(MUSIC)
00:00:00.26\00:00:34.83
>>GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS,
WELCOME TO SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY
00:00:34.86\00:00:37.07
HOUR COMING TO YOU HERE
FROM THE GRANITE BAY SEVENTH-DAY
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ADVENTIST CHURCH NEAR
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.
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A VERY WARM WELCOME TO
OUR ONLINE MEMBERS WHO JOIN US
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ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND AROUND THE WORLD.
00:00:45.37\00:00:47.74
AND ALSO TO THOSE WATCHING ON
THE VARIOUS TELEVISION NETWORKS;
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I'D LIKE TO WARMLY WELCOME
YOU TO OUR SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON
00:00:50.88\00:00:54.28
STUDY TIME THIS MORNING.
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ALSO, TO THE MEMBERS AND THE
VISITORS RIGHT HERE AT GRANITE
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BAY, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU
COMING OUT WEEK AFTER WEEK SO WE
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CAN SPEND TIME
STUDYING THE WORD.
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WELL, WE'RE STARTING A BRAND-NEW
LESSON QUARTERLY ON THE BOOK OF
00:01:05.06\00:01:08.16
GALATIANS AND, FOR OUR MEMBERS
HERE AND THOSE VISITING, IF YOU
00:01:08.20\00:01:11.70
DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THE LESSON
QUARTERLY THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING
00:01:11.73\00:01:13.94
AT OVER THE NEXT THIRTEEN WEEKS,
PLEASE BE SURE TO RECEIVE ONE OR
00:01:13.97\00:01:17.61
PICK ONE UP AS YOU LEAVE THE
SANCTUARY, THERE IN THE FOYER.
00:01:17.64\00:01:21.48
FOR OUR FRIENDS WATCHING ONLINE,
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF OUR
00:01:21.51\00:01:24.01
NEW SET OF LESSONS, JUST GO
TO THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE:
00:01:24.05\00:01:27.75
AMAZINGFACTS.ORG AND YOU CAN
DOWNLOAD LESSON #1, WHICH IS OUR
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STUDY FOR THIS MORNING ENTITLED
PAUL: APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES ,
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OR YOU CAN GO VISIT AN ADVENTIST
CHURCH NEARBY AND YOU'LL BE ABLE
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TO RECEIVE THE ENTIRE
THIRTEEN LESSONS RIGHT THERE.
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WE HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES
ALONG WITH OUR STUDY TODAY, A
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BOOK WRITTEN BY JOE CREWS
ENTITLED RICHES OF GRACE - AND
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THIS IS OUR FREE OFFER FOR
TODAY. FOR THOSE WATCHING IN
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NORTH AMERICA, IF YOU'D LIKE TO
RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK,
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CALL US ON OUR
RESOURCE PHONE NUMBER.
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THAT NUMBER IS 866-788-3966
AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #152.
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WELL, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR
LESSON, AS NORMAL, WE LIKE TO
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BEGIN BY LIFTING OUR VOICES IN
SONG AND OUR SONG LEADERS WILL
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LEAD US AT THIS
TIME. (PIANO MUSIC)
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>>THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS.
IT IS ALWAYS OUR PLEASURE TO
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SING ALONG WITH YOU
EVERY TIME WE STUDY TOGETHER.
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MUSIC IS TRULY
A PART OF WORSHIP.
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TODAY WE'RE GOING TO SING ABOUT
HOW WONDERFUL GOD IS AS OUR
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CREATOR AND GOD. IF
YOU'LL PULL OUT YOUR HYMNALS
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- THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE AT HOME
AND RIGHT HERE IN OUR STUDIO.
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HYMN #92 - THIS IS
MY FATHER'S WORLD .
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AS WE LOOK AROUND THIS PLANET IT
IS A FAR CRY FROM WHAT HE MEANT
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IT TO BE, BUT SOON AND VERY
SOON, I KNOW, BECAUSE HIS WORD
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PROMISES US THAT IT IS GOING TO
BE RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY.
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I CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR THAT DAY.
HYMN #92 - WE'LL SING ALL THREE
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VERSES - THIS IS MY
FATHER'S WORLD . (PIANO MUSIC)
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>>I'M SO GRATEFUL, TODAY, THAT
GOD LOOKS AT ME AS HIS CHILD,
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AMEN? AT THIS
TIME PASTOR ROSS WILL
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LEAD US IN OPENING
PRAYER. (SOFT PIANO MUSIC)
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>>LET US BOW OUR
HEADS FOR PRAYER.
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DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHAT A
PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO GATHER
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IN YOUR HOUSE
AND STUDY YOUR WORD.
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AND, AS WE BEGIN OUR NEW JOURNEY
IN THE BOOK OF GALATIANS, WE
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WANT TO INVITE THE HOLY SPIRIT
TO COME AND GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND
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OUR MINDS. SO MANY
IMPORTANT LESSONS, LORD,
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IN THIS BOOK FOR US TODAY.
SO WE PRAY FOR THE SPIRIT'S
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LEADING BLESS OUR TIME TOGETHER
TODAY, IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN.
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OUR LESSON THIS MORNING,
LAUNCHING US INTO OUR NEW STUDY
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OF GALATIANS IS GOING TO BE
BROUGHT TO US BY DR. DEROSE.
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THANK YOU. >>WELL,
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE
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STUDYING TOGETHER AND TO
BEGIN A NEW JOURNEY TOGETHER.
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SO, AS PASTOR ROSS INTRODUCED
IT, WE ARE STARTING A SERIES ON
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THE BOOK OF GALATIANS -
THAT GREAT MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL
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PRESENTED IN THAT LETTER THAT
PAUL WROTE TO THE CHURCHES OF
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GALATIA. AND, AS
WE BEGIN OUR STUDY,
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LESSON #1 ACTUALLY BEGINS
BY LOOKING AT THE AUTHOR OF THE
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BOOK OF GALATIANS - A FOCUS ON
THE APOSTLE PAUL - PAUL: APOSTLE
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TO THE GENTILES IS
THE TITLE OF THE LESSON.
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AND, AS WE PICK UP THE
BACKGROUND OF THE APOSTLE PAUL,
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OUR MINDS ARE DRAWN TO A
CHAPTER IN THE BOOK OF ACTS.
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AND, ACTUALLY, NOT THE
MOST FLATTERING CHAPTER, WHEN WE
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THINK ABOUT THE EARLY CHURCH.
WE BEGIN IN ACTS CHAPTER 6 -
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THAT'S WHERE I'M TURNING - AND
SOME OF US LIKE TO IDEALIZE -
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WE LIKE TO GLORIFY THINGS
THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
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AND MANY SAY, 'BOY, IF I COULD
JUST BE A PART OF THAT EARLY
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CHURCH. EVERYONE
HAD EVERYTHING IN
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COMMON - THEY WERE
LIVING IN HARMONY'.
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THAT'S WHAT THE ACCOUNT SAYS
BUT, BY THE TIME WE GET TO ACTS
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6 WE SEE THERE ARE SOME
CHALLENGES IN THE CHURCH AND
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THAT'S THE CONTEXT IN WHICH
THE APOSTLE PAUL WILL ULTIMATELY
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EMERGE AND THE LESSON RIGHTLY
POINTS US IN THAT DIRECTION AS
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WE BEGIN. SO
WE'RE LOOKING AT ACTS
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CHAPTER 6,
BEGINNING WITH VERSE 1.
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I'M READING FROM THE
NEW KING JAMES VERSION.
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IT SAYS, "NOW IN THOSE DAYS,
WHEN THE NUMBER OF THE DISCIPLES
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WAS MULTIPLYING, THERE AROSE A
COMPLAINT AGAINST THE HEBREWS BY
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THE HELLENISTS, BECAUSE THEIR
WIDOWS WERE NEGLECTED IN THE
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DAILY DISTRIBUTION." NOW,
IF YOU HAVE THE KING JAMES
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VERSION, IT SAYS THERE WAS
A 'CONTROVERSY' BETWEEN THE
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HEBREWS, OR THE JEWS, AND
THE GREEKS, OR THE GRECIANS.
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NOW THIS TERM 'GREEK' IN THE
HEBREW, ACTUALLY IT'S - THE NEW
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TESTAMENT IS IN THE GREEK -
THE TERM 'GREEK' IN THE GREEK
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LANGUAGE, IN WHICH THE NEW
TESTAMENT WAS WRITTEN, IS KIND
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OF A NEBULOUS TERM.
HERE, IN ACTS 6 - I'M ACTUALLY
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PREACHING FROM THE ANDREWS STUDY
BIBLE AND IT MAKES, I THINK, A
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VERY - VERY INSIGHTFUL
COMMENT THERE ABOUT THE HEBREWS
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AND THE
HELLENISTS. LISTEN TO IT.
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IT SAYS, "AMONG THE EARLY
CHRISTIANS, WHO WERE ALL JEWS,
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TENSION DEVELOPED BETWEEN
HEBREW (JEWISH CHRISTIANS FROM
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PALESTINE WHO SPOKE MAINLY
ARAMAIC AND/OR HEBREW) AND
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HELLENISTS (JEWISH CHRISTIANS
FROM OUTSIDE PALESTINE WHO SPOKE
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MAINLY GREEK). SO,
IF YOU GET THE PICTURE
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HERE, THIS TERM FOR GREEKS
OR GRECIANS, IN THE KING JAMES,
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OFTEN TRANSLATED 'HELLENISTS' IN
THE NEW KING JAMES AND IN OTHER
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TRANSLATIONS, OFTEN
REFERS TO GREEK-SPEAKING JEWS.
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SO, AT THIS TIME, THE
GREEK CULTURE HAD PRETTY MUCH
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PERMEATED THE HOLY LAND AND THE
THEN-KNOWN WORLD THERE, IN WHICH
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GOD'S PEOPLE WERE LIVING.
SO YOU HAD THOSE THAT SPOKE
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GREEK THAT WERE MORE ASSIMILATED
INTO THE DOMINANT CULTURE, AND
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THEN YOU HAVE THOSE WHO WERE
STILL SPEAKING THE INDIGENOUS
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MIDDLE EASTERN LANGUAGES
LIKE ARAMAIC AND HEBREW.
00:09:08.71\00:09:12.28
AND SO, THIS IS WHERE
THE CONTROVERSY ARISES.
00:09:12.31\00:09:14.88
NOW I MENTION THAT POINT BECAUSE
SOMETIMES THE KING JAMES VERSION
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CONTINUES TO USE THAT TERM
'HELLENISTS' WHEN SOMETIMES IT'S
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SPEAKING OF GENTILE GREEKS.
AND, AS YOU READ THROUGH THE
00:09:22.76\00:09:25.23
BOOK OF ACTS, YOU WILL
FIND THAT KIND OF TENSION.
00:09:25.26\00:09:28.53
SO THE GREEKS ARE SOMETIMES
GREEK-SPEAKING JEWS, AS WE'RE
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READING ABOUT IN ACTS 6.
OTHER TIMES THEY'RE ACTUALLY
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PEOPLE OF GREEK
ETHNICITY WHO ARE GENTILES.
00:09:36.47\00:09:39.74
SO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING
WHETHER YOU USE THE KING JAMES
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TRANSLATION OR A
MODERN TRANSLATION.
00:09:42.78\00:09:45.28
BUT HERE, IN ACTS 6, IT'S CLEAR
WE'RE SPEAKING ONLY OF JEWS
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BECAUSE THERE REALLY IS NO
DISCUSSION ABOUT GENTILES COMING
00:09:48.75\00:09:53.92
INTO THE CHURCH AT
THE POINT OF ACTS 6.
00:09:53.96\00:09:56.62
THAT COMES JUST
A LITTLE BIT LATER.
00:09:56.66\00:09:58.63
SO, YOU SEE, THOUGH, THERE'S
A PROBLEM IN THE CHURCH AND, TO
00:09:58.66\00:10:03.20
ME, IT'S INSTRUCTIVE THAT EVEN
IN THIS PRISTINE EARLY CHURCH,
00:10:03.23\00:10:07.57
THERE WAS DISSENSION
- THERE WERE CHALLENGES.
00:10:07.60\00:10:10.21
HOW MANY OF YOU
CAN RELATE TO THIS?
00:10:10.24\00:10:12.07
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A CHURCH
WHERE THERE WERE PROBLEMS?
00:10:12.11\00:10:15.04
NOW, I'M NOT SPEAKING
HERE OF THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH.
00:10:15.08\00:10:17.35
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY GREAT
PROBLEMS THAT ARE GOING ON HERE
00:10:17.38\00:10:20.65
IN THE CHURCH. IF
THEY ARE, THEY'VE BEEN
00:10:20.68\00:10:22.25
CAREFULLY CONCEALED FROM
ME. AND, USUALLY IF THERE'S DEEP
00:10:22.28\00:10:25.25
PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH,
EVERYONE IS AWARE OF IT, RIGHT?
00:10:25.29\00:10:28.86
AND I HAVEN'T NOTICED - NO ONE
TELLS ME IF I SIT ON ONE SIDE OF
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THE CONGREGATION THAT I'M
SITTING ON THE WRONG SIDE AND I
00:10:31.99\00:10:34.73
SHOULD BE SITTING OVER ON
THE OTHER SIDE BECAUSE THERE'S
00:10:34.73\00:10:37.53
FACTIONS IN THE CHURCH. I
HAVEN'T NOTICED IT HERE AND,
00:10:37.57\00:10:40.30
YOU KNOW, PRAISE THE LORD FOR
THAT BECAUSE SOME TUNING IN MAY
00:10:40.34\00:10:44.07
BE ACTUALLY ATTENDING A
CHURCH WHERE THERE'S FACTIONS.
00:10:44.11\00:10:49.81
BUT IT'S TRUE OF
THE EARLY CHURCH HERE.
00:10:49.84\00:10:51.91
THERE ARE FACTIONS. IT
SAYS - THERE'S AN ACCUSATION,
00:10:51.95\00:10:55.82
IN FACT - THAT SOME OF THE
WIDOWS WERE BEING NEGLECTED.
00:10:55.85\00:11:00.09
NOW I DON'T REALLY THINK
THEY WERE BEING NEGLECTED.
00:11:00.12\00:11:02.89
YOU COULD SAY, 'WELL YOU CAN'T
GET THAT RIGHT OUT OF THE TEXT',
00:11:02.92\00:11:05.06
BUT IT WOULD BE CONTRARY TO
GOSPEL PRINCIPLES, AND YET, THEY
00:11:05.09\00:11:08.70
DON'T ENTER INTO A LARGE
DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER THIS
00:11:08.73\00:11:11.47
WAS OR WAS NOT
HAPPENING. WHAT DID THEY DO?
00:11:11.50\00:11:15.74
THEY ACTUALLY GO ABOUT SOLVING
THE PROBLEM, ANSWERING THE
00:11:15.77\00:11:19.24
CONCERNS - AND, IN VERSE 2 OF
ACTS 6 WE READ THIS: "THEN THE
00:11:19.27\00:11:23.01
TWELVE" - REFERRING TO THE
TWELVE APOSTLES - "SUMMONED THE
00:11:23.04\00:11:26.48
MULTITUDE OF THE DISCIPLES AND
SAID, 'IT IS NOT DESIRABLE THAT
00:11:26.51\00:11:30.55
WE SHOULD LEAVE THE
WORD OF GOD AND SERVE TABLES.
00:11:30.59\00:11:33.05
THEREFORE, BRETHREN, SEEK OUT
FROM AMONG YOU SEVEN MEN OF GOOD
00:11:33.09\00:11:37.13
REPUTATION, FULL OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT AND WISDOM, WHOM WE MAY
00:11:37.16\00:11:40.50
APPOINT OVER THIS BUSINESS;
BUT WE WILL GIVE OURSELVES
00:11:40.53\00:11:43.97
CONTINUALLY TO PRAYER AND TO THE
MINISTRY OF THE WORD.'" SO, OF
00:11:44.00\00:11:48.77
COURSE, THIS IS THE CONTEXT IN
WHICH THE SEVEN DEACONS ARE SET
00:11:48.80\00:11:53.68
APART. AND WHAT
WAS THEIR SPECIAL ROLE,
00:11:53.71\00:11:56.54
ACCORDING TO THE CONTEXT HERE?
YEAH, THEIR SPECIAL ROLE WAS TO
00:11:56.58\00:12:02.52
BE INVOLVED IN THE DISTRIBUTION
OF THE FOOD - TO TAKE CARE OF
00:12:02.55\00:12:05.75
PRACTICAL NEEDS OF
THE BODY OF CHRIST.
00:12:05.79\00:12:08.69
NOW, WE HAVE TO PAUSE HERE
BECAUSE, AS WE GET INTO TODAY'S
00:12:08.72\00:12:11.83
LESSON, WE'RE GOING TO SEE
THAT THIS LESSON HAS SOME VERY
00:12:11.86\00:12:15.53
POWERFUL LESSONS FOR ALL OF US.
IT'S LOOKING AT THE LIFE OF THE
00:12:15.56\00:12:19.40
APOSTLE PAUL, BUT PAUL, REALLY,
IS SOMEONE WHO, IN HIS LIFE AND
00:12:19.43\00:12:23.81
MINISTRY, SPEAKS
TO EVERY ONE OF US.
00:12:23.84\00:12:26.61
SO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT
IS THAT ONE OF THE LESSONS HAS
00:12:26.64\00:12:30.78
TO DO ABOUT CALLING -
CALLING. WERE THERE PEOPLE IN
00:12:30.81\00:12:35.32
ACTS 6 WHO HAD A
CALLING? THERE WERE.
00:12:35.35\00:12:40.42
IT ACTUALLY ENUMERATES THEM.
IN VERSE 5 IT SAYS THEY CHOSE
00:12:40.46\00:12:45.53
SOMETHING THAT
PLEASED THE WHOLE MULTITUDE.
00:12:45.56\00:12:47.96
THEY CHOSE SEVEN INDIVIDUALS:
"...STEPHEN, A MAN FULL OF FAITH
00:12:48.00\00:12:51.77
AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND PHILIP,
PROCHORUS, NICANOR, TIMON,
00:12:51.80\00:12:57.37
PARMENAS, AND NICOLAS," -
THAT'S SEVEN - "A PROSELYTE FROM
00:12:57.41\00:13:01.94
ANTIOCH, WHOM THEY SET BEFORE
THE APOSTLES; AND WHEN THEY HAD
00:13:01.98\00:13:05.35
PRAYED, THEY LAID HANDS ON THEM.
00:13:05.38\00:13:07.75
THEN THE WORD OF GOD SPREAD,
AND THE NUMBER OF THE DISCIPLES
00:13:07.78\00:13:10.72
MULTIPLIED GREATLY IN JERUSALEM,
AND A GREAT MANY OF THE
00:13:10.75\00:13:14.49
PRIESTS WERE
OBEDIENT TO THE FAITH."
00:13:14.52\00:13:17.79
I MEAN, ISN'T THIS
A FASCINATING PASSAGE?
00:13:17.83\00:13:20.36
SO IT STARTS WITH DIVISION
AND IT ENDS UP WITH A CLASS OF
00:13:20.40\00:13:24.13
PEOPLE COMING INTO THE CHURCH
WHO NO ONE LIKELY WOULD HAVE
00:13:24.17\00:13:27.30
EXPECTED, THE
PRIESTS THEMSELVES.
00:13:27.34\00:13:29.87
REMARKABLE, ISN'T' IT?
NOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CALLING
00:13:29.90\00:13:33.88
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE PAUL'S
CALLING IN JUST A FEW MINUTES,
00:13:33.91\00:13:36.68
BUT WE'RE GOING TO COME IN
JUST A MOMENT - SOMEONE ACTUALLY
00:13:36.71\00:13:39.05
HAS A SCRIPTURE READING FOR
US IN JUST A MOMENT - ACTS 6,
00:13:39.08\00:13:42.25
VERSES 8-10 - SO WE HAVE SOMEONE
WITH THAT FOR US SHORTLY - BUT
00:13:42.28\00:13:46.45
LET'S JUST MAKE SURE
WE'VE GOT THE CONTEXT HERE.
00:13:46.49\00:13:48.96
WHAT ARE THESE
SEVEN CALLED TO DO?
00:13:48.99\00:13:51.99
ESPECIALLY TO BE INVOLVED
IN PRACTICAL MINISTRY, RIGHT?
00:13:52.03\00:13:55.60
NOW, THE APOSTLES SAID THEIR
FOCUS WAS GOING TO BE ON WHAT?
00:13:55.63\00:14:00.50
DID YOU CATCH IT IN
VERSE 4? PRAYER AND TO THE
00:14:00.54\00:14:03.87
MINISTRY OF THE WORD. SO
THEN, DOES THIS ABSOLVE THE
00:14:03.91\00:14:07.91
DEACONS FROM BEING INVOLVED WITH
PRAYER AND MINISTRY OF THE WORD?
00:14:07.94\00:14:12.28
WHAT DO YOU THINK? NO,
JUST BECAUSE GOD HAS CALLED
00:14:12.31\00:14:15.95
YOU TO DO ONE THING DOESN'T
MEAN THAT HE WON'T CALL YOU TO
00:14:15.98\00:14:20.06
DO SOMETHING ELSE AS
WELL. ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT?
00:14:20.09\00:14:23.22
YOU KNOW, I'M OFTEN WORRIED BY
DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT
00:14:23.26\00:14:26.90
SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
00:14:26.93\00:14:30.57
NOW, IT DOESN'T WORRY ME THAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPIRITUAL
00:14:30.60\00:14:32.60
GIFTS - IT'S A BIBLICAL CONCEPT.
IN FACT, PAUL MAKES IT VERY
00:14:32.63\00:14:36.14
CLEAR THAT EVERY BELIEVER
IS GIVEN SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
00:14:36.17\00:14:39.34
THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES YOU
GIFTS THAT ARE TO EQUIP YOU FOR
00:14:39.37\00:14:43.58
MINISTRY AND TO
BUILD UP THE CHURCH.
00:14:43.61\00:14:45.95
BUT WHAT I'VE OFTEN NOTICED,
WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT SPIRITUAL
00:14:45.98\00:14:48.62
GIFTS IN THE CHURCH, WE OFTEN
END UP - AT LEAST I OFTEN END UP
00:14:48.65\00:14:53.79
HEARING - PEOPLE TELLING ME
THINGS LIKE, 'WELL, THAT'S NOT
00:14:53.82\00:14:58.66
MY GIFT'. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE
00:14:58.69\00:15:00.70
HEARD THAT BEFORE? OKAY?
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT I'VE HEARD
00:15:00.73\00:15:04.37
PEOPLE TELLING ME WHAT
THEIR GIFTS ARE NOT, RATHER
00:15:04.40\00:15:07.54
THAN WHAT THEIR GIFTS ARE.
CAN ANY OF YOU RELATE TO THIS?
00:15:07.57\00:15:10.87
NOW, YOU MIGHT SAY, 'WELL,
THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'VE SERVED AS
00:15:10.91\00:15:14.11
A PASTOR AND YOU'RE ASKING
PEOPLE TO DO THINGS.' I HAVEN'T
00:15:14.14\00:15:17.25
FOUND THAT AS AN INDIVIDUAL
MEMBER HERE IN THE CHURCH, BUT I
00:15:17.28\00:15:21.42
SEE MANY OF YOU
NODDING YOUR HEADS.
00:15:21.45\00:15:23.52
AND IT'S VERY EASY FOR US TO
DISQUALIFY OURSELVES, BUT LISTEN
00:15:23.55\00:15:26.96
CAREFULLY NOW, WE'RE GOING
TO HEAR ABOUT THE FIRST OF THESE
00:15:26.99\00:15:30.23
DEACONS - THE FIRST ONE
MENTIONED IN VERSES 8 THROUGH
00:15:30.26\00:15:33.19
10, AS WE LISTEN TO
THIS SCRIPTURE READING.
00:15:33.23\00:15:35.43
PLEASE, SHARE WITH US.
>>"AND STEPHEN, FULL OF FAITH
00:15:35.46\00:15:39.33
AND POWER, DID GREAT WONDERS
AND SIGNS AMONG THE PEOPLE.
00:15:39.37\00:15:43.71
THEN THERE AROSE SOME FROM WHAT
IS CALLED THE SYNAGOGUE OF THE
00:15:43.74\00:15:46.98
FREEDMEN (CYRENIANS,
ALEXANDRIANS, AND THOSE FROM
00:15:47.01\00:15:50.88
CILICIA AND ASIA),
DISPUTING WITH STEPHEN.
00:15:50.91\00:15:54.58
AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO RESIST
THE WISDOM AND THE SPIRIT BY
00:15:54.62\00:15:58.49
WHICH HE SPOKE."
>>SO WHO, NOW, BECOMES THE
00:15:58.52\00:16:02.69
CENTRAL FIGURE IN ACTS
CHAPTER 6? IT'S STEPHEN.
00:16:02.72\00:16:08.33
HE'S PREACHING - HE'S
PREACHING THE WORD AND HE'S IN
00:16:08.36\00:16:11.30
CONFRONTATION, NOW, WITH A GROUP
OF JEWS THAT ARE CALLED THE
00:16:11.33\00:16:15.17
'SYNAGOGUE OF THE FREEDMEN'.
APPARENTLY, THESE WERE
00:16:15.20\00:16:18.77
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD BEEN
SLAVES AT ONE TIME - THEY WERE
00:16:18.81\00:16:22.21
LIBERATED - AND NOW THEY'RE
WORSHIPING AS JEWS IN THE
00:16:22.24\00:16:25.68
SYNAGOGUE AND THEY ARE
CONTROVERTING THE GOSPEL.
00:16:25.71\00:16:30.89
SO STEPHEN IS SHARING THE
GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS AND THESE
00:16:30.92\00:16:33.62
INDIVIDUALS ARE
OPPOSING HIM. DID YOU NOTICE
00:16:33.66\00:16:36.46
WHERE THEY'RE FROM?
CYRENIANS, ALEXANDRIANS, AND
00:16:36.49\00:16:42.70
THOSE FROM CILICIA AND
ASIA. DO ANY OF YOU KNOW A
00:16:42.73\00:16:46.27
PROMINENT CITY IN
CILICIA? RIGHT ON THE TIPS OF
00:16:46.30\00:16:51.84
YOUR TONGUES, ISN'T
IT? TARSUS - TARSUS -
00:16:51.87\00:16:55.84
WHERE WAS SAUL FROM? TARSUS.
SO, AMONG THOSE THAT HAD A KEY
00:16:55.88\00:17:00.48
ROLE IN THIS CHURCH IN JERUSALEM
ARE INDIVIDUALS FROM AN AREA
00:17:00.52\00:17:06.62
HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY, CALLED
CILICIA, WHICH WOULD BE IN
00:17:06.65\00:17:09.66
MODERN-DAY TURKEY AND
ONE OF THE PROMINENT CITIES
00:17:09.69\00:17:12.49
THERE IS TARSUS.
VERY INTERESTING.
00:17:12.53\00:17:15.10
MANY BELIEVE THAT IT'S LIKELY
THAT PAUL - WE CALL HIM PAUL BUT
00:17:15.13\00:17:20.27
HE WAS REFERRED TO AS SAUL
IN THAT ERA - THAT SAUL WAS
00:17:20.30\00:17:25.64
ACTUALLY TRAINED IN JERUSALEM
BUT IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT HE
00:17:25.67\00:17:28.98
WENT BACK TO
HIS HOME IN CILICIA.
00:17:29.01\00:17:30.88
AND IT'S VERY POSSIBLE
THAT BECAUSE OF THIS HEATED
00:17:30.91\00:17:34.68
CONTENTION WITH STEPHEN, THAT
SAUL WAS ACTUALLY CALLED TO BE
00:17:34.72\00:17:39.99
INVOLVED IN THESE
DISPUTATIONS - IN THESE DEBATES.
00:17:40.02\00:17:45.03
SO IT'S VERY POSSIBLE SAUL CAME
FOR THE EXPRESS REASON OF BEING
00:17:45.06\00:17:51.20
ONE OF THE FRONT LINE PEOPLE
THAT WAS GOING TO PUT DOWN THE
00:17:51.23\00:17:55.04
ARGUMENTS OF
STEPHEN. AND YOU SAW THE
00:17:55.07\00:17:57.04
ASSESSMENT THERE. IN
VERSE 10, WHAT HAPPENED?
00:17:57.07\00:18:02.48
HOW SUCCESSFUL WERE THE JEWS
IN CONTROVERTING THE GOSPEL THAT
00:18:02.51\00:18:06.55
STEPHEN WAS PREACHING?
IT SAYS THEY WERE UNABLE TO
00:18:06.58\00:18:12.22
RESIST THE WISDOM AND
THE SPIRIT BY WHICH HE SPOKE.
00:18:12.25\00:18:17.59
NOW IT'S WORTH PAUSING RIGHT
HERE BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE MIGHT
00:18:17.63\00:18:20.60
GET A LITTLE BIT UNEASY IF WE'RE
INVITED, IN ANY SETTING, TO
00:18:20.63\00:18:25.43
SHARE OUR FAITH. NOW,
SOME OF YOU ARE ACTIVELY
00:18:25.47\00:18:28.37
SHARING YOUR FAITH AND
WITNESSING, BUT SOMETIMES YOU
00:18:28.40\00:18:31.07
MIGHT BE IN A
SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE ASKS YOU
00:18:31.11\00:18:33.38
ABOUT YOUR FAITH.
YOU'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE?
00:18:33.41\00:18:36.98
MAYBE YOU'RE IN A SETTING
WHERE YOU FEEL A LITTLE UNEASY.
00:18:37.01\00:18:39.68
MAYBE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES
00:18:39.71\00:18:42.62
AS CHRISTIANS -
MAYBE IN YOUR WORKPLACE.
00:18:42.65\00:18:45.52
SO WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN SOMEONE
SAYS, 'WELL, WHAT DO CHRISTIANS
00:18:45.55\00:18:48.29
BELIEVE? WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE
ABOUT THIS?' WHAT IS IT THAT
00:18:48.32\00:18:51.69
GAVE STEPHEN POWER WHEN HE
SPOKE? DO YOU NOTICE IT THERE?
00:18:51.73\00:18:58.40
WISDOM AND
SPIRIT - AND THE SPIRIT.
00:18:58.43\00:19:01.54
HOW DO WE GET THE SPIRIT?
THAT'S RIGHT, JUST ASK, RIGHT?
00:19:01.57\00:19:07.71
JESUS SAID THE HEAVENLY FATHER
IS WILLING - IF YOU'RE EARTHLY
00:19:07.74\00:19:11.51
FATHER IS WILLING TO GIVE YOU
GOOD GIFTS, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER
00:19:11.55\00:19:14.62
IS MUCH MORE WILLING
TO GIVE YOU GOOD GIFTS.
00:19:14.65\00:19:16.95
AND IN THE PARALLEL PASSAGE IT
SAYS, 'WILLING TO GIVE THE HOLY
00:19:16.99\00:19:19.35
SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM.'
SO WE JUST HAVE TO ASK JESUS FOR
00:19:19.39\00:19:23.93
HIS SPIRIT IF HE'S
CALLING US TO DO A WORK.
00:19:23.96\00:19:26.80
EVEN IF WE THINK WE'VE BEEN
SET APART TO DO COMMON TASKS.
00:19:26.83\00:19:32.20
BY THE WAY, NO
COMMON TASK IS UNIMPORTANT.
00:19:32.23\00:19:35.60
ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT? >>AMEN.
00:19:35.64\00:19:37.44
>>IN FACT, I'VE OFTEN POINTED
OUT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING
00:19:37.47\00:19:41.78
COMMON TASKS, HOW NOTHING WOULD
REALLY HAPPEN IF IT WASN'T FOR
00:19:41.81\00:19:47.42
THEIR WORK. I WORK
IN A MEDICAL CLINIC.
00:19:47.45\00:19:50.45
CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MANY PEOPLE
WOULD ACTUALLY TURN AROUND AND
00:19:50.49\00:19:53.76
WALK OUT OF THE CLINIC IF WE
DIDN'T HAVE A CLEANING STAFF WHO
00:19:53.79\00:19:58.49
CLEANED THE ROOMS AND
TOOK CARE OF THE BATHROOMS?
00:19:58.53\00:20:01.76
ARE YOU FOLLOWING ALONG WITH ME?
00:20:01.80\00:20:03.26
THESE THINGS THAT SEEM LIKE
SUCH COMMON ACTIVITIES ARE VERY
00:20:03.30\00:20:06.40
IMPORTANT, SO
DON'T EVER MINIMIZE THEM.
00:20:06.43\00:20:08.57
BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE CALLED
TO DO THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE
00:20:08.60\00:20:11.04
LABEL AS COMMON, DOESN'T MEAN
THAT GOD ISN'T CALLING YOU TO DO
00:20:11.07\00:20:14.21
SOMETHING THAT IS
ACTUALLY LESS COMMON.
00:20:14.24\00:20:17.68
AND SO STEPHEN IS THIS FRONT
LINE PERSON HERE AND TO CONVERT
00:20:17.71\00:20:24.79
THE JEWS IS WHAT HE'S - HE'S
SHARING THE GOSPEL - BUT THE
00:20:24.82\00:20:29.89
JEWS ARE NOT PARTICULARLY
RECEPTIVE AND, AMONG THEM, WE
00:20:29.92\00:20:33.26
SEE SOMETHING DEVELOPS.
LOOK AT YOUR LESSON, IF YOU WILL
00:20:33.29\00:20:36.40
- WE'VE ACTUALLY
BEEN WALKING THROUGH IT.
00:20:36.43\00:20:38.60
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE
BACKGROUND THAT'S PROVIDED IN
00:20:38.63\00:20:42.17
SUNDAY'S LESSON AND WE FIND
THERE THAT IT FOCUSES US THEN ON
00:20:42.20\00:20:46.81
SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT
ARE BROUGHT AGAINST STEPHEN.
00:20:46.84\00:20:52.85
SO WE'RE STILL IN ACTS CHAPTER 6
- AND WHAT ARGUMENTS ARE LEVELED
00:20:52.88\00:20:56.79
AGAINST STEPHEN? WE'RE PICKING
UP THE ACCOUNT IN VERSE 11.
00:20:56.82\00:21:01.82
IT SAYS, "THEN THEY SECRETLY
INDUCED MEN TO SAY, 'WE HAVE
00:21:01.86\00:21:07.30
HEARD HIM SPEAK BLASPHEMOUS
WORDS AGAINST MOSES AND GOD.'
00:21:07.30\00:21:13.07
AND THEN IN VERSE 13 THEY
STIRRED UP FALSE WITNESSES WHO
00:21:13.10\00:21:16.67
SAID 'THIS MAN HAS NOT CEASED TO
SPEAK BLASPHEMOUS WORDS AGAINST
00:21:16.71\00:21:20.38
THIS HOLY PLACE AND THE LAW; FOR
WE HAVE HEARD HIM SAY THAT THIS
00:21:20.41\00:21:24.15
JESUS OF NAZARETH WILL DESTROY
THIS PLACE AND CHANGE THE
00:21:24.18\00:21:27.88
CUSTOMS WHICH MOSES DELIVERED TO
US.' SO PEOPLE WERE BEING PAID
00:21:27.92\00:21:33.02
OFF, RIGHT? MONEY
UNDER THE TABLE TO GET
00:21:33.05\00:21:36.46
THEM TO SAY THINGS THAT
WERE TRUE OR UNTRUE ABOUT
00:21:36.49\00:21:39.13
STEPHEN'S PREACHING. >>LIES.
00:21:39.16\00:21:40.96
>>THEY WERE LIES - THAT'S
WHAT IT SAYS - THEY WERE UNTRUE.
00:21:41.00\00:21:45.27
SO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADING?
THE HOLY SPIRIT'S LEADING.
00:21:45.30\00:21:50.61
WHY IS THE HOLY SPIRIT - WHY
IS GOD ALLOWING LIES TO BE SAID?
00:21:50.64\00:21:55.51
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED
THAT? SOMETHING BAD'S HAPPENING.
00:21:55.54\00:21:57.98
HAVE YOU EVER ASKED THE
QUESTION, 'WHY DID GOD ALLOW
00:21:58.01\00:21:59.85
THIS'? OKAY, SO
THE RESPONSE IS 'BAD
00:21:59.88\00:22:04.65
GUYS HAVE FREE
CHOICE JUST LIKE GOOD GUYS.'
00:22:04.69\00:22:08.09
GOD DOESN'T TAKE AWAY ANYONE'S
FREEDOM OF CHOICE, BUT GOD IS
00:22:08.12\00:22:11.83
ORCHESTRATING EVENTS. HE IS
ALLOWING THINGS TO PLAY OUT.
00:22:11.86\00:22:16.26
AND HE'S ALLOWING A
CONFRONTATION TO DEVELOP HERE,
00:22:16.30\00:22:19.70
IN THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF ACTS,
THAT SETS THE STAGE FOR STEPHEN
00:22:19.73\00:22:25.41
TO BE CALLED
BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST.
00:22:25.44\00:22:29.64
NOW, SOME OF YOU, AS YOU'RE
READING THROUGH THIS, YOU MIGHT
00:22:29.68\00:22:31.88
SAY, 'YOU KNOW, THESE CHARGES
ARE NOT ALL THAT DIFFERENT THAN
00:22:31.91\00:22:38.15
CHARGES THAT WERE LEVELED
AT JESUS IN MATTHEW'S GOSPEL OR
00:22:38.19\00:22:42.36
CHARGES THAT WILL LATER BE
LEVELED AGAINST PAUL, HIMSELF'.
00:22:42.39\00:22:46.13
RIGHT? THE JEWS WERE VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE TEMPLE.
00:22:46.16\00:22:49.16
IN FACT, YOU MAY REMEMBER WHEN
JEREMIAH WAS CALLED TO PROPHESY
00:22:49.20\00:22:53.60
AGAINST A NATION THAT HAD
APOSTATIZED FROM GOD, THEY WERE
00:22:53.64\00:23:00.04
SAYING NOTHING BAD COULD HAPPEN.
IN ONE PLACE THEY WERE SAYING
00:23:00.08\00:23:02.91
'THE TEMPLE OF THE
LORD. THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD.
00:23:02.94\00:23:05.25
THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD.' YOU
KNOW, SOMETIMES I WONDER IF GOD
00:23:05.28\00:23:12.82
DOESN'T BLESS US MORE BECAUSE,
WHEN GOD BLESSES US, WE'RE IN
00:23:12.85\00:23:18.39
DANGER OF RELYING
ON OUR PAST EXPERIENCE.
00:23:18.43\00:23:23.50
WE SOMEHOW THINK WE'RE
PRIVILEGED - WE'RE - WE'RE - YOU
00:23:23.53\00:23:27.04
KNOW, GOD'S BLESSING IS
JUST ON ANYTHING THAT I DO.
00:23:27.07\00:23:30.47
AND IF GOD SOMETIMES BLESSED
US AS MUCH AS WE'D LIKE HIM TO
00:23:30.51\00:23:33.61
BLESS US, IS THERE A DANGER THAT
WE WOULD DO JUST WHAT THE JEWS
00:23:33.64\00:23:38.01
DID? LOOK AT THIS
BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE -
00:23:38.05\00:23:40.55
GOD, ACTUALLY, WAS THE DRIVING
FORCE BEHIND THIS TEMPLE.
00:23:40.58\00:23:46.22
'GOD GAVE US THE
SANCTUARY SERVICE.
00:23:46.25\00:23:48.62
HOW COULD
ANYTHING BAD HAPPEN TO US?
00:23:48.66\00:23:50.39
WE HAVE THE
TEMPLE.' DO YOU FOLLOW ALONG?
00:23:50.43\00:23:54.20
CAN WE FALL INTO THAT
SAME TRAP AS CHRISTIANS?
00:23:54.23\00:23:57.43
AS SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS?
00:23:57.47\00:23:59.77
CAN WE LOOK AT HOW GOD HAS LED
IN THE PAST AND CAN WE FEEL THAT
00:23:59.80\00:24:03.27
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO
DANGER FOR US IN THE FUTURE?
00:24:03.30\00:24:07.01
NOW, IT IS TRUE, IT'S IMPORTANT
TO REMEMBER THE PAST, RIGHT?
00:24:07.04\00:24:11.91
BUT THE DANGER IS THAT WE'LL
REST ON OUR LAURELS, RIGHT?
00:24:11.95\00:24:16.28
WE'LL THINK WE'RE A BLESSED
PEOPLE - THAT WAS WHAT THE JEWS
00:24:16.32\00:24:19.62
GOT INTO TROUBLE WITH. MAY
IT NOT BE SAID OF US TODAY.
00:24:19.65\00:24:23.59
SO WE COME TO ACTS CHAPTER
7, PETER IS NOT ON THE SCENE,
00:24:23.63\00:24:30.97
STEPHEN IS ON THE SCENE.
00:24:31.00\00:24:32.90
JAMES IS NOT IN THE FOCAL
POINT, BUT STEPHEN, THIS DEACON,
00:24:32.93\00:24:39.57
PREACHING
BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST.
00:24:39.61\00:24:43.38
AND IT'S A WONDERFUL SERMON.
WE WON'T LOOK AT IT IN DETAIL.
00:24:43.41\00:24:46.72
HE TRACES THE
HISTORY OF GOD'S PEOPLE.
00:24:46.75\00:24:49.72
AND, FINALLY, HE GETS DOWN
TO THE POINT WHERE, AS YOU READ
00:24:49.75\00:24:54.22
THROUGH THE STORY, IT SEEMS
LIKE HE MAKES AN ABRUPT TURN.
00:24:54.26\00:24:57.93
HE'S VERY TACTFUL AS HE'S GOING
THROUGH ACTS CHAPTER 7, VERSE
00:24:57.96\00:25:04.73
50, BUT IT SEEMS, AS HE STARTS
SPEAKING ABOUT GOD DWELLING IN
00:25:04.77\00:25:10.51
HEAVEN, NOT DWELLING IN TEMPLES
MADE WITH HANDS - REMEMBER, ONE
00:25:10.54\00:25:14.21
OF THE THINGS - ONE OF THE
SENSITIVE POINTS FOR THE JEWS
00:25:14.24\00:25:16.34
WAS THE TEMPLE AND MAYBE
THEY SENSED THAT STEPHEN IS
00:25:16.38\00:25:21.28
TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TEMPLE.
00:25:21.32\00:25:26.25
AFTER ALL, WHAT DID JESUS SAY
WHEN HE WAS - DURING - LIVING ON
00:25:26.29\00:25:30.56
THIS EARTH DURING HIS MINISTRY?
WHAT DID HE SAY OF THE TEMPLE?
00:25:30.59\00:25:35.60
HE SAID, 'YOUR HOUSE IS
LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE'.
00:25:35.63\00:25:39.77
AND YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED
WHEN JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS?
00:25:39.80\00:25:43.17
THAT VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS
RIPPED IN TWO - A HEAVENLY SIGN
00:25:43.20\00:25:47.88
THAT THE SANCTUARY SERVICE - THE
EARTHLY SANCTUARY SERVICE WAS NO
00:25:47.91\00:25:51.21
LONGER NEEDED. THE
WHOLE REASON FOR THE
00:25:51.25\00:25:54.38
SANCTUARY SERVICE WAS POINTING
TO WHAT? WAS POINTING TO JESUS,
00:25:54.42\00:25:59.42
OUR SAVIOR. HE WAS
THE LAMB OF GOD, RIGHT?
00:25:59.45\00:26:02.72
WE DON'T NEED TO
SACRIFICE LAMBS ANY LONGER.
00:26:02.76\00:26:06.86
GOD HAD, IN CLEAR MESSAGES
THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF JESUS
00:26:06.90\00:26:10.00
AND THROUGH THOSE SIGNS THAT
ATTENDED THE CROSS, SAID THAT
00:26:10.03\00:26:14.17
THE SANCTUARY SERVICE WAS
NO LONGER OF ANY SIGNIFICANCE.
00:26:14.20\00:26:19.34
AND SO, AS STEPHEN BEGINS TO
VENTURE ONTO THAT, IF YOU WILL,
00:26:19.37\00:26:23.95
IN THE JEWISH MIND,
HALLOWED GROUND, WHAT HAPPENS?
00:26:23.98\00:26:29.62
IN MY MIND'S EYE I CAN SEE THE
JEWS BECOMING VERY AGITATED AS -
00:26:29.65\00:26:34.42
AS STEPHEN IS GOING
THROUGH THAT MESSAGE.
00:26:34.46\00:26:37.36
AND, AS HE COMES TO VERSE 50
- OF COURSE, IT WASN'T A VERSE
00:26:37.39\00:26:40.76
THEN, HE WAS JUST PREACHING,
I COULD SEE THEM, BASICALLY, AT
00:26:40.80\00:26:45.70
THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE JUST
GOING TO LYNCH HIM - OF COURSE,
00:26:45.73\00:26:48.50
THEY DIDN'T LYNCH IN
THAT - IN THOSE DAYS -
00:26:48.54\00:26:50.04
THEY STONED HIM AND STEPHEN
APPARENTLY SAW IT, BECAUSE I
00:26:50.07\00:26:53.27
DON'T THINK HE LOST
HIS TACT IN VERSE 51.
00:26:53.31\00:26:56.24
SOME SAY, 'WELL, WHY DID HE JUST
SUDDENLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE THIS
00:26:56.28\00:26:58.61
CRAZY STATEMENT
THAT AGITATED EVERYONE?'
00:26:58.65\00:27:01.85
I THINK THEY WERE ALREADY
AGITATED AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,
00:27:01.88\00:27:03.95
WHO WAS GUIDING HIM, BASICALLY
SAYS, 'I MEAN IT'S - YOU'RE DONE
00:27:03.99\00:27:08.56
- AND GIVE THEM ONE LAST
MESSAGE.' AND SO HE SAYS IT IN
00:27:08.59\00:27:11.56
VERSE 51 OF ACTS CHAPTER 7, 'YOU
STIFF-NECKED AND UNCIRCUMCISED
00:27:11.59\00:27:16.67
IN HEART AND EARS!
YOU ALWAYS RESIST THE HOLY
00:27:16.70\00:27:19.87
SPIRIT; AS YOUR
FATHERS DID, SO DO YOU.
00:27:19.90\00:27:22.87
WHICH OF THE PROPHETS DID
YOUR FATHERS NO PERSECUTE?
00:27:22.90\00:27:26.64
AND THEY KILLED THOSE WHO
FORETOLD THE COMING OF THE JUST
00:27:26.68\00:27:29.24
ONE, OF WHOM YOU NOW HAVE BECOME
THE BETRAYERS AND MURDERERS, WHO
00:27:29.28\00:27:33.52
HAVE RECEIVED THE LAW BY THE
DIRECTION OF ANGELS AND HAVE NOT
00:27:33.55\00:27:36.79
KEPT IT.'" IT SAYS WHEN THEY
HEARD THAT - VERSE 54 "...THEY
00:27:36.82\00:27:41.66
WERE CUT TO THE HEART, AND THEY
GNASHED AT HIM WITH THEIR TEETH.
00:27:41.69\00:27:45.03
BUT HE, BEING FULL OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT," - LISTEN TO WHAT
00:27:45.06\00:27:48.36
HAPPENS: HE ACTUALLY IS
GIVEN A VISION OF HEAVEN.
00:27:48.40\00:27:52.93
SO HERE, THE JEWS ARE FOCUSED ON
AN EARTHLY TEMPLE THAT HAS LOST
00:27:52.97\00:27:57.11
ITS SIGNIFICANCE AND STEPHEN, IN
THE HOUR OF TRIAL, WHAT HAPPENS
00:27:57.14\00:28:01.94
TO STEPHEN? HE WAS
ACTUALLY GIVEN A VISION.
00:28:01.98\00:28:06.05
HIS EYES ARE OPEN AND IT SAYS HE
GAZES INTO HEAVEN, HE SEES THE
00:28:06.08\00:28:10.45
GLORY OF GOD, AND JESUS STANDING
AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.
00:28:10.49\00:28:13.72
WHAT IS HE SEEING? WHAT IS
HE SEEING? WHERE IS HE LOOKING?
00:28:13.76\00:28:19.76
THAT'S RIGHT, HE'S
LOOKING AT THE TEMPLE IN HEAVEN.
00:28:19.79\00:28:22.90
SO THEY'RE ALL FOCUSED ON THIS
EARTHLY TEMPLE AND STEPHEN IS
00:28:22.93\00:28:26.53
GIVEN A VISION OF
THE HEAVENLY TEMPLE.
00:28:26.57\00:28:29.94
BOY, HERE'S A GOOD POINT,
JUST TO PAUSE FOR A MINUTE: WHEN
00:28:29.97\00:28:33.91
WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTIES, WHEN
WE'RE GOING THROUGH PROBLEMS ON
00:28:33.94\00:28:36.85
THIS EARTH, WHERE DOES SATAN
SEEK TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION?
00:28:36.88\00:28:42.18
THAT'S RIGHT, AWAY FROM
HEAVEN AND ON THIS EARTH, RIGHT?
00:28:42.22\00:28:45.69
JUST LIKE HE WAS DOING
THERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 7.
00:28:45.72\00:28:49.16
AND WHEN WE START LOOKING AT
THIS EARTH, WHAT DO THINGS LOOK
00:28:49.19\00:28:51.99
LIKE? DOESN'T LOOK TOO GOOD.
I MEAN, YOU SAY, 'DR. DEROSE
00:28:52.03\00:28:58.53
IT'S ALL BEAUTIFUL THINGS
OUT THERE - BEAUTIFUL NATURE AND
00:28:58.57\00:29:02.07
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE HERE AT GRANITE
BAY CHURCH - BEAUTIFUL MUSIC'.
00:29:02.10\00:29:07.18
BUT, I MEAN, THE WORLD - IN
FACT, THE BIBLE SAYS THERE IS A
00:29:07.21\00:29:11.55
PRINCE OF THIS WORLD - ADAM AND
EVE SOLD OUT THEIR DOMINION AND
00:29:11.58\00:29:18.29
THEY, BASICALLY SIGNED
THIS WORLD OVER TO SATAN.
00:29:18.32\00:29:22.49
NOW JESUS IS ULTIMATELY IN
CHARGE, RIGHT? BUT SATAN IS THE
00:29:22.52\00:29:26.16
PRINCE OF THIS WORLD, AND MUCH
OF WHAT HAPPENS ON THIS PLANET
00:29:26.19\00:29:29.06
IS UNDER HIS DIRECTION.
HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT?
00:29:29.10\00:29:32.37
AND SO, THIS WORLD
DOESN'T LOOK ALL THAT PRETTY.
00:29:32.40\00:29:36.50
EVEN THE SPIRITUAL THINGS IN
THIS WORLD - BY THE WAY, WERE
00:29:36.54\00:29:40.31
THESE JEWS, WHO WERE ABOUT TO
KILL STEPHEN, IN THE STORY, WERE
00:29:40.34\00:29:46.11
THEY SPIRITUAL PEOPLE? >>YES.
00:29:46.15\00:29:49.02
>>THEY WERE CHURCH LEADERS.
THEY WERE ATTENDING CHURCH.
00:29:49.05\00:29:51.92
THEY WERE FAITHFUL TITHE PAYERS.
ARE YOU CATCHING THE PICTURE?
00:29:51.95\00:29:55.12
BUT THEIR FOCUS WAS
WHERE? THEIR FOCUS WAS ON EARTH.
00:29:55.16\00:30:00.26
AND STEPHEN IS GIVEN
A GLIMPSE INTO HEAVEN.
00:30:00.30\00:30:02.56
BY THE WAY, HOW DIFFICULT IS
IT FOR US TO SEE INTO HEAVEN?
00:30:02.60\00:30:10.01
WELL, YOU MIGHT SAY, 'YEAH,
HOPEFULLY NOT BUT, I MEAN, CAN I
00:30:10.04\00:30:14.08
JUST LOOK UP AND SEE
INTO THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY?
00:30:14.11\00:30:18.31
I MEAN VISIBLY, WITH MY EYES,
CAN I ACTUALLY - DO I ACTUALLY
00:30:18.35\00:30:21.25
JUST GET A VISION AT
WILL? NO, OF COURSE NOT.
00:30:21.28\00:30:24.79
BUT THROUGH THE
WORDS OF SCRIPTURE, RIGHT?
00:30:24.82\00:30:27.62
WE CAN SEE INTO HEAVEN.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SO
00:30:27.66\00:30:30.86
VALUE IS THAT JESUS IS
WILLING TO MEET WITH ME ANYTIME.
00:30:30.89\00:30:35.23
AND WHEN I CARVE OUT TIME
IN MY DAY, I ACTUALLY HAVE THE
00:30:35.26\00:30:38.23
PRIVILEGE OF SEEING INTO
HEAVEN. ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL?
00:30:38.27\00:30:42.30
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU,
IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY DOING IT,
00:30:42.34\00:30:45.57
BEFORE YOU START YOUR DAY WITH,
YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO THE NEWS
00:30:45.61\00:30:50.28
OR CHECKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN YOUR E-MAIL OR ON
00:30:50.31\00:30:54.22
FACEBOOK, GET ON YOUR
KNEES AND OPEN UP YOUR BIBLE.
00:30:54.25\00:31:00.59
YOU THINK
THAT'LL CHANGE YOUR DAY?
00:31:00.62\00:31:02.32
>>YES. >>I MEAN, I'VE SEEN
00:31:02.36\00:31:03.89
THIS OVER THE YEARS.
IT'S POWERFUL HOW GOD SPEAKS
00:31:03.93\00:31:06.93
TO US - GIVES US
A VISION OF HEAVEN.
00:31:06.96\00:31:08.73
AND HE DID THAT FOR STEPHEN IN A
VERY LITERAL WAY BUT THAT DIDN'T
00:31:08.76\00:31:13.20
INSPIRE ANYONE, AT
LEAST, TO CHANGE THEIR COURSE.
00:31:13.23\00:31:16.64
THEY ACTUALLY
STOPPED THEIR EARS.
00:31:16.67\00:31:19.37
AND IT SAYS, IN VERSE 58 OF ACTS
7, THEY END UP STONING STEPHEN
00:31:19.41\00:31:23.78
AND IT SAYS "THEY LAID DOWN
THEIR CLOTHES AT THE FEET OF
00:31:23.81\00:31:27.85
A YOUNG MAN NAMED SAUL."
00:31:27.88\00:31:31.19
NOW, AS YOU READ THROUGH
THE LESSON, IT MIGHT SOUND AS IF
00:31:31.22\00:31:36.32
SAUL WAS JUST AN INSIGNIFICANT
PLAYER IN THIS DRAMA.
00:31:36.36\00:31:39.86
WE'VE ALREADY SUGGESTED THAT
SAUL WAS MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT
00:31:39.89\00:31:44.00
THAN JUST HAPPENING
TO BE AT THIS VENUE.
00:31:44.03\00:31:47.44
AND WE GET THAT, ACTUALLY
FROM THE SCRIPTURES ITSELF.
00:31:47.47\00:31:51.57
LOOK AT CHAPTER 8 IN ACTS, VERSE
1 - ACTS 8, VERSE 1 - AND IT
00:31:51.61\00:31:58.15
SAYS, "NOW SAUL WAS"
- WHAT? >>CONSENTING.
00:31:58.18\00:32:01.58
>>"CONSENTING TO HIS DEATH."
THIS PHRASE INDICATES THAT SAUL
00:32:01.62\00:32:07.99
WAS MORE THAN JUST
AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER.
00:32:08.02\00:32:11.36
IT SUGGESTS THAT SAUL'S CONSENT
WAS SOMEHOW OF VALUE IN THE
00:32:11.39\00:32:16.70
DRAMA THAT PLAYED OUT;
THAT SOMEHOW HE HAD A SAY IN IT.
00:32:16.73\00:32:20.60
ARE YOU FOLLOWING ALONG WITH ME?
00:32:20.64\00:32:22.14
IT WASN'T JUST
'SAUL DIDN'T SPEAK UP'.
00:32:22.17\00:32:24.61
YOU WOULD SAY, 'WELL, JUST NOT
SPEAKING UP IS CONSENTING.' NO,
00:32:24.64\00:32:27.91
IT SEEMS THAT
IT'S STRONGER THERE.
00:32:27.94\00:32:29.41
SO, AS LUKE, UNDER INSPIRATION,
IS WRITING THIS, IT SEEMS TO
00:32:29.44\00:32:33.11
INDICATE THAT SAUL WAS INVOLVED
IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
00:32:33.15\00:32:38.45
HE WASN'T JUST HAPPENING TO
BE THERE - JUST SOME YOUNG KID -
00:32:38.49\00:32:41.69
AND THEY SAID, 'HEY, BY THE WAY,
WATCH OUR COATS.' AND HE SAID,
00:32:41.72\00:32:44.96
'WELL, BOY, WHAT ELSE COULD I
DO? THESE ARE ALL MORE IMPORTANT
00:32:44.99\00:32:46.90
PEOPLE THAN ME, YOU KNOW?
I JUST WATCHED THEIR COATS.'
00:32:46.93\00:32:49.90
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE
WAS MUCH MORE TO IT.
00:32:49.93\00:32:53.97
AND THEN YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS
IN VERSE 1 OF ACTS 8, NOT ONLY
00:32:54.00\00:32:58.51
WAS SAUL CONSENTING TO HIS
DEATH, BUT IN THE NEXT BREATH -
00:32:58.54\00:33:01.98
IN THE NEXT LINE - LUKE
WRITES, "AT THAT TIME A GREAT
00:33:02.01\00:33:05.58
PERSECUTION AROSE AGAINST THE
CHURCH WHICH WAS AT JERUSALEM;
00:33:05.61\00:33:09.85
AND THEY WERE ALL SCATTERED
THROUGHOUT THE REGIONS OF JUDEA
00:33:09.88\00:33:13.62
AND SAMARIA,
EXCEPT THE APOSTLES.
00:33:13.66\00:33:16.69
AND DEVOUT MEN CARRIED STEPHEN
TO HIS BURIAL, AND MADE GREAT
00:33:16.73\00:33:20.16
LAMENTATION OVER HIM."
AND THEN, ANOTHER TELLING
00:33:20.20\00:33:23.87
INSIGHT ABOUT
SAUL. WHAT ABOUT SAUL?
00:33:23.90\00:33:28.04
VERSE 3, "...HE MADE HAVOC
OF THE CHURCH, ENTERING EVERY
00:33:28.07\00:33:32.77
HOUSE, AND DRAGGING OFF MEN
AND WOMEN, COMMITTING THEM TO
00:33:32.81\00:33:37.41
PRISON." ACTUALLY,
IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING
00:33:37.45\00:33:42.08
ALONG IN THE LESSON, IN MONDAY'S
LESSON IT COMMENTS ON THE GREEK
00:33:42.12\00:33:46.89
SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT WORD
TRANSLATED, 'WREAKING HAVOC'
00:33:46.92\00:33:51.59
OR 'RAVAGING' THE CHURCH.
AND IT POINTS OUT TO US THAT
00:33:51.63\00:33:55.73
IN THE SEPTUAGINT - THE GREEK
TRANSLATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
00:33:55.76\00:33:59.50
- IT USES THAT SAME WORD TO
DESCRIBE - DID YOU CATCH IT?
00:33:59.53\00:34:03.44
THE UNCONTROLLED AND DESTRUCTIVE
BEHAVIOR OF A WILD BOAR.
00:34:03.47\00:34:09.91
HAVE YOU EVER DEALT
WITH WILD PIGS OR WILD BOARS?
00:34:09.94\00:34:13.58
WE USED TO LIVE IN OKLAHOMA
AND WE WOULD HAVE WILD BOARS
00:34:13.62\00:34:18.99
SOMETIMES WANDER
ONTO OUR PROPERTY.
00:34:19.02\00:34:21.62
YOU DID NOT WANT TO GET IN THE
WAY OF THOSE WILD PIGS, OKAY?
00:34:21.66\00:34:27.13
RAVENING - RAVENOUS -
OKAY? YOU GET THE PICTURE?
00:34:27.13\00:34:32.00
AND SO, THIS IS HOW PAUL IS
BEING DESCRIBED - SAUL, AS HE'S
00:34:32.03\00:34:36.37
STILL BEING REFERRED TO AT THAT
TIME IN HIS LIFE - IS HE JUST AN
00:34:36.40\00:34:40.31
INSIGNIFICANT FIGURE? BY
THE WAY, AS THE STORY PLAYS
00:34:40.34\00:34:44.55
OUT, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT
SAUL WAS SO WELL KNOWN THAT FOR
00:34:44.58\00:34:49.88
HUNDREDS OF MILES
PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT SAUL. REALLY?
00:34:49.92\00:34:57.29
AND ALTHOUGH THE ACCOUNT
TRANSITIONS, IN ACTS 8, TO FOCUS
00:34:57.33\00:35:00.70
ON ANOTHER OF THE DEACONS, THIS
TIME ON PHILIP, BY THE TIME WE
00:35:00.73\00:35:06.57
COME TO CHAPTER 9,
WE'RE BACK TO A FOCUS ON SAUL.
00:35:06.60\00:35:12.41
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING
RIGHT NOW - ACTS CHAPTER 9.
00:35:12.44\00:35:16.04
AND THE ACCOUNT IS CONTINUING AS
WE READ THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS
00:35:16.08\00:35:21.48
- ACTS CHAPTER 9 IT SAYS, "THEN
SAUL," - AND THERE'S THIS WORD
00:35:21.52\00:35:26.79
THERE - "STILL BREATHING THREATS
AND MURDER AGAINST THE DISCIPLES
00:35:26.82\00:35:31.96
OF THE LORD, WENT TO THE HIGH
PRIEST" - ACTS 9, VERSE 2 - HE
00:35:31.99\00:35:36.20
ASKS FOR LETTERS - FOR FORMAL
DOCUMENTS - SO THAT HE CAN GO
00:35:36.23\00:35:41.44
FROM JERUSALEM TO DAMASCUS AND
IF HE FINDS ANY OF THE WAY - ANY
00:35:41.47\00:35:46.11
CHRISTIANS - WHETHER MEN OR
WOMEN, HE'S GOING TO BRING THEM
00:35:46.14\00:35:49.71
BACK BOUND TO JERUSALEM. WOW.
NOW WORD GETS TO DAMASCUS BEFORE
00:35:49.74\00:35:58.25
SAUL GET THERE - WE'LL SEE IN
THE ACCOUNT - THAT HE IS ON HIS
00:35:58.29\00:36:02.19
WAY. HE'S NO SMALL PLAYER.
SAUL IS THIS FRONT LINE - THIS
00:36:02.22\00:36:08.13
CENTRAL FIGURE IN THE
DRAMA OF THE EARLY CHURCH.
00:36:08.16\00:36:11.63
AND, BY THE WAY, HOW MANY OF YOU
WOULD WANT TO MEET SAUL IF YOU
00:36:11.67\00:36:16.77
WERE A BELIEVER LIVING
IN DAMASCUS IN THAT DAY?
00:36:16.81\00:36:20.31
HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD BE PRAYING
THAT YOU'D HAVE A CHANCE TO
00:36:20.34\00:36:22.31
WITNESS TO SAUL?
00:36:22.34\00:36:23.58
HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD BE - WOULD
THINK YOU WOULD HAVE THAT - NO,
00:36:23.61\00:36:25.28
NO, YOU'D BE - YOU'D BE SAYING,
'LORD, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, HAVE
00:36:25.31\00:36:28.05
SOMETHING HAPPEN - HAVE SAUL'S,
YOU KNOW, CHARIOT WHEELS FALL
00:36:28.08\00:36:31.92
OFF.' OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER
- I MEAN, HE PROBABLY WASN'T
00:36:31.95\00:36:34.92
TRAVELING IN A
CHARIOT, BUT SOME DID THEN.
00:36:34.96\00:36:37.79
IN ACTS 8 YOU HAD SOMEONE IN
A CHARIOT THAT - THE ETHIOPIAN
00:36:37.83\00:36:41.70
EUNUCH, WHO PHILIP CAME UP
ALONG SIDE OF, BUT THE POINT IS,
00:36:41.73\00:36:45.07
HOWEVER HE WAS TRAVELING,
YOU'D PROBABLY BE PRAYING THAT
00:36:45.10\00:36:47.90
SOMETHING WOULD
CHANGE IN HIS PLANS, RIGHT?
00:36:47.94\00:36:51.04
YOU WERE PRAYING FOR
FREEDOM FROM PERSECUTION.
00:36:51.07\00:36:53.81
BY THE WAY, THAT'S PERFECTLY
APPROPRIATE TO PRAY FOR.
00:36:53.84\00:36:57.48
BUT GOD DOESN'T
ANSWER THE PRAYER THAT WAY.
00:36:57.51\00:37:00.48
SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE READING
FOR US, IN JUST A MINUTE, FROM
00:37:00.52\00:37:04.19
ACTS 9, VERSES 3 TO 5 -
DO WE HAVE SOMEONE WITH THAT?
00:37:04.22\00:37:08.19
OKAY, ACTS 9:3-5 WE'LL
LOOK AT IN JUST A MOMENT.
00:37:08.22\00:37:11.03
BUT, AGAIN, I WANT YOU TO TRY TO
PUT YOURSELF IN THE SITUATION.
00:37:11.06\00:37:14.83
YOU'RE A BELIEVER IN DAMASCUS -
MANY MILES AWAY FROM JERUSALEM -
00:37:14.83\00:37:19.03
PROSPEROUS, PROSPEROUS CITY.
YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH
00:37:19.07\00:37:26.44
- THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
YOU'RE A JEW - THAT'S WHAT THE
00:37:26.47\00:37:28.44
CHURCH WAS MADE UP - THAT
EARLY STAGE - YOU WERE A JEW WHO
00:37:28.48\00:37:32.05
HAD COME TO FAITH IN
JESUS. PERHAPS THE MESSAGE HAD
00:37:32.08\00:37:35.75
COME TO YOU AT PENTECOST.
MAYBE YOU WERE ATTENDING THERE
00:37:35.78\00:37:38.25
IN JERUSALEM WHEN THE
HOLY SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT.
00:37:38.29\00:37:41.19
YOU WENT BACK HOME TO DAMASCUS
AND SYRIA AND NOW, ON HIS WAY
00:37:41.22\00:37:45.43
THERE, IS SAUL OF TARSUS.
HERE'S THE EVENTS THAT TRANSPIRE
00:37:45.46\00:37:50.20
- SO WELL KNOWN -
VERSES 3 THROUGH 5.
00:37:50.23\00:37:53.57
PLEASE READ FOR US. >>AS
HE JOURNEYED HE CAME NEAR
00:37:53.60\00:37:56.87
DAMASCUS, AND SUDDENLY A LIGHT
SHONE AROUND HIM FROM HEAVEN.
00:37:56.91\00:38:00.81
THEN HE FELL TO THE GROUND,
AND HEARD A VOICE SAYING TO HIM,
00:38:00.84\00:38:04.31
'SAUL, SAUL, WHY
ARE YOU PERSECUTING ME?'
00:38:04.35\00:38:07.48
AND HE SAID,
'WHO ARE YOU, LORD?'
00:38:07.52\00:38:09.78
THEN THE LORD SAID, 'I AM
JESUS, WHOM YOU ARE PERSECUTING.
00:38:09.82\00:38:13.82
IT IS HARD FOR YOU TO
KICK AGAINST THE GOADS.'"
00:38:13.86\00:38:18.56
>>CAN YOU IMAGINE THE SITUATION?
00:38:18.59\00:38:21.86
WHAT IS SAUL'S
WHOLE LIFE FOCUSED ON?
00:38:21.90\00:38:26.30
HIS WHOLE LIFE IS FOCUSED ON
DEFENDING GOD FROM THIS HERESY
00:38:26.33\00:38:31.37
THAT WAS STARTED BY THIS
FALSE PRETENDER, JESUS, RIGHT?
00:38:31.41\00:38:37.75
HE'S TRYING TO ROOT OUT THE
NAME OF JESUS CHRIST AND, ON THE
00:38:37.78\00:38:40.78
DAMASCUS ROAD,
WHO CONFRONTS HIM?
00:38:40.82\00:38:44.19
>>JESUS. >>JESUS.
'WHO ARE YOU, LORD?'
00:38:44.22\00:38:48.79
'I AM JESUS, WHOM YOU ARE
PERSECUTING.' YOU KNOW, THERE'S
00:38:48.82\00:38:54.60
A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE BIBLE
WHERE GOD SPEAKS OF HIS INTIMATE
00:38:54.63\00:38:58.97
CONNECTION WITH EVERY INDIVIDUAL
- EVERY INDIVIDUAL - EVERY
00:38:59.00\00:39:04.17
BELIEVER. IN THE
OLD TESTAMENT IT SAYS,
00:39:04.21\00:39:07.51
'IN ALL THEIR AFFLICTION HE
WAS AFFLICTED - IN ISAIAH 63.
00:39:07.54\00:39:14.85
WHEN JESUS IS SPEAKING OF THE
GREAT JUDGMENT IN MATTHEW 25,
00:39:14.88\00:39:20.19
'WHATEVER YOU DID TO THE LEAST
OF YOUR BROTHERS, THAT YOU DID
00:39:20.22\00:39:24.53
TO? ME. JESUS
SAYS, 'I FEEL WITH YOU
00:39:24.56\00:39:29.33
WHEN YOU'RE GOING
THROUGH DIFFICULTY.
00:39:29.36\00:39:31.33
WHEN YOU'RE SUFFERING, I FEEL
WITH YOU.' THE CHURCH IS BEING
00:39:31.37\00:39:35.20
PERSECUTED. JESUS SAYS TO SAUL,
'YOU'RE NOT JUST PERSECUTING
00:39:35.24\00:39:43.28
PEOPLE. YOU'RE NOT JUST
PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS.'
00:39:43.31\00:39:46.85
WHO DID JESUS SAY HE WAS
PERSECUTING? PERSECUTING HIM.
00:39:46.88\00:39:54.09
TAKE COURAGE THIS
MORNING. TAKE COURAGE.
00:39:54.12\00:39:58.03
IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING RIGHT
NOW, JESUS IS FEELING WITH YOU.
00:39:58.06\00:40:02.26
DO YOU SEE THAT PICTURE
HERE? JESUS IS HURTING WITH YOU.
00:40:02.30\00:40:05.87
IF THERE'S SOMETHING - SOME
TROUBLE IN YOUR LIFE - JESUS
00:40:05.90\00:40:09.24
FEELS WITH YOU AND
HE HASN'T FORGOTTEN YOU.
00:40:09.27\00:40:12.51
AND SO, AS IT LOOKS LIKE GOD HAS
FORGOTTEN THE CHURCH - RIGHT?
00:40:12.54\00:40:17.91
I MEAN, HERE'S THIS GUY, HE'S
ABOUT TO WIPE - DRAG PEOPLE OUT
00:40:17.95\00:40:21.62
OF THE CHURCH - DRAG THEM OUT OF
THEIR HOMES AND BRING THEM TO BE
00:40:21.65\00:40:24.65
KILLED IN JERUSALEM. GOD
HAS NOT FORGOTTEN AND GOD IS
00:40:24.69\00:40:31.03
WORKING ON THE HEARTS OF
THOSE WHO ARE CAUSING GRIEF
00:40:31.06\00:40:34.10
IN YOUR LIFE AS WELL.
SAUL'S RESPONSE, IN VERSE 6 -
00:40:34.10\00:40:39.70
IT SAYS HE WAS TREMBLING
AND ASTONISHED - TREMBLING
00:40:39.73\00:40:46.27
AND ASTONISHED.
AND HE ASKED THE SIMPLE
00:40:46.31\00:40:49.68
QUESTION: "LORD, WHAT
DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?"
00:40:49.71\00:40:54.18
NOW, COULD JESUS HAVE SPELLED
OUT ALL HIS PLANS FOR THE
00:40:54.22\00:40:58.62
APOSTLE RIGHT THERE?
COULD HE HAVE DONE IT?
00:40:58.65\00:41:01.79
I MEAN, HE COULD
HAVE DONE IT, RIGHT?
00:41:01.82\00:41:03.22
HE WAS GOD, HE COULD HAVE SAID,
'OKAY, HERE'S WHAT'S GOING TO
00:41:03.26\00:41:04.99
HAPPEN.' BUT ALL HE SAYS TO SAUL
IS "ARISE AND GO INTO THE CITY,
00:41:05.03\00:41:08.56
AND YOU WILL BE
TOLD WHAT YOU MUST DO."
00:41:08.60\00:41:11.60
AND IT SAYS, IN VERSE 8, THAT
WHEN SAUL GOT UP FROM THE GROUND
00:41:11.63\00:41:15.70
HE WAS TOTALLY BLIND.
THEY HAVE TO LEAD HIM BY THE
00:41:15.74\00:41:22.91
HAND INTO DAMASCUS AND HE WAS
THERE THREE DAYS WITHOUT SIGHT
00:41:22.94\00:41:28.65
AND HE NEITHER ATE NOR
DRANK. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE?
00:41:28.68\00:41:34.56
HAS SOMETHING BEEN
GOING GREAT IN YOUR LIFE?
00:41:34.59\00:41:36.62
BY THE WAY, FROM SAUL'S
PERSPECTIVE, HOW DO YOU THINK HE
00:41:36.66\00:41:39.43
THOUGHT HIS
LIFE WAS PLAYING OUT?
00:41:39.46\00:41:43.16
TREMENDOUS, RIGHT? I
MEAN, HE'S A YOUNG GUY, HE'S
00:41:43.20\00:41:46.57
GIVEN ALL THIS AUTHORITY -
HE'S A PHARISEE, HE LATER SAYS.
00:41:46.60\00:41:50.14
AS YOU READ THE ACCOUNT OF
HIS LIFE HE'S IN A LEADERSHIP
00:41:50.17\00:41:53.48
POSITION. HE'S
DOING GREAT THINGS
00:41:53.51\00:41:55.31
FOR - FOR GOD, IN HIS EYES.
HE'S ON HIS WAY TO THIS GREAT
00:41:55.34\00:42:01.82
CAMPAIGN WITH AUTHORITY
FROM THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH.
00:42:01.85\00:42:07.06
AND, INSTEAD OF COMING IN THE
PROUD CHRISTIAN HUNTER, HOW DOES
00:42:07.09\00:42:13.73
SAUL END UP COMING TO DAMASCUS?
00:42:13.76\00:42:17.93
BLIND, REALIZING THAT EVERYTHING
HIS LIFE HAD BEEN FOCUSED ON,
00:42:17.97\00:42:22.67
THE RUG HAD JUST BEEN
PULLED OUT FROM UNDER HIM.
00:42:22.70\00:42:26.07
NOW, WE KNOW THE STORY OF SAUL'S
LIFE AND WE'RE ALL REJOICING,
00:42:26.11\00:42:30.28
RIGHT? THAT SAUL
HAD THAT ENCOUNTER ON
00:42:30.31\00:42:32.15
THE DAMASCUS ROAD, BUT HOW
DOES IT FEEL IF GOD ABRUPTLY
00:42:32.18\00:42:35.35
CHANGES YOUR DIRECTION?
HOW DOES IT FEEL WHEN IT SEEMS
00:42:35.38\00:42:40.32
LIKE THINGS ARE GOING WELL
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THINGS SEEM
00:42:40.36\00:42:42.46
LIKE THEY'RE FALLING
APART? HAVE YOU BEEN THERE?
00:42:42.49\00:42:45.63
BUT GOD ALLOWS IT BECAUSE HE
HAS A GREATER PURPOSE FOR SAUL.
00:42:45.66\00:42:52.17
NOW WHAT'S SO FASCINATING
IN THIS STORY - WHAT'S SO
00:42:52.20\00:42:55.90
FASCINATING - AS WE READ THROUGH
THIS WHOLE SECTION IN ACTS,
00:42:55.94\00:43:01.44
THERE'S AN OPERATIVE WORD - A
KEY WORD - NOW, I MAYBE HAVE TO
00:43:01.48\00:43:06.92
USE A FEW MEDICAL
ILLUSTRATIONS FOR YOU HERE.
00:43:06.95\00:43:10.15
NOW, IN MEDICINE, WE SOMETIMES
HAVE TO LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT
00:43:10.19\00:43:14.36
THE POTENCY OF REMEDIES.
THIS CAN BE TRUE OF NATURAL
00:43:14.39\00:43:17.79
REMEDIES AS WELL AS
PHARMACEUTICAL REMEDIES.
00:43:17.83\00:43:21.26
SOME REMEDIES ARE VERY POTENT
- JUST A LITTLE BIT GOES A LONG
00:43:21.30\00:43:25.43
WAY. ONE OF THE REMEDIES THAT IS
00:43:25.47\00:43:28.57
COMMONLY USED TODAY IS A DEADLY
POISON - IT CAN KILL YOU - IT'S
00:43:28.60\00:43:33.21
BOTULINUM TOXIN - ARE YOU AWARE
OF THIS? THEY CALL IT BOTOX.
00:43:33.24\00:43:38.71
BUT IT'S USED, SOMETIMES,
IN SMALL AMOUNTS FOR SPASTIC
00:43:38.75\00:43:42.58
CONDITIONS - VERY, VERY TINY
AMOUNTS - IT'S A VERY POTENT
00:43:42.62\00:43:47.49
COMPOUND. SO WE
HAVE TO THINK IN TERMS OF
00:43:47.52\00:43:50.39
POTENCY, BUT POTENCY IS ALSO
TRUE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
00:43:50.43\00:43:54.10
HAVE YOU EVER
THOUGHT ABOUT THIS?
00:43:54.10\00:43:56.60
THERE'S A VERY POTENT
WORD IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
00:43:56.63\00:43:59.90
IN FACT, FOR IT'S VOLUME, IT
IS PERHAPS THE MOST POTENT WORD.
00:43:59.93\00:44:04.64
IT IS THE ONLY VERB THAT I KNOW
OF THAT HAS SUCH POWER AND ONLY
00:44:04.67\00:44:09.84
HAS TWO LETTERS.
HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THE
00:44:09.88\00:44:12.71
TWO-LETTER VERB THAT
OCCURS REPEATEDLY IN ACTS
00:44:12.75\00:44:16.82
CHAPTERS 9 AND 10?
THAT'S RIGHT, THE WORD IS 'GO'.
00:44:16.85\00:44:22.79
DID YOU SEE IT
ALREADY IN ACTS 9?
00:44:22.82\00:44:26.59
DID YOU PICK UP ON
IT? WHERE DO YOU SEE
00:44:26.63\00:44:32.47
IT THERE IN
ACTS 9? THAT'S RIGHT.
00:44:32.50\00:44:36.91
WHEN SAUL ASKS 'WHO ARE YOU?'
HE SAYS, 'I'M JESUS.' AND THEN,
00:44:36.94\00:44:43.71
AS HE ENGAGES IN DIALOGUE
WITH HIM, IN VERSE 6, JESUS
00:44:43.75\00:44:49.35
SAYS, 'ARISE AND GO.'
GO. NO WE COME TO ANANIAS.
00:44:49.38\00:44:58.89
NOW, THERE'S MORE THAN
ONE ANANIAS IN THE BIBLE.
00:44:58.93\00:45:02.03
THERE'S A HIGH
PRIEST NAMED ANANIAS.
00:45:02.06\00:45:04.43
THERE'S AN UNFAITHFUL
BELIEVER WHO WAS STRUCK DEAD.
00:45:04.47\00:45:07.07
AND NOW HERE'S THE
FAITHFUL ANANIAS IN VERSE 10.
00:45:07.10\00:45:11.67
SAUL IS THERE PRAYING FOR THREE
DAYS - FASTING - AND IT SAYS IN
00:45:11.71\00:45:17.91
VERSE 10 ANANIAS
IS GIVEN A VISION.
00:45:17.95\00:45:20.52
HOW DOES THE VISION
BEGIN? HIS NAME IS SPOKEN.
00:45:20.55\00:45:28.32
THE LORD SPEAKS
TO HIM. "ANANIAS."
00:45:28.36\00:45:30.79
IS THERE ANY QUESTION
JESUS IS SPEAKING TO HIM?
00:45:30.83\00:45:34.00
NO QUESTION. "ANANIAS."
HE SAYS, "HERE I AM, LORD."
00:45:34.03\00:45:38.43
VERSE 11, "SO THE LORD SAID
TO HIM, 'ARISE AND GO TO THE
00:45:38.47\00:45:42.27
STREET CALLED STRAIGHT, AND
INQUIRE AT THE HOUSE OF JUDAS
00:45:42.30\00:45:48.18
FOR ONE CALLED SAUL OF TARSUS,
FOR BEHOLD, HE IS PRAYING.
00:45:48.21\00:45:52.05
AND IN A VISION HE" - SAUL -
"HAS SEEN A MAN NAMED ANANIAS
00:45:52.08\00:45:57.19
COMING IN AND PUTTING HIS HAND
ON HIM, SO THAT HE MIGHT RECEIVE
00:45:57.22\00:46:00.12
HIS SIGHT." WELL,
WE'RE GOING TO READ
00:46:00.16\00:46:03.53
ANANIAS'
RESPONSE IN JUST A MOMENT.
00:46:03.56\00:46:05.76
DOES SOMEONE HAVE
VERSES 13 AND ONWARD?
00:46:05.79\00:46:07.96
WE'LL GO THERE IN JUST A
MOMENT, BUT ARE YOU CATCHING THE
00:46:08.00\00:46:12.10
OPERATIVE WORD THAT IS INITIALLY
GIVEN TO ANANIAS WITH HIS
00:46:12.13\00:46:15.77
MISSION? WHAT IS
HE SUPPOSED TO DO?
00:46:15.80\00:46:18.91
JUST LIKE SAUL, HE'S
CALLED TO ARISE AND GO. OKAY?
00:46:18.94\00:46:24.55
NOW, DOES HE IMMEDIATELY
CATCH THE SIGNIFICANCE?
00:46:24.58\00:46:27.48
LET'S LISTEN AS OUR SISTER READS
FROM VERSES 13 AND 14 OF ACTS 9.
00:46:27.52\00:46:32.42
>>"THEN ANANIAS ANSWERED, 'LORD,
I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY ABOUT
00:46:32.45\00:46:37.86
THIS MAN, HOW MUCH HARM
HE HAS DONE TO YOUR SAINTS IN
00:46:37.89\00:46:42.76
JERUSALEM. AND HERE
HE HAS AUTHORITY FROM
00:46:42.80\00:46:46.77
THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO BIND
ALL WHO CALL ON YOUR NAME."
00:46:46.80\00:46:52.97
SO, DOES HE GET IT? DOES ANANIAS
GET THE MESSAGE AT FIRST?
00:46:53.01\00:46:57.55
HAVE YOU BEEN THERE BEFORE?
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU REASONED
00:46:57.58\00:47:02.28
WITH GOD WHEN HE'S
TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO?
00:47:02.32\00:47:05.59
'NOW, LORD, I
THINK YOU MISUNDERSTAND.
00:47:05.62\00:47:07.69
YOU KNOW, I REALLY CAN'T DO
- GO TO CHURCH EVERY SABBATH?
00:47:07.72\00:47:10.33
I MEAN, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
I MEAN, I WORK ON SABBATHS.
00:47:10.36\00:47:14.96
WHAT? YOU WANT ME
- I MEAN, LORD, DO -'
00:47:15.00\00:47:17.10
HOW MANY OF YOU
HAVE BEEN THERE BEFORE?
00:47:17.13\00:47:19.73
'TALK TO THAT PERSON? WHAT
DO YOU - I MEAN, THAT'S NOT
00:47:19.77\00:47:22.80
THE HOLY SPIRIT, I MEAN, HOW CAN
I TALK -' HAVE YOU BEEN THERE?
00:47:22.84\00:47:26.27
SO THE HOLY SPIRIT - HERE IT
SAYS JESUS HIMSELF, THE LORD,
00:47:26.31\00:47:31.65
SPEAKING TO ANANIAS SAYS, 'ARISE
AND GO' AND WHAT DOES HE SAY?
00:47:31.68\00:47:37.55
IT'S LIKE, 'LORD, I'VE GOT TO
KIND OF FILL YOU IN ON SOME OF
00:47:37.59\00:47:39.82
THE DETAILS.' SO
WHAT DOES GOD SAY?
00:47:39.85\00:47:42.32
'OH, OH, I MADE A
MISTAKE.' DOES HE SAY THAT?
00:47:42.36\00:47:45.93
WHAT IS HIS NEXT
- HIS NEXT WORDS?
00:47:45.96\00:47:48.80
WE'RE SPEAKING
OF THE DIVINE WORD.
00:47:48.83\00:47:51.23
WHAT IS GOD'S WORD
TO HIM IN VERSE 15? GO.
00:47:51.27\00:47:57.01
I HAVE A MISSIONARY FRIEND,
HE'S SERVING IN A FOREIGN FIELD.
00:47:57.04\00:48:02.58
AND HE ONCE SAID TO ME, 'HOW
COME WE READ SO MUCH ABOUT THE
00:48:02.61\00:48:07.12
WORD 'GO' BUT
EVERYONE WANTS TO STAY?'
00:48:07.15\00:48:12.05
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
THAT? DOES HE HAVE SOME INSIGHT?
00:48:12.09\00:48:15.26
IS THERE SOME TRUTH IN THAT?
00:48:15.29\00:48:17.43
YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS,
'WHAT IS GOD CALLING ME TO DO?
00:48:17.46\00:48:20.73
IS HE CALLING
ME TO GO SOMEWHERE?
00:48:20.76\00:48:23.13
AND, BY THE WAY, GOING SOMEWHERE
DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO
00:48:23.16\00:48:25.07
TRANSFER YOUR MEMBERSHIP OUT OF
THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH, BUT IT
00:48:25.10\00:48:28.97
MAY MEAN THAT HE'S CALLING
YOU TO GO AND SPEND SOME TIME
00:48:29.00\00:48:33.98
VISITING YOUR
NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR.
00:48:34.01\00:48:36.75
OR MAYBE GOING ON THAT
SHORT-TERM MISSION TRIP.
00:48:36.78\00:48:40.88
OR IT MAY BE GOING TO A
DIFFERENT PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT.
00:48:40.92\00:48:43.62
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT I
KNOW IN GOD'S LEADING IN MY LIFE
00:48:43.65\00:48:47.16
HE TYPICALLY HAS NOT LED ME IN
PLACES WHERE I SAID, 'OH, GOOD,
00:48:47.19\00:48:50.66
LORD. I'M GLAD.
THAT'S JUST WHERE I WANTED TO
00:48:50.69\00:48:52.19
GO.' IT'S USUALLY NOT THAT WAY.
AND SO IT IS WITH ANANIAS HERE.
00:48:52.23\00:48:56.67
SO AFTER HEARING IT TWICE
- VERSE 17 - ANANIAS GOES.
00:48:56.70\00:49:03.07
HE ENTERS THE HOUSE - AND I LOVE
VERSE 17 OF ACTS 9 - I LOVE HOW
00:49:03.10\00:49:07.91
ANANIAS GREETS
SAUL. WHAT DOES HE SAY?
00:49:07.94\00:49:13.05
>>BROTHER.
>>"BROTHER SAUL" - BROTHER SAUL.
00:49:13.08\00:49:16.45
ISN'T THAT
TREMENDOUS, BROTHER SAUL?
00:49:16.48\00:49:19.05
BY THE WAY, HOW MUCH TIME HAD
TRANSPIRED FROM SAUL BEING THE
00:49:19.09\00:49:24.69
DETERMINED PERSECUTOR OF THE
CHURCH TO THE CONVERTED PAUL?
00:49:24.73\00:49:33.97
THREE DAYS. WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT A - WE'RE
00:49:34.00\00:49:36.47
TALKING ABOUT THREE DAYS.
NOW SOME PEOPLE SAY, 'HEY,
00:49:36.50\00:49:39.31
THAT'S TOO SOON, DR. DEROSE.
YOU KNOW, SOMEONE CAN'T BE
00:49:39.34\00:49:41.98
CONVERTED AND, YOU KNOW,
COME INTO THE CHURCH AND BE
00:49:42.01\00:49:44.01
BAPTIZED IN THREE DAYS.
CAN'T HAPPEN.' NOW, GRANTED, ALL
00:49:44.05\00:49:47.32
THESE QUICK CONVERSIONS IN THE
NEW TESTAMENT, PEOPLE HAD A LOT
00:49:47.35\00:49:49.95
OF PREPARATION BEHIND THEM.
PAUL, YOU KNOW, HE WAS VERY
00:49:49.98\00:49:52.79
FAMILIAR WITH THE
OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.
00:49:52.82\00:49:54.79
BUT, YOU KNOW, AS A PHYSICIAN,
I KNOW HOW THIS WORKS.
00:49:54.82\00:49:58.63
I KNOW HOW SOMETHING THAT,
YOU KNOW, THINGS JUST DON'T
00:49:58.66\00:50:01.96
LINE UP AND THEN ALL OF A
SUDDEN YOU JUST GET ONE PIECE OF
00:50:02.00\00:50:04.93
INFORMATION AND THE WHOLE
PUZZLE ALL COMES TOGETHER.
00:50:04.97\00:50:08.24
ONE OF THE CLASSIC DIAGNOSES
THAT PHYSICIANS MISS, YOU KNOW,
00:50:08.27\00:50:12.01
MAY PLAY OUT SOMETHING
LIKE THIS: SOMEONE COMES TO THE
00:50:12.04\00:50:14.24
EMERGENCY ROOM - TERRIBLE CHEST
PAIN - AND THEY END UP DOING ALL
00:50:14.28\00:50:17.91
THE HEART WORK-UP
AND IT'S ALL NEGATIVE.
00:50:17.95\00:50:20.82
AND A FEW DAYS LATER, MAYBE THE
SAME DOCTOR SEEING THE PATIENT,
00:50:20.85\00:50:27.76
THEY COME BACK IN - STILL
TERRIBLE PAIN - AND THEY LOOK,
00:50:27.79\00:50:31.29
AGAIN, AT THEIR CHEST AND
THEY SEE A LITTLE BLISTER.
00:50:31.33\00:50:35.23
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN - JUST
- ALL OF THE PIECES JUST COME
00:50:35.26\00:50:37.13
TOGETHER. THEY
HAVE SHINGLES, OKAY?
00:50:37.17\00:50:41.14
FAIRLY A COMMON
DIAGNOSIS THAT'S MISSED.
00:50:41.17\00:50:43.97
IT CAN PRESENT WITH
TERRIBLE PAIN, INITIALLY.
00:50:44.01\00:50:46.74
SO YOU SAY - WELL, ALL THE
PIECES OF THE PUZZLE WERE STILL
00:50:46.78\00:50:51.68
THERE - THEY WERE ALL THE SAME
- BUT YOU GET THAT ONE ESSENTIAL
00:50:51.71\00:50:54.35
INGREDIENT AND THEN
EVERYTHING FALLS TOGETHER.
00:50:54.38\00:50:56.45
'OH YES, THAT'S WHAT IT
WAS! THEY WEREN'T HAVING A HEART
00:50:56.48\00:50:58.49
ATTACK.' SO IT IS WITH SAUL.
ALL THESE PIECES - THE LORD
00:50:58.52\00:51:05.06
SAID HE WAS
KICKING AGAINST THE GOADS.
00:51:05.09\00:51:06.93
GOD WAS TRYING TO LEAD
SAUL AND HE WAS RESISTING.
00:51:06.96\00:51:10.23
HE WAS
LISTENING TO HIS TEACHERS.
00:51:10.27\00:51:11.97
HE WAS GIVING MORE DEFERENCE
TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS THAN HE
00:51:12.00\00:51:17.37
WAS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT'S
CONVICTIONS ON HIS HEART.
00:51:17.41\00:51:20.18
BUT, FINALLY, THERE'S
THAT TELLING PIECE OF EVIDENCE.
00:51:20.21\00:51:22.11
JESUS SAYS 'YOU'RE PERSECUTING
ME.. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
00:51:22.14\00:51:25.11
IN THOSE THREE DAYS, ALL OF
THE DOTS JUST COME TOGETHER.
00:51:25.15\00:51:29.38
AND HE REALIZES JESUS
IS WHO? >>THE MESSIAH.
00:51:29.42\00:51:32.82
>>HE IS THE MESSIAH.
JESUS IS THE MESSIAH.
00:51:32.85\00:51:35.76
AND IT'S AMAZING WHAT HAPPENS
BECAUSE SAUL, THERE, IN THE
00:51:35.79\00:51:41.20
PRESENCE OF ANANIAS, IF YOU READ
SOME OF THE PARALLEL ACCOUNTS -
00:51:41.23\00:51:45.63
BY THE WAY, ACTS 9 IS NOT THE
ONLY PLACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
00:51:45.67\00:51:50.44
WHERE WE READ THIS STORY.
PAUL RECITES HIS OWN CONVERSION
00:51:50.47\00:51:53.94
IN ACTS 22 AND IN ACTS 26
- YOU CAN READ - THE PARALLEL
00:51:53.98\00:51:57.81
ACCOUNTS, SOME OF THEM GIVE YOU
A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE NUANCES
00:51:57.85\00:52:00.75
OF THE STORY THAN
YOU EVEN READ IN ACTS 9.
00:52:00.78\00:52:04.12
AND IT SEEMS THAT THE HOLY
SPIRIT WAS MOVING ON ANANIAS TO
00:52:04.15\00:52:07.92
APPEAL TO PAUL TO BE
BAPTIZED. AND SO HE'S BAPTIZED
00:52:07.96\00:52:12.76
THERE AFTER THREE DAYS.
AND HE ENDS UP BECOMING THE
00:52:12.79\00:52:18.13
CHAMPION OF THE CHURCH.
GO WITH ME TO GALATIANS 1
00:52:18.17\00:52:22.14
BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE'LL BE
PICKING UP THE STORY IN OUR NEXT
00:52:22.17\00:52:24.94
LESSON. BUT THIS IS NOT JUST
SOME INCIDENTAL BACKGROUND TO
00:52:24.97\00:52:29.48
THE AUTHOR. THE STORY OF PAUL'S
CONVERSION IS FOUNDATIONAL TO
00:52:29.51\00:52:34.92
UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK OF
GALATIANS BECAUSE HE EMPHASIZES
00:52:34.95\00:52:38.62
EARLY IN THAT BOOK THAT HIS
AUTHORITY IS BASED ON HIS VERY
00:52:38.65\00:52:45.19
CALLING AND THAT THAT CALLING
CAME NOT FROM THE EARLY CHURCH,
00:52:45.23\00:52:49.86
NOT FROM GOING TO AN
EVANGELISTIC MEETING, BUT IT
00:52:49.90\00:52:52.53
CAME FROM JESUS
PERSONALLY CALLING HIM.
00:52:52.57\00:52:55.50
LOOK AT GALATIANS 1, VERSE 1
- GALATIANS 1:1 - PAUL SAYS, I'M
00:52:55.54\00:53:00.14
"AN APOSTLE (NOT FROM MEN NOR
THROUGH MAN, BUT THROUGH JESUS
00:53:00.18\00:53:04.58
CHRIST AND GOD THE FATHER WHO
RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD)," -
00:53:04.61\00:53:09.58
AND THEN, AS YOU READ ON IN
VERSE 11 OF GALATIANS 1, "BUT I
00:53:09.62\00:53:14.76
MAKE KNOWN TO YOU, BRETHREN,
THAT THE GOSPEL WHICH WAS
00:53:14.79\00:53:17.53
PREACHED BY ME IS
NOT ACCORDING TO MAN.
00:53:17.56\00:53:21.20
FOR I NEITHER RECEIVED IT FROM
MAN, NOR WAS I TAUGHT IT, BUT IT
00:53:21.23\00:53:24.60
CAME THROUGH THE
REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST."
00:53:24.63\00:53:28.00
SO THERE, ON THAT DAMASCUS
ROAD, BEGINS PAUL'S JOURNEY.
00:53:28.04\00:53:32.74
AND IN THOSE THREE DAYS OF
FASTING AND PRAYER IN DAMASCUS,
00:53:32.77\00:53:35.41
GOD IS OPENING HIS EYES AND,
AS YOU READ THROUGH GALATIANS -
00:53:35.44\00:53:39.11
ACTUALLY YOU PICK UP ON ANOTHER
DETAIL THAT YOU MAY NOT PICK UP
00:53:39.15\00:53:44.85
IN READING ACTS 9,
IN FACT, YOU WON'T.
00:53:44.89\00:53:47.56
IT SAYS - LOOK AT THIS - IN
VERSE 16 - WHEN GOD WAS PLEASED
00:53:47.59\00:53:51.46
"TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME, THAT
I MIGHT PREACH HIM AMONG THE
00:53:51.49\00:53:54.13
GENTILES, I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY
CONFER WITH FLESH AND BLOOD, NOR
00:53:54.20\00:53:58.23
DID I GO UP TO JERUSALEM TO
THOSE WHO WERE APOSTLES BEFORE
00:53:58.27\00:54:01.44
ME; BUT I WENT TO ARABIA,
AND RETURNED AGAIN TO DAMASCUS."
00:54:01.47\00:54:06.81
SO AS YOU READ THROUGH ACTS 9
YOU MAY NOT PICK UP THAT DETAIL,
00:54:06.84\00:54:10.18
BUT DURING SAUL'S TIME THERE IN
DAMASCUS HE'S CONVERTED, BEGINS
00:54:10.21\00:54:14.75
TO PREACH, THEN HE LEAVES FOR
A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS, TO
00:54:14.78\00:54:18.25
ARABIA WHERE, AGAIN, HE'S TAUGHT
BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE GOSPEL -
00:54:18.29\00:54:23.63
THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS IS THE
MESSIAH - THAT WE CAN ALL COME
00:54:23.66\00:54:27.20
TO HIM - THAT JESUS WANTS TO DO
FOR EVERYONE OF US JUST WHAT HE
00:54:27.23\00:54:30.37
DID FOR SAUL. HE WANTS
TO STOP US IN THE MIDST
00:54:30.40\00:54:34.17
OF OUR WORLDLY PURSUITS
AND HE WANTS TO TELL US TO
00:54:34.20\00:54:37.57
GO AND TELL THE WORLD.
HAVE YOU HEARD THAT MESSAGE YET?
00:54:37.61\00:54:42.51
I BELIEVE HE'S TRYING TO
COMMUNICATE IT AGAIN, TO ME, AND
00:54:42.54\00:54:46.05
HE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT
BY GOD'S GRACE, AS WE CONTINUE
00:54:46.08\00:54:49.18
THROUGH THIS LESSON. MAKE
SURE YOU CONTINUE TO STUDY
00:54:49.22\00:54:52.52
WITH US NEXT WEEK - LESSON #2
- THE GOSPEL IN GALATIANS - IF
00:54:52.55\00:54:57.09
YOU DIDN'T CATCH IT AT THE
BEGINNING, WE'VE GOT A SPECIAL
00:54:57.13\00:54:58.79
GIFT OFFER THAT GOES
ALONG WITH TODAY'S LESSON.
00:54:58.83\00:55:02.40
IT'S JOE CREWS'
BOOK RICHES OF GRACE .
00:55:02.43\00:55:06.20
FOR ANYONE IN NORTH AMERICA
YOU CAN SIMPLY GIVE US A CALL AT
00:55:06.23\00:55:09.54
866-STUDY-MORE, THAT'S
866-788-3966 - IT'S OFFER #152 -
00:55:09.57\00:55:18.58
RICHES OF GRACE.
WELL, UNTIL NEXT WEEK, WE'LL
00:55:18.61\00:55:22.78
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT GOD
DOES IN YOUR LIFE AS WE CONTINUE
00:55:22.82\00:55:26.62
TO STUDY AND PRESS CLOSE TO
HIM. MAY GOD BLESS YOU. (MUSIC)
00:55:26.65\00:55:42.77
>>I'M HERE IN THE
BEAUTIFUL ISLAND NATION OF FIJI
00:55:42.80\00:55:45.44
THAT'S FILLED WITH EXOTIC
ANIMALS, BEAUTIFUL VEGETATION,
00:55:45.47\00:55:49.28
AND SPECTACULAR SCENERY.
THE PEOPLE HERE ARE SOME OF THE
00:55:49.31\00:55:52.05
NICEST IN THE WORLD, BUT IT
HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY.
00:55:52.08\00:55:55.45
THIS WAS ONCE KNOWN AS THE
CANNIBAL ISLANDS. THE FIJIAN
00:55:55.48\00:56:00.36
WARRIORS WERE SOME OF THE
FIERCEST IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC
00:56:00.39\00:56:03.09
AND GREATLY FEARED -
YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY -
00:56:03.12\00:56:05.53
THIS IS ONE OF THE
WEAPONS THEY USED FOR BREAKING
00:56:05.56\00:56:08.26
THE NECK OF THEIR ADVERSARIES.
00:56:08.30\00:56:10.60
AND, LONG BEFORE THEY WERE
KILLING AND EATING MISSIONARIES,
00:56:10.63\00:56:12.87
THEY WERE FIGHTING WITH AND
KILLING AND EATING EACH OTHER.
00:56:12.90\00:56:16.14
IN FACT, AS YOU GO TO THE
DIFFERENT TOURIST LOCATIONS ON
00:56:16.17\00:56:18.27
THE ISLAND, THEY'LL SELL
YOU REMAKES OF SOME OF THE FORKS
00:56:18.31\00:56:22.01
THEY USED FOR
EATING HUMAN BRAINS.
00:56:22.04\00:56:26.38
IN FACT, THERE WAS ONE CANNIBAL
CHIEF, RATU UDRE UDRE, DURING
00:56:26.41\00:56:30.42
THE 1800S THAT IS IN THE
GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS
00:56:30.45\00:56:33.39
FOR HAVING KILLED AND
EATEN THE MOST VICTIMS.
00:56:33.42\00:56:36.26
HE BRAGGED THAT EVERY TIME
HE KILLED SOMEONE HE SET A STONE
00:56:36.29\00:56:38.86
ASIDE AND BY THE END OF HIS
LIFE HE HAD A PRETTY BIG PILE OF
00:56:38.89\00:56:41.80
STONES. IT'S
ESTIMATED HE ATE SOMEWHERE
00:56:41.83\00:56:44.17
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
OF 900 PEOPLE - OH MY.
00:56:44.20\00:56:50.11
YOU KNOW, THE FIJIANS WERE NOT
THE ONLY ONES WHO HAD A MONOPOLY
00:56:50.14\00:56:52.47
ON CANNIBALISM, IN FACT,
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE ARE ALL
00:56:52.51\00:56:55.51
CAPABLE OF BEING CANNIBALS.
GALATIANS 5:15 SAYS IF WE BITE
00:56:55.54\00:57:00.55
AND DEVOUR ONE ANOTHER, WE MAY
END UP CONSUMING ONE ANOTHER.
00:57:00.58\00:57:04.19
THAT'S TALKING ABOUT DESTROYING
PEOPLE'S REPUTATION BY MEAN
00:57:04.22\00:57:07.09
GOSSIP. ONE
FAMOUS MISSIONARY NAMED
00:57:07.12\00:57:09.49
PATTON, WHEN HE WAS PREPARING
TO GO TO THE CANNIBAL ISLES, HIS
00:57:09.52\00:57:12.83
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
BEGGED HIM NOT TO GO.
00:57:12.86\00:57:14.73
THEY SAID, 'YOU'LL BE EATEN.' HE
SAID, 'IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME
00:57:14.76\00:57:17.73
IF I DIE AND AM EATEN BY WORMS
OR IF GOD WILLS THAT I'M EATEN
00:57:17.77\00:57:21.10
BY CANNIBALS, AS LONG AS
I'M DOING THE WILL OF GOD.
00:57:21.14\00:57:24.14
WELL, HE WENT TO THE CANNIBAL
ISLES AND BROUGHT MANY TO CHRIST
00:57:24.17\00:57:27.38
AND DIED
PEACEFULLY IN HIS OLD AGE.
00:57:27.41\00:57:29.74
SOME OF THE ANCIENT CANNIBAL
CULTURES BELIEVED THAT WHEN YOU
00:57:29.78\00:57:32.35
KILLED AND WHEN YOU DEVOURED
YOUR ENEMY, YOU WOULD SOMEHOW
00:57:32.38\00:57:35.02
TAKE WITHIN YOU THEIR
SPIRITUAL STRENGTHS OR POWERS.
00:57:35.05\00:57:38.02
BUT THAT'S REALLY ABSURD - BUT
THERE IS A KIND OF CANNIBALISM
00:57:38.05\00:57:41.86
ENDORSED IN SCRIPTURE.
THAT'S RIGHT, JESUS SAID, 'IN
00:57:41.89\00:57:45.16
JOHN CHAPTER 6, VERSE 53,
"EXCEPT YOU EAT MY FLESH AND
00:57:45.19\00:57:48.93
DRINK MY BLOOD, YOU
HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU.
00:57:48.96\00:57:51.57
AND YOU DON'T NEED
THESE TOOLS TO DO IT.
00:57:51.60\00:57:53.70
WHAT YOU NEED IS TO READ HIS
WORD AND LEARN ABOUT HIS LIFE.
00:57:53.74\00:57:57.14
ACCEPT BY FAITH HIS SACRIFICE
IN YOUR PLACE AND YOU CAN HAVE A
00:57:57.17\00:58:00.21
NEW HEART AND BE A NEW CREATURE.
YOU CAN EVEN DO IT RIGHT NOW.
00:58:00.24\00:58:04.51
(MUSIC)
00:58:04.55\00:58:05.61