Good morning, friends.
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Welcome again to
Sabbath School Study Hour
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coming to you
from the Granite Bay
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Seventh-day Adventist Church
in Sacramento, California.
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Now, we started a
brand new series of lessons
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about two weeks ago
on the Book of Acts.
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And it's really an exciting
study that we're looking at
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that first
century Christian church
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and what we can learn from them.
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Because we know
at the end of time,
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we need to have the
same faith and devotion
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that the believers
had at the beginning
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of the Christian era.
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Today, we find
ourselves on lesson number four,
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that's entitled "The
First Church Leaders".
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Well, before we
get to our lesson,
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we would like
to let our friends,
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who are watching know
about a free offer that we have.
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It is a DVD, and it's
entitled "Help Wanted,
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Workers in the Vineyard".
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And if you'd
like to receive that,
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all you'll need to
do is give us a call
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on our phone line there,
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and we will be happy
to share that with you.
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The number is 866-788-3966,
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and you can ask
for offer number 852.
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And also for those
who would like to download
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a digital version of the sermon,
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you'd need to
text the number 40544
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and the code "SH100",
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and you'll be
able to get information
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about how you can download
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a digital version
of that special sermon.
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Well, at this time,
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I'd like to
invite our song leaders
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to please come forward.
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And they will lead us in
our worship this morning.
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Dear Father in heaven,
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once again we are
grateful for the opportunity
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to be able to open
up Your Word and study
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so many important
lessons that we can learn
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from this first
century Christian church,
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the church that you raised up
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to do the work of
taking the gospel to the world.
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Father, we have a similar
mission in these last days
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that of taking the
gospel to the world as well.
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Bless our time
today as we study.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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Our lesson this morning
is going to be brought to us
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by Pastor Doug.
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I want to welcome
you to Sabbath School
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at the Granite Bay Church here.
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And we're continuing
in our study of Acts.
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This is just
one of the, in fact,
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the great books
in the New Testament
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that tells about
the power of God,
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the growth of the church.
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And I'm trusting that
as we go through this,
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we're going to learn lessons
that are going to help us also
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as a church family and how
to incorporate these things
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in our lives and in our church.
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I want to welcome our friends
who are watching via satellite
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or perhaps the internet.
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We're glad that
you could join us.
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And we're on
lesson number four today,
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talking about The
First Church Leaders.
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And we have a memory verse.
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And the memory
verse is from Acts 6:7,
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if you want to say it with me.
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Acts 6:7, and it says,
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"The Word of God
continue to spread,
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the number of disciples
increased greatly in Jerusalem,
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and a great many of the priests
became obedient to the faith."
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Would the Lord send
that time once again
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where the Word of God
would spread like that,
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and there'd be this phenomenal,
exponential church growth?
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Well, our
assignment in our study today
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is to be going through Acts 6-8.
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Next week, we'll be talking
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about the
conversion of Saul to Paul,
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but if you have your Bibles,
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go ahead and turn to Acts 6,
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and we're going to see about
how they started to introduce
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some of the new
leaders in the church,
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and what it was
that brought that about.
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I'm going to read
the first few verses.
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Acts 6:1, "Now in those days,
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when the number of
disciples was multiplying,
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there arose a complaint."
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Now we need to notice that
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there are so many
wonderful good things happening.
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We've read about the miracles,
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the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit,
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the great number of baptisms,
the signs and the wonders,
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but they aren't
free from problems.
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We learned in
chapter 5, it says, "But."
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Everyone was so sacrificial,
and honest in giving,
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but Ananias and Sapphira.
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Well, the church
is growing here again.
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It says now,
"There was a problem...
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It says, "There was a complaint,
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they've got a dispute happening,
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against the
Hebrews by the Hellenists
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because their
widows were neglected
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in the daily distribution."
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Okay, we've got to
give you the background
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of what's happening here.
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First of all, they did
not have social security.
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They did not have
government assistance
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for the poor among them.
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And in particular,
poor women and children.
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You read in the
Book of James 1:27,
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"Pure religion and
undefiled before God
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and the Father is this,
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to visit the widow
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and the fatherless
in their affliction."
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So much of what the
Bible says talks about
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caring for the
widow and the fatherless
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because it did not fall
on the government back then,
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it fell on the church.
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And Paul even
goes to great lengths
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to talk about what were
the qualifications of a widow,
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who would be able
to receive sustenance
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with some regular
ration from the church
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to take care of
their basic needs.
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And so they had
a program back then
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where they would
take care of each other,
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I mean, they really did.
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Now there's a dispute though.
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It says, the
Hebrews and the Hellenists,
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there was a disagreement
that in the daily distribution
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of bread or provisions to help
the church as it was growing,
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the Hellenists said,
"We're being neglected.
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There's
discrimination happening here.
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We're being left out,
but we're the last in line."
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Who were the Hellenists?
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Hellenization was
something that was introduced
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by Alexander the Great,
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where when he
conquered a country,
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he would introduce
some of the education,
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the learning, the
philosophy of the Greeks.
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And so that became a word
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that was used to
describe Jewish believers
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that did not originally live
in Jerusalem, they spoke Greek.
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These are Jews that spoke Greek
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or they could be
converts to Judaism.
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They read the
Bible, not in Hebrew,
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but they read the Septuagint.
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They read the Greek
version of the New Testament.
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And they were sort of
considered foreign Jews.
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They were Jews,
but they had an accent
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because they came from
Spain, or they spoke Egyptian,
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or they spoke one of
the other languages of Asia,
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and they couldn't
read the Bible in Hebrew,
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they read the Greek
version of the Bible.
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And they were sort
of looked upon as well.
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You know, you've
been contaminated
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by living among the gentiles.
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And so...
00:10:04.57\00:10:05.60
Here they're Jews.
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Now, who were
some of the examples
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of the Hellenistic Jews.
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Acts 2.
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"Now they were dwelling
in Jerusalem, at that time,
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devout Jews out of
every nation under heaven."
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And they had come for Pentecost.
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And these are Jews who'd come.
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They're devout.
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They've come for the
Jewish holiday of Pentecost.
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But it says they're
Parthians, and they're Medes,
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and those of Mesopotamia,
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and they're from all
these different parts
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of the Roman Empire,
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even beyond the Roman Empire.
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The Jews had been scattered
in this great diaspora,
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and they'd come back to worship,
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but they're not really
Jews, Jews because, you know,
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they don't speak good Hebrew,
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and they can't read
the Bible in Hebrew.
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And we just saw this
when we were in Israel,
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is that we...
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I could spot them, you
know, I'd be talking to Karen,
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and we've been walking
around Jerusalem and I said,
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"Those are New Yorker Jews
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'cause they grew up in New York.
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And sure enough,
I'd hear them talking,
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and they're talking
like this to each other.
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They're Jews, you know,
they were wearing the yarmulke,
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and they're
dressed differently too.
00:11:04.76\00:11:07.10
And they're sort of treated
as a lesser class of Jews
00:11:07.13\00:11:11.30
by the Orthodox
Jews that you would see.
00:11:11.33\00:11:14.14
And you could
spot the Orthodox Jews,
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they've got the black coat,
and they've got the black hat.
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It's 90 degrees out,
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but they're dressed
completely in black,
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and they've got, you
know, the long sideburns,
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and...
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And so, you know, they had
even that going on back then.
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Well, some of these
Greek Jews had accepted Jesus,
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they were baptized, and
some of them had widows,
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and when it came that
they were dispersing the bread
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or maybe there
was a little allowance
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to the widows among them,
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they kept speaking in Hebrew,
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so that the Hellenistic Jews
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didn't know what
they were seeing,
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and they said,
"Oh, well, we're sorry,
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you're in the line."
00:11:49.34\00:11:50.97
And so there was
some discrimination
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happening there and
there was a complaint.
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One of the apostles were going,
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"Oh, brother."
00:11:58.95\00:12:01.92
Do we have to
leave what we're doing
00:12:01.95\00:12:04.49
in preaching the Word,
00:12:04.52\00:12:06.22
and praying for the Holy Spirit,
00:12:06.25\00:12:07.99
and the wonderful
things that were happening.
00:12:08.02\00:12:09.66
You read in Acts 4.
00:12:09.69\00:12:10.69
They prayed and
the place were shaken,
00:12:10.73\00:12:12.09
they were filled
with the Holy Spirit.
00:12:12.13\00:12:14.00
And there's so much
important work that's going on.
00:12:14.00\00:12:16.40
Are we supposed to leave
that now and settle disputes
00:12:16.43\00:12:21.77
and arguments about
the dispersion of bread?
00:12:21.80\00:12:25.17
And so when this happens...
00:12:25.21\00:12:26.68
you can read in Acts 6:2,
00:12:29.81\00:12:33.35
"Then the twelve
00:12:33.38\00:12:34.55
summoned the multitude
of the disciples and said,
00:12:34.58\00:12:37.79
"It's not desirable,
it's not appropriate,
00:12:37.82\00:12:41.36
that we should leave the
Word of God and serve tables."
00:12:41.39\00:12:45.56
Now, therefore, brethren,
seek out from among you
00:12:45.59\00:12:49.30
seven men of good reputation,
00:12:49.33\00:12:52.37
full of the Holy
Spirit and wisdom,"
00:12:52.40\00:12:55.04
Now I'm going to make a point.
00:12:55.07\00:12:56.64
I'll make it, then
I'll make it again,
00:12:56.67\00:12:57.87
and then I'll
make it one more time.
00:12:57.91\00:12:59.84
The deacons were not busboys.
00:12:59.87\00:13:03.04
"I know," Peter says,
00:13:03.08\00:13:04.65
"It's not good
that we should leave
00:13:04.68\00:13:05.95
the Word of God
and serve tables."
00:13:05.98\00:13:08.68
If all they needed was
people to serve tables,
00:13:08.72\00:13:11.39
they would not be
looking for people
00:13:11.42\00:13:12.72
that were filled with
the Holy Spirit and wisdom.
00:13:12.75\00:13:16.49
That's usually not on a
job description for a busboy.
00:13:16.52\00:13:20.50
And so he uses
that as hyperbole.
00:13:20.53\00:13:22.76
It's a figure of
speech that, you know,
00:13:22.80\00:13:24.27
where the apostles
even called the God.
00:13:24.30\00:13:25.87
We've got a lot
of leadership things.
00:13:25.90\00:13:27.34
You really want us to
be settling the disputes
00:13:27.37\00:13:30.07
about the daily
distribution of bread.
00:13:30.11\00:13:33.64
And so he uses that but he said,
00:13:33.68\00:13:35.38
"Really, what we need to do is
00:13:35.41\00:13:36.81
we need to find
people that will help us
00:13:36.85\00:13:38.78
administer a growing church."
00:13:38.81\00:13:42.25
What kind of growth
have we read about so far?
00:13:42.28\00:13:45.89
Pentecost, how many baptized?
00:13:45.92\00:13:49.36
Three thousand.
00:13:49.39\00:13:50.59
Then after the
incident of the Golden Gate
00:13:50.63\00:13:52.76
and their
preaching, how many baptized?
00:13:52.79\00:13:54.96
Five thousand.
00:13:55.00\00:13:56.20
Now they're talking
about all the baptisms.
00:13:56.23\00:13:58.07
There's many more beyond that.
00:13:58.10\00:13:59.23
It's that the
church was growing.
00:13:59.27\00:14:01.17
It was exploding.
00:14:01.20\00:14:02.57
And so you've got thousands
and thousands of people,
00:14:02.60\00:14:06.14
you know, in just a few months
that are coming to the church.
00:14:06.17\00:14:08.98
How are the 12 apostles going
to be able to manage all that?
00:14:09.01\00:14:12.98
They need to now
start delegating authority.
00:14:13.01\00:14:16.55
And so this is what leads
us into what's going on here.
00:14:16.58\00:14:19.69
There's a quote in
your lesson from the book
00:14:19.72\00:14:21.22
Acts of the Apostles, page 88.
00:14:21.26\00:14:25.06
It says, "The cause of complaint
00:14:25.09\00:14:26.63
was an alleged
neglect of the Greek widows
00:14:26.66\00:14:28.93
in the daily
distribution of assistance.
00:14:28.96\00:14:31.17
Any inequality
would have been contrary
00:14:31.20\00:14:34.80
to the spirit of the gospel,
00:14:34.84\00:14:36.20
yet Satan had
succeeded in arousing suspicion.
00:14:36.24\00:14:39.54
Prompt measures
must now be taken
00:14:39.57\00:14:42.64
to remove all
occasion for dissatisfaction,
00:14:42.68\00:14:45.61
lest the enemy
triumph in his efforts
00:14:45.65\00:14:48.68
to bring about a
division among the believers."
00:14:48.72\00:14:50.89
What is the devil
trying to bring about?
00:14:50.92\00:14:53.66
Division.
00:14:53.69\00:14:54.89
So one of the reasons
that we help delegate authority
00:14:54.92\00:14:57.86
is to keep
things running smoothly,
00:14:57.89\00:14:59.69
and to snuff out divisions.
00:14:59.73\00:15:02.23
Now, they give them a command.
00:15:02.26\00:15:04.57
They said, "Seek
out from among you."
00:15:04.60\00:15:07.74
The disciples didn't do it.
00:15:07.77\00:15:09.57
They said, "You
nominate some people."
00:15:09.60\00:15:13.14
Look around, help
us pick the very best,
00:15:13.17\00:15:16.88
and then they
give qualifications.
00:15:16.91\00:15:18.75
It says, "Pick out seven men,
00:15:18.78\00:15:20.75
full of the Holy
Spirit and wisdom,
00:15:20.78\00:15:23.35
that we might
appoint over this business."
00:15:23.39\00:15:26.59
So they want people to
help them administer business.
00:15:26.62\00:15:29.76
There's some
business in the church.
00:15:29.79\00:15:32.16
And you need qualified people
with those gifts to do it.
00:15:32.19\00:15:34.63
Now where does
Peter get this idea?
00:15:34.66\00:15:38.03
You have your
Bibles? Turn to Exodus 18.
00:15:38.07\00:15:41.97
This is going to
be worth reading.
00:15:42.00\00:15:44.51
Exodus 18:13.
00:15:44.54\00:15:48.34
Now Moses, he's led
the children of Israel,
00:15:48.38\00:15:52.35
you know, we got 900,000 men.
00:15:52.38\00:15:54.82
So you count
women and children...
00:15:54.85\00:15:57.05
There's got to be two,
two and half million of them.
00:15:57.09\00:15:59.59
It's a conservative estimate.
00:15:59.62\00:16:01.16
Have you ever tried to manage
two and half million people?
00:16:01.19\00:16:03.79
That's a big group.
00:16:03.83\00:16:05.26
It specifically says
that they numbered 900,000 men
00:16:05.29\00:16:07.76
who could go to war.
00:16:07.83\00:16:08.80
Well, it was
somewhere between 20 and 50.
00:16:08.83\00:16:11.67
And so then you add in
the other men and the women,
00:16:11.70\00:16:13.94
and this is a big group.
00:16:13.97\00:16:16.17
And listen to what he says.
00:16:16.20\00:16:17.57
Father-in-law, Moses
is visiting with Jethro.
00:16:17.61\00:16:20.54
He's brought them
into the land of Midian.
00:16:20.58\00:16:23.95
And it was so on the
next day that Moses sat
00:16:23.98\00:16:26.48
to judge the people.
00:16:26.51\00:16:28.28
And the people
stood before Moses
00:16:28.32\00:16:29.85
from morning until evening.
00:16:29.88\00:16:31.89
So when Moses' father-in-law saw
00:16:31.92\00:16:33.79
all that he did for
the people, he said,
00:16:33.82\00:16:35.96
"What is this thing that
you are doing for the people?
00:16:35.99\00:16:38.49
Why do you sit alone,
and all the people stand
00:16:38.53\00:16:40.96
before you from
morning till evening?"
00:16:41.00\00:16:43.16
And then he says some
other things and go on,
00:16:43.20\00:16:44.73
he says, "Listen to my voice,
and I'll give you counsel,
00:16:44.77\00:16:47.74
and God will be with you.
00:16:47.77\00:16:49.27
Stand before God for the people,
00:16:49.30\00:16:51.44
so that you might bring
the difficulties to God.
00:16:51.47\00:16:53.64
You have to intercede to pray.
00:16:53.68\00:16:55.61
And you shall
teach them the statutes,
00:16:55.64\00:16:57.41
you were to minister the word."
00:16:57.45\00:16:58.95
Isn't that what Peter just said?
00:16:58.98\00:17:00.92
Why should we leave prayer
and the ministry of the word
00:17:00.95\00:17:03.49
to serve tables?
00:17:03.52\00:17:06.25
And he said,
"You shall teach them
00:17:06.29\00:17:07.52
the statutes, and the
laws, and show them the way
00:17:07.56\00:17:10.29
in which they must
work and what they must do.
00:17:10.33\00:17:13.06
Moreover, you shall
select from all the people,
00:17:13.09\00:17:15.40
able men, such as are
able to fear God, men of truth,
00:17:15.43\00:17:19.37
hating covetousness,
and place them over them
00:17:19.40\00:17:23.00
to be rulers of
thousands, rulers of hundreds,
00:17:23.04\00:17:25.71
rulers of fifties,
and rulers of tens.
00:17:25.74\00:17:29.01
Let them judge the
people at all times.
00:17:29.04\00:17:31.65
Then it will be
that every great matter
00:17:31.68\00:17:33.92
they shall bring to you,
and every smaller matter,
00:17:33.95\00:17:36.95
they them self will judge.
00:17:36.99\00:17:39.02
So it will be easier for you
00:17:39.05\00:17:40.69
and they will bear
the burden with you."
00:17:40.72\00:17:42.92
Our country, right
now, is a little exercised
00:17:42.96\00:17:46.83
because we just heard the word
00:17:46.86\00:17:49.23
that one of our
Supreme Court justices
00:17:49.26\00:17:52.37
has set the date
for his resignation.
00:17:52.40\00:17:55.67
Now why does
that stir everybody?
00:17:55.70\00:18:00.34
One of the most
important things in the country,
00:18:00.38\00:18:04.48
in the US, in particular,
is the Supreme Court judges.
00:18:04.51\00:18:08.88
They are much more
important than President.
00:18:08.92\00:18:12.35
I think, I
mentioned to you last week.
00:18:12.39\00:18:13.89
I was in a
meeting in New York City,
00:18:13.92\00:18:15.39
where different
Christian leaders
00:18:15.42\00:18:16.49
were sitting down
and asking questions
00:18:16.52\00:18:20.73
of candidate
Donald Trump at the time.
00:18:20.76\00:18:23.16
And during lunch, I
sat down with a gentleman,
00:18:23.20\00:18:24.90
who was out there to visit.
00:18:24.93\00:18:26.10
And he said his
name was George Barna.
00:18:26.13\00:18:27.70
Have you ever heard
of the Barna Research
00:18:27.74\00:18:29.57
and Barna studies?
00:18:29.60\00:18:30.64
I never met him.
00:18:30.67\00:18:31.71
I'd seen his studies
but never seen his face,
00:18:31.74\00:18:33.34
so I didn't know.
00:18:33.38\00:18:34.34
Very nice Christian man.
We were talking together.
00:18:34.38\00:18:37.55
And he said, "This is
such an important election."
00:18:37.58\00:18:39.85
He said, "That's not
because of the president."
00:18:39.88\00:18:42.62
He said, "It's
because statistically
00:18:42.65\00:18:44.72
this president is
going to be responsible
00:18:44.75\00:18:46.92
for picking anywhere
between one and three
00:18:46.96\00:18:49.16
Supreme Court judges."
00:18:49.19\00:18:51.56
And he said, "That is
going to set the trend
00:18:51.59\00:18:53.70
for the country for
the next 30 or 40 years."
00:18:53.73\00:18:58.00
Because the final arbitration
in our country is what?
00:18:58.03\00:19:01.64
The Supreme Court.
00:19:01.67\00:19:03.20
So what's happening
here is God is telling Moses
00:19:03.24\00:19:06.34
that you've to threw Jethro.
00:19:06.37\00:19:08.48
You're the Supreme Court.
00:19:08.51\00:19:09.91
It says all the
minor matters, you know,
00:19:09.94\00:19:12.11
people have an argument with
their ox getting out and that.
00:19:12.15\00:19:15.05
They said, "Don't
bring that to Moses.
00:19:15.08\00:19:16.79
There ought to be
someone who can deal with that."
00:19:16.82\00:19:20.52
And these other disputes,
you know, and they can appeal
00:19:20.56\00:19:23.73
to the next court,
and the next court,
00:19:23.76\00:19:25.26
but finally
you're the Supreme Court.
00:19:25.29\00:19:27.86
And it's the final word.
They can't appeal beyond that.
00:19:27.86\00:19:31.93
And so, you
know, our court system
00:19:31.97\00:19:34.17
is based on this
council that Jethro gave Moses
00:19:34.20\00:19:38.57
3,400 years ago.
00:19:38.61\00:19:44.88
And he took the council,and
what was the result of that?
00:19:44.91\00:19:48.05
He said, "You will
prosper. God will bless."
00:19:48.08\00:19:50.59
And so what did
Moses have to do?
00:19:50.62\00:19:52.52
Moses said, "No, no, I
want to make all the decisions."
00:19:52.55\00:19:54.79
Could he do that?
00:19:54.82\00:19:56.26
He said, "You're
going to wear yourself out."
00:19:56.29\00:19:58.83
And this is his father-in-law,
who's even older than Moses,
00:19:58.86\00:20:01.86
who is 80 at this time.
00:20:01.90\00:20:03.90
So Jethro's up
there a little bit.
00:20:03.93\00:20:06.57
And it says that if you
do this, you will prosper,
00:20:06.60\00:20:10.94
the people will prosper,
00:20:10.97\00:20:12.14
but you've got to
let go of control,
00:20:12.17\00:20:14.54
and you've got to delegate
decisions to other people.
00:20:14.58\00:20:16.98
Pick the very best people.
00:20:17.01\00:20:19.35
Now that's what they
did during that time.
00:20:19.38\00:20:23.02
They did something different
during the time of the kings.
00:20:23.05\00:20:28.32
1 Timothy 3, they're
going to pick deacons.
00:20:28.36\00:20:33.33
What are the
qualifications of deacons?
00:20:33.36\00:20:35.80
You need to know how much
soap to put in the dishwasher.
00:20:35.83\00:20:38.87
You need to be
able to bus the tables.
00:20:38.90\00:20:40.80
You need to know how to
cut the bread for the widows.
00:20:40.84\00:20:43.44
Is that what it
says? None of it.
00:20:43.47\00:20:44.94
Listen to the qualifications.
00:20:44.97\00:20:46.24
Go to 1 Timothy 3:8.
00:20:46.27\00:20:48.71
Now we read where he
said, search out people,
00:20:48.74\00:20:50.91
who are full of the Holy
Spirit and they have wisdom.
00:20:50.95\00:20:53.25
1 Timothy 3:8, "Likewise
deacons must be reverent,
00:20:53.28\00:20:58.02
not double-tongued,
not given too much wine,"
00:20:58.05\00:21:01.19
and in some versions you'll say,
00:21:01.22\00:21:03.43
that means not given
too much strong wine.
00:21:03.46\00:21:07.73
"Not greedy for money,
00:21:07.76\00:21:09.63
holding the mystery of the faith
00:21:09.66\00:21:11.30
with a pure conscience.
00:21:11.33\00:21:13.13
Let these also first be tested,
00:21:13.17\00:21:15.47
and let them serve as deacons."
00:21:15.50\00:21:17.14
Well, they should be tested,
00:21:17.17\00:21:18.27
in other words,
to just make sure
00:21:18.31\00:21:19.57
that they might be
in apprentice period.
00:21:19.61\00:21:22.41
"Not slanderers, temperate,
faithful in all things.
00:21:22.44\00:21:26.45
Let deacons be the
husband of one wife,
00:21:26.48\00:21:29.18
ruling their children and
their own households well.
00:21:29.22\00:21:32.15
For those who have
served well as deacons
00:21:32.19\00:21:34.26
obtain for
themselves a good standing
00:21:34.29\00:21:36.46
and great boldness in the faith
00:21:36.49\00:21:38.16
which is in Christ Jesus."
00:21:38.19\00:21:39.76
So that's a pretty
high calling for a busboy.
00:21:39.79\00:21:45.43
Or was a deacon more than that?
00:21:45.47\00:21:47.97
What do we see...
00:21:48.00\00:21:49.70
Well, let me go on here.
00:21:49.74\00:21:51.27
And all right, so he says,
00:21:51.31\00:21:52.67
"We will give ourselves
00:21:52.71\00:21:53.81
to the ministry of
the word and to prayer.'
00:21:53.84\00:21:56.48
The saying pleased
the whole multitude:
00:21:56.51\00:21:58.61
and they chose Stephen,
00:21:58.65\00:22:00.68
a man full of
faith and of Holy Spirit,
00:22:00.72\00:22:03.59
and Philip, and Prochorus,
and Nicanor, and Timon,
00:22:03.62\00:22:07.99
and Parmenas, and Nicolas,
a proselyte from Antioch,
00:22:08.02\00:22:11.76
whom they set
before the apostles,"
00:22:11.79\00:22:13.43
and what did they do?
00:22:13.46\00:22:14.76
"When they had prayed,
they laid hands on them."
00:22:14.83\00:22:19.43
Now what does that mean?
00:22:19.47\00:22:21.74
You know there's a lot
more to laying on of hands
00:22:21.77\00:22:24.24
in the Bible
than I think is taught
00:22:24.27\00:22:25.87
in the church today because
00:22:25.91\00:22:27.91
when Paul talks about, he says,
00:22:27.94\00:22:30.61
"Let us move on
from the basic doctrines
00:22:30.65\00:22:32.91
of baptisms and
laying on of hands.
00:22:32.95\00:22:35.22
They actually have a
doctrine of laying on of hands.
00:22:35.25\00:22:38.39
And so that basically meant
00:22:38.42\00:22:41.09
that someone in a
position of leadership,
00:22:41.12\00:22:44.89
who was invested with authority,
00:22:44.93\00:22:47.36
would transfer the authority.
00:22:47.40\00:22:50.00
It was also symbolic of
a transferring of blessing,
00:22:50.03\00:22:52.23
and transferring of the Spirit.
00:22:52.27\00:22:53.87
'Cause when did they
lay hands on in the Bible?
00:22:53.90\00:22:56.60
They did it when
Aaron was priest.
00:22:56.64\00:23:00.28
They did it when
a son was blessed.
00:23:00.31\00:23:02.78
And so it was a transfer
of a blessing of authority.
00:23:02.81\00:23:06.35
And so these men are
then invested with authority
00:23:06.38\00:23:10.05
from the apostles, and Jesus
had laid hands on the apostles.
00:23:10.09\00:23:15.06
And so it's like
they're transferring
00:23:15.09\00:23:16.93
this great authority because
00:23:16.96\00:23:19.56
they've got to make decisions.
00:23:19.59\00:23:20.83
If there's a dispute,
the deacons need to say,
00:23:20.86\00:23:23.83
"No, this is how
we're going to do it."
00:23:23.87\00:23:25.43
And they need to respect.
00:23:25.47\00:23:26.80
They say, "Well, who are you?
We are not listening to you?"
00:23:26.84\00:23:28.57
They have been
invested with authority
00:23:28.60\00:23:30.77
that was to be respected.
00:23:30.81\00:23:32.04
Isn't that
what's happening here?
00:23:32.07\00:23:33.71
A position of leadership.
And so that's very important.
00:23:33.74\00:23:37.08
And so...
00:23:37.11\00:23:38.31
You know, sometimes I think,
you know, when we pick deacons,
00:23:38.35\00:23:40.08
I hear some churches say,
00:23:40.12\00:23:41.58
"Oh, you know, we
don't have enough people
00:23:41.62\00:23:42.95
moving the grass,
better find another deacon.
00:23:42.98\00:23:46.59
Is that the
qualification of a deacon?
00:23:46.62\00:23:48.66
I mean, should everyone
in the church be a servant?
00:23:48.69\00:23:52.56
Pastors should be able
to mow the grass and help.
00:23:52.59\00:23:56.13
Pastors ought to be there
helping with a work project.
00:23:56.16\00:23:59.53
Pastors ought to
know how to vacuum.
00:23:59.57\00:24:01.20
That for every
Christian, Jesus said,
00:24:01.24\00:24:03.10
"He who is greatest among you,
let him be minister of all."
00:24:03.14\00:24:05.27
Isn't that right?
00:24:05.31\00:24:07.44
And so all need to be
able to do the jobs of service.
00:24:07.48\00:24:12.01
But the deacon,
00:24:12.05\00:24:13.45
there was also some spiritual
leadership there that we see.
00:24:13.48\00:24:17.29
It's a very high calling.
00:24:17.32\00:24:19.05
All right so...
00:24:19.09\00:24:20.86
And there was a principle here
of delegation that was given.
00:24:20.89\00:24:25.89
Now in the days of the Exodus,
00:24:25.93\00:24:29.60
Moses was the
Supreme Court judge.
00:24:29.63\00:24:33.17
Then there was a
period in church history
00:24:33.20\00:24:35.64
where they had judges.
00:24:35.67\00:24:37.94
So you don't have to guess.
00:24:37.97\00:24:39.51
Even Samson, believe it or not,
00:24:39.54\00:24:41.38
was the Supreme Court
at one time, wasn't he?
00:24:41.41\00:24:43.85
He was a judge in Israel.
00:24:43.88\00:24:45.95
As was, you know,
a number of others,
00:24:45.98\00:24:48.82
we had Samuel and many others.
00:24:48.85\00:24:50.69
Then when you get to
the time of the kings,
00:24:50.72\00:24:52.75
who is the Supreme Court?
00:24:52.79\00:24:55.36
The king is.
00:24:55.39\00:24:56.52
But did the king do it all
by himself or did he delegate?
00:24:56.56\00:25:00.33
I'm going to have
some of you help me
00:25:00.36\00:25:01.36
read a couple of verses.
00:25:01.40\00:25:03.06
Okay, Hoftis, you
have the first one.
00:25:03.10\00:25:04.30
That'll be 2 Chronicles 19:5.
00:25:04.33\00:25:07.77
But 1 Kings 7:7.
Let me read this.
00:25:07.80\00:25:11.77
"Then he made a
hall for the throne,
00:25:11.81\00:25:14.28
called the Hall of
Judgment, where he might judge"
00:25:14.31\00:25:17.55
Now Solomon...
00:25:17.58\00:25:20.22
What was
Solomon's principle prayer?
00:25:20.25\00:25:24.02
When God said,
"What do you want?"
00:25:24.05\00:25:25.92
Wisdom. "Why
did he want wisdom?"
00:25:25.95\00:25:28.49
That I might
know how to determine
00:25:28.52\00:25:30.59
between right and wrong.
00:25:30.63\00:25:32.96
A king was a judge, and
he needed to judge wisely.
00:25:32.99\00:25:37.07
Solomon not only had a
house, he's got a throne,
00:25:37.10\00:25:39.87
he's got a temple,
he had a judgment hall
00:25:39.90\00:25:42.37
Isn't that what it said?
00:25:42.40\00:25:43.77
You read in 1 Kings 3:16,
00:25:43.81\00:25:45.77
"Two women that were harlots
00:25:45.81\00:25:47.14
came and stood before the king."
00:25:47.18\00:25:48.34
Do you remember that was...
00:25:48.38\00:25:49.38
This was such a difficult case.
00:25:49.41\00:25:50.68
It was brought to
the Supreme Court.
00:25:50.71\00:25:52.25
How many remember the
story about Solomon saying,
00:25:52.28\00:25:54.75
"Let's divide the baby."
00:25:54.78\00:25:57.45
All right.
00:25:57.49\00:25:58.82
All right, go
ahead, you can read for us
00:25:58.85\00:26:00.42
in 2 Chronicles.
00:26:00.46\00:26:02.76
"Then he set judges
in the land throughout
00:26:02.79\00:26:04.99
all the fortified
cities of Judah, city by city,
00:26:05.03\00:26:08.36
and said to the judges,
00:26:08.40\00:26:10.00
'Take heed to
what you are doing,
00:26:10.03\00:26:12.17
for you do not judge
for man but for the Lord,
00:26:12.20\00:26:17.01
who is with you
in the judgment.'"
00:26:17.04\00:26:19.17
Very important. He said...
And this was Jehoshaphat.
00:26:19.21\00:26:21.41
He's setting up
a series of judges.
00:26:21.44\00:26:23.95
There's the
districts that are scattered
00:26:23.98\00:26:25.98
throughout the land.
00:26:26.01\00:26:27.15
How many of you heard
of the cities of refuge.
00:26:27.18\00:26:30.52
Typically, where
there was a city of refuge,
00:26:30.55\00:26:32.39
there would be a judgment seat,
00:26:32.42\00:26:34.69
where you could
bring your cases there,
00:26:34.72\00:26:35.96
for the district.
00:26:35.99\00:26:37.06
You know, if you've
lived in the county,
00:26:37.09\00:26:38.46
county seats
usually got a courthouse.
00:26:38.49\00:26:40.83
In North America, it's typically
00:26:40.86\00:26:42.26
how that's set up.
00:26:42.30\00:26:44.00
Just a couple
more verses on this.
00:26:44.03\00:26:45.87
Look in 2 Chronicles 1:2.
00:26:45.90\00:26:49.04
"Now Solomon
spoke to all Israel,
00:26:49.07\00:26:50.97
to the captains of
thousands and hundreds,
00:26:51.01\00:26:53.27
and to the judges."
00:26:53.31\00:26:55.38
Boy.
00:26:55.41\00:26:56.48
Can you imagine being
tested as a judge by Solomon.
00:26:56.51\00:27:00.35
You have to qualify.
00:27:00.38\00:27:01.45
Why did they tell Samuel...
00:27:01.48\00:27:02.75
Why did the people tell Samuel,
00:27:02.78\00:27:03.95
"We don't want to
be like you anymore.
00:27:03.99\00:27:08.46
We want to have a king."
00:27:08.49\00:27:09.96
Why did they say that?
00:27:09.99\00:27:11.59
What instigated them not wanting
00:27:11.63\00:27:13.29
to go under the judges any more?
00:27:13.33\00:27:15.73
Because the sons of Samuel...
00:27:15.76\00:27:16.97
I said Solomon, Samuel.
00:27:17.00\00:27:19.27
The sons of Samuel,
they were taking bribes.
00:27:19.30\00:27:24.81
And so when they felt like
00:27:24.84\00:27:25.91
they couldn't
trust the judges...
00:27:25.94\00:27:27.08
And so these people
were invested with authority,
00:27:27.11\00:27:29.54
God through His
church history has had times
00:27:29.58\00:27:32.48
where authority and leadership
was distributed and delegated.
00:27:32.51\00:27:36.25
And that's
what's happening here.
00:27:36.28\00:27:38.29
And it doesn't stop
just with the deacons.
00:27:38.32\00:27:40.69
Do they...
00:27:40.72\00:27:41.82
Doesn't Paul go
from town to town?
00:27:41.86\00:27:43.73
And he then
appoints elders and bishops
00:27:43.76\00:27:47.66
which are pretty
much the same thing
00:27:47.73\00:27:49.16
in the different cities.
00:27:49.20\00:27:50.47
Now we've got a
number of friends
00:27:50.50\00:27:51.63
who are watching on Facebook,
00:27:51.67\00:27:56.24
and we've got a
question that came in.
00:27:56.27\00:27:58.37
Someone is asking,
00:27:58.41\00:27:59.44
"Does the Bible
still require us to sell
00:27:59.47\00:28:01.31
all that we have
and to split it among
00:28:01.34\00:28:03.45
the brethren,
like the apostles did?"
00:28:03.48\00:28:05.35
It tells us that the apostles
were taking the distribution.
00:28:05.38\00:28:08.62
First of all, it never says that
00:28:08.65\00:28:10.15
they were required to
sell everything they had.
00:28:10.19\00:28:13.02
It does say that many of
them sold houses and lands.
00:28:13.05\00:28:17.19
It doesn't say they
sold every house and land.
00:28:17.23\00:28:19.69
Because later,
Paul is talking about
00:28:19.73\00:28:21.36
those who are wealthy among
you be willing to distribute.
00:28:21.40\00:28:24.10
Well, if
everybody joins a church,
00:28:24.13\00:28:25.97
and the first criteria
is that you sell everything
00:28:26.00\00:28:29.60
and give it to the church.
00:28:29.64\00:28:30.67
That sounds like Jim Jones.
00:28:30.71\00:28:32.81
That's kind of what he
did it. It doesn't say that.
00:28:32.84\00:28:35.88
They were very sacrificial,
selling houses and lands,
00:28:35.91\00:28:39.85
but they may have other things.
00:28:39.88\00:28:41.48
If every member of the
church sells all their houses,
00:28:41.52\00:28:43.85
where do they live?
00:28:43.89\00:28:45.75
Are you with me?
00:28:45.79\00:28:47.22
So that wasn't
really a criteria.
00:28:47.26\00:28:50.06
Are we required to
be more sacrificial?
00:28:50.09\00:28:51.86
I think that as God
pours out His Spirit,
00:28:51.89\00:28:53.53
you're going to see in
the church in the last days
00:28:53.56\00:28:56.46
the same level of
sacrifice that you saw
00:28:56.50\00:28:59.17
when Christ came the first time.
00:28:59.20\00:29:00.54
Amen?
00:29:00.57\00:29:02.50
I see another
question here. "How important
00:29:02.54\00:29:04.54
is church tradition when
it comes to finding truth?
00:29:04.57\00:29:08.81
Well, how do we determine truth,
00:29:08.84\00:29:09.88
by tradition?
00:29:09.91\00:29:11.95
No.
00:29:11.98\00:29:13.08
It tells us that
00:29:13.11\00:29:15.18
you have a fine
way of setting aside
00:29:15.22\00:29:16.95
the commandments in order
to observe your tradition.
00:29:16.99\00:29:20.06
And so we're to put the
commandments of God first.
00:29:20.09\00:29:22.02
All right. Well,
some of the questions...
00:29:22.06\00:29:23.06
We want to stick
to the theme here
00:29:23.09\00:29:25.63
about the early church,
00:29:25.66\00:29:26.96
and talking about
the leadership here.
00:29:27.00\00:29:29.06
And so...
00:29:29.10\00:29:30.93
And then he says
here, they had judges.
00:29:30.97\00:29:33.54
Finally, should
we have the ability
00:29:33.57\00:29:36.37
to do this in the church?
00:29:36.40\00:29:37.67
1 Corinthians
6:1-6. 1 Corinthians 6:1-6.
00:29:37.71\00:29:42.54
"Dare any of you, having
a matter against another,
00:29:42.58\00:29:44.91
go to law
before the unrighteous,
00:29:44.95\00:29:46.61
and not before the saints?
00:29:46.65\00:29:48.22
Do you not know that the
saints will judge the world?
00:29:48.25\00:29:51.09
And so if the world
will be judged by you,
00:29:51.12\00:29:53.02
are you unworthy to
judge in the smallest matters?
00:29:53.05\00:29:55.82
Do you not know that
we shall judge angels?
00:29:55.86\00:29:58.63
How much more then the things
that pertain to this life?
00:29:58.66\00:30:01.60
If then you have
judgment concerning
00:30:01.63\00:30:03.60
these things pertaining to life,
00:30:03.63\00:30:05.43
do you appoint those
who are least esteemed
00:30:05.47\00:30:08.47
by the church to judge?
00:30:08.50\00:30:09.94
I say this to your shame.
00:30:09.97\00:30:11.67
Is it so, that there is
not a wise man among you?"
00:30:11.71\00:30:14.91
What were the
qualifications of the deacon?
00:30:14.94\00:30:16.88
Man full of wisdom.
00:30:16.91\00:30:18.08
"Is there not a wise
man among you, not even one,
00:30:18.11\00:30:20.35
who will be able to
judge between his brethren?
00:30:20.38\00:30:22.45
But brother goes to
law against brother,
00:30:22.48\00:30:24.99
and that before unbelievers!"
00:30:25.02\00:30:27.09
And so this all
started with what?
00:30:27.12\00:30:29.79
A dispute between two brethren.
00:30:29.82\00:30:32.76
And the devil was
trying to bring in division.
00:30:32.79\00:30:34.96
Has the devil changed?
00:30:35.00\00:30:38.17
So when there are disputes,
00:30:38.20\00:30:39.40
how should we deal
with them as Christians?
00:30:39.43\00:30:42.37
First of all,
as far as possible,
00:30:42.40\00:30:43.41
love, forgive.
00:30:43.44\00:30:46.41
Jesus said, you know,
00:30:46.44\00:30:48.08
"If it means someone
suing you for your shirt,
00:30:48.11\00:30:50.38
give him your shirt
if you got an extra one."
00:30:50.41\00:30:52.91
Don't let the devil
get in and cause division.
00:30:52.95\00:30:55.62
And then if there is a dispute
00:30:55.65\00:30:56.72
that needs some just settlement,
00:30:56.75\00:30:58.95
go to people
leadership in the church.
00:30:58.99\00:31:00.66
Is there no one with wisdom?
00:31:00.69\00:31:02.56
You know, when you
sign a lot of contracts now,
00:31:02.59\00:31:04.49
there's a clause that before
you go to court, you do what?
00:31:04.53\00:31:09.56
I haven't heard anyone.
00:31:09.60\00:31:11.03
Mediation, mediation.
00:31:11.07\00:31:13.34
And there should be
mediation in the church,
00:31:13.37\00:31:15.74
where people can sit,
00:31:15.77\00:31:16.94
and a lot of these
things could be resolved.
00:31:16.97\00:31:19.21
All right, let's move on here.
00:31:19.24\00:31:20.84
Stephen's ministry.
00:31:20.88\00:31:22.88
So after Stephen is chosen.
00:31:22.91\00:31:24.45
It says, he's a man
full of the Holy Spirit.
00:31:24.48\00:31:26.58
You can also read in Acts 6:8.
00:31:26.61\00:31:29.68
"And Stephen, full
of faith and power,
00:31:29.72\00:31:31.99
did great wonders and
signs among the people."
00:31:32.02\00:31:35.16
Now, what
wondering sign does he do?
00:31:35.19\00:31:40.23
It doesn't say.
00:31:40.26\00:31:43.43
Probably it talks about
some of the signs and wonders
00:31:43.47\00:31:45.70
the apostles did.
00:31:45.73\00:31:46.74
A lot of it had
to do with healing.
00:31:46.77\00:31:49.20
And a lot of the signs
and wonders that Jesus did,
00:31:49.24\00:31:51.27
they had to do with healing.
00:31:51.31\00:31:52.44
So I'm guessing that some
of it had to do with healing.
00:31:52.47\00:31:55.81
He may have had some
of the gift of prophecy,
00:31:55.84\00:31:58.01
being able to
foretell some things.
00:31:58.05\00:32:00.58
But one of the things that
really cause a problem now,
00:32:00.62\00:32:03.79
he is preaching.
00:32:03.82\00:32:04.85
This is a deacon.
00:32:04.89\00:32:05.85
But he's now teaching
and preaching with power.
00:32:05.89\00:32:09.86
And he's saying that
Jesus now is the Messiah.
00:32:09.89\00:32:14.76
He's also explaining
00:32:14.83\00:32:16.50
that the same thing
that Paul and others say,
00:32:16.53\00:32:19.93
"It doesn't make sense for
us to sacrifice lambs anymore.
00:32:19.97\00:32:22.74
Jesus was the Lamb of God.
00:32:22.77\00:32:25.11
And when the veil
ripped in the temple,
00:32:25.14\00:32:27.44
all that that temple pointed
to was really in Christ."
00:32:27.48\00:32:32.35
And, boy,
00:32:32.38\00:32:33.65
the very idea that you would say
00:32:33.68\00:32:35.02
anything against the temple,
00:32:35.05\00:32:36.79
the life of the
Jews in Jerusalem
00:32:36.82\00:32:38.95
revolved around the temple,
00:32:38.99\00:32:40.69
even the apostles
were infected with that,
00:32:40.72\00:32:43.12
saying to Jesus,
00:32:43.16\00:32:44.36
"Look at the temple.
00:32:44.39\00:32:45.39
Look at the stones."
00:32:45.43\00:32:46.59
They kind of
worshipped the building.
00:32:46.63\00:32:48.33
But where in the Bible
00:32:48.36\00:32:49.40
are we told to
worship the building?
00:32:49.43\00:32:50.87
Nowhere.
00:32:53.94\00:32:55.07
And did God at one point
or on a couple of occasions
00:32:55.10\00:32:58.81
allowed the
temple to be destroyed
00:32:58.84\00:33:00.91
because of unfaithfulness?
00:33:00.94\00:33:02.38
He said, "I'll
inhabit this place,
00:33:02.41\00:33:03.88
and you should pray
towards these place,
00:33:03.91\00:33:05.21
and I'll answer your prayers
as long as you're faithful."
00:33:05.25\00:33:08.08
But if you're not
faithful, it's nothing.
00:33:08.12\00:33:10.85
It's just bricks and mortar.
00:33:10.89\00:33:13.22
Well, saying things like
that, in that environment,
00:33:13.25\00:33:16.46
those are fighting words.
00:33:16.49\00:33:18.59
And so false
witnesses are found.
00:33:18.63\00:33:22.16
And it says in Acts 6:11,
00:33:22.20\00:33:24.63
"Then they
secretly induced men to say,
00:33:24.67\00:33:27.04
'We have heard him
speak blasphemous words
00:33:27.07\00:33:29.17
against Moses and God.'
00:33:29.20\00:33:31.01
And they stirred up the people,
the elders, and the scribes,
00:33:31.04\00:33:34.04
and they came,
and they seized him,
00:33:34.08\00:33:35.58
and they brought
him to the council."
00:33:35.61\00:33:38.18
Now does this sound
familiar of somebody stirring up
00:33:38.21\00:33:40.72
false witnesses?
00:33:40.75\00:33:44.05
And bringing a
person to the Sanhedrin.
00:33:44.09\00:33:47.76
They brought him to
the council, and they said,
00:33:47.79\00:33:50.03
"This man does not cease
to speak blasphemous words
00:33:50.06\00:33:53.09
against this holy
place and the law."
00:33:53.13\00:33:55.70
Now who else did that?
00:33:55.73\00:33:59.53
Jezebel.
00:33:59.57\00:34:01.54
Any of you remember the story
00:34:01.57\00:34:02.67
of Naboth's vineyard?
00:34:02.70\00:34:05.44
Ahab wanted the
property next door to his castle
00:34:05.47\00:34:09.71
because it was great
southern exposure, good soil.
00:34:09.74\00:34:12.08
He wanted to put
in a vegetable garden.
00:34:12.11\00:34:15.15
And so he goes the
Naboth, who owns the land,
00:34:15.18\00:34:17.59
he says, "Sell me your land,
00:34:17.62\00:34:18.62
so I can put in
a vegetable garden.
00:34:18.65\00:34:20.36
I'll give you some other
land. I got lots of land.
00:34:20.39\00:34:22.26
I want this right
here by the house,
00:34:22.29\00:34:24.06
so I can bring the vegetables
to my kitchen quickly."
00:34:24.09\00:34:26.16
And he said, "Your
Highness, I'm sorry.
00:34:26.19\00:34:28.46
But, you know, the law says,
00:34:28.50\00:34:29.50
'I cannot sell the
birthright of my ancestors.'"
00:34:29.53\00:34:33.27
That was in the law.
00:34:33.30\00:34:34.84
And the king got mad.
00:34:34.87\00:34:35.94
He came home and
started to pound.
00:34:35.97\00:34:37.87
Jezebel said,
"Why are you pounding?"
00:34:37.91\00:34:40.21
Our neighbor won't
sell me his vineyard.
00:34:40.24\00:34:41.68
She said,
"You're king in Israel,
00:34:41.71\00:34:42.91
give me your signet
ring, I'll take care of this."
00:34:42.94\00:34:45.78
So she writes letters to
the people there in Jezreel,
00:34:45.81\00:34:48.85
and says, "Proclaim up fast.
00:34:48.88\00:34:53.39
Bring everybody together."
00:34:53.42\00:34:54.92
And they get two witnesses
to point at Naboth and says,
00:34:54.96\00:34:56.89
"He has cursed
God and the king."
00:34:56.93\00:34:59.53
If you had two
witnesses to do that,
00:34:59.56\00:35:00.86
it was a death penalty.
00:35:00.90\00:35:02.53
So she arranges all this.
00:35:02.56\00:35:03.80
She gets two scoundrels
who are willing to do that.
00:35:03.83\00:35:05.70
She pays them to
say this, and they say,
00:35:05.73\00:35:08.80
"Naboth has
cursed God and the king."
00:35:08.84\00:35:10.47
And he seemed
like such a good man.
00:35:10.51\00:35:11.97
They were surprised.
00:35:12.01\00:35:13.21
They take him out, they stone
him to death outside the city.
00:35:13.24\00:35:16.98
He's a type of Christ.
00:35:17.01\00:35:19.78
It's because
Ahab, the wicked king,
00:35:19.81\00:35:24.75
wanted to take the
property that belonged to God.
00:35:24.79\00:35:27.62
The devil wants to
take God's vineyard.
00:35:27.66\00:35:29.49
And so Christ was
taken out of the vineyard.
00:35:29.52\00:35:31.53
Do you know the
parable Jesus tells?
00:35:31.56\00:35:33.80
They said, "Let
us seize the son.
00:35:33.83\00:35:35.46
Let's kill him that the
vineyard might be ours."
00:35:35.50\00:35:38.10
And all of that is
talking about this battle
00:35:38.13\00:35:40.17
between good and evil.
00:35:40.20\00:35:41.87
So someone's going to read
for me in Matthew 5:11, okay,
00:35:41.90\00:35:47.54
in just a moment here.
00:35:47.58\00:35:48.81
Let me read Mark
14:55, "Now the chief priests
00:35:48.84\00:35:52.68
and all the council sought
to find testimony against Jesus
00:35:52.71\00:35:57.05
to put Him to
death, but they found none.
00:35:57.09\00:35:59.72
For many bore false
witness against Him,
00:35:59.75\00:36:02.02
but their
testimony did not agree.
00:36:02.06\00:36:04.06
Then some rose up and they
bore false witness against Him,
00:36:04.09\00:36:06.49
saying, "We heard Him say,
00:36:06.53\00:36:08.00
'I will destroy this
temple made with hands,
00:36:08.03\00:36:10.60
and in three days I will build
another made without hands.'"
00:36:10.63\00:36:13.87
What's the
argument over with Jesus?
00:36:13.90\00:36:16.91
He's been accused of
not appreciating the temple
00:36:16.94\00:36:19.24
and they get false witnesses.
00:36:19.27\00:36:20.81
Does that sound familiar?
00:36:20.84\00:36:22.78
But not even this
testimony did agree.
00:36:22.81\00:36:24.71
Now Jesus did say
something like that.
00:36:24.75\00:36:27.22
Jesus did say,
"Destroy this temple,
00:36:27.25\00:36:29.62
and in three days
I'll raise it up."
00:36:29.65\00:36:31.65
And He spoke of His
body in the Gospel of John.
00:36:31.69\00:36:33.89
All right.
00:36:33.92\00:36:34.96
Go ahead, please
read for us Matthew 5.
00:36:34.99\00:36:37.79
Matthew 5:11.
00:36:37.83\00:36:39.36
"Blessed are you when
they revile and persecute you,
00:36:39.39\00:36:42.30
and say all kinds of
evil against you falsely
00:36:42.33\00:36:45.03
for My sake."
00:36:45.07\00:36:48.07
What's to be the
Christian response
00:36:48.10\00:36:50.17
when people revile you?
00:36:50.21\00:36:53.44
Will there be false
witnesses against you?
00:36:53.48\00:36:58.08
And, well, you'll have
that. And you know what?
00:36:58.11\00:37:00.92
You just got to
shrug it off. It happens.
00:37:00.95\00:37:05.35
And for Christ's sake,
if you stand up for Jesus,
00:37:05.39\00:37:07.59
you're going to
be falsely accused.
00:37:07.62\00:37:09.82
1 Peter 4:14, "If
you are reproached
00:37:09.86\00:37:13.26
for the name of Christ,
00:37:13.29\00:37:14.36
blessed are you,
for the Spirit of glory
00:37:14.40\00:37:17.07
and God rests upon you.
00:37:17.10\00:37:18.53
On their part He is blasphemed,
00:37:18.57\00:37:20.14
but on your part
He is glorified."
00:37:20.17\00:37:22.54
Did the disciples
rejoice when they were worthy
00:37:22.57\00:37:25.31
to be
persecuted for Christ sake?
00:37:25.34\00:37:27.28
Not too many of us want that,
00:37:27.31\00:37:28.74
but he says that we can rejoice,
00:37:28.78\00:37:30.88
we don't have to be afraid.
00:37:30.91\00:37:32.01
All right.
00:37:32.05\00:37:33.08
And so now it goes
00:37:33.11\00:37:34.52
into one of the great
sections of the Bible.
00:37:34.55\00:37:38.35
He's brought in.
00:37:38.39\00:37:39.75
Look in Acts 6,
00:37:39.79\00:37:43.09
and you'll see here in verse 14.
00:37:43.12\00:37:47.46
"We have heard him
say that Jesus of Nazareth
00:37:47.50\00:37:50.80
will destroy this place."
00:37:50.83\00:37:52.10
Now does that sound like
what they accused Jesus of?
00:37:52.13\00:37:54.84
"And change the customs
that Moses delivered to us."
00:37:54.87\00:37:58.84
And all who sat in the councils,
00:37:58.87\00:38:00.88
Stephen is brought
before the Sanhedrin.
00:38:00.91\00:38:03.98
He's going to be tried.
00:38:04.01\00:38:05.98
And what happens to his face?
00:38:06.01\00:38:08.22
All who sat in the council
looking steadfastly at him
00:38:08.25\00:38:11.72
saw his face as
the face of an angel.
00:38:11.75\00:38:14.99
Like Moses, when he had
been communing with God,
00:38:15.02\00:38:17.23
his face was shining.
00:38:17.26\00:38:19.46
Remember when Jesus said,
they came to arrest Jesus,
00:38:19.49\00:38:22.10
and they said, "Are you Jesus?"
00:38:22.13\00:38:23.16
He said, "I am."
00:38:23.20\00:38:24.20
And when he said, "I am,"
00:38:24.23\00:38:25.37
they fell back from the
glory that came out of His face.
00:38:25.40\00:38:28.60
God did something there,
maybe not to the same degree,
00:38:28.64\00:38:31.91
but his face was shining.
00:38:31.94\00:38:33.31
Now, I'm
bringing out these points
00:38:33.34\00:38:34.64
because I want you to notice
how many similarities there
00:38:34.68\00:38:38.48
are between
Stephen and between Jesus.
00:38:38.51\00:38:43.42
What is Stephen's name mean?
00:38:43.45\00:38:47.09
Any of you?
00:38:47.12\00:38:48.49
Some of you've got
Steve... We got a Steve there.
00:38:48.52\00:38:50.93
We got a surname
Steve. And you're S-T-E-V-E.
00:38:50.96\00:38:54.00
And then you got
Stephanie. And you got...
00:38:54.00\00:38:58.63
It comes from the
Greek word Stephanos,
00:38:58.67\00:39:02.74
which means crown.
00:39:02.77\00:39:06.17
Who is the first martyr?
00:39:06.21\00:39:08.71
Stephen is the
first Christian martyr.
00:39:08.74\00:39:10.51
Now the first
apostle to die is Judas,
00:39:10.55\00:39:12.48
but that was a
suicide that's doesn't count.
00:39:12.51\00:39:15.32
The first good
Christian to die...
00:39:15.35\00:39:18.52
I said it wrong,
Judas is a suicide, right?
00:39:18.55\00:39:23.86
And Stephen is the
first martyr for the faith.
00:39:23.89\00:39:28.16
And so he becomes a type
of Christ because Jesus said,
00:39:28.20\00:39:34.40
"If they have persecuted
Me, they will persecute you."
00:39:34.44\00:39:37.81
And you will notice
that Stephen ends up
00:39:37.84\00:39:40.04
going through a lot
of the very same things
00:39:40.08\00:39:42.14
that Jesus went through.
00:39:42.18\00:39:43.81
So he's in the
council, his face is shining,
00:39:43.85\00:39:45.71
and finally the
council convenes,
00:39:45.75\00:39:47.12
and the high priest.
00:39:47.15\00:39:48.18
And who's this high priest?
00:39:48.22\00:39:50.79
Same high priest,
Caiaphas, that condemned Jesus.
00:39:50.82\00:39:56.09
So the high priest
says, "Are these things so?"
00:39:56.12\00:39:59.39
He's been accused of, you know,
not appreciating the temple,
00:39:59.43\00:40:03.57
and speaking against
the fathers and Moses,
00:40:03.60\00:40:07.37
and he preaches.
00:40:07.40\00:40:08.47
It's the longest
sermon in the Book of Acts.
00:40:08.50\00:40:12.27
That should be
significant right there.
00:40:12.31\00:40:15.21
Now why am I
making a big deal of this?
00:40:15.24\00:40:17.78
I'm not going to tell you
yet, but I will in a minute.
00:40:17.81\00:40:21.25
"He said,
'Brethren and fathers...'"
00:40:21.28\00:40:23.18
Listen, he starts
it very respectfully,
00:40:23.22\00:40:25.55
"The God of glory
appeared to our father Abraham,"
00:40:25.59\00:40:28.12
he says we're
brethren, he was our father,
00:40:28.16\00:40:30.33
'cause he was in Mesopotamia,
he talks about Abraham.
00:40:30.36\00:40:34.56
And then he talks about Joseph,
00:40:34.60\00:40:37.63
and then he talks about Moses,
00:40:37.67\00:40:39.73
you can read in
verse 7 of this speech.
00:40:39.77\00:40:42.17
"The patriarchs,
becoming envious,
00:40:42.20\00:40:44.31
sold Joseph into Egypt."
00:40:44.34\00:40:45.81
Why does he talk
about them betraying Joseph?
00:40:45.84\00:40:48.54
What had God's
people just did on to Jesus?
00:40:48.58\00:40:52.45
Did Joseph forgive his brethren?
00:40:52.48\00:40:54.88
Did Jesus say,
"Father, forgive them."
00:40:54.92\00:40:58.49
Stephen is going to say
that in just a minute too.
00:40:58.52\00:41:02.16
Many says,
Moses, go to verse 35.
00:41:02.19\00:41:05.53
"This Moses whom
they rejected, saying,
00:41:05.56\00:41:07.50
'Who made you a
ruler and a judge?'
00:41:07.56\00:41:10.17
is the one God
sent to be a ruler
00:41:10.20\00:41:12.07
and a deliverer by
the hand of the angel
00:41:12.10\00:41:14.27
who appeared to
him in the bush."
00:41:14.30\00:41:15.97
Now he then goes on to quote
00:41:16.00\00:41:17.81
and if you go in your
Bibles to Deuteronomy 18,
00:41:17.84\00:41:21.98
and it may be, let me see here.
00:41:22.01\00:41:24.71
It's Deuteronomy 18:13.
00:41:24.75\00:41:29.28
It's a very important verse.
00:41:29.32\00:41:30.59
I think that you
got to look this up
00:41:30.62\00:41:32.32
and I've got it
marked in my Bible.
00:41:32.35\00:41:34.89
My Bible is three days old.
00:41:34.92\00:41:37.99
It's a new Bible.
00:41:38.03\00:41:39.49
I've already got this marked
00:41:39.53\00:41:40.83
because I was
going to share with you.
00:41:40.86\00:41:43.30
Verse 15, Deuteronomy 18:15.
00:41:43.33\00:41:45.70
"The Lord your God
will raise up for you
00:41:45.73\00:41:47.84
a Prophet like me
00:41:47.87\00:41:50.07
from your midst,
from your brethren.
00:41:50.11\00:41:52.77
Him you will hear..."
00:41:52.81\00:41:55.48
So Moses is making a prophecy
that God was going to raise up
00:41:55.51\00:41:58.68
another great
leader, another great judge,
00:41:58.71\00:42:01.28
another great law giver,
00:42:01.32\00:42:02.82
like him from
among their own people
00:42:02.85\00:42:07.02
but just as they rejected Moses
00:42:07.06\00:42:09.06
and tried to stone
him on several occasions
00:42:09.09\00:42:10.86
and who made you a
judging the Lord over us,
00:42:10.89\00:42:13.73
they would reject Jesus.
00:42:13.76\00:42:15.80
So you see what's
happening here in what...
00:42:15.83\00:42:19.93
What Stephen is
saying in his sermon,
00:42:19.97\00:42:22.00
Abraham
separated from his family
00:42:22.04\00:42:24.41
because they
had turned to idols.
00:42:24.44\00:42:26.81
Moses walked away from Egypt,
00:42:26.84\00:42:30.18
he wasn't
appreciated by his own people.
00:42:30.21\00:42:32.88
Joseph separated
from his brothers,
00:42:32.91\00:42:36.32
they didn't know who he was
when they came to Egypt, right?
00:42:36.35\00:42:40.49
He had to reveal himself.
00:42:40.52\00:42:41.56
They didn't know who Moses was.
00:42:41.59\00:42:44.23
And so he's trying to show them,
00:42:44.26\00:42:46.53
you have just repeated history.
00:42:46.56\00:42:49.16
And finally when they
realize where he's going,
00:42:49.20\00:42:51.63
they can't handle it.
00:42:51.67\00:42:54.10
He sees in his sermon,
I'm going back to Acts 7.
00:42:54.14\00:42:58.21
In his sermon, you'll notice...
00:42:58.24\00:43:01.88
Go to verse 51.
00:43:05.75\00:43:09.32
Now I want to
back up a little bit.
00:43:09.35\00:43:10.72
Go to verse 49.
No, go to verse 48.
00:43:10.75\00:43:15.49
"However, the Most
High does not dwell
00:43:15.52\00:43:17.33
in temples made with hands,
00:43:17.36\00:43:18.79
as the prophet says,
'Heaven is My throne,
00:43:18.83\00:43:21.06
and the earth is My footstool.
00:43:21.10\00:43:22.86
What house will
you build for Me?
00:43:22.90\00:43:24.67
says the Lord, Or what
is the place of My rest?
00:43:24.70\00:43:27.37
His, has not His
hand made these things?'"
00:43:27.40\00:43:30.14
He saw their faces
change when he began to say,
00:43:30.17\00:43:32.97
"The temple
doesn't really hold God."
00:43:33.01\00:43:36.34
What temple can
you make it hold?
00:43:36.38\00:43:38.38
He's speaking
against the temple.
00:43:38.41\00:43:40.32
Now didn't he just
quote from the Bible?
00:43:40.35\00:43:42.35
Their Bible.
00:43:42.38\00:43:44.12
Even though he quoted
from their Bible, they got mad,
00:43:44.15\00:43:46.86
even though he was right.
00:43:46.89\00:43:48.16
That was he could see from
the expression on their face,
00:43:48.19\00:43:50.26
they started to
murmur among themselves
00:43:50.29\00:43:52.46
and then he realized,
00:43:52.49\00:43:53.50
"All right, I can see this is...
00:43:53.53\00:43:54.73
They're not going to
let me finish my sermon.
00:43:54.76\00:43:57.27
So then he says,
"You stiff-necked
00:43:57.30\00:43:59.00
and uncircumcised
in heart and ears!
00:43:59.03\00:44:01.84
You always
resist the Holy Spirit,
00:44:01.87\00:44:04.07
as your fathers did, so you do.
00:44:04.11\00:44:06.47
Which of the prophets did
not your fathers persecute?"
00:44:06.51\00:44:09.01
Does he look like he is
appealing for mercy now?
00:44:09.04\00:44:12.71
Or he is going from
prosecuted to the prosecutor.
00:44:12.75\00:44:18.12
He is a prophet now in
the way he is talking to them.
00:44:18.15\00:44:21.86
"Which of the fathers
did you not persecute?
00:44:21.89\00:44:24.29
And they killed those
00:44:24.33\00:44:25.33
who foretold the
coming of the Just One,
00:44:25.36\00:44:27.60
of whom you now have become
00:44:27.66\00:44:29.36
the betrayers and the murderers,
00:44:29.40\00:44:32.20
who've received the law
by the direction of angels
00:44:32.23\00:44:34.87
but you've not kept it.
00:44:34.90\00:44:36.77
When they heard these things
they were cut to the heart..."
00:44:36.81\00:44:41.14
Now there's one or two
things that will happen
00:44:41.18\00:44:42.51
when you're cut to the heart.
00:44:42.54\00:44:44.51
When on the day of Pentecost,
Peter preached and he said,
00:44:44.55\00:44:47.45
"You crucified the Son of God."
00:44:47.48\00:44:48.78
The men were more noble,
they were cut to the heart,
00:44:48.82\00:44:51.35
they humbled themselves
and said, "What shall we do?"
00:44:51.39\00:44:53.76
The high priests are
not cut to the heart,
00:44:53.79\00:44:56.26
high priest in the Sanhedrin
and they don't want to hear it.
00:44:56.29\00:45:00.23
They want to stop the voice.
00:45:00.26\00:45:02.56
"They were cut to the heart,
00:45:02.60\00:45:04.13
they gnashed on
him with their teeth."
00:45:04.17\00:45:07.14
They were grinding their teeth.
00:45:07.17\00:45:09.34
"But he, being
full of the Holy Spirit,
00:45:09.37\00:45:11.44
gazed into heaven,
saw the glory of God,
00:45:11.47\00:45:14.28
and Jesus standing at
the right hand of God,"
00:45:14.31\00:45:16.81
and he couldn't keep it
to himself, "He said, 'Look!
00:45:16.85\00:45:19.55
I see the heavens
opened and the Son of Man
00:45:19.58\00:45:22.32
standing on the
right hand of God!'"
00:45:22.35\00:45:24.62
Showing the divine position
of Jesus they saw as blasphemy.
00:45:24.65\00:45:28.36
Isn't that right?
00:45:28.39\00:45:30.39
"And they cried
out with a loud voice,
00:45:30.43\00:45:31.86
and they stopped their ears..."
00:45:31.89\00:45:33.50
That is very,
very, very, very, very,
00:45:33.53\00:45:34.83
very, very,
very, very important.
00:45:34.83\00:45:38.10
Who is stopping their ears?
00:45:38.13\00:45:40.54
The Supreme Court.
00:45:40.57\00:45:43.10
How would you feel if
you're pleading for your life
00:45:43.14\00:45:44.77
and the judges
plugged their ears?
00:45:44.81\00:45:46.78
Is that a good sign?
00:45:46.81\00:45:49.34
They're not
wanting to hear anymore.
00:45:49.38\00:45:51.35
They stopped their
ears, they grind their teeth,
00:45:51.38\00:45:54.35
they cried out with a
loud voice, "No, stop, stop."
00:45:54.38\00:45:57.39
They couldn't take it anymore.
We don't want to hear any more.
00:45:57.42\00:46:00.52
They ran on him with one accord.
00:46:00.56\00:46:02.66
This is the court,
it's not very dignified.
00:46:02.69\00:46:05.83
"They cast him out of the city."
00:46:05.86\00:46:09.23
They carried him
up over their heads.
00:46:09.26\00:46:11.63
"They cast them out of
the city and they stoned him.
00:46:11.67\00:46:15.47
And the witnesses
laid down their clothes
00:46:15.50\00:46:17.64
at the feet of a
young man named Saul."
00:46:17.67\00:46:20.61
Now Luke
introduces that in the story
00:46:20.64\00:46:22.21
because he's
going to have a lot more
00:46:22.24\00:46:23.28
to say about Saul
later, doesn't he?
00:46:23.31\00:46:25.21
Says, I don't want
you to miss this point
00:46:25.25\00:46:27.15
that the chief
bailiff in this proceeding,
00:46:27.18\00:46:29.92
the one who oversaw
the execution of Stephen
00:46:29.95\00:46:33.22
was a young man,
00:46:33.25\00:46:34.46
very zealous young
man, a Pharisee named Saul.
00:46:34.49\00:46:37.53
He's later...
00:46:37.56\00:46:38.59
His name is known as
what? Paul, the Apostle.
00:46:38.63\00:46:44.20
And notice,
there is clothes here.
00:46:44.23\00:46:45.60
They laid down their clothes
00:46:45.63\00:46:46.70
because when you're
getting ready to stone someone,
00:46:46.74\00:46:48.24
you take off your outer garments
00:46:48.27\00:46:49.60
because you're going
to be hurling stones.
00:46:49.64\00:46:52.47
And they stone Stephen
as he was calling on God.
00:46:52.51\00:46:56.88
They also did not want
to splatter their clothes
00:46:56.91\00:46:58.98
with the blood of the victim.
00:46:59.01\00:47:01.22
He's saying, "Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit.'
00:47:01.25\00:47:05.09
Then he knelt down and he
cried out with a loud voice,
00:47:05.12\00:47:09.39
'Lord, do not charge
them with this sin.'"
00:47:09.42\00:47:12.66
He prays for their forgiveness.
00:47:12.69\00:47:14.36
"When he said this, he gave
up the spirit, he fell asleep."
00:47:14.40\00:47:18.00
It wasn't any
particular rock that killed him.
00:47:18.03\00:47:22.14
He laid down His life.
00:47:22.17\00:47:23.41
Now everything
Stephen does here happens
00:47:23.44\00:47:25.87
by Jesus on the cross.
00:47:25.91\00:47:28.91
Have you noticed that?
00:47:28.94\00:47:32.08
Was Jesus accused of blasphemy?
00:47:32.11\00:47:34.52
Are you with me? Yes.
00:47:34.55\00:47:37.45
Was Jesus accused of
speaking against the temple?
00:47:37.49\00:47:40.52
Yes.
00:47:40.56\00:47:41.96
Were there false
witnesses against Jesus?
00:47:41.99\00:47:45.09
Yes.
00:47:45.13\00:47:46.26
Was Jesus tried
by the Sanhedrin?
00:47:46.29\00:47:49.13
Yes.
00:47:49.16\00:47:50.20
Was it an illegal trial? Yes.
00:47:50.23\00:47:52.87
There was no appeal time here,
00:47:52.90\00:47:55.77
this was a hastily
called an executed trial.
00:47:55.80\00:48:00.31
Was Jesus taken out of the city?
00:48:00.34\00:48:03.04
He was.
00:48:03.08\00:48:04.15
Were their
clothes mentioned? Yes.
00:48:04.18\00:48:07.95
At the cross, again
removed His clothes.
00:48:07.98\00:48:10.22
Does Jesus pray
00:48:10.25\00:48:11.25
for the
forgiveness of His accusers?
00:48:11.29\00:48:13.86
Yes.
00:48:13.89\00:48:14.89
Does He cry out
with a loud voice,
00:48:14.92\00:48:18.76
and He says it is finished?
00:48:18.79\00:48:21.16
And then He breathes His last.
00:48:21.20\00:48:25.50
It isn't
crucifixion that kills Him,
00:48:25.53\00:48:27.44
it's a broken heart.
00:48:27.47\00:48:29.80
Now the reason
00:48:29.84\00:48:30.84
I've made such a big
deal about pointing this out
00:48:30.87\00:48:32.94
is Stephen is the first martyr,
00:48:32.97\00:48:37.11
he is executed exactly three
and a half years after Jesus.
00:48:37.15\00:48:42.88
Stephen's being executed,
00:48:42.92\00:48:45.52
the Jewish Supreme
Court plugging their ears
00:48:45.55\00:48:49.16
marks the end of the prophecy.
00:48:49.19\00:48:52.79
It's the end of the 490 year
prophecy you find in Daniel 9.
00:48:52.83\00:48:57.50
Remember it says, in
the midst of this last week,
00:48:57.53\00:49:00.54
three and a half
years, it's half a week,
00:49:00.57\00:49:03.24
He, Jesus calls us
to sacrifice to cease.
00:49:03.27\00:49:05.74
Jesus dies on the cross,
00:49:05.77\00:49:07.11
Jesus starts to preach in AD 27.
00:49:07.14\00:49:11.08
Jesus preaches
three and a half years.
00:49:11.11\00:49:13.78
Jesus confirms the covenant
00:49:13.82\00:49:15.28
with God's people for
one week, seven years.
00:49:15.32\00:49:18.42
A day is a year, right?
00:49:18.45\00:49:20.29
Three and a half
years Jesus in person
00:49:20.32\00:49:22.86
confirms the covenant.
00:49:22.89\00:49:24.46
At the end of
three and a half years,
00:49:24.49\00:49:26.83
He dies on the
cross. False witnesses.
00:49:26.86\00:49:30.23
Prays for their forgiveness.
Supreme Court rejects Him.
00:49:30.27\00:49:33.77
But God in His mercy gives Him
another three and a half years.
00:49:33.80\00:49:37.07
Not only was a covenant
confirmed through Jesus,
00:49:37.11\00:49:39.57
it says in Hebrews,
00:49:39.61\00:49:40.81
He confirmed the covenant
through those that heard Him.
00:49:40.84\00:49:44.68
So through people like
Peter, James, John and Stephen,
00:49:44.71\00:49:48.28
they preached for
another three and a half years
00:49:48.32\00:49:50.72
exclusively to
the Jewish nation.
00:49:50.75\00:49:53.15
Had the gospel gone
to the gentiles yet?
00:49:53.19\00:49:55.59
Have they
preached to Samaritans yet?
00:49:55.62\00:49:57.59
That happens in
chapter 8, the next chapter.
00:49:57.63\00:49:59.96
Have they gone to Cornelius yet?
00:50:00.00\00:50:01.93
No, that's chapter 10.
00:50:01.96\00:50:03.16
You realize for those
00:50:03.20\00:50:04.20
first three and a
half years after Christ,
00:50:04.23\00:50:06.10
they're only
preaching to the Jews.
00:50:06.13\00:50:09.00
All those who are
baptized are Jews.
00:50:09.04\00:50:10.34
Isn't that right?
00:50:10.37\00:50:12.54
And exactly three
and a half years later,
00:50:12.57\00:50:14.38
the same thing that happened
to Jesus, happens to Stephen.
00:50:14.41\00:50:17.45
It marks the end
00:50:17.48\00:50:18.81
of that incredible
prophecy in Daniel 9,
00:50:18.85\00:50:21.78
where he says,
for seventy weeks,
00:50:21.82\00:50:23.32
I will confirm the
covenant with My people.
00:50:23.35\00:50:25.52
And in the midst
of that last week,
00:50:25.55\00:50:27.52
the Messiah comes,
00:50:27.56\00:50:28.76
He teaches, He calls
us to sacrifice to cease.
00:50:28.79\00:50:31.36
He ascends to heaven
00:50:31.39\00:50:32.43
and He then
confirms the covenant
00:50:32.46\00:50:34.10
for another
three and a half years
00:50:34.13\00:50:35.90
through the apostles.
00:50:35.93\00:50:37.70
But when the Supreme Court,
00:50:37.73\00:50:39.27
when the leaders of the
Jewish nation plug their ears,
00:50:39.30\00:50:41.34
what did that mean.
00:50:41.37\00:50:43.97
They don't want to
hear about Jesus anymore.
00:50:44.01\00:50:46.74
What does Paul say when he
go to preach in a synagogue?
00:50:46.78\00:50:50.58
He go to the synagogue
first because God salvation,
00:50:50.61\00:50:52.78
Jew first, then the gentile.
00:50:52.81\00:50:54.78
He said, since
you judge yourselves
00:50:54.82\00:50:57.12
unworthy of the Kingdom of God,
00:50:57.15\00:50:59.09
lo we turned to the gentiles.
00:50:59.12\00:51:02.36
And so this is what
happened at that point.
00:51:02.39\00:51:04.93
Now is that saying, God
still doesn't have a place
00:51:04.96\00:51:08.40
and a work for
the Jewish nation?
00:51:08.43\00:51:09.50
No. Even after AD...
00:51:09.53\00:51:12.33
All right, I didn't
finish, 27 Jesus teaches, AD 31,
00:51:12.37\00:51:15.94
He dies on the cross,
AD 34, Stephen is stoned,
00:51:15.97\00:51:18.71
exactly seven years
after Jesus began His ministry.
00:51:18.74\00:51:21.74
Okay.
00:51:21.78\00:51:23.65
So that's the end of 490 years,
00:51:23.68\00:51:25.15
but is it the end of
God's work among Jews?
00:51:25.18\00:51:28.65
The nation, as a nation,
00:51:28.68\00:51:30.95
the leaders then
had plugged their ears.
00:51:30.99\00:51:33.52
But I still think
he's got a special work
00:51:33.56\00:51:35.49
that He's going to do
00:51:35.52\00:51:36.56
and there will
be a great revival
00:51:36.59\00:51:37.63
among the Jewish people.
00:51:37.66\00:51:38.93
Anyway, I don't have
time to go into all that.
00:51:38.96\00:51:40.83
I just got a few
minutes left. What happens next?
00:51:40.86\00:51:44.20
It tells us, the gospel
begins to spread like wildfire.
00:51:44.23\00:51:48.04
Immediately after
the stoning of Stephen,
00:51:48.07\00:51:51.64
it says the gospel
begins to go to Samaria.
00:51:51.67\00:51:55.44
You can read in Acts...
00:51:55.48\00:51:57.45
Someone's going to
read for me Acts 1:8.
00:51:57.48\00:52:00.45
John, you got that, go ahead.
00:52:00.48\00:52:02.98
Acts 1:8, "But you
shall receive power
00:52:03.02\00:52:06.72
when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you.
00:52:06.76\00:52:09.02
And you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem,
00:52:09.06\00:52:11.43
and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth."
00:52:11.46\00:52:15.43
Now many of us
have memorized Acts 1:8.
00:52:15.46\00:52:18.77
Have you memorized Acts 8:1?
00:52:18.80\00:52:21.80
That's a verse
we're looking at now.
00:52:21.84\00:52:23.41
"At that time a
great persecution
00:52:23.44\00:52:25.37
arose against the church
that was at Jerusalem..."
00:52:25.41\00:52:27.98
Where were they supposed to
start preaching in Acts 1:8?
00:52:28.01\00:52:30.68
Jerusalem.
00:52:30.71\00:52:31.91
"And they were scattered
00:52:31.95\00:52:33.15
throughout the
regions of Judea and Samaria,
00:52:33.18\00:52:36.65
except the apostles."
00:52:36.69\00:52:38.22
Notice, Jesus
said, "Jerusalem, Judea,
00:52:38.25\00:52:40.86
Samaria" in Acts 1:8.
00:52:40.89\00:52:43.46
Now you go to Acts 8:1,
00:52:43.49\00:52:45.09
it starts with Jerusalem, Judea,
00:52:45.13\00:52:47.60
Samaria and then it says,
they were scattered everywhere.
00:52:47.60\00:52:51.60
They go to the
ultimate ends of the earth.
00:52:51.63\00:52:53.90
The very things
that Jesus foretold
00:52:53.94\00:52:55.84
would happen begin to happen.
00:52:55.87\00:52:57.51
So what happens in Samaria?
00:52:57.54\00:53:00.28
Holy Spirit is poured
out, they start preaching.
00:53:00.31\00:53:02.68
Now you might say, "Pastor Doug,
00:53:02.71\00:53:03.68
they haven't gone
to the gentiles yet.
00:53:03.71\00:53:05.55
Why would they go
to the Samaritans?"
00:53:05.58\00:53:07.68
I mean, remember, Peter said,
00:53:07.72\00:53:09.22
I don't want to go
into Cornelius' house,
00:53:09.25\00:53:10.79
he is a gentile.
00:53:10.82\00:53:12.12
Why would they go
to the Samaritans?
00:53:12.15\00:53:14.36
Did Jesus
preached to Samaritans?
00:53:14.39\00:53:17.89
Yeah, Jesus did not
go, preach to gentiles.
00:53:17.93\00:53:20.13
Why Samaritans?
00:53:20.16\00:53:21.13
Because Samaritans
were sort of half Jewish.
00:53:21.16\00:53:24.37
What I mean by that is
they were a monotheistic,
00:53:24.40\00:53:27.70
they believed in Jehovah,
00:53:27.74\00:53:29.27
they believed in
the Five Books of Moses.
00:53:29.30\00:53:31.81
They practiced many of
the same religious rights.
00:53:31.84\00:53:37.31
They had been instructed,
the people in Samaria
00:53:37.35\00:53:39.35
had been instructed by
Jewish priests way back
00:53:39.38\00:53:42.15
when 10 of the tribes
came back from Assyria,
00:53:42.18\00:53:44.99
or some of the people
from the tribes came back,
00:53:45.02\00:53:47.49
so they were
kind of half and half.
00:53:47.52\00:53:49.29
And so you
notice the transition,
00:53:49.32\00:53:51.23
God is preparing them to
be able to say, you mean,
00:53:51.26\00:53:54.03
the gospel is not just
for Jews, it's for gentiles.
00:53:54.10\00:53:56.70
They started to
preach in Samaria.
00:53:56.73\00:53:57.80
They went, wow, look at that,
00:53:57.83\00:53:58.87
the Holy Spirit's
come on the Samaritans.
00:53:58.90\00:54:01.20
They weren't sure
they should do it.
00:54:01.24\00:54:02.37
And so as they're preaching
to the Samaritans, they say,
00:54:02.40\00:54:04.17
maybe we ought to send
Peter and John out there,
00:54:04.21\00:54:05.87
make sure this is
"kosher", pardon the pun.
00:54:05.91\00:54:09.81
And so remember,
00:54:09.84\00:54:11.45
there was a Samaritan wizard up
there named Simon, a magician.
00:54:11.48\00:54:16.75
And he said, I'll give
you money for the Holy Spirit.
00:54:16.79\00:54:19.19
And that didn't
settle well with Peter,
00:54:19.22\00:54:21.49
but when they laid hands on
the other Samaritan believers,
00:54:21.52\00:54:24.89
men and women were baptized,
00:54:24.93\00:54:26.39
they were filled
with the Holy Spirit.
00:54:26.43\00:54:28.73
And so they said, I guess
we're supposed to be preaching
00:54:28.76\00:54:31.03
among the Samaritans
after all Jesus did it.
00:54:31.07\00:54:33.00
You remember, the
woman at the well.
00:54:33.03\00:54:34.74
After she believed,
she went told the town.
00:54:34.77\00:54:36.37
Jesus went and He preached
in that town for several days.
00:54:36.40\00:54:39.54
And so they said,
"Well, it must be okay
00:54:39.57\00:54:40.98
because Jesus did it."
00:54:41.01\00:54:42.48
And so it still took
another leap of faith for them
00:54:42.51\00:54:45.38
to get to the gentiles.
00:54:45.41\00:54:46.55
And then after that, I got
one minute left to talk about.
00:54:46.58\00:54:50.09
Then Philip is told
to go to preach to...
00:54:50.12\00:54:55.09
Philip becomes a hitchhiker,
he gets a ride in chariot,
00:54:55.12\00:54:58.26
he preaches to a leader
00:54:58.29\00:55:00.06
in the court of
Candace of Ethiopia
00:55:00.10\00:55:02.76
who is the
treasurer there, he is a Jew
00:55:02.80\00:55:05.43
but he's an Ethiopian Jew,
00:55:05.47\00:55:06.57
he's a convert to
Judaism from another country
00:55:06.60\00:55:09.90
that is not Jewish.
00:55:09.94\00:55:11.24
So now the gospel is
going to other country,
00:55:11.27\00:55:13.58
see what's happening.
00:55:13.61\00:55:14.71
And you know the Ethiopian
believes and he is baptized.
00:55:14.74\00:55:18.28
So we've tried our best
to cover Acts 6 through 8,
00:55:18.31\00:55:22.48
hope you learned something
today about how God prepared
00:55:22.52\00:55:25.35
for the outpouring of the
Spirit in the church group.
00:55:25.39\00:55:27.86
I want to thank you
for joining us, friends.
00:55:27.89\00:55:30.43
We have a free offer
and it is "Help Wanted,
00:55:30.46\00:55:34.63
Workers in the Vineyard".
00:55:34.66\00:55:36.13
All of us need to
do our various jobs.
00:55:36.16\00:55:38.97
If you like to
get that free offer,
00:55:39.00\00:55:40.60
you can ask for offer number 852
00:55:40.64\00:55:43.41
when you call 788-3966.
00:55:43.44\00:55:47.24
That's 866-788-3966.
00:55:47.28\00:55:51.25
Thank you very much
for studying with us.
00:55:51.28\00:55:52.95
God willing,
we'll study His Word
00:55:52.98\00:55:54.18
with you again next week.
00:55:54.22\00:55:55.48
So what is the
brightest light in the world?
00:56:05.16\00:56:07.86
Well, naturally,
you would say the sun.
00:56:07.86\00:56:09.46
But we're talking about
00:56:09.50\00:56:10.53
the brightest
man-made light in the world.
00:56:10.57\00:56:13.03
It's the light that
shines out of the roof
00:56:13.07\00:56:15.00
of that pyramid shaped hotel
in Las Vegas called the Luxor.
00:56:15.04\00:56:19.37
There in the cap of that hotel,
00:56:19.41\00:56:20.88
there is a room that contains
00:56:20.91\00:56:22.84
39 washing
machines size xenon bulbs,
00:56:22.88\00:56:26.51
and each of those bulbs
requires about 7000 watts,
00:56:26.55\00:56:30.05
altogether they produce
00:56:30.09\00:56:31.49
about 40 billion
candlepower of light.
00:56:31.52\00:56:35.62
Can you imagine
getting that electric bill
00:56:35.66\00:56:37.26
of the Luxor hotel every month?
00:56:37.29\00:56:39.33
That light is so bright
00:56:39.36\00:56:40.60
that planes can
see it 250 miles away.
00:56:40.63\00:56:44.60
They are shooting
light 10 miles up into space,
00:56:44.63\00:56:48.00
meaning if you
happen to be floating by,
00:56:48.04\00:56:49.80
you can read a
newspaper up there.
00:56:49.84\00:56:52.57
And as you might have
guessed that bright light
00:56:52.61\00:56:54.68
has become the
world's best bug attractor.
00:56:54.71\00:56:57.21
Bringing in moths, bats and owls
00:56:57.25\00:56:59.81
creating its own ecosystem
there at night above the hotel.
00:56:59.85\00:57:03.15
But the sad thing about
00:57:03.18\00:57:04.22
the brightest light in the world
00:57:04.25\00:57:05.82
is especially when the night air
00:57:05.85\00:57:07.66
is clear without any particles,
00:57:07.69\00:57:09.86
the light doesn't hit
anything and it's invisible,
00:57:09.89\00:57:13.29
it shoots up into empty space.
00:57:13.33\00:57:15.90
The brightest light in the world
00:57:15.93\00:57:18.13
illuminates nothing.
00:57:18.17\00:57:19.83
You know, the Bible tells us
00:57:19.87\00:57:20.94
that there's
another great wasted light,
00:57:20.97\00:57:23.17
and that's the
light of God's Word.
00:57:23.20\00:57:25.31
It says in Psalm 119:105,
00:57:25.34\00:57:28.28
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
00:57:28.31\00:57:30.61
and a light onto my path."
00:57:30.65\00:57:32.68
And yet so many people
are walking in darkness.
00:57:32.71\00:57:35.25
Furthermore, Jesus said,
"If you do have that light,
00:57:35.28\00:57:38.02
make sure you don't
put it under a bushel,
00:57:38.05\00:57:39.75
but you let it shine
00:57:39.79\00:57:40.99
and illuminate
the lives of others.
00:57:41.02\00:57:42.89
Jesus said in Matthew 5,
00:57:42.92\00:57:45.19
"Set your light up
on a hill like a city
00:57:45.23\00:57:47.13
so that all might see it."
00:57:47.13\00:57:49.10
Light only benefits others when
it reflects off of something.
00:57:49.13\00:57:53.70
God wants our lights to
illuminate the lives of others.
00:57:53.74\00:57:57.54
So are you glowing for God?
00:57:57.57\00:57:59.04
Remember, Jesus
said, "Let there be light."
00:57:59.07\00:58:02.01