE 43; JOHN 12, VERSE 20, AND IT SAYS, 'HE WAS OF 14:18 BETHSAIDA, THE CITY OF ANDREW AND PETER.' THE SECOND PHILIP IS 14:21 THE ONE THAT YOU FIND WHO IS ORDAINED AS A DEACON. 14:25 HE FIRST APPEARS THERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 6 AND THEY CALL HIM A 14:30 SERVANT - I THINK IN THE LESSON IT CALLS HIM A WAITER, BUT I 14:33 THINK THEY DID MORE THAN JUST SERVE TABLES OR DISTRIBUTE THE 14:36 BREAD. AND HOW DO WE KNOW, WHEN WE READ IN ACTS CHAPTER 6 AND IT 14:42 SAYS, 'NOW PHILIP WENT DOWN TO SAMARIA' - HOW DO WE KNOW THAT 14:45 THAT'S NOT PHILIP THE APOSTLE? BECAUSE IT TELLS US ABOUT THE 14:50 DEACONS AND THEN SUDDENLY IT TALKS ABOUT PHILIP. 14:52 ONE REASON - WELL LET ME GIVE YOU THREE REASONS I THINK WE 14:55 KNOW THAT WE'RE SPECIFICALLY GOING TO BE STUDYING ABOUT A 14:58 PHILIP AND IT'S NOT PHILIP THE APOSTLE. IT'S PHILIP THE DEACON. 15:02 FOR ONE THING, YOU READ IN CHAPTER 6, AFTER IT TALKS ABOUT 15:06 PICKING THE DEACONS, IT TELLS THEN ABOUT THE EXPLOITS OF 15:10 STEPHEN AND HOW HE'S MARTYRED - IT GOES INTO THE LIFE OF ONE OF 15:14 THE DEACONS. THEN YOU GO INTO CHAPTER - WELL, 15:17 CHAPTER 7 IS PART OF STEPHEN'S SERMON - THEN THE NEXT THING IT 15:20 TALKS ABOUT IS NOW, PHILIP. WHY DOES IT BRING HIM INTO THE 15:22 STORY? PHILIP THE DEACON. LUKE IS TELLING WHAT THOSE WHO 15:25 WERE ORDAINED AS DEACONS - WHAT THEY ARE DOING NOW. 15:29 THEY ENDED UP DOING A LOT MORE THAN SERVING TABLES. 15:31 ONE IS THE FIRST MARTYR IN THE CHURCH. 15:33 HE WAS A PREACHER - FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. 15:34 HIS DEATH MARKS THE END - HE'S MORE THAN A DEACON - HIS DEATH 15:38 MARKS THE END OF THE ERA OF THE 490-YEAR PROPHECY - VERY 15:42 IMPORTANT - THEN ONE OF THE DEACONS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF 15:46 AN ERA OF EVANGELISM. AND ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW IT'S 15:50 NOT PHILIP THE APOSTLE - LET ME GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF VERSES 15:53 HERE. IF YOU LOOK IN ACTS CHAPTER 8, VERSE 1, AFTER THE 15:58 DEATH OF STEPHEN, "...AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A GREAT 16:02 PERSECUTION AGAINST THE CHURCH WHICH WAS AT JERUSALEM; AND THEY 16:06 WERE ALL SCATTERED ABROAD THROUGHOUT THE REGIONS OF JUDEA 16:10 AND SAMARIA, EXCEPT THE" - WHO? - "THE APOSTLES." 16:14 PHILIP WAS ONE OF THE APOSTLES. HE STAYED IN JERUSALEM. 16:18 SO WHEN IT SAYS 'PHILIP WENT DOWN TO SAMARIA', IT'S TELLING 16:22 WHICH ONES WENT TO SAMARIA - IT'S NOT THE APOSTLE. 16:23 AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE FOR YOU, GO TO ACTS 16:26 8:14, "NOW WHEN THE APOSTLES WHICH WERE AT JERUSALEM HEARD 16:31 THAT SAMARIA HAD RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD," - THIS IS UNDER 16:35 THE PREACHING OF PHILIP - "THEY SENT UNTO THEM PETER AND JOHN:" 16:38 SO THE APOSTLES WERE WHERE? THEY WERE IN JERUSALEM. 16:41 THEY STAYED. SEE, THEY PICKED THESE SEVEN 16:44 DEACONS TO HELP DISTRIBUTE FOOD DURING TIMES OF PEACE, WHEN THE 16:47 CHURCH WAS EXPLODING WITH GROWTH. 16:49 THIS IS DURING THAT THREE AND A HALF YEARS AFTER CHRIST DIED. 16:51 BUT WHEN THE GREAT PERSECUTION AROSE, AFTER THE STONING OF 16:55 STEPHEN, THE CHURCH SCATTERED EVERYWHERE, INCLUDING THE 16:59 DEACONS. IT WAS NOT SAFE FOR THEM TO DO 17:01 WHAT THEY HAD DONE BEFORE. THEY DIDN'T NEED THEM TO SERVE 17:04 TABLES SO THEY WENT OUT PREACHING; BUT THE APOSTLES 17:07 STAYED IN JERUSALEM. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PHILIP. 17:10 I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STRONG CASE. 17:12 SOMETHING ELSE INTERESTING YOU'RE GOING TO FIND, AND THIS 17:15 IS IN YOUR LESSON FROM SKETCHES FROM THE LIFE OF PAUL . 17:19 PHILIP, WHO BECAME AN EVANGELIST, ALSO BECAME A GOOD 17:22 FRIEND OF PAUL AFTER THE CONVERSION OF PAUL. 17:26 IT'S INTERESTING, PAUL KILLS PHILIP'S GOOD FRIEND AND 17:31 ASSOCIATE DEACON NAMED STEPHEN. THEY THEN BECOME FRIENDS SHORTLY 17:36 AFTER THE CONVERSION. HOW THOROUGHLY MUST THEY HAVE 17:39 BEEN CHRISTIANS TO FORGIVE SOMEONE WHO HAD KILLED A FRIEND. 17:42 NOT ONLY THAT, THEY BECOME VERY CLOSE. 17:45 I WANT TO READ YOU A QUOTE FROM PAGE 204 - SKETCHES FROM THE 17:50 LIFE OF PAUL - BY THE WAY, THAT'S A GREAT BOOK. 17:52 "IT WAS THE VIOLENT PERSECUTION OF SAUL, THE PHARISEE, THAT HAD 17:57 SCATTERED THE CHURCH AT JERUSALEM AND DESTROYED THE 18:00 EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SEVEN 18:02 DEACONS. THEIR WORK IN JERUSALEM WAS OVER 18:04 AT THAT POINT," - THAT'S WHY THEY WENT OUT PREACHING - 18:06 "AND RESULTED IN HIS PURSUING THE SAME CALLING TO 18:09 WHICH PAUL LATER GAVE HIS LIFE. PRECIOUS HOURS WERE THESE THAT 18:12 PAUL AND PHILIP SPENT IN EACH OTHER'S SOCIETY. 18:15 THRILLING WERE THE MEMORIES THAT THEY RECALL OF THE DAYS WHEN THE 18:19 LIGHT, WHICH HAD SHOWN ON THE FACE OF STEPHEN, UPTURNED TO 18:22 HEAVEN, AS HE HAD SUFFERED MARTYRDOM, FLASHING ITS GLORY 18:26 UPON SAUL THE PERSECUTOR, BRINGING HIM A HELPLESS 18:29 SUPPLIANT AT THE FEET OF JESUS." 18:31 SO IT TALKS ABOUT THIS FRIENDSHIP OF PHILIP AND PAUL. 18:35 NOW, YOU KNOW WHERE YOU SEE THAT AGAIN LATER? 18:36 IN THE LAST PART OF YOUR LESSON WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT 'PHILIP THE 18:39 HOST' - AND YOU KNOW WHO HE'S HOSTING? 18:42 HE'S HOSTING PAUL IN HIS HOUSE. SO THEY HAD BECOME GOOD FRIENDS. 18:46 ALRIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THAT SECTION 18:49 WAITING ON TABLES . SO TURN IN YOUR BIBLE TO ACTS CHAPTER 2. 18:53 WE'VE GOT A LOT TO COVER IN OUR STUDY TODAY. 18:58 ACTS CHAPTER 2 AND IT TELLS WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE NEED - NO, I'M 19:03 SORRY - WELL, YEAH, YEAH. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WE 19:07 NEED - ACTS CHAPTER 2 - SOMEBODY'S GOING TO READ FOR ME, 19:10 IN A MOMENT, ACTS 4:34 - YOU'LL DO THAT, OKAY, HAFDIS. 19:14 SO I'M GOING TO READ ACTS 2, VERSE 43, "THEN FEAR CAME UPON 19:17 EVERY SOUL, AND MANY WONDERS AND SIGNS WERE DONE THROUGH THE 19:20 APOSTLES." WE'D EXPECT THE SIGNS AND 19:23 WONDERS THROUGH THE APOSTLES - MAKE A NOTE OF THAT. 19:25 "NOW ALL WHO BELIEVED WERE TOGETHER, AND HAD ALL THINGS IN 19:29 COMMON, AND SOLD THEIR POSSESSIONS AND GOODS, AND 19:32 DIVIDED THEM AMONG ALL, AS ANYONE HAD NEED." 19:36 YOU KNOW, PERIODICALLY WE GET A PHONE CALL AT THE RADIO PROGRAM 19:41 - MAYBE EVEN ONCE A MONTH WE GET A CALL. SOMEONE WILL CALL ON THE 19:45 BIBLE QUESTION, THEY'LL SAY, "WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT 19:48 CHRISTIANS, IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, PAYING TITHE?" 19:51 AND "WE KNOW THEY HAD TITHE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, BUT WE'RE NOT 19:53 UNDER THE LAW ANYMORE, SO DO WE HAVE TO PAY TITHE?" 19:56 AND IT'S LIKE THEY'RE THINKING, 'WELL, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT UNDER 19:59 THE LAW, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GIVING TEN PERCENT.' I 20:02 SAY, 'I AGREE.' I SAY, 'WE'RE UNDER THE NEW TESTAMENT: WE'RE 20:06 TO SELL EVERYTHING WE HAVE AND TO LAY IT AT THE FEET. 20:10 BUT IF THAT'S TOO MUCH FOR YOU, YOU SHOULD AT LEAST DO TITHE.' 20:13 AND SO I SAY, 'DO YOU WANT THE NEW TESTAMENT?' 20:17 I MEAN, 'TITHE' I TELL THEM, 'IS KINDERGARTEN FOR THE CHRISTIAN. 20:20 IT'S A VERY SIMPLE TEN PERCENT OF YOUR INCREASE.' I SAID, 'BUT 20:23 IF YOU'RE A SPIRIT-FILLED NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIAN, LET ME READ 20:26 WHAT THEY DID. SO WHICH DO YOU WANT?' 20:28 THEY SAY, 'WELL, TITHE SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD.' AND SO, WE SEND 20:34 THEM THE LESSON ON TITHE THAT AMAZING FACTS CARRIES. 20:37 BUT LISTEN TO THE DEDICATION: IT SAYS, "NO MAN SAID THAT OUGHT 20:41 THAT HE HAD WAS HIS OWN BUT THEY HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON." 20:43 ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE A CHRISTIAN FORM OF COMMUNISM. 20:45 "AND THEY" - DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT - "AND THEY SOLD THEIR 20:50 POSSESSIONS AND GOODS AND DIVIDED THEM AMONG ALL AS ANY 20:53 HAD NEED." NOW THEY DIDN'T DO IT THROUGH 20:55 COMPULSION, THEY DID IT VOLUNTARILY. 20:57 THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOCIALISM - "SO CONTINUING DAILY 21:03 WITH ONE ACCORD IN THE TEMPLE, BREAKING BREAD FROM HOUSE TO 21:05 HOUSE, THEY ATE THEIR FOOD WITH GLADNESS AND SIMPLICITY OF 21:07 HEART, PRAISING GOD AND HAVING FAVOR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE." 21:11 UNTIL THE PERSECUTION STARTED, EVERYBODY WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE 21:14 CHRISTIANS. "AND THE LORD WAS ADDING THE 21:16 CHURCH DAILY SUCH AS WERE BEING SAVED." GO AHEAD, READ FOR US 21:20 ACTS 4 - I THINK IT'S 34 AND 35. >>"NOR WAS THERE ANYONE AMONG 21:25 THEM WHO LACKED; FOR ALL WHO WERE POSSESSORS OF LANDS OR 21:29 HOUSES SOLD THEM, AND BROUGHT THE PROCEEDS OF THE THINGS THAT 21:34 WERE SOLD, AND LAID THEM AT THE APOSTLES' FEET; AND THEY 21:38 DISTRIBUTED TO EACH AS ANYONE HAD NEED." 21:42 >>YOU KNOW, I'VE READ SOMEWHERE THAT THE SAME OUTPOURING OF THE 21:48 SPIRIT THAT LED TO THIS COMPLETE SACRIFICIAL SPIRIT AMONG 21:54 CHRISTIANS, WILL BE REPLICATED AGAIN BEFORE JESUS RETURNS. 21:59 AND YOU WONDER, WILL THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT LEAD TO 22:03 THAT SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE OR WILL A WILLING SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE 22:09 LEAD TO THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT? IT 22:12 SEEMS LIKE HERE AND ACTS CHAPTER 2 THE SPIRIT WAS POURED 22:15 OUT AND THEN THEY HAD THAT SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE, BUT IT'S 22:18 GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO START 22:22 PRACTICING NOW WHAT IT MEANS TO DENY OURSELF FOR THE CAUSE OF 22:26 GOD. I WAS READING LAST NIGHT, A BOOK 22:28 ABOUT URIAH SMITH AND HOW SACRIFICIAL THE PEOPLE WERE IN 22:31 THE BIRTH OF OUR PARTICULAR CHURCH. 22:34 WHEN THEY NEEDED A PRINTING PRESS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD 22:37 SELL THEIR POSSESSIONS TO GIVE MONEY TO BUY A PRESS TO GET THE 22:40 WORD OUT TO OTHERS. I MEAN, THERE'S A GREAT SPIRIT 22:41 OF SACRIFICE. THEY OBVIOUSLY HAD THAT BACK 22:44 THEN. WE NEED IT AGAIN. 22:46 AND LOOK AT HOW THE CHURCH GREW WHEN THEY HAD THAT. 22:50 GOD BLESSED THEIR EFFORTS IN COOPERATING WITH HIM. 22:52 ACTS 6:1 - NOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THE ACTUAL 22:56 DEACONS WERE PICKED - ACTS 6:1 - NOW IN THOSE DAYS, WHEN THE 23:00 NUMBER OF THE DISCIPLES - WHEN THE NUMBER OF THE DISCIPLES WAS 23:05 MULTIPLYING, THERE AROSE A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE HEBREWS BY 23:09 THE HELLENISTS," - THAT'S THE JEWS BY THE GENTILES AND, IN 23:12 PARTICULAR, THE GREEK GENTILES - "BECAUSE THEIR WIDOWS WERE 23:15 NEGLECTED IN THE DAILY DISTRIBUTION." 23:18 THERE WERE SOME POOR AND, YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS, 'DO NOT 23:21 NEGLECT THE WIDOWS AND THE ORPHANS' AND SOME OF THIS 23:23 COLLECTIVE OFFERING THAT THEY - THEY GATHERED - THIS SACRIFICE - 23:26 IT NOT ONLY WENT TO HELP SUSTAIN THE APOSTLES AS THEY WERE 23:30 PREACHING AND TEACHING, BUT IT WENT TO HELP THE POOR IN THEIR 23:33 GROUP. YOU REMEMBER JESUS ASSIGNED 23:37 JUDAS THE JOB OF BEING TREASURER AND HE HAD THE BAG FOR THE POOR. 23:41 IT WASN'T JUST FOR THEM BUT JESUS' GROUP WAS ACTUALLY GIVING 23:45 TO THE POOR. SO NOW, YOU KNOW, IT ISN'T VERY 23:50 LONG, IT TALKS ABOUT THEM ALL HAVING WONDERFUL LOVE FOR EACH 23:53 OTHER AND THEN THERE'S GRUMBLING BECAUSE THERE'S SOME NEGLECT 23:55 THAT'S HAPPENING THERE. "THEN THE TWELVE SUMMONED THE 24:01 MULTITUDE" - AND SAID, 'LOOK, WE CAN'T - WE CAN'T BE ARBITRATING 24:04 THE POTLUCKS. WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO REACH THE 24:09 WORLD.' - AND HE SAID, "IT IS NOT DESIRABLE THAT WE SHOULD 24:13 LEAVE THE WORD OF GOD AND SERVE TABLES." 24:16 THIS IS NOT A GOOD USE OF OUR CALLING AND TIME. 24:18 "THEREFORE, BRETHREN, SEEK OUT FROM AMONG YOU SEVEN MEN OF GOOD 24:22 REPUTATION, FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WISDOM, WHOM WE MAY 24:27 APPOINT OVER THIS BUSINESS." YOU KNOW, PART OF VERY - IT'S A 24:32 CRUCIAL PART OF MANAGEMENT IF YOU WANT TO GROW A BUSINESS. 24:35 A BUSINESS OR COMPANY IS OFTEN BIRTHED BY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE, 24:40 SOMETIMES IN A GARAGE, AND THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING. 24:42 AND THEN AS IT GROWS AND THEY WANT TO INCREASE MARKETS, SALES, 24:45 AND MANUFACTURING - ALL THESE THINGS - IF THEY TRY TO KEEP 24:49 DOING IT ALL THEMSELVES, THEY'RE GOING TO GET BOGGED DOWN. 24:53 AND I KNOW, WHEN I FIRST JOINED AMAZING FACTS OVER TWENTY YEARS 24:56 AGO, I CAME TO AMAZING FACTS FROM BEING A PASTOR OF A SMALL 25:01 CHURCH AND THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING THAT HAVE BEEN PASTORS 25:05 OF SMALL CHURCHES, YOU KIND OF NEED TO COVER EVERYTHING IF IT'S 25:09 A REAL SMALL CHURCH. I MEAN YOU GET USED TO - 25:11 I MEAN, YOU'RE SPECIAL MUSIC, CRADLE ROLL - YOU'RE DOING A 25:13 LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING - AND YOU TAKE THAT MENTALITY INTO A 25:17 GROWING CHURCH, LIKE WHEN I CAME TO CENTRAL OR WHEN I GOT 25:21 INVOLVED WITH AMAZING FACTS - AND PEOPLE HAD TO PULL ME ASIDE 25:23 AND SAY, 'DOUG, YOU'VE GOT TO DELEGATE THESE THINGS BECAUSE, 25:28 FOR ONE THING, YOU'RE GOING TO BURN YOURSELF OUT. 25:30 FOR ANOTHER THING, IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HELP THE 25:33 ORGANIZATION TO GROW AND YOU'VE GOT TO STOP MICRO-MANAGING AND 25:39 LET IT GO. YOU KNOW, LET OTHER PEOPLE - 25:42 EMPOWER OTHER PEOPLE - AND THEN WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU JUST SEE 25:45 HOW - HOW IT GROWS. AND THAT'S WHAT THE APOSTLES 25:48 WERE SAYING, 'LOOK, WE NEED TO - WE NEED TO DELEGATE.' DIDN'T 25:52 MOSES HAVE TO DO THAT? DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN JETHRO CAME 25:56 AND AFTER HE - THEY CAME WITH THE PEOPLE OUT AND THEY GOT THE 26:00 TEN COMMANDMENTS? FINALLY JETHRO MEETS UP WITH 26:02 THEM IN THE WILDERNESS AND HE SEES HIS SON-IN-LAW. JETHRO MUST 26:05 HAVE BEEN AN OLD MAN TOO, BECAUSE MOSES IS OVER 80 NOW. 26:08 HE SEES HIS SON-IN-LAW SITTING FROM SUNUP TIL SUNDOWN BEING A 26:12 JUDGE - A MEDIATOR - AND DISPUTING ALL THESE - CAN YOU 26:18 IMAGINE HAVING TWO MILLION PEOPLE WITH CATTLE? 26:21 YOU REMEMBER THE ARGUMENTS BETWEEN ABRAHAM AND LOT AND THE 26:25 ARGUMENTS BETWEEN ISAAC AND JACOB AND THEIR CATTLE? 26:28 AND CAN YOU IMAGINE TWO MILLION PEOPLE WITH CATTLE AND ALL THE 26:32 DIFFERENT DISPUTES AND FAMILY PROBLEMS THEY WERE HAVING AND 26:34 MOSES - YOU COULD JUST SEE HIM AT THE END OF THE DAY JUST WORN 26:37 OUT AND JETHRO SAID, 'YOU'VE GOT TO DELEGATE. 26:40 YOU CAN'T DO THIS.' PART OF CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION IS TO 26:43 EMPOWER OTHER PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT GIFTS TO DO THE 26:46 DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND ESPECIALLY SO THAT THE 26:51 PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD AND PRAYER ARE NOT NEGLECTED. 26:57 THAT'S WHAT PETER SAID, 'IT IS NOT MEET THAT WE LEAVE THE WORD 27:01 OF GOD.' AND YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES EVANGELISM HAS BEEN 27:05 STALLED BECAUSE THE CHURCH GETS SO BOGGED DOWN WITH INTERNAL 27:07 MANAGEMENT? THEY HAVE NO TIME FOR 27:09 EVANGELISM. THEY HAVE NO TIME FOR PRAYER. AND THESE ARE 27:13 PRIORITIES, PETER SAYS. "THEREFORE BRETHREN, SEEK OUT 27:17 FROM AMONG YOU SEVEN MEN OF GOOD REPUTATION, FULL OF THE HOLY 27:20 SPIRIT AND WISDOM, THAT WE MIGHT APPOINT OVER THIS BUSINESS." 27:24 NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CHANCES ARE - THESE ARE THE SAME 27:27 THINGS THAT PETER SAYS WHEN HE SAID, 'WE NEED TO REPLACE JUDAS' 27:29 IN ACTS CHAPTER 1. FIND SOMEONE WHO WENT WITH JESUS 27:31 FROM THE BEGINNING. IT WASN'T ONE OF THE TWELVE 27:33 APOSTLES, BUT HE WAS A REGULAR DISCIPLE. AND THEY PICKED ONE 27:37 FROM" - MATHIAS - "FROM AMONG THOSE TWO MEN." 27:40 NOW, AGAIN, HE SAYS, 'PICK SEVEN WHO ARE FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, 27:43 THEY'RE WELL-GROUNDED.' THESE MAY BE - THESE SEVEN THAT WERE 27:47 CHOSEN MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN IN THE UPPER ROOM WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT 27:50 WAS POURED OUT. IT DOESN'T NAME THEM ALL SO WE DON'T KNOW. 27:52 AND THEN IT NAMES THEM - TWO THAT STAND OUT TO US ARE STEPHEN 27:58 AND PHILIP AND IT SAYS THEY SET THEM ASIDE. 28:03 VERSE 6, "WHOM THEY SET BEFORE THE APOSTLES AND WHEN THEY 28:07 PRAYED THEY LAID HANDS ON THEM." THAT MEANS THAT THEY GAVE THEM 28:10 SOME AUTHORITY. THEY ESPECIALLY APPOINTED THEM 28:13 TO A WORK AND ASKED FOR GOD'S SPIRIT TO BE PUT UPON THEM. 28:17 AND WHEN THEY DID THIS ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW WHAT THE 28:20 RESULT WAS? VERSE 7, "THE WORD OF GOD SPREAD," - 28:23 WHY? BECAUSE THE APOSTLES WERE OUT PREACHING THE WORD AGAIN, 28:25 THEY WEREN'T SERVING TABLES. 28:27 "THEN THE WORD OF GOD SPREAD, AND THE NUMBER OF THE DISCIPLES 28:31 MULTIPLIED GREATLY IN JERUSALEM, AND A GREAT MANY OF THE PRIESTS 28:34 WERE OBEDIENT TO THE FAITH." AND SO, IN THE TIME OF CHRIST, 28:40 THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HEADLINES. AND SO NOT ONLY WERE THE PEOPLE 28:43 SPREADING, BUT EVEN IN THE PRIESTHOOD. 28:45 CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHY GREAT PERSECUTION AROSE? 28:47 WHEN EVEN AMONG THE PRIESTS, THEY BEGAN TO CONVERT. 28:50 THERE WERE PHARISEES AND THERE WERE SCRIBES THAT WERE 28:53 CONVERTING - EVEN SADDUCEES, WHICH WERE THE HARDEST - THEY 28:56 WERE THE LIBERALS - THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE IN THE SPIRIT OR ANGELS. 28:58 EVEN SOME OF THEM PROBABLY CONVERTED. 29:00 AND THE DEVIL WAS SO THREATENED - THEN YOU READ ABOUT A GREAT 29:04 PERSECUTION ARISING. STEPHEN IS OUT PREACHING. 29:07 HE'S FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT - HE DOES EVANGELISM - HE'S 29:09 DOING MISSION WORK. THAT'S A GOOD LESSON FOR US. 29:12 EVEN BEFORE THE PERSECUTION AROSE, DID DEACONS ONLY SERVE 29:16 TABLES? YOU KNOW, IN OUR CHURCHES TODAY, 29:19 WHEN WE PICK DEACONS - I'M SPEAKING GENERALLY. 29:23 THIS CHURCH IS AN EXCEPTION. WE THINK, 'WHO HAS THE GIFT OF 29:27 LAWN MOWING?' 'WHO HAS THE GIFT OF CARRYING 29:30 CHAIRS - SETTING UP AND TAKING DOWN CHAIRS?' 29:33 BUT WHILE THEY DID THOSE THINGS, YOU NOTICE THE DEACONS WERE VERY 29:37 INVOLVED IN MISSION WORK. ELDERS, WHEN WE OFTEN PICK 29:41 ELDERS IN OUR CHURCHES, WHAT DO WE THINK? 29:43 'WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO SAY THE PRAYER FOR THE OFFERING.' 'WE 29:46 NEED MORE PEOPLE TO SAY THE PRAYER.' BUT, BIBLICALLY, ELDERS 29:51 WERE REALLY THE PASTORS. THEY WERE - THEY WERE PREACHING. 29:55 THEY WERE TEACHING. THEY WERE NURTURING. 29:57 THEY WERE GIVING BIBLE STUDIES. 29:58 THEY WERE CONDUCTING THE SACRED ORDINANCES. 30:01 MATTER OF FACT, WE JUST GOT DONE WITH THE GENERAL CONFERENCE 30:04 MEETING AND ONE THING THAT EVERYBODY VOTED WAS, WITHOUT 30:06 GOING INTO THE GENDER ISSUE, EVERYONE VOTED A STATEMENT OF 30:10 THEOLOGY ON ORDINATION THAT SAID THERE IS BIBLICALLY NO 30:15 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PASTOR AND ELDER. BIBLICALLY, THEY WERE 30:20 DOING THE SAME THING. AND SO THE DEACONS WERE DOING 30:23 EVANGELISM BACK THEN, WHICH MAKES US WONDER, 'WHAT ABOUT 30:27 REGULAR MEMBERS? SHOULDN'T EVERY MEMBER HAVE A PASSION FOR SOUL 30:30 WINNING?' >>AMEN. 30:32 >>ALRIGHT, SO STEPHEN GOES OUT AND HE'S TEACHING AND PREACHING. 30:35 THAT LEADS US TO OUR NEXT SECTION, PHILIP IN SAMARIA AND 30:40 SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO CHAPTER 8 AT THIS POINT AND I WANT TO 30:46 JUST READ TO YOU - OH, WE'LL START WITH VERSE 5 - IT TALKS 30:51 ABOUT THE - DEATH OF STEPHEN THAT SAUL, LATER KNOWN AS PAUL, 30:56 WAS MAKING HAVOC OF THE CHURCH - GREAT PERSECUTION AROSE - AND 31:00 THEN READ VERSE 4 - ACTS 8, VERSE 4, IT SAYS, "THEREFORE 31:03 THOSE WHO WERE SCATTERED WENT EVERYWHERE PREACHING THE WORD." 31:07 NOW, YOU NOTICE WHAT PERSECUTION DOES? 31:08 WAS IT ALL BAD, WHAT PERSECUTION DID? 31:10 SEE, NOW JESUS SAID, 'I WANT YOU TO GO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN ALL 31:14 THE WORLD' - BEGINNING WHERE? IN JERUSALEM. 31:17 THEY DID THAT, THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT, AND THEN HE SAID 31:20 'I WANT YOU TO GO TO JERUSALEM.' WHAT WAS NEXT? 31:22 >>SAMARIA AND JUDEA. >>SAMARIA. JUDEA. THE UTTERMOST 31:26 PARTS OF THE EARTH. AND SO WHAT DO WE READ? BY THE WAY, THEY 31:30 WENT IN JUDEA EVEN BEFORE. AND IT SAYS IN - IF YOU LOOK IN 31:36 VERSE 5 - "THEN PHILIP" - NOW WHICH PHILIP IS THIS? 31:39 WELL, WE JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT ONE OF THE DEACONS NAMED 31:42 STEPHEN, THIS IS THE OTHER DEACON NAMED PHILIP. 31:44 "THEN PHILIP WENT DOWN TO THE CITY OF SAMARIA" - WELL, WE KNOW 31:47 IT'S PHILIP BECAUSE IT SAYS 'THE APOSTLES ABODE IN JERUSALEM.' 31:50 "AND THE MULTITUDES WITH ONE ACCORD HEEDED THE THINGS SPOKEN 31:56 BY PHILIP, HEARING AND SEEING THE MIRACLES WHICH HE DID." 32:02 NOW THIS IS A DEACON PERFORMING MIRACLES - "FOR UNCLEAN SPIRITS, 32:06 CRYING WITH A LOUD VOICE, CAME OUT OF MANY WHO WERE POSSESSED; 32:10 AND MANY WHO WERE PARALYZED AND LAME WERE HEALED. 32:13 AND THERE WAS GREAT JOY IN THAT CITY." 32:15 NOW DON'T LOSE YOUR PLACE IN ACTS - I WANT YOU TO GO TO MARK 32:18 16 - MARK 16 AND I FORGET WHAT VERSE, BUT I'LL TELL YOU IN JUST 32:23 A MINUTE - MARK 16 - OKAY, IF YOU LOOK IN MARK 16, VERSE 17, 32:30 "AND THESE SIGNS WILL FOLLOW THOSE WHO ARE APOSTLES" - 32:36 IS THAT WHAT IT SAYS? 32:39 IT SAYS, "THESE SIGNS WILL FOLLOW THOSE WHO BELIEVE." 32:42 ANY BELIEVERS HERE? >>AMEN. 32:44 >>"THESE SIGNS WILL FOLLOW THOSE WHO BELIEVE. 32:47 IN MY NAME THEY WILL CAST OUT DEMONS; THEY WILL SPEAK WITH NEW 32:51 TONGUES; THEY WILL TAKE UP SERPENTS;" - THAT DOESN'T MEAN 32:54 LIKE THE SNAKE HANDLERS - YOU GO ON A SNAKE SAFARI AND YOU PICK 32:56 UP SNAKES TO PROVE YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. 32:58 WHAT THAT'S TALKING ABOUT IS WHEN PAUL WAS BITTEN BY A 33:02 SERPENT IN ACTS, IT SAYS HE TOOK THE BEAST UP - WHEN HE LIFTED UP 33:06 HIS ARM IT WAS HANGING OFF HIM, BUT IT DIDN'T HURT HIM. 33:08 IT'S JUST SAYING, 'IF YOU'RE BITTEN BY A SERPENT.' THEY USED 33:12 TO ACTUALLY PUT SNAKES - THE WAY THAT THEY WOULD TRY AND KILL 33:15 PEOPLE BACK THEN - THEY DIDN'T HAVE GUNS. 33:16 THEY DIDN'T HAVE ASSASSINS AND SNIPERS - THEY POISONED PEOPLE. 33:19 THEY MIGHT PUT A SERPENT IN YOUR BED OR SOMETHING - IN YOUR 33:23 SLEEPING BAG - TO BITE YOU OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND IT 33:27 SAYS, 'IF YOU'RE BITTEN WITH SERPENTS, THEY WON'T HURT YOU. 33:30 IF YOU DRINK ANY DEADLY THING IT WILL BY NO MEANS HURT YOU. 33:34 YOU'LL LAY YOUR HANDS ON THE SICK AND THEY WILL RECOVER.' NOW 33:38 SOME PEOPLE HAVE DISMISSED THIS PART OF MARK, BUT YOU LOOK IN 33:41 ACTS AND IT'S SHOWING THE FULFILLMENT OF IT. 33:43 THESE ARE THE SIGNS AND WONDERS THAT WERE FOLLOWING PHILIP, NOT 33:46 JUST APOSTLES - THEM THAT BELIEVE, JESUS SAID. 33:49 NOW WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF THIS TODAY, BUT THIS HAPPENED AFTER 33:52 THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 33:54 WHEN GOD POURS OUT HIS SPIRIT AGAIN, WILL WE, ONCE AGAIN, SEE 33:57 BIBLICAL SIGNS AND WONDERS AMONG GOD'S PEOPLE? 34:00 >>YES. >>I BELIEVE IT. 34:02 WELL, WE NEED TO BE DOING NOW WHAT THE APOSTLES DID THEN, 34:04 BEFORE THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT. 34:07 YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID? THEY WERE OF ONE ACCORD AND THEY 34:09 PRAYED AND THEY FASTED AND THEY STUDIED THE WORD. AND AS THEY 34:13 PREPARED THEIR HEARTS, WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT, THEY 34:17 WERE READY TO RECEIVE IT AND THEN SIGNS AND WONDERS FOLLOWED. 34:20 ALRIGHT, WE'RE BACK IN ACTS CHAPTER 8, "AND THERE WAS GREAT 34:25 JOY IN THAT CITY." IT SAYS HE WENT DOWN TO SAMARIA. 34:29 NOW WHEN IT SAYS HE WENT TO SAMARIA, YOU KNOW, THERE REALLY 34:32 WAS NO CITY NAMED SAMARIA AT THAT TIME. SAMARIA WAS THE 34:35 CAPITOL OF THE TEN TRIBES OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM. 34:39 DURING THE TIME OF THE APOSTLES, SAMARIA, WHAT WE CALL SAMARIA IS 34:44 - YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED - AHAB WAS THE KING OF 34:47 SAMARIA - IT WAS DESTROYED BY HYRCANUS, ONE OF THE JEWISH 34:51 KINGS LONG BEFORE THE TIME OF PHILIP, BUT HEROD THE GREAT 34:57 REBUILT IT AND HE GAVE IT THE NAME OF SEBASTE. BUT THE JEWS, 35:03 STILL OUT OF REBELLION, CALLED IT SAMARIA BECAUSE IT WAS THE 35:06 PLACE OF THEIR FORMER HEADQUARTERS FOR THE NORTHERN 35:09 KINGDOM BUT, TECHNICALLY, THAT WAS NOT THE NAME OF IT ANYMORE. 35:12 OKAY, MOVING ALONG - AND IT'S TELLING YOU EVERYTHING'S GOING 35:16 WONDERFUL BUT THEN YOU READ IN VERSE 9 - I'M IN ACTS CHAPTER 8, 35:20 VERSE 9, BUT - NOW, WHEN YOU'RE HEARING A STORY ABOUT WONDERFUL 35:24 THINGS HAPPENING - DEVILS CAST OUT, PEOPLE HEALED, GREAT JOY, 35:27 BUT - WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? THAT THREE-LETTER WORD - WHAT'S 35:31 GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM. 35:34 BUT - DOES THE DEVIL JUST STAND BACK WHEN GOD'S POURING OUT THE 35:38 SPIRIT? DEVILS ARE BEING CAST OUT, PEOPLE ARE BEING HEALED. 35:40 THE WORD IS BEING PREACHED - YOU CAN ALMOST ALWAYS WAIT FOR IT. 35:44 THE DEVIL'S GOING TO TRY AND STOP IT. IT DOESN'T LAST FOR 35:48 LONG AND HE TRIES TO STOP IT. "BUT THERE WAS A CERTAIN MAN 35:51 CALLED SIMON, WHO PREVIOUSLY PRACTICED SORCERY IN THE CITY" - 35:56 IS SORCERY BIBLICALLY A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING? 35:59 - "AND ASTONISHED THE PEOPLE OF SAMARIA, CLAIMING THAT HE WAS 36:02 SOMEONE GREAT," - MIGHT HAVE BEEN CLAIMING THAT HE WAS LIKE 36:05 ONE OF THESE MESSIANIC INCARNATIONS - THERE WERE MANY 36:10 POPPING UP DURING THAT TIME, THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE 36:13 IN JESUS - OR SOME DIDN'T - "TO WHOM THEY ALL GAVE HEED, FROM 36:18 THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST, SAYING, 'THIS MAN IS THE GREAT 36:20 POWER OF GOD.' AND THEY HEEDED HIM BECAUSE HE HAD ASTONISHED 36:24 THEM WITH HIS SORCERIES FOR A LONG TIME. 36:28 BUT WHEN THEY BELIEVED PHILIP AS HE PREACHED THE THINGS 36:31 CONCERNING THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, 36:34 BOTH MEN AND WOMEN WERE BAPTIZED. 36:35 THEN SIMON HIMSELF ALSO BELIEVED; AND WHEN HE WAS 36:38 BAPTIZED" - HE BELIEVED AND WAS BAPTIZED BUT HE HAD NOT GIVEN UP 36:41 HIS OLD WAYS COMPLETELY - "AND HE CONTINUED WITH PHILIP," - 36:45 HE STARTS FOLLOWING PHILIP AROUND. 36:47 HE WANTS TO KNOW - NOW HE HAD BEEN USING SORCERY AND MAGIC AND 36:50 TRICKS TO DECEIVE THE PEOPLE AND HE'S WANTING TO KNOW - HE SEES 36:54 PHILIP CASTING OUT DEVILS AND DOING THESE WONDERS AND 36:56 MIRACLES. HE'S GOING, 'HOW'S HE DOING IT? 36:58 I'VE GOT TO FIGURE THIS OUT. WHERE'S HIS POWER COMING FROM. 37:01 IF I COULD ONLY HAVE THAT POWER. I'VE BEEN USING MAGIC AND TRICKS 37:05 AND SLIGHT OF HAND. HE'S GOT THE REAL THING. 37:08 WOW, WHAT I WOULDN'T GIVE FOR THE REAL THING.' AND HE THOUGHT 37:12 MAYBE IT WAS LIKE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, YOU TRADE WITH MAGICIANS - 37:15 YOU PAY THEM A LITTLE BIT AND THEY SAY, 'ALRIGHT, I'LL SHOW 37:17 YOU WHAT THE SECRET IS.' AND HE SAW THE MIRACLES THAT WERE DONE 37:22 - NOTICE - "NOW WHEN THE APOSTLES WHO WERE AT JERUSALEM 37:26 HEARD THAT SAMARIA HAD RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD, THEY SENT PETER 37:28 AND JOHN TO THEM." THAT'S ONE REASON WE KNOW THAT 37:30 PHILIP, WHO'S PREACHING AS A DEACON - BECAUSE WHEN THEY'RE 37:34 WANTING THEM TO BE BAPTIZED - IF PHILIP WAS AN APOSTLE, HE WOULD 37:37 HAVE JUST DONE IT, BUT - OR BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT, RATHER - 37:40 HE WOULD HAVE DONE IT BUT THEY'RE SENDING NOW FOR TWO OF 37:43 THE CHIEF REPRESENTATIVES TO PRAY THE SAMARITANS. 37:44 YOU REALIZE THIS WAS A DIFFICULT STEP. 37:47 THEY WERE STRUGGLING ABOUT TAKING THE GENTILES - THE JEWS 37:50 TO THE GENTILES - TAKING THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES. 37:53 SAMARITANS, YOU KNOW, THEY AT LEAST BELIEVED THE BOOKS OF 37:56 MOSES, SO FOR THEM TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT THEY SAID, 'WE'D 37:58 BETTER SEND FOR PETER AND JOHN. THEY WANTED SOME AUTHORITY. 38:01 SO PHILIP WAS STILL JUST THE DEACON. AND WHEN THEY "PRAYED 38:06 FOR THEM THAT THEY MIGHT RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR AS YET HE 38:09 HAD FALLEN UPON NONE OF THEM. THEY HAD ONLY BEEN BAPTIZED IN 38:12 THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS. THEN THEY LAID HANDS ON THEM, 38:16 AND THEY RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT. 38:18 AND WHEN SIMON SAW THAT THROUGH THE LAYING ON OF THE APOSTLES' 38:21 HANDS THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS GIVEN, HE OFFERED THEM MONEY, SAYING, 38:25 'GIVE ME THIS POWER ALSO, THAT ANYONE ON WHOM I LAY HANDS MAY 38:28 RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.'" NOW THE CHURCH COULD HAVE GONE THE 38:32 WRONG DIRECTION RIGHT THEN - TO THINK THAT YOU COULD BUY OR SELL 38:36 - YOU REMEMBER WHEN NAAMAN TRIED TO PAY FOR HIS HEALING AND 38:38 ELISHA SAID, 'I WON'T TAKE A PENNY.' AND WHEN GEHAZI THOUGHT 38:42 THAT WAS A BAD DECISION HE SAID, 'YEAH, WE'LL TAKE SOMETHING FOR 38:45 IT.' HE GOT LEPROSY. 38:46 YOU CANNOT PAY FOR THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 38:49 JOSEPH'S BROTHERS TRIED TO PAY FOR THE GIFT OF FOOD. 38:52 HE PUT IT BACK IN THE BAGS. HE WOULDN'T TAKE THE MONEY. 38:55 YOU CANNOT PAY FOR THE GIFT OF GOD. 38:57 THAT'S A PRINCIPLE THROUGH THE BIBLE. "BUT PETER SAID TO HIM, 39:01 'YOUR MONEY PERISH WITH YOU,'" - IN HEBREW - OR GREEK, ACTUALLY, 39:05 IT'S A PRETTY STRONG TERM - "BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT THAT THE 39:09 GIFT OF GOD COULD BE PURCHASED WITH MONEY! 39:12 YOU HAVE NEITHER PART NOR PORTION IN THIS MATTER, FOR YOUR 39:15 HEART IS NOT RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD." 39:17 YOU CAN'T GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO ANYONE BECAUSE YOU STILL 39:19 DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THE BASICS. YOU THINK IT CAN BE 39:21 BOUGHT. "REPENT THEREFORE OF THIS YOUR WICKEDNESS, AND PRAY 39:25 GOD IF PERHAPS THE THOUGHT OF YOUR HEART MAY BE FORGIVEN YOU." 39:29 CAN THOUGHTS BE SINS? IT SAYS 'EVEN THE THOUGHT OF 39:33 YOUR HEART' - PRAY THAT YOU BE FORGIVEN FOR 39:34 EVEN THINKING THIS - "FOR I SEE THAT YOU ARE POISONED 39:38 BY BITTERNESS AND BOUND BY INIQUITY." 39:40 AND SIMON, WHEN HE HEARD PETER COME DOWN, YOU KNOW, 39:43 PETER DIDN'T MINCE WORDS, DID HE? 39:44 NOT TOO MANY PASTORS TALK LIKE THAT ANYMORE, DO THEY? 39:47 YOU HEAR PAUL - THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ON HIM AND HE TELLS 39:51 ANOTHER SIMON, 'YOU CHILD OF THE DEVIL. 39:53 HOW LONG WILL YOU PERVERT THE WAYS OF GOD?' AND THAT MAN'S 39:57 STRUCK WITH BLINDNESS. WE NEED MORE BOLDNESS. 40:00 "THEN SIMON ANSWERED AND SAID, 'PRAY TO THE LORD FOR ME, THAT 40:04 NONE OF THE THINGS WHICH YOU HAVE SPOKEN MAY COME UPON ME." 40:06 HE REPENTS AND WE NEVER FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH HIM. 40:09 LET'S HOPE THAT HE REPENTED AND HE BECAME A HUMBLE APOSTLE AND 40:12 HE UNDERSTOOD THE TRUTH - OR A HUMBLE DISCIPLE, RATHER, AND 40:15 UNDERSTOOD THE TRUTH. BUT HE WAS USING WHAT? SORCERY. 40:18 NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A VERSE ON THAT. HOW DOES THE BIBLE 40:22 FEEL - SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ DEUTERONOMY 18:10 - CAN WE GET 40:26 READY FOR THAT RIGHT AWAY? GO AHEAD. 40:28 >>"THERE SHALL NOT BE FOUND AMONG YOU ANYONE WHO MAKES HIS 40:32 SON OR HIS DAUGHTER PASS THROUGH THE FIRE OR ONE WHO PRACTICES 40:34 WITCHCRAFT, OR A SOOTHSAYER, OR ONE WHO INTERPRETS OMENS, OR A 40:39 SORCERER." >>HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE MET 40:41 PEOPLE OUT THERE IN OUR SECULAR WORLD, 40:44 THAT SORT OF CO-MINGLE A LITTLE BIT OF CHRISTIANITY WITH A 40:48 LITTLE BIT OF WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY AND THEY JUST 40:51 SORT OF THINK THAT THEY'RE ALL POWERS AND THAT THEY'RE ALL 40:54 GOOD. YOU EVER RUN INTO THAT? YEAH, I DO - IT'S AMAZING. 40:58 ALRIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HASTEN ALONG BECAUSE WE NEED TO 41:01 MAKE SURE AND GET THE ETHIOPIAN BAPTIZED BEFORE WE'RE DONE. 41:06 AND SO YOU GO TO ACTS CHAPTER 8 AND YOU CAN READ - 41:09 GO TO VERSE 26. SO AFTER THIS GREAT REVIVAL THAT 41:13 TAKES PLACE, "NOW AN ANGEL OF THE LORD SPOKE TO PHILIP, 41:17 SAYING, 'ARISE AND GO TOWARD THE SOUTH ALONG THE ROAD WHICH GOES 41:22 DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO GAZA.' THIS IS DESERT." 41:24 WHY WOULD THE ANGEL TELL YOU TO GO TO THE DESERT? 41:28 HAS GOD OFTEN LED HIS PEOPLE IN THE DESERT BEFORE? 41:31 TO SAVE THEM OR SAVE SOMEONE ELSE? AND, YOU KNOW, 41:35 ELIJAH WENT TO THE DESERT, JESUS WENT TO THE DESERT. 41:38 GO DOWN AND WITHOUT QUESTIONING, LIKE ABRAHAM, HE TELLS HIM TO GO 41:43 AND HE SAYS, 'I'LL GO.' "SO HE AROSE AND WENT." 41:48 - BUT LORD, I'M HAVING SUCH A GREAT EVANGELISTIC EXPERIENCE IN 41:51 SAMARIA, WHY LEAVE THIS? HE SAID, 'I WANT YOU TO GO. 41:54 YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY BUT JUST GO.' 41:57 "SO HE AROSE AND WENT. AND BEHOLD, A MAN OF ETHIOPIA, A 42:00 EUNUCH OF GREAT AUTHORITY UNDER CANDICE THE QUEEN OF THE 42:04 ETHIOPIANS, WHO HAD CHARGE OF ALL HER TREASURY, AND HAD COME 42:08 TO JERUSALEM TO WORSHIP, WAS RETURNING. 42:11 AND SITTING IN HIS CHARIOT, HE WAS READING ISAIAH THE PROPHET." 42:15 - OH, YOU EVER RUN INTO ONE OF THOSE VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES? 42:18 NOW THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU'LL FIND ONE OF THE BIGGEST 42:24 BATTLES THAT WAS EVER FOUGHT IN THE BIBLE, WAS A BATTLE FOUGHT 42:28 BETWEEN THE JEWS AND THE ETHIOPIANS, DID YOU KNOW THAT? 42:31 YOU CAN LOOK IN 2 CHRONICLES 14:9, "THEN ZERAH THE ETHIOPIAN 42:37 CAME OUT AGAINST THEM WITH AN ARMY OF A MILLION MEN AND THREE 42:42 HUNDRED CHARIOTS," - IT'S THE LARGEST ARMY NUMBERED IN THE 42:45 BIBLE - AND GOD MIRACULOUSLY GAVE THE KING OF ISRAEL - THE 42:49 KING OF JUDAH VICTORY IN THAT BATTLE. BUT THERE WAS SOME 42:53 LONG-STANDING STRUGGLES BETWEEN ETHIOPIA AND THE JEWISH NATION. 42:58 YOU REMEMBER WHY WAS MIRIAM UPSET WITH MOSES? 43:01 BECAUSE HE HAD MARRIED THAT ETHIOPIAN. 43:06 AND SO NOW, GOD IS TELLING ONE OF HIS EVANGELISTS, 'I WANT YOU 43:11 TO GO AND TALK TO THIS ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH.' 43:13 NOW WHETHER HE WAS TECHNICALLY A EUNUCH OR NOT IS HARD TO KNOW 43:18 BECAUSE THE WORD EUNUCH WAS USED BOTH TO DESCRIBE THOSE WHO HAD 43:22 GONE THROUGH THAT MEDICAL PROCEDURE TO MAKE SURE THEY 43:25 WOULD NOT BOTHER THE KING'S HAREM, LIKE DANIEL WAS MADE A 43:28 EUNUCH, BUT THE EUNUCH ALSO WAS A BROAD TERM THAT WAS TALKING 43:32 ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN THE PALACE IN ADMINISTRATIVE 43:35 CAPACITY. AND SO IT'S PROBABLE THAT THIS 43:39 FELLOW FELL IN THAT CATEGORY BECAUSE, BIBLICALLY, A EUNUCH 43:43 WAS NOT ALLOWED IN THE TEMPLE. DID YOU KNOW THAT? 43:46 AND THIS MAN HAS JUST COME FROM WORSHIPING AT THE TEMPLE IN 43:49 JERUSALEM. SO HE WAS PROBABLY AN ADMINISTRATOR. HE'S A TREASURER. 43:54 HE'S GOT GREAT RESOURCES AT HIS DISPOSAL AND HE'S ON HIS WAY 43:58 BACK HOME. HE'S A BELIEVER IN THE TRUE GOD. YOU KNOW, ALL THE 44:02 WAY FROM THE TIME OF SOLOMON WHEN THE QUEEN OF SHEBA - THAT 44:05 COUNTRY WAS THE SAME COUNTRY AS ETHIOPIA - HAD GONE BACK DOWN 44:07 THERE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD. HER WHOLE QUEST WAS TO 44:10 FIND OUT ABOUT THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON, WHICH WAS THE FEAR OF 44:13 THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. SHE TOOK IT BACK. 44:16 MANY WERE CONVERTED, AND THAT'S WHEN THE KNOWLEDGE OF JEHOVAH 44:20 WAS DOWN THERE. THE SCRIPTURES WERE DOWN THERE. 44:22 THE TRUTH, IN ETHIOPIA, GOES BACK TO 800 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST. 44:28 AND SO, HE'S COMING TO WORSHIP, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT JESUS. 44:33 SO THAT'S WHY THE ANGEL SAID, 'LOOK, WE NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE 44:37 THE MESSAGE DOWN THERE. HE'S ALREADY ON HIS WAY. 44:39 IF YOU COULD PREACH TO HIM AND GIVE HIM A BIBLE STUDY BEFORE HE 44:41 GOES, HE'LL TAKE IT WITH HIM. PERFECT - PERFECT OPPORTUNITY. 44:46 SO AT A 50-MILE TRIP THE ANGEL TOOK HIM ON. 44:50 SO HE AROSE AND - HE ARISES AND HE GOES. MATTER OF FACT, 44:55 SOMEONE, I THINK, HAS A VERSE IN PSALM 68:31 THAT FORETOLD - 45:00 WHO - DID ANYONE GET THAT ONE? YOU'LL HAVE THAT - WE'LL HAVE 45:03 YOU READ THAT IN JUST A SECOND HERE. 45:04 AND SO IT SAYS THAT PHILIP GOES DOWN AND HE SEES HIM READING. 45:11 HE'S READING FROM THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 45:12 "'DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE READING?' 45:14 AND HE SAID, 'HOW CAN I UNLESS SOMEONE GUIDES ME?' 45:18 AND HE ASKED PHILIP TO COME UP AND SIT WITH HIM" - IN THE 45:21 CHARIOT. THIS IS THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF 45:23 PICKING UP HITCHHIKERS IN THE BIBLE. 45:25 THAT'S WHY I DO THAT - TO WITNESS. 45:28 "THE PLACE IN THE SCRIPTURE WHICH HE READ WAS THIS:" - HAVE 45:32 YOU EVER HAD ONE OF THOSE AMAZING EXPERIENCES WHERE YOU 45:35 READ SOMETHING IN THE MORNING AND YOU FIND IT'S THE VERY THING 45:37 YOU NEED TO GIVE SOMEONE LATER IN THE DAY? 45:40 OR HAVE YOU EVER SAT DOWN NEXT TO SOMEONE AND YOU'RE GIVING A 45:43 BIBLE STUDY BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS IN THE BIBLE 45:45 BUT YOU OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO THE VERY SPOT THAT THEY'RE - 45:47 THEY'RE NEEDING TO HEAR. I'VE HAD HUNDREDS OF EXPERIENCES 45:50 LIKE THAT. WHAT A PERFECT PLACE FOR A 45:53 JEWISH BELIEVER TO BE READING IN HIS BIBLE THE MESSIAH'S PROPHECY 45:58 THAT YOU FIND IN ISAIAH 53 WHEN YOU RUN INTO YOUR FIRST 46:01 CHRISTIAN. BOY, TALK ABOUT TIMING. 46:04 THERE WAS NO OTHER PLACE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT WAS BETTER 46:07 SUITED TO BEGIN A BIBLE STUDY TO INTRODUCE JESUS THAN THOSE 46:10 VERSES. AND SO HE'S READING THAT BECAUSE 46:14 HE WANTS TO TAKE THE GOSPEL DOWN TO ETHIOPIA. AND SO HE READ, 46:18 "HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE 46:21 ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH." 46:23 AND THE EUNUCH SAYS TO PHILIP, 'I ASK YOU, OF WHOM DOES THE 46:27 PROPHET SAY THIS, OF HIMSELF OR OF SOME OTHER MAN?' 46:29 THEN PHILIP OPENED HIS MOUTH," - WHAT A GREAT QUESTION! - 46:32 "AND BEGINNING AT THIS SCRIPTURE," - 46:34 STARTS WHERE HE IS - HE "PREACHED JESUS TO HIM." 46:37 HOW LONG THAT WENT - IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN HOURS RIDING ALONG. 46:39 SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY HE SAYS, 'OH MAN," - HIS HEART IS BURNING 46:44 WITHIN HIM - HE SAYS, 'I BELIEVE IT. I WANT TO BE BAPTIZED IN THE 46:47 NAME OF JESUS.' HE SAYS, "IF YOU BELIEVE WITH 46:49 ALL YOUR HEART, YOU MAY." THEY GO BY A BODY OF WATER - WE 46:52 DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A POND, AN OASIS - THEY COULD HAVE BEEN 46:54 POINTING - THE ROAD FROM GAZA DOWN TO ETHIOPIA WENT BY THE 46:56 MEDITERRANEAN - THEY COULD HAVE POINTED TO THE OCEAN. 46:59 IT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE CASES IN THE BIBLE FOR SALTWATER BAPTISM. 47:01 AND HE SAID, "HERE IS WATER. WHAT HINDERS ME?" 47:06 HE SAID, "IF YOU BELIEVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART" - PHILIP 47:08 BAPTIZES HIM, HE COMES UP OUT OF THE WATER, THE MAN'S REJOICING 47:11 AND - POOF! - PHILIP IS GONE. THIS IS A CASE IN THE BIBLE OF A 47:14 HUMAN BEING BEAMED, FOR LACK OF ANOTHER WORD, FROM ONE PLACE TO 47:18 ANOTHER. PHILIP SUDDENLY FINDS HIMSELF 47:20 WALKING ON THE ROAD UP TO CAESAREA. 47:22 GOD TOLD HIM TO GO DOWN AND BECAUSE HE WENT THAT LONG WAY 47:26 INTO A DESERT, AT THE WORD OF GOD, GOD SAID, 'LOOK, I'M NOT 47:29 GOING TO MAKE YOU WALK THE WHOLE WAY BACK. 47:32 I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LIFT.' WASN'T THAT NICE? 47:35 GOD'LL MAKE YOUR - IT'S LIKE WHEN JESUS GOT IN THE BOAT WHEN 47:38 THE DISCIPLES WERE ROWING DURING THAT ONE WIND STORM. 47:41 IT SAYS, 'WHEN HE GOT IN THE BOAT THEY WERE AT THE 47:43 DESTINATION WHERE THEY WERE GOING. 47:46 HE BEAMED THEM HALFWAY ACROSS THE OCEAN TO THE SHORE. 47:48 HE DOESN'T ALWAYS DO THAT FOR MISSIONARIES, BUT THIS MAN, 47:53 KNOWING THAT - WHEN PHILIP DISAPPEARED, WHAT DID IT DO FOR 47:56 THE FAITH OF THE ETHIOPIAN? HE THOUGHT PHILIP WAS AN ANGEL. 47:59 HE SAID - AND HE WAS SO EXCITED. SO GOD NOT ONLY DID IT FOR 48:03 PHILIP, HE DID IT FOR THE ETHIOPIAN SO HE'D GO, 'IT WAS A 48:06 MESSAGE FROM GOD.' AND HE WENT ON HIS WAY REJOICING AND HE TOOK 48:10 THE GOSPEL TO ETHIOPIA. THIS WAS FORETOLD. 48:13 GO AHEAD, READ FOR US PSALM 68:31. 48:15 >>"PRINCES SHALL COME OUT OF EGYPT; ETHIOPIA SHALL SOON 48:21 STRETCH OUT HER HANDS UNTO GOD." >>THIS VERY EVENT, THAT THE 48:29 ETHIOPIANS WOULD ALSO COME TO GOD, WAS FORETOLD. 48:32 DO YOU KNOW THAT AS LATE AS 700 AD, THE PEOPLE IN ETHIOPIA WERE 48:39 STILL BELIEVING IN GOD. MATTER OF FACT, THEY WERE 48:42 KEEPING THE - WELL THEY STILL DO TODAY - WHAT I MEANT WAS THEY 48:44 WERE KEEPING THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 48:46 YEAH, I'VE GOT IT HERE - "IN 1604 JESUITS WENT TO ETHIOPIA 48:51 PROHIBITING SUBJECTS OF THE CATHOLIC REALM, UPON THE 48:56 SEVEREST PENALTY, FROM OBSERVING SATURDAY ANY LONGER." 49:00 THAT'S A QUOTE FROM GEDDES' CHURCH HISTORY OF ETHIOPIA . 49:04 IT'S ALSO IN GIBBON'S DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE . 49:07 SO UP TO 1,604 YEARS AFTER CHRIST, THEY WERE STILL 49:12 SABBATH-KEEPING CHRISTIANS IN ETHIOPIA AND THERE ARE STILL 49:14 SOME TODAY. BUT THE CHURCH BEGAN TO FORBID 49:17 THEM TO DO IT AT THAT POINT. WHERE DID THAT PRIMITIVE 49:21 CHRISTIANITY, HOW DID IT REACH ETHIOPIA? 49:23 THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT WAS THAT TREASURER WHO BROUGHT IT 49:28 AND SHARED IT WITH THE QUEEN, CANDICE, AND IT BEGAN TO 49:31 SPREAD AMONG THE PEOPLE DOWN THERE. 49:33 JUST A MOMENT LEFT WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE - THE LAST POINT 49:37 IS PHILIP AS THE HOST AND A FATHER. 49:42 YOU CAN READ IN ACTS 21 IT TALKS ABOUT PHILIP AGAIN. 49:46 WE'RE JUMPING MUCH DEEPER INTO THE BOOK OF ACTS. 49:48 NOW TWENTY YEARS HAVE GONE BY. "AND THE NEXT DAY WE THAT WERE 49:52 OF PAUL'S COMPANY DEPARTED, AND CAME UNTO CAESAREA." 49:56 NOW THAT, EVIDENTLY, WAS WHERE PHILIP STAYED. 49:59 REMEMBER, IT SAYS THAT AFTER HE BAPTIZED THE ETHIOPIAN, HE WAS 50:02 FOUND ON THE ROAD WALKING TOWARDS CAESAREA. 50:04 I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN TO CAESAREA. 50:06 IT WAS NAMED AFTER THE WIFE OF CAESAR - OR DEDICATED TO HER BY, 50:10 I THINK, HEROD THE GREAT DID THAT. 50:13 THERE'S A BIG - IT'S STILL THERE TODAY - THEY'VE GOT A BIG SEMI 50:15 THEATER YOU CAN STAND OUT IN THE MIDDLE AND YOU CAN SPEAK AND 50:19 IT'S BUILT WITH SUCH PERFECT PARABOLIC SHAPE THAT SOMEONE AT 50:23 THE TOP CAN HEAR YOU SPEAK IN A NORMAL VOICE IN THIS BIG 50:27 AMPHITHEATER. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE SPOT. SO HE MOVED TO THAT CITY 50:30 AND, EVIDENTLY, TWENTY YEARS LATER, PHILIP IS STILL THERE. 50:33 HE MET A GAL, EVIDENTLY, GOT MARRIED, HAD FOUR DAUGHTERS, AND 50:37 HE BEGAN TO BECOME A LEADER IN THE CHURCH THERE AT THIS PORT 50:42 CITY THAT'S ON THE INTERSECTION OF THREE CONTINENTS AND SO IT 50:47 WAS A GREAT PLACE FOR HIM TO SET UP HEADQUARTERS AS AN 50:49 EVANGELIST. AND HE WAS A GOOD FATHER AND A 50:51 GOOD HOST. IT SAYS, "WE ENTERED INTO THE 50:54 HOUSE OF PHILIP THE EVANGELIST." DO WE HAVE TO DOUBT WHO THAT IS? 50:58 HE WAS THE GREAT EVANGELIST, "WHICH WAS ONE OF THE SEVEN." 51:02 MAKES IT VERY CLEAR - "AND ABODE WITH HIM." 51:05 NOW THIS MAN, YOU LOOK AT VERSE 9, HE HAD FOUR VIRGIN DAUGHTERS 51:09 WHO PROPHESIED. THAT'S A FULFILLMENT OF THE 51:12 PROPHECY THAT YOU FIND IN ACTS - WELL, IT'S IN JOEL CHAPTER 2, 51:17 WHERE IT SAYS 'I'LL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH. 51:19 YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY.' SO IF WE'RE 51:22 WONDERING WHAT IS MEANT BY THAT, YOU FIND AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IN 51:25 ACTS CHAPTER 2 WHEN THE MEN AND WOMEN ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY 51:29 SPIRIT AND THEY'RE SHARING THE GOSPEL IN OTHER LANGUAGES, YOU 51:32 FIND AN EXAMPLE OF THAT HERE WHEN THE DAUGHTERS OF PHILIP DID 51:35 ALSO PROPHESY. THEY ARE SHARING AND THE WORD 51:39 'PROPHESY' DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN THAT YOU'RE FORETELLING THE 51:42 FUTURE, IT MEANS THAT YOU ARE TEACHING, YOU'RE PREACHING, 51:45 YOU'RE PROCLAIMING, YOU'RE GIVING BIBLE STUDIES. 51:47 WHETHER THEIR PROPHECY WAS SPECIFICALLY AMONG THE WOMEN IN 51:49 THEIR COMMUNITY, IT DOES NOT SAY, BUT WHAT KIND OF FATHER DO 51:54 YOU HAVE TO BE TO HAVE FOUR GIRL PROPHETS? 51:57 YOU'VE GOT TO BE A GOOD FATHER. HE WAS A GOOD EVANGELIST AND 52:01 WHERE DID HIS EVANGELISM BEGIN? AT HOME. 52:04 YOU KNOW, WE NEVER GIVE AMRAM AND JOCHEBED ENOUGH CREDIT. 52:07 AMRAM AND JOCHEBED HAD THREE KIDS THAT WERE ALL PROPHETS. 52:10 MIRIAM, AARON, AND MOSES. TWO OF THEM WERE PRIESTS. 52:16 THE BOYS WERE PRIESTS, BUT ALL THREE WERE PROPHETS. 52:19 AND SO PHILIP AND HIS WIFE, THEY WERE A GOOD FAMILY. 52:22 THEY DID MISSION WORK IN THEIR FAMILY AND BEYOND. 52:24 WELL, WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME FOR OUR STUDY ON PHILIP, BUT I 52:27 THINK WE GOT THROUGH THE BULK OF THE LESSON. 52:29 AND, FOR OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE WATCHING, IF YOU DID NOT HEAR AT 52:32 THE BEGINNING, WE HAVE A FREE OFFER WE'LL MAKE AVAILABLE. 52:34 IT'S A BOOK CALLED THE SAVIOR AND THE SERPENT . 52:36 IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY ENCOURAGING BOOK ABOUT THOSE GREAT 52:38 STATEMENTS OF JESUS OF MOSES BEING LIFTED UP - CHRIST BEING 52:42 LIFTED UP IN THE WILDERNESS - AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT. 52:46 AND SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK FOR THIS. 52:49 WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU. YOU CAN EVEN READ IT FOR FREE 52:51 ONLINE. IF YOU DO GET ONE, SHARE IT WITH 52:52 YOUR FRIENDS. THANK YOU FOR STUDYING WITH US. 52:54 GOD WILLING WE'LL BE TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT SABBATH. 52:57 GOD BLESS YOU. >>AMAZING FACTS CHANGED LIVES. 53:09 WELL, MY CONVERSION STORY IS WHEN I WAS IN THE PHILIPPINES I 53:16 JUST GRADUATED AS A NURSE AND AFTERWARDS I DID NOT HAVE ANY 53:22 RELIGION AND ONE TIME I FOUND MYSELF INSIDE A SMALL CHURCH - 53:27 CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MANILLA - AND BEFORE A BIG CROSS AND I WAS 53:34 KNEELING BEFORE AND I COULD HEAR JESUS TELLING ME TO ENTER THE 53:40 CONVENT, SAVE MYSELF, AND ALSO MY FAMILY. 53:44 AND I SAID, 'LORD, I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW YOU ALL THE WAY.' 53:47 AT THAT POINT I SEEMED TO BE HAPPY, EXTERNALLY, BUT BECAUSE 53:51 INSIDE THE CONVENT WE DON'T READ THE BIBLE - WE DON'T STUDY ABOUT 53:56 THE WORD OF GOD, WE PRAY THE ROSARIES. 53:59 WE ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, STUDY THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS AND ALSO 54:04 OUR FOUNDERS AND THE ENCYCLICALS OF THE POPE, AND THE VIRGIN 54:09 MARY. AND SO I DO NOT KNOW THE TRUTH 54:11 AND I HAD THIS TORTURE OF CONSCIENCE - THE GUILTY FEELINGS 54:16 THAT CANNOT BE RESOLVED. SO I WOULD CONFESS TO THE PRIEST 54:19 IN THE CONFESSIONAL BOX SAYING, 'FATHER, FORGIVE ME. 54:23 SINCE MY LAST CONFESSION WAS LAST WEEK - SINCE THEN I HAVE 54:28 COMMITTED THE FOLLOWING SIN INCLUDING THE ROOT CAUSE, 'WHY 54:32 AM I FALLING AND FALLING IN THAT SAME SIN OVER AND OVER AGAIN?' 54:37 AND STILL, FOR 21 LONG YEARS I STRUGGLE AND I STRUGGLE AND I 54:42 STRUGGLE. I REALIZED THAT I WAS TOTALLY 54:46 EMPTY. I WAS TOTALLY HELPLESS AND 54:49 HOPELESS AND SO DEPRESSED AND SO DESPERATE THAT I WOULD LIKE 54:55 ALREADY TO END MY LIFE. I WAS WORKING FOR FIVE YEARS AS 54:59 DEAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE COLLEGE OF NURSING IN 55:04 ILOILO CITY, ONE OF THE ISLANDS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 55:08 AFTER FIVE YEARS I RECEIVED MY COMMISSION FROM MY PARENTS TO 55:13 HELP MY SISTER WHO IS BEING A BATTERED WOMAN. 55:18 THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I CAME OVER TO THE UNITED STATES. 55:23 IT IS BECAUSE MY SISTER NEEDS MY HELP. 55:27 AS I WAS WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL IN NEW YORK, MY BOSS, SERAPHIN, 55:31 HE WAS SO GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO GIVE ME AN INVITATION TO THE 55:35 'MILLENIUM OF PROPHECY'. AS I WAS LISTENING TO PASTOR 55:38 DOUG BATCHELOR'S PRESENTATION, MY HEART REALLY WAS BEATING SO 55:43 FAST AND MY MIND - I AM ABLE TO GRASP THE TRUTH THAT THIS IS THE 55:50 TRUTH THAT I'VE BEEN LONGING TO HEAR ALL MY LIFE - THAT I HAVE 55:54 BEEN SEEKING FOR SO LONG. MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH 55:59 JESUS - I CAN SEE JESUS AS MY PERSONAL SAVIOR. 56:04 HE IS NOT ONLY THE SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE WORLD, BUT HE IS MY 56:08 PERSONAL SAVIOR. HE WAS THE ONE WHO DELIVERED ME 56:13 MIGHTILY FROM THE DEPTHS OF SIN - FROM THE MIREY CLAY. 56:18 PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR HAS BEEN USED BY THE LORD IN MY 56:22 CONVERSION. THE AMAZING FACTS - I OWE TO 56:25 THEM. THE LORD REALLY BLESSED THIS 56:29 MINISTRY AND I'M SO PROUD I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THIS 'MILLENIUM 56:34 OF PROPHECY'. MY LIFE HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME. 56:37 IT HAS GIVEN ME THAT PEACE - THAT JOY THAT NEVER - I HAVE 56:44 NEVER TASTED IN MY LIFE. NOW I AM SET FREE TO BE ABLE TO 56:50 WORK FOR HIM AND TO FOLLOW HIM. 57:04 >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? 57:06 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE 57:09 TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING. WATCH AMAZING FACTS TELEVISION 57:13 BY VISITING 'AFTV.ORG'. AT 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN VIEW AMAZING 57:20 FACTS PROGRAMMING 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM 57:24 YOUR COMPUTER OR MOBILE DEVICE. WHY WAIT A WEEK? 57:28 VISIT 'AFTV.ORG' - IT'S THAT EASY. 57:33 >>NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN COMING TO JESUS 57:35 AND GOING FOR JESUS. 57:37 HAVE YOU GOT PLANS THIS FALL TO BRING A SOUL TO CHRIST? 57:40 PLAN TO ATTEND THE HEROES OF FAITH EVANGELISTIC PROGRAM 57:43 UPLINKED FROM LANSING, MICHIGAN FROM OCTOBER 2 TO OCTOBER 10. 57:48 PLAN NOW TO ATTEND WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND LEARN 57:51 FROM THE PAST HOW WE CAN BE HEROES OF FAITH TODAY. 57:54 GO TO THEHEROESOFFAITH.COM TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN REGISTER 57:58 YOUR HOME OR YOUR CHURCH. MAKE AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE IN 58:02 SOMEONE'S LIFE. >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN 58:05 RESOURCES, VISIT AFBOOKSTORE.COM. 58:08 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2015-09-02