Hello, friends,
and welcome again
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to Sabbath School Study Hour
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coming to you here
from the Granite Bay
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Seventh-day Adventist Church
in Sacramento, California.
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Very warm welcome
to our online members
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and those who are joining us
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on the various
television networks
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ready to study our
lesson with us today.
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Also, I would like to
welcome our regular members
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and visitors
right here in person,
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delighted to see
you all here today.
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Now as many of you know,
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we've been studying
through the Book of Acts,
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that's our lesson
that we'll be looking at.
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Today we find ourselves
on lesson number seven,
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that's entitled,
"Paul's Missionary Journey,"
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his first missionary journey.
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That'll be our study for today.
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For those of you online,
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if you don't have a
copy of today's lesson,
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you can download for
free at study.aftv.org.
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You want to
download lesson number seven,
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"Paul's First
Missionary Journey,'
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and you can
follow along as we study.
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Our free offer for
today is a DVD sermon
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by Pastor Doug entitled,
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"Is it Easier to
be Saved or Lost?"
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And we'll be happy to send this
to anybody who calls and ask.
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The number is 866-788-3966,
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and you want to ask
for offer number 853.
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You can also
download the sermon for free.
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If you'd like to do
so, text the code, "SH102"
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to the following number 40544,
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you'll then
receive a little email,
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and that'll tell you
where you can download the DVD.
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Again, we'd like
to welcome all of you
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to our Sabbath
School Study Hour today.
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Before we get to our
lesson, we're going to begin
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by lifting our voices in song.
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Now our song
leaders will lead us.
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Thank you, Pastor Ross.
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We are talking
about Paul in this lesson.
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And this song,
"Christ for the world,"
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is found on 370 in your hymnal.
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So I would love
for you to join with us
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as we sing all
three stanzas, 370.
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Thank you for singing with us.
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And at this time,
Pastor Ross is going
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to have our opening prayer.
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Let's bow our heads for prayer.
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Dear Father in
heaven, thank You once again
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that we have the
opportunity to gather together
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and open up Your Word.
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Being inspired by the
great evangelist, Paul,
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as we look at his
first missionary journey
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taking the
gospel to places that...
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Prior to that people thought
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weren't really that
interested in the gospel,
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and yet we see his
tremendous response
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and power in preaching.
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May we be inspired,
Lord, to take the gospel
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to those in our areas.
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Bless our time
together, in Jesus' name, amen.
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Our lesson today
is going to be brought
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to us by Pastor Doug.
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All right, good
to see each of you
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here at the Granite Bay Church.
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Welcome.
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Also, thankful for those
who are joining us online,
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we're glad that you're studying
the Word with us as well.
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We are going into
lesson number seven
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in our Book of Acts.
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Now, we're in lesson seven,
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but we're actually
studying Acts 13, 14,
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in the Book of Acts.
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And we have our memory verse.
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Memory verse comes to
us from Acts 13:38, 39.
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And it says,
"Therefore my friends,
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I want you to know
that through Jesus,
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the forgiveness of
sins is proclaimed to you.
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Through Him, everyone
who believes is set free
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from every sin, a
justification to you
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were not able to obtain
under the law of Moses."
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Now that's actually an
excerpt from one of the sermons
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that Paul preached.
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Now if you've got your Bibles,
you just turn to Acts 13.
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I'm going to do my best
to read Acts 13 and 14 today.
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So we at least
cover that in our lesson.
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And actually
the study today goes
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all the way through Acts 13
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and we stopped two verses
short of completing Acts 14.
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But it pretty well covers
his first missionary journey.
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Now today when we
think about a missionary
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going to a foreign land,
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they typically go
and they pitch their tent
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in a place and they
stay and work in this place,
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sometimes for the
rest of their lives,
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sometimes for years.
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Paul was not that
kind of missionary.
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He was what you would
call an itinerant missionary.
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And so Paul would go somewhere,
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and he would go
from place to place
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and visit different
towns and synagogues,
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he'd get a group of believers,
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he tried to appoint
an elder or a leader,
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and then he'd go
on to another spot.
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So if you got your
Bible, we'll read Acts 13.
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And if you read verse 1,
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"Now the church
that was at Antioch
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there were certain
prophets and teachers, Barnabas,
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Simeon who was called
Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
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Manaen who was brought up
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with Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul."
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Now what is Saul
being called here?
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I know but what did
it say at the beginning?
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There were certain prophets.
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See that in verse 1,
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"At Antioch there were
certain prophets and teachers."
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So before this chapter is
over, Saul makes a prophecy.
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And I believe it's
also putting Barnabas
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in that category of these.
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Barnabas, was he an apostle?
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Well, he was
definitely a missionary.
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It seems like he
ended up being an apostle.
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He spent a lot of
time with the apostles
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or at least he had
that kind of authority.
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I don't know that
he's ever called that.
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And then it goes
on to say in verse 2,
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"As they ministered
to the Lord and fasted,
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the Holy Spirit said,
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'Now separate to
Me Barnabas and Saul
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for the work to
which I have called them.'
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Then, having fasted and
prayed, they laid hands on them,
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and they sent them away."
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And so, is it
biblical to set a person aside
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for a special work by praying
and laying hands on them?
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Do you know that
when it talks about
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some of the different doctrines
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that were discussed and
argued in the early church,
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it specifically mentions
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the doctrine of
the laying on of hands?
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We don't have that as one of
our fundamental beliefs, do we
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But it is something
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that they did in the early days.
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So they fasted, they prayed.
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You notice they
don't want to launch out
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doing this special work
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until they know they
have the Holy Spirit,
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they know they are doing
what God wants them to do,
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and they know they're going
where God wants them to go.
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So they're
seeking for God's leading.
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And the Holy Spirit said,
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"Here's the two that
I want to send first.
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I want them to go as a team."
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Now Jesus said
that we should go out
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at least two by two, right?
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Isn't that how He sent them out?
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And they actually take
a third member with them
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as you'll see here.
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"So, being sent
out by the Holy Spirit,
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they went down to Seleucia,
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and from there
they sailed to Cyprus.
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And when they
arrived in Salamis,
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they preached the Word of God
in the synagogues of the Jews.
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They also had John
as their assistant."
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So you've got Paul and Barnabas,
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and who else is in that group?
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John. Which John?
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He's known as John Mark,
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and we're going to
say more about him,
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but there's a whole gospel
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that we believe he
wrote in the Bible.
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But he starts
out as a young man.
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Now Paul and Barnabas probably
were not old at this point.
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They may have been in
the 30s, John is, you know,
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maybe in his 20s,
but so they go out,
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there's a two
or three witnesses.
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You got Barnabas and Paul,
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he's actually called
Saul in these passages.
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And John, who has
another name, Mark.
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And we'll get to
him in just a minute.
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Now why did they
go to Cyprus first
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in their first
missionary journey?
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Cyprus was the largest
island, third largest island
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I should say, in
the Mediterranean.
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It was very close to Asia Minor,
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so it's a good
launching point for them.
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There were a number of
Jewish synagogues in Cyprus
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that even predate
Alexander the Great.
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There had been enclaves
of Jews in Cyprus for trade
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for hundreds of
years at this point.
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And where did the apostles
go as they went preaching?
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What was the
message of the apostles
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when they went preaching?
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That Jesus is the Messiah.
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Who is the first
audience that they would go to?
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As they went from town to town,
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they would start
looking for Jews.
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Why did they start with Jews?
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Because they're more
important than others?
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I mean here we are in
Acts 13, Peter in Acts 10
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started going to gentiles,
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so they've
gotten over that hump,
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while they're still
slowly getting over that hump.
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Does Paul say to the Jew
first and also to the gentile?
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When there is an announcement
made at a wedding feast,
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who are they sent to
first, the messengers?
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First, they go to those
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who have
accepted the invitation.
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When they don't respond,
then they go to the highways,
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and the byways, and the hedges.
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And so if you're
going to a new place
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and you're going
to do evangelism,
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where would you
want to go first?
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Wouldn't you want
to go to the people
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who already had some
foundation in what you believe?
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If I go to a foreign land
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and I'm going to
do some mission work
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starting with
Buddhist, for example,
00:11:40.53\00:11:43.70
it'd be very difficult.
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But if in that country
there are some Christians
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that live among Buddhists
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and speak the
language of Buddhist,
00:11:48.64\00:11:49.90
if I can reach them,
they'll do a much better job
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reaching the Buddhist.
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It'll be easier for me to
reach them with the message
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if they've already got a
background in Christianity.
00:11:56.54\00:11:59.81
So as you go to
different parts of the world,
00:11:59.81\00:12:01.72
and you've got the
three angels' message,
00:12:01.72\00:12:03.59
it's a special
part of Christian truth,
00:12:03.59\00:12:06.29
best place to
start is with Christians
00:12:06.29\00:12:08.26
who already have accepted Christ
00:12:08.26\00:12:09.79
that maybe don't
know the other points.
00:12:09.79\00:12:13.70
Does that make sense?
00:12:13.70\00:12:15.76
Who do you think typically comes
00:12:15.76\00:12:17.27
to our evangelistic meetings?
00:12:17.27\00:12:19.27
Atheists? Hindus?
00:12:19.27\00:12:21.74
Muslims? Buddhists?
00:12:21.74\00:12:24.87
They're evangelical Christians.
00:12:24.87\00:12:27.21
They want to know
about Bible prophecy.
00:12:27.21\00:12:29.84
And when they learn, it
then spreads on from there.
00:12:29.84\00:12:33.01
So you want to start
00:12:33.01\00:12:33.98
where the customers
are going to be buying,
00:12:33.98\00:12:36.42
and you've got the
best possibilities, right?
00:12:36.42\00:12:39.29
And so they went to Cyprus,
00:12:39.29\00:12:40.59
they begin going
into the synagogues.
00:12:40.59\00:12:42.26
We already read you
one example of that.
00:12:42.26\00:12:44.79
And another reason they
probably went to Cyprus.
00:12:44.79\00:12:48.50
Now who is Paul
traveling with? Barnabas.
00:12:48.50\00:12:51.70
Where's Barnabas from? Cyprus.
00:12:51.70\00:12:55.14
You remember
reading that Acts 4:36.
00:12:55.14\00:12:58.77
He was a Jew from
Cyprus. So he'd know it.
00:12:58.77\00:13:02.24
Now what language
did they speak in Cyprus?
00:13:02.24\00:13:05.18
Cypreen, no, I made
that up, I don't know.
00:13:05.18\00:13:08.82
They were speaking
Greek in Cyprus back then.
00:13:08.82\00:13:12.22
And so would it
help to have someone
00:13:12.22\00:13:14.19
who was from that area
that spoke that language?
00:13:14.19\00:13:17.43
So Barnabas preaches
Greek, he understands Greek,
00:13:17.43\00:13:21.76
he's lived in Cyprus.
00:13:21.76\00:13:23.47
But, you know, who really speaks
00:13:23.47\00:13:25.50
Greek very well
is Saul of Tarsus,
00:13:25.50\00:13:29.30
which was also a Greek city.
00:13:29.30\00:13:31.17
And so the two of them together,
00:13:31.17\00:13:33.68
they were able
to go to this place.
00:13:33.68\00:13:35.74
And so John Mark goes
along, probably one reason
00:13:35.74\00:13:40.45
they brought
John Mark along also,
00:13:40.45\00:13:42.05
it tells us that he
was a cousin of Barnabas.
00:13:42.05\00:13:45.45
John may have
also been from Cyprus.
00:13:45.45\00:13:48.22
So they're beginning in an
area they're familiar with.
00:13:48.22\00:13:51.89
How did Jesus tell us
to do missionary work?
00:13:51.89\00:13:55.76
Acts 1:8, "You shall
receive the power of the Spirit.
00:13:55.76\00:14:00.47
You will be My witnesses
beginning in Jerusalem."
00:14:00.47\00:14:04.37
Why did He tell
the apostles Jerusalem?
00:14:04.37\00:14:06.57
It was a center of Jewish faith.
00:14:06.57\00:14:08.58
Then Judea, then Samaria,
00:14:08.58\00:14:12.75
then the outermost
parts of the earth.
00:14:12.75\00:14:15.02
When the gospel comes
to you, where do you begin?
00:14:15.02\00:14:18.79
Where you are.
00:14:18.79\00:14:20.12
So when Christ
told the disciples,
00:14:20.12\00:14:22.39
"I want you to wait until
you receive the Holy Spirit.
00:14:22.39\00:14:24.49
When you
receive the Holy Spirit,
00:14:24.49\00:14:26.19
begin preaching where
you are in your family,
00:14:26.19\00:14:29.43
among your people."
00:14:29.43\00:14:30.50
I think I
probably told you a story
00:14:32.87\00:14:34.47
that's been oft repeated,
at least variations of it
00:14:34.47\00:14:36.84
that Billy Graham said
00:14:36.84\00:14:39.41
he was traveling somewhere once,
00:14:39.41\00:14:41.18
and I don't know if
it is by train or plane.
00:14:41.18\00:14:42.98
I thought it was by train.
00:14:42.98\00:14:44.75
And he met someone who
recognized them and said,
00:14:44.75\00:14:46.78
"Oh, I'm actually preparing
to go to mission work right now
00:14:46.78\00:14:50.19
in a foreign country."
00:14:50.19\00:14:51.59
Said, that's
wonderful, and he was going
00:14:51.59\00:14:52.89
to a very remote,
some exotic country.
00:14:52.89\00:14:54.79
He said, "What has been
your evangelism experience
00:14:54.79\00:14:59.03
in your hometown?"
00:14:59.03\00:15:00.80
"Well, I haven't done
any evangelism experiences."
00:15:00.80\00:15:02.73
"Well, have you done
00:15:02.73\00:15:03.80
any missionary
work in your community?"
00:15:03.80\00:15:05.13
"I haven't done
any missionary work."
00:15:05.13\00:15:06.67
He said, "Why are you
going to a foreign country
00:15:06.67\00:15:09.20
if you haven't
first honed your skills
00:15:09.20\00:15:11.07
in your own hometown?"
00:15:11.07\00:15:13.24
And so one of
the first places...
00:15:13.24\00:15:15.48
Boy, and I'll tell you what,
00:15:15.48\00:15:16.51
if you can reach
people in your family,
00:15:16.51\00:15:18.08
then you have your black belt.
00:15:18.08\00:15:20.62
Because the Bible says that
a prophet is not without honor
00:15:20.62\00:15:23.35
except in his own
neighborhood among his own kin.
00:15:23.35\00:15:26.82
And so that sometimes
is the best proving ground.
00:15:26.82\00:15:30.23
And so Paul,
Barnabas, maybe even Mark,
00:15:30.23\00:15:33.70
they're familiar
with this country,
00:15:33.70\00:15:35.23
they speak the language,
it's a good place to start,
00:15:35.23\00:15:37.30
and that's where the
Holy Spirit sent them.
00:15:37.30\00:15:39.27
Notice, they fasted
and prayed for guidance.
00:15:39.27\00:15:42.00
So before you go
to a foreign land,
00:15:42.00\00:15:43.94
you want to fast and
pray, and make sure that,
00:15:43.94\00:15:45.57
you know, God is
sending you to this place.
00:15:45.57\00:15:49.64
And so they begin,
they land at Paphos,
00:15:49.64\00:15:54.42
they cross the
country presumably by foot.
00:15:54.42\00:15:57.19
They're stopping
in the synagogues
00:15:57.19\00:15:58.69
along the way.
00:15:58.69\00:15:59.92
And let me read you here.
00:15:59.92\00:16:02.12
So go to verse 4.
00:16:02.12\00:16:06.16
"Being sent out
by the Holy Spirit,
00:16:06.16\00:16:08.40
they went down to Seleucia,
00:16:08.40\00:16:09.93
from there they
sailed to Cyprus.
00:16:09.93\00:16:11.27
When they arrived in Salamis,
00:16:11.27\00:16:13.13
they preached the Word of God
in the synagogues of the Jews.
00:16:13.13\00:16:16.57
They also had John
as their assistant.
00:16:16.57\00:16:18.74
Now when they had
gone through the island,
00:16:18.74\00:16:20.78
they basically
started in the east
00:16:20.78\00:16:22.38
and they made their
way to the west to Paphos.
00:16:22.38\00:16:25.85
They found a certain sorcerer
and a false prophet, a Jew,
00:16:25.85\00:16:30.99
whose name was Bar-Jesus."
00:16:30.99\00:16:32.92
Isn't that interesting?
00:16:32.92\00:16:34.62
He's a false prophet.
What does the word "Bar" mean?
00:16:34.62\00:16:38.89
So it means son of.
00:16:38.89\00:16:40.83
And so, here is this
guy called son of Jesus.
00:16:40.83\00:16:43.77
He's a false prophet.
He's also like a false Christ.
00:16:43.77\00:16:47.00
He's a sorcerer,
claims that power,
00:16:47.00\00:16:48.97
but it's not the power of God,
00:16:48.97\00:16:50.11
he's got power
from the dark side.
00:16:50.11\00:16:52.97
And so this is very interesting.
00:16:52.97\00:16:55.74
"And he is with the proconsul,
the governor of the island,
00:16:55.74\00:16:59.25
his name was Sergius
Paulus, an intelligent man.
00:16:59.25\00:17:04.05
The man was
sharp, he was intuitive.
00:17:04.05\00:17:06.45
This man called
for Barnabas and Saul.
00:17:06.45\00:17:08.52
He had heard maybe from the Jews
00:17:08.52\00:17:10.43
that they were
teaching some things
00:17:10.43\00:17:12.63
that were new.
00:17:12.63\00:17:14.36
And he sought to
hear the Word of God.
00:17:14.36\00:17:16.43
But Elymas, the sorcerer,
00:17:16.43\00:17:18.60
that's what his
name is translated,
00:17:18.60\00:17:20.17
as Bar-Jesus is
also called Elymas.
00:17:20.17\00:17:23.51
He is a wizard.
He with stood them.
00:17:23.51\00:17:26.68
He saw that he was losing
00:17:26.68\00:17:27.81
his influence over the governor.
00:17:27.81\00:17:29.71
Seeking to turn the
proconsul away from the faith."
00:17:29.71\00:17:33.62
Now what happens
when you start preaching?
00:17:33.62\00:17:36.42
If you're going
to do mission work,
00:17:36.42\00:17:37.92
does a devil wave a
hanky, and throw flowers,
00:17:37.92\00:17:40.06
and wish you bon voyage?
00:17:40.06\00:17:42.36
Or does he try to
stop what you're doing?
00:17:42.36\00:17:45.93
And it may not
happen right away.
00:17:45.93\00:17:47.20
He usually has to get
his strategy together.
00:17:47.20\00:17:49.63
But if you're not
working for the Lord,
00:17:49.63\00:17:50.90
if you're trying to do
anything great from God,
00:17:50.90\00:17:53.37
you're going to
meet with resistance.
00:17:53.37\00:17:55.17
If you don't
meet with resistance,
00:17:55.17\00:17:56.57
you're probably
not doing anything.
00:17:56.57\00:17:59.17
All that live godly
will suffer persecution.
00:17:59.17\00:18:02.64
And so sure enough the devil,
00:18:02.64\00:18:03.75
he's doing all he
can to turn them away.
00:18:03.75\00:18:05.65
And this is a very
pivotal point in the Bible.
00:18:05.65\00:18:09.05
You notice, here it says that
00:18:09.05\00:18:11.59
when he's trying
to turn them away,
00:18:11.59\00:18:14.76
then verse 9. I'm in Acts 13:9,
00:18:14.76\00:18:17.83
"Then Saul, who
also is called Paul..."
00:18:17.83\00:18:22.16
Now I've
underlined this in my Bible
00:18:22.16\00:18:23.73
because there is...
00:18:23.73\00:18:24.80
This is a
transition point in the Bible.
00:18:24.80\00:18:27.30
It's a transition
point for several reasons.
00:18:27.30\00:18:29.44
One is, now look
for the first time
00:18:29.44\00:18:31.91
it goes from calling Saul, Paul.
00:18:31.91\00:18:35.11
Luke never turns back.
00:18:35.11\00:18:36.34
From here on, he
is known as Paul.
00:18:36.34\00:18:39.15
Every other point up until here
00:18:39.15\00:18:40.55
he is called Saul.
00:18:40.55\00:18:43.02
The other
reason it's interesting
00:18:43.02\00:18:44.29
is because from this point on,
00:18:44.29\00:18:45.79
instead if it
mean Barnabas and Saul,
00:18:45.79\00:18:48.89
it's now Paul and Barnabas.
00:18:48.89\00:18:51.76
You know, actors when
the movie is released,
00:18:51.76\00:18:53.33
they fight among themselves
to see who gets top billing.
00:18:53.33\00:18:57.40
Whose name is going to be listed
00:18:57.40\00:18:58.70
first in the credits?
00:18:58.70\00:19:00.84
And who is the
lead act, so to speak,
00:19:00.84\00:19:04.57
and, you know, up until then
00:19:04.57\00:19:05.74
Barnabas was the
one who found Saul.
00:19:05.74\00:19:07.81
Barnabas brought
him to the apostles,
00:19:07.81\00:19:09.58
Barnabas introduced them.
00:19:09.58\00:19:11.38
Barnabas had kind of
taken a leading role.
00:19:11.38\00:19:13.48
But now all of a sudden,
00:19:13.48\00:19:15.35
the Holy Spirit comes on
Saul, he is now called Paul,
00:19:15.35\00:19:19.89
he begins to preach.
00:19:19.89\00:19:20.99
Listen what he says.
00:19:20.99\00:19:22.06
"Filled with the Holy Spirit,
00:19:22.06\00:19:24.19
he looked intently
at him," at Elymas,
00:19:24.19\00:19:26.86
and listen to this,
this is pretty strong stuff.
00:19:26.86\00:19:30.83
"O full of all
deceit and all fraud,
00:19:30.83\00:19:33.50
you son of the devil,
00:19:33.50\00:19:35.20
you enemy of all righteousness,
00:19:35.20\00:19:37.01
will you not cease perverting
the straight ways of the Lord?
00:19:37.01\00:19:40.74
And now, indeed, the
hand of the Lord is upon you,
00:19:40.74\00:19:43.71
and you shall be blind,
not seeing the sun for a time."
00:19:43.71\00:19:47.85
Any of you ever seen a
pastor missionary do that?
00:19:47.85\00:19:52.72
When the Holy Spirit is moving
00:19:52.72\00:19:55.62
I mean, we always think
about pastors or missionaries
00:19:55.62\00:19:57.69
is just blessings and grace,
00:19:57.69\00:19:59.66
but when a person
is a prophet of God,
00:19:59.66\00:20:02.06
did John the Baptist
00:20:02.06\00:20:03.16
when he saw the
Scribes and the Pharisees
00:20:03.16\00:20:05.43
coming to his baptism,
00:20:05.43\00:20:06.53
he called them
a brute of vipers.
00:20:06.53\00:20:09.47
I mean sometimes
00:20:09.47\00:20:10.91
being a messenger of God means
00:20:10.91\00:20:12.44
you know how to call
people out for what they are.
00:20:12.44\00:20:16.88
And Jesus said...
00:20:16.88\00:20:17.95
They said, "We're
children of Abraham."
00:20:17.95\00:20:19.31
And Jesus said, "You're
not children of Abraham,
00:20:19.31\00:20:20.95
you're children of the devil."
00:20:20.95\00:20:22.92
And you're doing the
deeds of your father, the devil.
00:20:22.92\00:20:25.92
I mean, we don't get
taught that in seminary, do we?
00:20:25.92\00:20:30.19
How to call people out and
say they're sons of the devil.
00:20:30.19\00:20:33.36
But did they do it
in the Bible sometimes?
00:20:33.36\00:20:35.53
You better make sure the
Holy Spirit's guiding you
00:20:35.53\00:20:37.13
when you do that,
00:20:37.13\00:20:38.17
otherwise you're not
going to have many friends.
00:20:38.17\00:20:41.50
So he says that,
and he makes a prophecy.
00:20:41.50\00:20:44.64
"Now indeed the hand
of the Lord is upon you,"
00:20:44.64\00:20:46.91
meaning in judgment,
00:20:46.91\00:20:48.71
"And you will be
blind not seeing the sun."
00:20:48.71\00:20:52.31
Now did Paul know
what that was like?
00:20:52.31\00:20:55.58
Did Paul at one
point work for the devil?
00:20:55.58\00:20:58.35
Was he opposing
the work of Christ?
00:20:58.35\00:21:00.69
And what did God do
to him? Struck him blind.
00:21:00.69\00:21:04.69
But was he blind forever?
00:21:04.69\00:21:07.30
It's pretty hard
when you've had vision
00:21:07.30\00:21:08.86
to suddenly lose
it in three days,
00:21:08.86\00:21:10.83
you don't know if
you're ever going to see again.
00:21:10.83\00:21:12.60
Paul remembered that.
00:21:12.60\00:21:13.60
And after he said,
"You're going to be blind,"
00:21:13.60\00:21:15.70
then he added to his
prophecy, "for a time."
00:21:15.70\00:21:18.81
That was mercy, wasn't it?
00:21:18.81\00:21:21.71
And this is after he
says that immediately,
00:21:21.71\00:21:25.25
"A dark mist fell on
him, and he went around
00:21:25.25\00:21:28.92
seeking someone to
lead him by the hand.
00:21:28.92\00:21:31.92
When the proconsul
saw this, he believed."
00:21:31.92\00:21:35.46
Now why was he
struck with blindness?
00:21:35.46\00:21:37.76
What is blindness a symbol of?
00:21:37.76\00:21:40.63
When God says, "If
the blind lead the blind."
00:21:40.63\00:21:44.43
It's talking
about religious leaders.
00:21:44.43\00:21:46.53
They're leading other
people in the wrong way, says,
00:21:46.53\00:21:49.34
"They'll both
fall in the ditch."
00:21:49.34\00:21:51.31
And the Bible tells us in...
00:21:51.31\00:21:53.14
What's the message to
the church of Laodicea?
00:21:53.14\00:21:56.44
You don't know that
you're poor, and wretched,
00:21:56.44\00:21:59.75
and miserable, and blind.
00:21:59.75\00:22:02.62
What's blindness mean there?
00:22:02.62\00:22:05.99
You think you see but you don't.
00:22:05.99\00:22:10.19
It's spiritual blindness.
00:22:10.19\00:22:13.73
You don't know that
you're poor, and wretched,
00:22:13.73\00:22:15.23
and miserable, blind, and naked.
00:22:15.23\00:22:17.53
"And immediately a
dark mist fell upon him,
00:22:17.53\00:22:19.70
and he went
around seeking someone
00:22:19.70\00:22:21.27
to lead him by the hand."
00:22:21.27\00:22:23.00
Some of your remember
00:22:23.00\00:22:24.14
when Elisha
struck a whole army blind
00:22:24.14\00:22:27.44
in the 2 Kings.
00:22:27.44\00:22:30.85
"And when the proconsul,"
when the governor saw this,
00:22:30.85\00:22:34.62
"he believed when he
saw what had been done."
00:22:34.62\00:22:37.29
Now why does God do signs?
00:22:37.29\00:22:39.99
Aren't the signs there
to help reinforce the truth
00:22:39.99\00:22:42.56
so that others will believe?
00:22:42.56\00:22:45.29
It's when he saw
what had been done,
00:22:45.29\00:22:46.90
he was astonished at
the teaching of the Lord.
00:22:46.90\00:22:49.93
All right, now, I want to say
00:22:49.93\00:22:51.03
just another word or
two about this before.
00:22:51.03\00:22:54.64
So why is Saul
suddenly called Paul?
00:22:54.64\00:23:00.18
There's probably a few reasons.
00:23:00.18\00:23:01.61
One is, some have wondered...
00:23:01.61\00:23:07.05
If, you know, what
is the word "Paul" mean?
00:23:07.05\00:23:11.45
Paul means small or diminutive.
00:23:11.45\00:23:15.82
I mean, you know, no
one wants that nickname,
00:23:15.82\00:23:17.83
"Hey, Shorty."
00:23:17.83\00:23:19.93
So we don't really have
any definite Bible proof
00:23:19.93\00:23:23.97
that early
church legends tell us
00:23:23.97\00:23:26.53
that Paul was actually short.
00:23:26.53\00:23:28.40
Others say that we
believe he was nearsighted,
00:23:28.40\00:23:30.64
he had problems seeing,
00:23:30.64\00:23:31.94
which is why he
dictated all of his letters.
00:23:31.94\00:23:34.94
And in one place Paul says,
00:23:34.94\00:23:36.91
"You notice
00:23:36.91\00:23:38.01
with what large
characters I'm writing.
00:23:38.01\00:23:39.98
When he wrote,
00:23:39.98\00:23:41.12
he wrote in big
letters so he could see it.
00:23:41.12\00:23:43.79
When Paul was being
tried by the high priest,
00:23:43.79\00:23:45.65
he called them
out, and they said,
00:23:45.65\00:23:46.82
"How dare you
revile the high priest."
00:23:46.82\00:23:48.42
He said, "I didn't know
it was the high priest."
00:23:48.42\00:23:50.56
And he's right
there in the courtroom.
00:23:50.56\00:23:53.40
And Paul talks
about a thorn in his eye.
00:23:53.40\00:23:55.60
He had been blind and God
made, brought his sight back,
00:23:55.60\00:23:58.53
but it never was quite the same.
00:23:58.53\00:24:01.24
And so... He, Paul was short.
00:24:01.24\00:24:05.47
Another reason possibly
it goes from Saul to Paul,
00:24:05.47\00:24:08.08
is Saul is a Hebrew name,
00:24:08.08\00:24:09.24
and now he's
going by a Greek name
00:24:09.24\00:24:10.78
because he's
working among Greek people.
00:24:10.78\00:24:13.62
But I don't know if
that's the best argument
00:24:13.62\00:24:15.72
because even after he
goes back to Jerusalem,
00:24:15.72\00:24:17.69
Luke still calls him Paul.
00:24:17.69\00:24:19.95
For the rest of the
Bible he's called Paul.
00:24:19.95\00:24:25.09
Saul in the Old
Testament was someone
00:24:25.09\00:24:27.60
who was fighting against God.
00:24:27.60\00:24:30.43
And so that could be one reason.
00:24:30.43\00:24:32.63
And some have suggested
00:24:32.63\00:24:33.70
because in honor
of Sergius Paulus
00:24:33.70\00:24:37.51
that maybe he adopted
this now as a Greek name
00:24:37.51\00:24:40.21
to work among the Greek.
00:24:40.21\00:24:41.31
You notice
John's also call Mark.
00:24:41.31\00:24:43.21
John is a Hebrew name,
Mark was more of a Greek name.
00:24:43.21\00:24:46.18
And so,
sometimes they said, look,
00:24:46.18\00:24:48.32
if you're going to
work among the Greeks...
00:24:48.32\00:24:49.75
I've got a lot
of Chinese friends.
00:24:49.75\00:24:51.95
And some of their
names, I'll just tell you,
00:24:51.95\00:24:53.99
their original Chinese
names are very difficult.
00:24:53.99\00:24:57.33
And so when they get to America,
00:24:57.33\00:24:58.63
they realize people
are asking them ten times.
00:24:58.63\00:25:01.06
Now how do you say your name?
00:25:01.06\00:25:03.26
And so they say,
"My name is Jane."
00:25:03.26\00:25:06.53
And they just say, "I'm
going to get an American name."
00:25:06.53\00:25:08.97
They kind of
pick an English name.
00:25:08.97\00:25:11.24
So that people can deal with it.
00:25:11.24\00:25:12.44
Well, I think the
Greeks had problems
00:25:12.44\00:25:14.51
with the Hebrew
names, and so the Jews
00:25:14.51\00:25:16.21
when they worked
among the Greeks,
00:25:16.21\00:25:17.28
they would take
a Greek name also.
00:25:17.28\00:25:19.81
So, you know, it's
somewhat of a mystery,
00:25:19.81\00:25:22.35
but those are
some of the reasons
00:25:22.35\00:25:23.49
that are given
why that happened.
00:25:23.49\00:25:24.95
All right, now we're going to go
00:25:24.95\00:25:26.02
under the Pisidian Antioch.
00:25:26.02\00:25:28.02
Now this is confusing.
00:25:28.02\00:25:30.16
It's telling us
they've left Antioch,
00:25:30.16\00:25:32.29
and on the missionary
journey they're going to Antioch
00:25:32.29\00:25:35.03
that's because
there's more than one Antioch.
00:25:35.03\00:25:37.73
Now the word "Antioch" it,
00:25:37.73\00:25:40.54
I think it means
powerful or driven against.
00:25:40.54\00:25:46.11
And in the original
it's Antiokheia in Greek.
00:25:46.11\00:25:51.38
And so, you know,
we call it Antioch.
00:25:51.38\00:25:53.52
There's a lot of churches
called the Church of Antioch.
00:25:53.52\00:25:56.35
And there was more than one.
00:25:56.35\00:25:57.72
How many of you know
00:25:57.72\00:25:58.79
that there's more
than one Farmington
00:25:58.79\00:26:00.89
in North America?
00:26:00.89\00:26:02.72
And if you tell people
I just went to Portland,
00:26:02.72\00:26:04.39
they might say Portland,
where, Portland, Maine?
00:26:04.39\00:26:07.40
Portland, Oregon?
00:26:07.40\00:26:09.03
We've got, you know how
many Farmingtons there are?
00:26:09.03\00:26:11.80
It just means farming town.
00:26:11.80\00:26:13.54
A lot of those spring up
when America was being settled.
00:26:13.54\00:26:17.37
And so there was
more than one Antioch.
00:26:17.37\00:26:19.71
Now they've left the Antioch,
that's over there near Syria,
00:26:19.71\00:26:24.85
and where they were
first called Christians,
00:26:24.85\00:26:26.95
now they're going up
to the Antioch in Pisidia,
00:26:26.95\00:26:29.92
which is in Asia Minor.
00:26:29.92\00:26:31.55
Matter of fact, I
think I've got a map
00:26:31.55\00:26:33.66
that kind of gives
you a little picture
00:26:33.66\00:26:35.19
of where they took off from.
00:26:35.19\00:26:37.26
First, you see
they leave by Syria,
00:26:37.26\00:26:38.96
they take off from
Antioch, they go down,
00:26:38.96\00:26:41.40
the blue line,
they're going to Cyprus.
00:26:41.40\00:26:43.50
They make their way
from one side of the island
00:26:43.50\00:26:45.03
to the other,
00:26:45.03\00:26:46.17
then they take a boat, and
they went up to Asia Minor.
00:26:46.17\00:26:48.90
When they get to Asia Minor,
00:26:48.90\00:26:50.11
then they make their
way up to the Antioch,
00:26:50.11\00:26:51.94
it's the furthest north part.
00:26:51.94\00:26:54.81
You go to Acts 13:13,
and it tells us that...
00:26:54.81\00:27:00.68
"Now when Paul and his
party set sail from Paphos,
00:27:00.68\00:27:03.65
they came to Perga in Pamphylia,
00:27:03.65\00:27:06.62
and John, departing from
them, returned to Jerusalem."
00:27:06.62\00:27:10.69
Now if you
underline in your Bible,
00:27:10.69\00:27:12.26
you may want to underline that
00:27:12.26\00:27:13.76
because that little statement
has bigger ramifications.
00:27:13.76\00:27:17.90
John, whose name is also...
00:27:17.90\00:27:20.94
What's his name also? Mark.
00:27:20.94\00:27:25.44
He was... Became a
close friend of Peter.
00:27:25.44\00:27:28.94
When you read
the Gospel of Mark,
00:27:28.94\00:27:31.18
this is the same
John Mark, many believe,
00:27:31.18\00:27:33.65
you're really
reading Peter's gospel
00:27:33.65\00:27:36.25
being dictated to Mark.
00:27:36.25\00:27:41.36
There was a big
argument that took place.
00:27:41.36\00:27:45.56
You look at Acts 15.
00:27:45.56\00:27:46.73
I know you're
going to get to this
00:27:46.73\00:27:47.86
next week or the week after,
00:27:47.86\00:27:49.03
but I want to
read it to you now.
00:27:49.03\00:27:50.10
Acts 15:36, notice.
00:27:50.10\00:27:52.63
"Then after some days
Paul and Barnabas said,
00:27:52.63\00:27:54.77
'Let us go back and visit
our brethren in every city
00:27:54.77\00:27:57.21
which we preached
the word of the Lord,"
00:27:57.21\00:27:58.61
let's go reinforce
and encourage them,
00:27:58.61\00:28:00.98
"And see how they are doing.'"
00:28:00.98\00:28:02.64
Now Barnabas was determine
00:28:02.64\00:28:04.28
that they take with them
John, who is called Mark.
00:28:04.28\00:28:07.08
But Paul insisted
00:28:07.08\00:28:08.58
that they should
not take with them
00:28:08.58\00:28:10.85
the one who had
departed from them in Pamphylia.
00:28:10.85\00:28:14.99
Now let me rephrase it.
00:28:14.99\00:28:16.46
They should not take with them
the one that had jumped ship,
00:28:16.46\00:28:20.16
who had abandoned them.
00:28:20.16\00:28:22.43
He quit, he got discouraged.
00:28:22.43\00:28:26.10
And if you're out
doing mission work
00:28:26.10\00:28:27.17
and you get
discouraged, you say,
00:28:27.17\00:28:28.27
"I want to get sent home."
00:28:28.27\00:28:29.60
Then you should be
forever disqualified.
00:28:29.60\00:28:32.07
Paul, he was a
Pharisee, and he said,
00:28:32.07\00:28:35.68
"He's a quitter,
don't take him with you."
00:28:35.68\00:28:38.08
Barnabas said,
"You've got to give...
00:28:38.08\00:28:39.55
He's a good man.
Give him another chance."
00:28:39.55\00:28:43.79
Then the contention verse 39,
00:28:43.79\00:28:45.79
I'm in Acts
15:39 became so sharp.
00:28:45.79\00:28:49.99
And here's Paul and Barnabas,
00:28:49.99\00:28:51.33
they worked together as
friends and missionaries.
00:28:51.33\00:28:53.76
They'd been stoned together,
00:28:53.76\00:28:54.96
I mean, they'd
gone through a lot.
00:28:54.96\00:28:57.27
Travel, but they had
such a disagreement on this.
00:28:57.27\00:29:00.67
They parted
company from one another.
00:29:00.67\00:29:03.71
They said, "Well, look,
I'm not working with you.
00:29:03.71\00:29:05.94
You're going to hire a quitter."
00:29:05.94\00:29:07.74
Barnabas said,
"You have no mercy,
00:29:07.74\00:29:09.04
I'm not working with you."
00:29:09.04\00:29:11.25
And they had a split.
00:29:11.25\00:29:13.48
So Paul took Silas,
00:29:13.48\00:29:14.78
and he being
commended by the brethren
00:29:14.78\00:29:17.12
through the grace of
God, he went one place
00:29:17.12\00:29:18.79
and Barnabas took Mark.
00:29:18.79\00:29:21.06
Now who was right here?
00:29:21.06\00:29:22.52
Paul was wrong.
00:29:25.96\00:29:28.13
Do you know, later
you read where Paul says,
00:29:28.13\00:29:29.83
"Send to me Mark,
00:29:29.83\00:29:31.43
for he is profitable
to me in the ministry."
00:29:31.43\00:29:35.14
Have you ever gotten
discouraged and quit?
00:29:35.14\00:29:40.91
Do you know, I haven't
told to many people this.
00:29:40.91\00:29:43.58
I wanted nothing more
00:29:43.58\00:29:44.75
than to get
called in the ministry.
00:29:44.75\00:29:47.45
And after I got
called in the ministry,
00:29:47.45\00:29:49.42
you know, the
first one who called me
00:29:49.42\00:29:50.65
to be an official
conference pastor?
00:29:50.65\00:29:52.95
It was Cyril Miller, the
founder of Amazing Facts.
00:29:52.95\00:29:56.22
Now he never knew
00:29:56.22\00:29:57.33
I'd end up with
Amazing Facts back then,
00:29:57.33\00:29:58.99
but he was a president of Texas.
00:29:58.99\00:30:00.96
I was working with
the Navajos in New Mexico.
00:30:00.96\00:30:02.73
He said, "Doug, we're
considering giving you
00:30:02.73\00:30:04.00
a real conference call.
00:30:04.00\00:30:05.93
Would you be willing to come.
00:30:05.93\00:30:07.04
We've got three
churches in Texas."
00:30:07.04\00:30:08.50
Well, it started out
two, and they add a third one
00:30:08.50\00:30:10.34
because the pastor left
00:30:10.34\00:30:12.27
and I had Coleman,
Hamilton, and Santa Anna.
00:30:12.27\00:30:16.28
And there's like
70 miles between them.
00:30:16.28\00:30:18.98
And I became
extremely frustrated
00:30:18.98\00:30:21.32
because here for the last year
and a half I had one church,
00:30:21.32\00:30:24.05
one district, and I
would invite everybody,
00:30:24.05\00:30:25.89
they'd come that
week, I preached to them.
00:30:25.89\00:30:28.09
And now I'd invite
everybody that come,
00:30:28.09\00:30:29.59
but I wasn't there that week,
00:30:29.59\00:30:30.69
and something would go
wrong, and then I'd come here
00:30:30.69\00:30:32.56
and I'd invite everyone to come,
00:30:32.56\00:30:33.83
they'd go to the
other place, and...
00:30:33.83\00:30:36.20
And I was so discouraged,
00:30:36.20\00:30:38.50
I felt like I can't
do evangelism like this.
00:30:38.50\00:30:40.50
I'm getting torn
between three different places.
00:30:40.50\00:30:43.41
I was 23 years
old, 24 years old,
00:30:43.41\00:30:47.34
and I finally went
back to Cyril Miller,
00:30:47.34\00:30:49.18
and I brought him my paycheck,
00:30:49.18\00:30:50.51
and I said, "I can't take this
'cause I'm is not earning it."
00:30:50.51\00:30:52.78
I said, "I quit." He
said, "Don't do it, Doug."
00:30:52.78\00:30:55.28
He said, "It took forever for me
00:30:55.28\00:30:56.72
to convince the
conference committee to hire you
00:30:56.72\00:30:59.55
because you don't have
the education, don't quit."
00:30:59.55\00:31:02.06
We had a long discussion.
00:31:02.06\00:31:04.43
And you know
what? I told him I quit.
00:31:04.43\00:31:06.43
But God is so good.
00:31:07.96\00:31:10.00
Before the word got
out that I had quit,
00:31:10.00\00:31:13.70
I got a call from
Northern California.
00:31:13.70\00:31:16.67
And they said, "Doug, we
heard you're working in Texas.
00:31:16.67\00:31:19.17
We've got a church
in the hills of Covello.
00:31:19.17\00:31:22.24
We're looking for someone
to do conference evangelism
00:31:22.24\00:31:24.45
and pastor the church.
00:31:24.45\00:31:26.61
I thought, "Praise the Lord,
00:31:26.61\00:31:27.92
that's exactly
what I'm looking for."
00:31:27.92\00:31:30.45
So I had quit, but
word had not gotten out
00:31:30.45\00:31:32.59
that I had quit yet.
00:31:32.59\00:31:34.59
And I got called to
Northern California.
00:31:34.59\00:31:35.99
And I've been in
Northern California
00:31:35.99\00:31:37.19
now for 33 years.
00:31:37.19\00:31:39.26
But God is merciful.
00:31:39.26\00:31:42.33
He's saved me from myself,
from my own discouragement.
00:31:42.33\00:31:45.83
And so, anyway,
00:31:45.83\00:31:47.74
they had this sharp
disagreement all about Paul.
00:31:47.74\00:31:52.21
Anyway, all right,
moving on from there,
00:31:52.21\00:31:54.51
so Paul left them
in the work it says,
00:31:54.51\00:31:56.98
and that was in Acts 13:13.
00:31:56.98\00:32:00.05
"But when they
departed from Perga,
00:32:00.05\00:32:02.02
they came to Antioch in Pisidia,
00:32:02.02\00:32:04.09
and they went into the synagogue
00:32:04.09\00:32:05.45
on the Sabbath day and sat down.
00:32:05.45\00:32:07.79
And after the reading of
the Law and the Prophets."
00:32:07.79\00:32:09.69
This was normal,
00:32:09.69\00:32:10.76
they read from the
Law and the Prophets.
00:32:10.76\00:32:11.89
You remember,
Jesus Has his custom was,
00:32:11.89\00:32:13.53
He went to the
synagogue on the Sabbath day.
00:32:13.53\00:32:15.36
He sat down and
read the scriptures.
00:32:15.36\00:32:19.03
It even tells what
Jesus read one day.
00:32:19.03\00:32:22.27
"The rulers of the
synagogue sent to them,"
00:32:22.27\00:32:24.64
a message was sent to them.
00:32:24.64\00:32:25.71
They saw that
we've got guests here
00:32:25.71\00:32:28.21
that are from Jerusalem,
00:32:28.21\00:32:29.91
"saying, 'Men,
brethren, have you any word
00:32:29.91\00:32:32.25
of exhortation for
the people, speak.'"
00:32:32.25\00:32:34.98
They said we got guest speaker.
00:32:34.98\00:32:36.58
I was in Sedona,
Arizona last week
00:32:36.58\00:32:40.72
on vacation with the family,
00:32:40.72\00:32:42.92
and didn't tell
anybody we were coming,
00:32:42.92\00:32:44.56
and just Karen,
Nathan and I showed up.
00:32:44.56\00:32:47.00
And as soon as I got there,
00:32:47.00\00:32:49.93
they said, "Oh, Pastor
Doug, we're so glad you're here.
00:32:49.93\00:32:52.27
Will you do Sabbath School?"
00:32:52.27\00:32:55.14
And then they came up and said,
00:32:55.14\00:32:57.24
"Nathan would you
do special music?"
00:32:57.24\00:32:58.81
And then they said,
"Will you preach the sermon?"
00:33:00.81\00:33:04.58
So sometimes that happens
00:33:04.58\00:33:05.78
when you have
visitors in the area.
00:33:05.78\00:33:07.42
So they saw Paul
and they saw Barnabas,
00:33:07.42\00:33:09.62
and they said, "Do
you have any word?"
00:33:09.62\00:33:11.42
Then instead of
Barnabas, "Paul stood up,
00:33:11.42\00:33:14.19
and motioned with his hand,
00:33:14.19\00:33:15.96
'Men of Israel, you
who fear God, listen.'"
00:33:15.96\00:33:18.79
Calls them the brethren.
00:33:18.79\00:33:20.06
Now, this is a very,
very important passage.
00:33:20.06\00:33:23.47
And the reason
this is so important
00:33:23.47\00:33:25.43
is because there
are hundreds of times
00:33:25.43\00:33:28.07
that we can track
where Paul and Barnabas,
00:33:28.07\00:33:31.97
or Paul and Silas in
their missionary journeys,
00:33:31.97\00:33:34.88
the first place they would go
00:33:34.88\00:33:36.18
is one of these
Jewish communities
00:33:36.18\00:33:38.61
where there was a synagogue,
00:33:38.61\00:33:40.65
and they'd stand
up and they preach.
00:33:40.65\00:33:41.92
And we've always
wondered what did they preached.
00:33:41.92\00:33:43.95
Here is an example that
you've got a whole sermon
00:33:43.95\00:33:47.19
of what they
preach, at least some of it.
00:33:47.19\00:33:49.39
So we're going to
look at this together.
00:33:49.39\00:33:50.76
Bear with me as I
read Paul's sermon to you.
00:33:50.76\00:33:53.50
The God... And
I'm in Acts 13:17.
00:33:54.83\00:33:58.13
"The God of this people
Israel chose our fathers,
00:33:58.13\00:34:02.14
and exalted the people
00:34:02.14\00:34:04.04
when they dwelt as
strangers in the land of Egypt,
00:34:04.04\00:34:06.57
and with an uplifted arm
He brought them out of it.
00:34:06.57\00:34:09.18
Now for a time of about 40 years
00:34:09.18\00:34:10.88
He put up with their
ways in the wilderness."
00:34:10.88\00:34:12.71
He's reminding them, they've
not always been faithful.
00:34:12.71\00:34:15.72
"And when He had
destroyed seven nations
00:34:15.72\00:34:17.69
in the land of Canaanites,
00:34:17.69\00:34:19.55
He distributed their
land to them by allotment.
00:34:19.55\00:34:22.99
'After that He gave them
judges for about 450 years,
00:34:22.99\00:34:26.23
until Samuel the prophet.
00:34:26.23\00:34:27.96
And afterward
they asked for a king,
00:34:27.96\00:34:29.60
so God gave them Saul,"
which had been his former name,
00:34:29.60\00:34:32.90
"The son of Kish, a man
of the tribe of Benjamin,
00:34:32.90\00:34:35.77
for 40 years.
00:34:35.77\00:34:36.97
And when He had removed him,
00:34:36.97\00:34:38.24
He raised up for
them David as king,
00:34:38.24\00:34:40.54
to whom He also gave testimony."
00:34:40.54\00:34:42.28
He very quickly brings
them through their history
00:34:42.28\00:34:44.35
and he brings them to David.
00:34:44.35\00:34:45.41
And then he jumps from
David to Jesus, listen.
00:34:45.41\00:34:48.25
And he says, "He gave
them testimony saying,
00:34:48.25\00:34:50.19
'I have found
David the son of Jesse,
00:34:50.19\00:34:51.85
a man after My own
heart, who will do all My will.'
00:34:51.85\00:34:55.29
From this man's seed."
00:34:55.29\00:34:57.19
In other word, it's
a prophecy, a promise.
00:34:57.19\00:34:59.23
"According to the promise,
00:34:59.23\00:35:00.76
God raised up for
Israel a Savior Jesus."
00:35:00.76\00:35:05.33
Now, they had heard
about Jesus at this point.
00:35:05.33\00:35:08.07
Several years have
gone by since the cross.
00:35:08.07\00:35:11.64
And this probably...
00:35:11.64\00:35:12.77
This missionary
journey is like 44 to 46 AD.
00:35:12.77\00:35:16.78
Jesus ascended
to heaven in 31 AD.
00:35:16.78\00:35:20.22
So word had reached
to Jewish settlements
00:35:20.22\00:35:22.42
about Jesus' work, His death.
00:35:22.42\00:35:25.12
And so he's saying,
Jesus was a messiah.
00:35:25.12\00:35:28.72
"After John had first
preached, before His coming,
00:35:28.72\00:35:32.09
the baptism of repentance,''
00:35:32.09\00:35:33.40
they all knew
about John the Baptist.
00:35:33.40\00:35:35.56
"To all the people of Israel.
00:35:35.56\00:35:37.67
And as John was
finishing his course,
00:35:37.67\00:35:39.43
he said, 'Who do you think I am?
00:35:39.43\00:35:40.87
I am not the one.
00:35:40.87\00:35:42.57
But behold, there
comes One after me,
00:35:42.57\00:35:44.34
the sandals of whose feet
I am not worthy to loose.''
00:35:44.34\00:35:47.38
'Men and brethren, sons
of the family of Abraham.'
00:35:47.38\00:35:49.61
He's talking to the
Jews in the synagogue.
00:35:49.61\00:35:51.91
"'And those
among you who fear God,
00:35:51.91\00:35:54.02
to you the word of
salvation has been sent.
00:35:54.02\00:35:56.99
For those who dwell in
Jerusalem, and their rulers,
00:35:56.99\00:35:59.22
because they did not know Him,
00:35:59.22\00:36:01.16
nor even the
voices of the Prophets
00:36:01.16\00:36:02.92
which are read every Sabbath,
00:36:02.92\00:36:04.36
have fulfilled the
prophets in condemning Him.
00:36:04.36\00:36:08.93
And though they found
no cause of death in Him,
00:36:08.93\00:36:12.77
they asked Pilate that
He should be put to death.
00:36:12.77\00:36:15.44
Now when they had fulfilled
00:36:15.44\00:36:16.57
all that was
written concerning Him,
00:36:16.57\00:36:18.14
they took Him down from the tree
00:36:18.14\00:36:19.81
and laid Him in a tomb.
00:36:19.81\00:36:21.21
But God raised
Him from the dead.
00:36:21.21\00:36:23.48
He was seen for many days
by those who came up with Him
00:36:23.48\00:36:26.15
from Galilee to Jerusalem,
00:36:26.15\00:36:28.18
who are His
witnesses to the people.
00:36:28.18\00:36:30.22
And we declare to
you the glad tithings,"
00:36:30.22\00:36:33.22
that's the
gospel, the good news,
00:36:33.22\00:36:35.36
"That the promise which
was made to the fathers.
00:36:35.36\00:36:37.99
God has fulfilled
for us their children,
00:36:37.99\00:36:41.03
in that He has raised up Jesus
00:36:41.03\00:36:42.56
as it is also
written in the 2 Psalm
00:36:42.56\00:36:45.57
'You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.'
00:36:45.57\00:36:48.37
And that He
raised Him from the dead,
00:36:48.37\00:36:50.07
no more to
return to corruption.'"
00:36:50.07\00:36:51.91
He would not
experience decay in the grave.
00:36:51.91\00:36:54.38
"'He spoke thus,
00:36:54.38\00:36:55.44
'I will give you the
sure mercies of David.
00:36:55.44\00:36:57.71
Therefore He also
says in another Psalm,
00:36:57.71\00:37:00.72
'You will not
allow Your Holy One
00:37:00.72\00:37:02.02
to see corruption."
00:37:02.02\00:37:03.35
Notice what Paul
is doing in a sermon.
00:37:03.35\00:37:05.45
He covers their
history very quickly.
00:37:05.45\00:37:07.89
He talks about
Jesus was a Messiah,
00:37:07.89\00:37:09.96
then he goes back and he
shows from the prophecies
00:37:09.96\00:37:12.33
that Christ is the
fulfillment of those prophecies.
00:37:12.33\00:37:16.10
"For David, after he had
served his own generation
00:37:16.10\00:37:18.63
by the will of
God, he fell asleep,
00:37:18.63\00:37:20.00
and was buried with his fathers,
00:37:20.00\00:37:21.67
he saw
corruption," his body decayed.
00:37:21.67\00:37:24.24
"'But He whom God
raised up saw no corruption.
00:37:24.24\00:37:26.88
Therefore let it be
known to you, brethren,
00:37:26.88\00:37:28.68
that through this
Man is preached to you
00:37:28.68\00:37:31.01
the forgiveness of
sins, and by Him everyone
00:37:31.01\00:37:33.98
who believes is
justified from all things
00:37:33.98\00:37:36.52
by which you
could not be justified
00:37:36.52\00:37:38.45
by the law of Moses.'"
00:37:38.45\00:37:40.42
Now that's mentioned also
in chapter 14 in our lesson.
00:37:40.42\00:37:45.79
And so it gives us a sample here
00:37:45.79\00:37:48.53
of the very sermon
that he's preaching
00:37:48.53\00:37:50.87
as he goes there.
00:37:50.87\00:37:52.63
And when he got done
preaching the sermon,
00:37:52.63\00:37:56.81
it says in Acts 13:42,
00:37:56.81\00:37:58.51
"So when the Jews
went out of the synagogue,
00:37:58.51\00:38:01.18
the gentiles begged
00:38:01.18\00:38:02.71
that these words
might be preached
00:38:02.71\00:38:04.65
and then the next Sabbath."
00:38:04.65\00:38:06.45
Now how do the gentiles know
that he preached those words?
00:38:06.45\00:38:10.25
Because the Jews had proselytes.
00:38:10.25\00:38:13.52
They were converts to
Judaism from the Greeks
00:38:13.52\00:38:16.16
that had joined the synagogue.
00:38:16.16\00:38:17.96
And they were in there...
And they were listening.
00:38:17.96\00:38:19.93
They went home and they
told the gentile families,
00:38:19.93\00:38:21.70
they said, "You should
hear what this man says,
00:38:21.70\00:38:23.16
did someone raise...
00:38:23.16\00:38:24.33
They rose from the dead."
00:38:24.33\00:38:26.37
And now someone's going
to read for me, Acts 13:44.
00:38:26.37\00:38:29.77
You'll have that? And it said...
00:38:29.77\00:38:32.81
I want to just
finish Acts 13:43.
00:38:32.81\00:38:36.31
"They went out of the synagogue,
00:38:36.31\00:38:37.45
the gentiles
begged at these words..."
00:38:37.45\00:38:39.58
Oh, you know, I long for
the day when that happens.
00:38:39.58\00:38:41.88
When they all beg you,
00:38:41.88\00:38:43.05
"Will you please
preach to us again next week?"
00:38:43.05\00:38:46.12
And when the
congregation had broken up,
00:38:46.12\00:38:47.76
many of the Jews
and devout proselytes."
00:38:47.76\00:38:50.26
Proselytes are the
converts to Judaism.
00:38:50.26\00:38:52.29
"They followed
Paul and Barnabas,
00:38:52.29\00:38:54.56
who, speaking to
them, persuaded them,"
00:38:54.56\00:38:56.40
they continued to convince them,
00:38:56.40\00:38:58.50
"To continue in
the grace of God."
00:38:58.50\00:39:01.14
What happened as
a result of that?
00:39:01.14\00:39:02.17
Go ahead.
00:39:02.17\00:39:03.34
"On the next Sabbath
00:39:03.34\00:39:04.64
almost the whole
city came together
00:39:04.64\00:39:06.91
to hear the word of God."
00:39:06.91\00:39:09.58
Would God that
would happen again,
00:39:09.58\00:39:13.31
I mean, let's just be modest.
00:39:13.31\00:39:19.75
Wouldn't it be nice
00:39:19.75\00:39:21.19
if all of Rockland came together
00:39:21.19\00:39:24.76
to hear the Word of
God where we are right now.
00:39:24.76\00:39:27.40
Or when we move
all of Granite Bay
00:39:27.40\00:39:30.23
or be greedy,
00:39:30.23\00:39:31.97
all of Sacramento came together
to hear the Word of God.
00:39:31.97\00:39:35.30
America's so secular now.
00:39:35.30\00:39:37.61
People are so distracted
with all kinds of other things.
00:39:37.61\00:39:42.11
But when the Holy
Spirit's poured out
00:39:42.11\00:39:43.75
and trials start coming,
00:39:43.75\00:39:45.45
and maybe they'll be some
kind of economic implosion,
00:39:45.45\00:39:48.12
or natural disaster,
00:39:48.12\00:39:49.92
or a fire like
no fire we've seen,
00:39:49.92\00:39:51.69
I mean, who
knows what it'll take.
00:39:51.69\00:39:53.46
People become very religious.
00:39:53.46\00:39:54.82
I'll never forget after 9/11,
the church attendance said that
00:39:54.82\00:39:58.13
Sacramento Central
was record breaking.
00:39:58.13\00:40:02.06
And that didn't
even happen in our state.
00:40:02.06\00:40:03.87
The whole city came together
to hear the Word of God.
00:40:05.50\00:40:07.77
How many of you like
to see that happen again?
00:40:07.77\00:40:09.94
Do you think it will
happen again before Jesus comes?
00:40:09.94\00:40:12.37
People will be so
hungry for the Word of God.
00:40:12.37\00:40:15.38
That's a good missionary
to get the whole city.
00:40:15.38\00:40:19.15
Now the devil, what
do you think of that?
00:40:19.15\00:40:22.08
You know one reason that
Paul was able to do this.
00:40:22.08\00:40:25.05
Paul, how could Paul speak
00:40:25.05\00:40:26.92
to a gentile city in Asia Minor?
00:40:26.92\00:40:29.16
He's a Jew.
00:40:30.59\00:40:32.36
Paul spoke many languages.
00:40:32.36\00:40:34.96
He was very
educated. How do we know this?
00:40:34.96\00:40:37.27
Acts 14:18, Paul
said, "I thank My God,
00:40:37.27\00:40:42.04
I speak with
tongues more than you all."
00:40:42.04\00:40:45.44
Some people read that verse,
00:40:45.44\00:40:47.18
they think it
means that Paul babbled
00:40:47.18\00:40:50.38
like Pentecostals
interpret babbling,
00:40:50.38\00:40:53.48
and that he babbled
more often than anyone else
00:40:53.48\00:40:57.02
in these spiritual
tongues that nobody understands.
00:40:57.02\00:41:00.16
And you've probably
seen what I'm talking about
00:41:00.16\00:41:01.62
charismatic churches.
00:41:01.62\00:41:02.69
It's not what Paul means.
00:41:02.69\00:41:03.83
Paul means, "I'm thankful,
00:41:03.83\00:41:05.16
I speak with more
languages than you all."
00:41:05.16\00:41:07.66
Paul was widely traveled,
00:41:07.66\00:41:09.30
he was very
fluent in many languages,
00:41:09.30\00:41:12.00
and he was probably the most
educated of all the apostles.
00:41:12.00\00:41:15.30
And that's how he
was able to preach.
00:41:15.30\00:41:17.77
And then you got the message
of what happened in Iconium.
00:41:17.77\00:41:21.18
You go to Acts 13:45.
00:41:21.18\00:41:23.91
So when the Jews
saw these converts,
00:41:23.91\00:41:25.71
were they happy?
00:41:25.71\00:41:27.62
"But when the Jews
saw the multitudes,
00:41:27.62\00:41:29.82
they were filled with envy."
00:41:29.82\00:41:31.29
The Jews that
didn't accept Jesus.
00:41:31.29\00:41:33.22
"And they contradicted,
and they went against them,
00:41:33.22\00:41:36.52
and they blasphemed,
00:41:36.52\00:41:37.89
and they oppose
things spoken by Paul.
00:41:37.89\00:41:41.40
Then Paul and
Barnabas grew bold and said,
00:41:41.40\00:41:43.33
'It was necessary
that the word of God
00:41:43.33\00:41:45.17
should be spoken to
you, but since you reject it,
00:41:45.17\00:41:48.00
and judge yourselves
unworthy of everlasting life,
00:41:48.00\00:41:51.21
behold, we turn to the gentiles.
00:41:51.21\00:41:54.24
For the Lord has commanded us,
00:41:54.24\00:41:55.88
'I have set you as a
light to the gentiles.'"
00:41:55.88\00:41:57.71
Now this is also a
very important statement.
00:41:57.71\00:41:59.91
When they went to a
synagogue, they go there first,
00:41:59.91\00:42:02.55
if they accept
it like the Bereans,
00:42:02.55\00:42:04.19
they studied
whether these things are so,
00:42:04.19\00:42:05.99
they embraced it, great.
00:42:05.99\00:42:07.32
If they didn't and
they persecuted them,
00:42:07.32\00:42:09.42
they said, "Look,
we go to the gentiles."
00:42:09.42\00:42:13.33
And when the gentiles
heard this, they were glad,
00:42:13.33\00:42:16.30
and they glorified
the Word of the Lord.
00:42:16.30\00:42:18.23
And as many as
have been appointed
00:42:18.23\00:42:19.53
to eternal life, believed.
00:42:19.53\00:42:22.00
And you go to verse 49.
00:42:22.00\00:42:23.77
"And the Word of the
Lord was being spread
00:42:23.77\00:42:25.41
throughout all of the region.
00:42:25.41\00:42:27.51
But the Jews
stirred up the devout
00:42:27.51\00:42:29.38
and prominent women and
the chief men of the city,
00:42:29.38\00:42:33.01
and raised up persecution
against Paul and Barnabas."
00:42:33.01\00:42:36.99
Now someone's
going to read for me
00:42:36.99\00:42:38.72
Matthew 10 in just a moment.
00:42:38.72\00:42:40.02
You can get ready
for that, Matthew 10:14.
00:42:40.02\00:42:42.39
Notice what happens.
00:42:42.39\00:42:43.43
"After they persecuted them,
00:42:43.43\00:42:45.26
they expelled them
from their region."
00:42:45.26\00:42:48.60
They were
kicked out of the city.
00:42:48.60\00:42:51.13
But they shook the dust
off their feet against them.
00:42:51.13\00:42:54.77
Now how many of you remember
when Jesus told the apostles,
00:42:54.77\00:42:56.94
"When you go out preaching,
if they don't accept you,
00:42:56.94\00:42:58.77
then shake the
dust off your feet."
00:42:58.77\00:43:00.88
You remember that?
00:43:00.88\00:43:01.94
Go ahead and read
that for us, Darrell.
00:43:01.94\00:43:04.35
"And whoever
will not receive you
00:43:04.35\00:43:05.88
nor hear your words,
00:43:05.88\00:43:07.02
when you depart
from that house or city,
00:43:07.02\00:43:08.82
shake off the
dust from your feet.
00:43:08.82\00:43:10.95
Assuredly, I say to you,
it will be more tolerable
00:43:10.95\00:43:14.26
for the land of
Sodom and Gomorrah
00:43:14.26\00:43:16.56
in the day of
judgment than for that city!"
00:43:16.56\00:43:19.03
Now how many of
you have witnessed
00:43:20.80\00:43:22.10
and shared your faith?
00:43:22.10\00:43:24.77
Okay, good. I hope
every hand goes up.
00:43:24.77\00:43:27.24
I think you all
have to do something.
00:43:27.24\00:43:29.60
How many of you
have had someone tell you
00:43:29.60\00:43:31.11
that they were not interested
in what you had to share?
00:43:31.11\00:43:34.11
Nicely or not so nicely,
00:43:34.11\00:43:35.31
sometimes people
just say not now.
00:43:35.31\00:43:37.48
How many of you have
shook the dust off your feet?
00:43:37.48\00:43:40.55
Yeah, well.
00:43:40.55\00:43:42.92
Yeah, the Jehovah
Witnesses are actually taught
00:43:42.92\00:43:45.72
that if they go
to a neighborhood
00:43:45.72\00:43:48.32
or might even be at
home, if the people say,
00:43:48.32\00:43:50.89
"Get out of here,
we don't want it."
00:43:50.89\00:43:52.06
They go through a little
ritual where they tap their...
00:43:52.06\00:43:55.10
they literally shake
the dust off your feet.
00:43:55.10\00:43:59.23
That's biblical I guess, huh?
00:43:59.23\00:44:02.44
But no one
really wants to think,
00:44:02.44\00:44:04.14
"I don't even
want the dust of you."
00:44:04.14\00:44:07.11
But they did.
00:44:07.11\00:44:08.28
They said, "We're going to shake
00:44:08.28\00:44:09.38
the dust off our feet."
00:44:09.38\00:44:10.88
And then you have, of course,
00:44:10.88\00:44:12.15
when they go to
Lystra and Derbe.
00:44:12.15\00:44:14.55
Now we're in Acts 14.
00:44:14.55\00:44:16.55
And I've got to
hasten along here.
00:44:16.55\00:44:19.39
"Now it happened in
Iconium that they..."
00:44:19.39\00:44:22.22
They went down to Lystra,
they went over to Iconium.
00:44:22.22\00:44:27.86
"They went together to
the synagogue of the Jews,
00:44:27.86\00:44:30.30
and so they spoke
at a great multitude
00:44:30.30\00:44:32.50
both of the Jews and
of the Greeks believed.
00:44:32.50\00:44:34.90
But the unbelieving
Jews stirred up the gentiles
00:44:34.90\00:44:37.51
and poisoned their
minds against the brethren.
00:44:37.51\00:44:40.91
Therefore they
stayed there a long time."
00:44:40.91\00:44:42.68
They had to fight
against the heresy.
00:44:42.68\00:44:44.98
"Speaking boldly in the Lord,
00:44:44.98\00:44:47.32
who was bearing witness
to the word of His grace,
00:44:47.32\00:44:49.72
granting signs and wonders
to be done by their hands.
00:44:49.72\00:44:53.96
But the multitude of
the city was divided,
00:44:53.96\00:44:56.42
part of them
sided with the Jews,
00:44:56.42\00:44:57.59
and part with the apostles."
00:44:57.59\00:44:58.66
They got the whole city divided.
00:44:58.66\00:45:00.13
Now when you preach, will
the gospel bring division?
00:45:00.13\00:45:04.47
What did Jesus say,
"I came to send peace."
00:45:04.47\00:45:07.80
What did He said, "I
didn't come to send peace,
00:45:07.80\00:45:09.04
I came to send a sword."
00:45:09.04\00:45:12.31
A man's foes will be
they of his own house.
00:45:12.31\00:45:14.48
There will be division
in families, and towns,
00:45:14.48\00:45:17.15
and neighborhoods and cities
and whole city became divided.
00:45:17.15\00:45:20.68
And people could easily
say, "We know you guys are bad
00:45:20.68\00:45:23.55
because you've
divided our community."
00:45:23.55\00:45:27.02
But does sometimes
the gospel cause division?
00:45:27.02\00:45:29.82
They all have
become divided over this.
00:45:29.82\00:45:32.36
But God gave them signs,
and wonders, and miracles.
00:45:32.36\00:45:36.00
"And when a violent attempt
was made by both the gentiles
00:45:36.00\00:45:39.27
and the Jews, with their rulers,
00:45:39.27\00:45:40.50
to abuse and to stone them,
00:45:40.50\00:45:42.40
they became aware of
it and they fled to Lystra
00:45:42.40\00:45:44.47
and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia,
00:45:44.47\00:45:46.57
and the surrounding region."
00:45:46.57\00:45:47.91
When they
persecute you in the city,
00:45:47.91\00:45:49.21
go to the next.
00:45:49.21\00:45:50.48
"And they were
preaching the gospel there.
00:45:50.48\00:45:53.48
And in Lystra a certain man
00:45:53.48\00:45:58.12
without strength in
his feet was sitting,
00:45:58.12\00:45:59.82
crippled from
his mother's womb,"
00:45:59.82\00:46:02.02
just like in Acts 3,
from his mother's womb,
00:46:02.02\00:46:04.66
he was crippled in his
feet, who had never walked.
00:46:04.66\00:46:07.73
This man heard Paul speaking.
00:46:07.73\00:46:08.86
And Paul,
observing him intently,
00:46:08.86\00:46:11.03
seeing that he had
faith to be healed,
00:46:11.03\00:46:12.97
he said with a loud voice,
00:46:12.97\00:46:14.24
'Stand straight
up on your feet!'
00:46:14.24\00:46:16.14
And he leaped and walked."
00:46:16.14\00:46:18.21
Again, it says that's
what happened in Acts 3.
00:46:18.21\00:46:21.28
Walking, and
leaping, and praising God.
00:46:21.28\00:46:23.78
"Now when the people
saw what Paul had done,
00:46:23.78\00:46:25.78
they raised their voices
00:46:25.78\00:46:26.95
in the
Lycaonian language saying,
00:46:26.95\00:46:28.92
'The gods have come down
to us in the likeness of men!'
00:46:28.92\00:46:31.99
And Barnabas they called Zeus,
and Paul, they called Hermes."
00:46:31.99\00:46:36.06
Now isn't that interesting,
00:46:36.06\00:46:37.16
they're trying
to give Greek gods
00:46:37.16\00:46:38.43
to these Jewish apostles,
00:46:38.43\00:46:40.20
Greek names or Greek gods.
00:46:40.20\00:46:43.26
Did the Romans later gave
Jewish names to their idols?
00:46:43.26\00:46:47.84
They called Diana,
Mary, and they called Peter,
00:46:47.84\00:46:51.74
Mercury, or Pluto, or Jupiter,
00:46:51.74\00:46:56.01
and they started
renaming their idols.
00:46:56.01\00:46:59.78
And they are preparing
to make offering to them,
00:46:59.78\00:47:03.49
and they get oxen
to be slaughtered,
00:47:03.49\00:47:05.29
they're bringing
flowers and garlands,
00:47:05.29\00:47:06.59
they're going to
make sacrifice to them
00:47:06.59\00:47:08.16
because this miracle that
gods have come down to us.
00:47:08.16\00:47:10.53
That's almost as bad
as a plain persecution.
00:47:10.53\00:47:13.56
The last thing they
want us to be worshiped.
00:47:13.56\00:47:15.46
"When the apostles
Barnabas and Paul heard this,
00:47:15.46\00:47:17.77
they tore their clothes
00:47:17.77\00:47:18.97
and they ran
among the multitude,
00:47:18.97\00:47:20.30
crying out and saying, 'Men,
00:47:20.30\00:47:21.84
why are you doing these things?
00:47:21.84\00:47:23.27
We also are men with
the same nature as you,
00:47:23.27\00:47:26.64
and we preach to
you that you should turn
00:47:26.64\00:47:28.61
from these useless
things to the living God,
00:47:28.61\00:47:30.91
who made the
heaven and the earth,'"
00:47:30.91\00:47:32.25
that kind of offended them
that they didn't appreciate
00:47:32.25\00:47:34.38
their
willingness to worship them.
00:47:34.38\00:47:37.99
"God, who made the heaven,
and the earth, and the sea,"
00:47:37.99\00:47:39.65
that's the God of the Sabbath,
00:47:39.65\00:47:41.52
"And all things
that are in them,
00:47:41.52\00:47:43.29
who in bygone generations
allowed all the nations
00:47:43.29\00:47:45.79
to walk in their own ways.
00:47:45.79\00:47:47.36
Nevertheless He did not
leave Himself without witness,
00:47:47.36\00:47:49.86
in that He did good,
00:47:49.86\00:47:51.00
and He gave us rain from
heaven and fruitful seasons,
00:47:51.00\00:47:53.77
filling our hearts
with good and gladness.'
00:47:53.77\00:47:55.80
And with all these
things they could scarcely
00:47:55.80\00:47:58.57
restrain the multitudes
from sacrificing to them."
00:47:58.57\00:48:01.88
In other words,
they're getting ready
00:48:01.88\00:48:03.35
to worship them in this verse,
00:48:03.35\00:48:04.58
I just got to
finish this real quick.
00:48:04.58\00:48:06.98
Go to verse 19.
00:48:06.98\00:48:08.72
"Then Jews came
from Antioch and Iconium.
00:48:08.72\00:48:11.69
And they came there,
00:48:11.69\00:48:12.85
having persuaded the multitudes,
00:48:12.85\00:48:14.59
they stoned Paul and
dragged him out of the city
00:48:14.59\00:48:17.63
supposing him to be dead.
00:48:17.63\00:48:20.33
However, when the
disciples gathered around him,
00:48:20.33\00:48:22.30
he rose up and he
went into the city.
00:48:22.30\00:48:24.87
And he departed the next
day with Barnabas to Derbe."
00:48:24.87\00:48:27.67
One minute they're saying,
00:48:27.67\00:48:30.21
"Hail, the king.
00:48:30.21\00:48:31.67
The son of David,
Hosanna, then they crucify him."
00:48:31.67\00:48:34.88
One minute they're saying,
00:48:34.88\00:48:36.08
"We want to make
offerings to you,
00:48:36.08\00:48:38.21
and then they stone him
in the next few verses."
00:48:38.21\00:48:41.32
The crowd can be
pretty fickle, huh?
00:48:41.32\00:48:44.25
Going from worship to
war in just a few verses.
00:48:44.25\00:48:49.86
And eventually you'll need
00:48:49.86\00:48:51.29
to continue reading
chapter 14, it says,
00:48:51.29\00:48:53.46
"They
strengthened the converts."
00:48:53.46\00:48:55.46
And our passage
ends in verse 26.
00:48:55.46\00:48:57.80
"From there they
sailed to Antioch,
00:48:57.80\00:48:59.93
where they had been commended
00:48:59.93\00:49:01.17
to the grace of God for the work
00:49:01.17\00:49:02.90
which they completed.
00:49:02.90\00:49:04.14
They finally made
this circle in their work,
00:49:04.14\00:49:06.27
they came back,
and they gave a report
00:49:06.27\00:49:08.34
and had a little R and R.
00:49:08.34\00:49:10.01
And, you know,
when the missionaries
00:49:10.01\00:49:11.08
aren't doing their work,
00:49:11.08\00:49:12.08
it's good for him to go
back every now and then,
00:49:12.08\00:49:13.45
and encourage, give a report.
00:49:13.45\00:49:14.98
They did not have
email back then to inspire.
00:49:14.98\00:49:18.85
They also probably had
to do a little more fund
00:49:18.85\00:49:20.52
raising to go back out again.
00:49:20.52\00:49:22.32
Anyway, hopefully
that's been a blessing.
00:49:22.32\00:49:24.46
We have a free offer,
00:49:24.46\00:49:25.53
I want to remind
you before we sign off
00:49:25.53\00:49:27.66
that we'll send
you if you call in.
00:49:27.66\00:49:30.33
It's "Is it Easier
to be Saved or Lost?"
00:49:30.33\00:49:33.47
You can dial 866-Study-More.
00:49:33.47\00:49:36.44
That's 866-788-3966
for that free offer,
00:49:36.44\00:49:40.24
ask for offer number 853.
00:49:40.24\00:49:43.14
It's actually a good
message if I say to myself.
00:49:43.14\00:49:45.48
You can text the
code "SH102" to 40544,
00:49:45.48\00:49:51.79
you can get a
digital download of this,
00:49:51.79\00:49:53.99
and listen to it right away.
00:49:53.99\00:49:55.16
That should be on
your screen as well.
00:49:55.16\00:49:56.66
Thank you very much for
studying the Word with us.
00:49:56.66\00:49:58.69
God willing, we'll do
it again next Sabbath.
00:49:58.69\00:50:00.90
Can't get enough
Amazing Facts Bible Study?
00:50:02.50\00:50:05.37
You don't have to
wait until next week
00:50:05.37\00:50:07.07
to enjoy more
truth-filled programming.
00:50:07.07\00:50:09.70
Visit the Amazing Facts
Media Library at aftv.org.
00:50:09.70\00:50:14.81
At aftv.org,
00:50:14.81\00:50:17.05
you can enjoy video
and audio presentations
00:50:17.05\00:50:19.55
as well as printed
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00:50:19.55\00:50:22.98
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00:50:22.98\00:50:25.45
right from your
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00:50:25.45\00:50:27.56
Visit aftv.org.
00:50:27.56\00:50:31.19
Amazing Facts Changed Lives.
00:50:35.50\00:50:38.23
It was ongoing with me,
I would get up and drink,
00:50:43.57\00:50:47.94
I would go to work and drink,
I would come home and drink.
00:50:47.94\00:50:50.61
And that was my way of life.
00:50:50.61\00:50:54.02
I had an older sister.
00:50:54.02\00:50:56.18
And in 2008, we received a
phone call from her husband
00:50:56.18\00:50:59.69
saying that she was involved
00:50:59.69\00:51:01.36
in a very serious home accident.
00:51:01.36\00:51:03.59
She had fallen
outside on her patio,
00:51:03.59\00:51:06.63
it was a concrete
patio, and she hit her head.
00:51:06.63\00:51:10.77
Because she was
a drunken stupor,
00:51:10.77\00:51:13.47
and she needed
emergency brain surgery
00:51:13.47\00:51:17.27
because of the trauma
that she had suffered.
00:51:17.27\00:51:19.51
And so they were able to
stop the bleeding in her brain,
00:51:19.51\00:51:23.01
but her organs started
shutting down one by one.
00:51:23.01\00:51:26.38
So here I was, you
know, I hadn't had a drink
00:51:26.38\00:51:29.68
being a full
blown alcoholic myself,
00:51:29.68\00:51:31.09
I hadn't had a drink
in probably full day,
00:51:31.09\00:51:34.96
which was, you
know, a lifetime for me.
00:51:34.96\00:51:37.73
And during the time
we're watching there,
00:51:37.73\00:51:39.49
and they said that
she was going to make it,
00:51:39.49\00:51:41.10
and we had made the
decision as a group, you know,
00:51:41.10\00:51:43.50
with her children
present and her husband
00:51:43.50\00:51:45.40
that they were
just going to go ahead
00:51:45.40\00:51:46.63
and pull the plug.
00:51:46.63\00:51:47.97
And during that time
watching her fade away,
00:51:47.97\00:51:50.27
God forgive me,
00:51:50.27\00:51:51.44
but I sat there
asking her to die fast,
00:51:51.44\00:51:56.08
so I could go get a drink.
00:51:56.08\00:51:58.68
And, you know, I
didn't even see it then.
00:51:58.68\00:52:01.52
I didn't see how
bad I was at that time.
00:52:01.52\00:52:03.69
But now I look back at it
now, and it just tears me up.
00:52:03.69\00:52:09.52
And alcohol, that's
what it does to you.
00:52:09.52\00:52:12.36
I was walking out to go to work
one morning with my breakfast,
00:52:12.36\00:52:15.50
which was a six pack of beer.
00:52:15.50\00:52:17.93
And as I was
climbing into my truck,
00:52:17.93\00:52:20.84
it just hit me
that it was enough.
00:52:20.84\00:52:24.87
So I turned around, and
took the six pack of beer
00:52:24.87\00:52:27.78
and I threw it in trash can.
00:52:27.78\00:52:29.54
And I went and told
my wife, I needed help.
00:52:29.54\00:52:32.61
And there's two
things I never do,
00:52:32.61\00:52:33.85
ask for help,
and throw away beer.
00:52:33.85\00:52:36.55
And, you know, thank
God I was able to do both.
00:52:36.55\00:52:41.19
Well, when I
finally got to the hospital,
00:52:41.19\00:52:43.49
and they came, got
me, and took me in.
00:52:43.49\00:52:46.49
And when they did a
blood alcohol on me,
00:52:46.49\00:52:48.90
they had to do it twice
because they weren't quite sure
00:52:48.90\00:52:50.93
it was right, but was .38.
00:52:50.93\00:52:54.04
They were all amazed
00:52:54.04\00:52:55.17
I was even able to
walk in there little,
00:52:55.17\00:52:57.17
you know, being conscious.
00:52:57.17\00:52:59.61
It was about two months
after I got out of treatment
00:52:59.61\00:53:02.04
and starting my fresh
life, I left home, left my wife,
00:53:02.04\00:53:06.38
and I was going to start
my new life with sobriety,
00:53:06.38\00:53:09.02
and she wasn't
going to be part of it.
00:53:09.02\00:53:10.85
So I moved out,
00:53:10.85\00:53:12.09
and I was on my way
to the store one morning
00:53:12.09\00:53:15.09
when I was T-boned,
broadsided by an oncoming SUV.
00:53:15.09\00:53:20.30
And the driver
side door of my truck,
00:53:20.30\00:53:23.37
and this driver was doing
00:53:23.37\00:53:24.50
at estimated 65
to 70 miles an hour,
00:53:24.50\00:53:27.54
and he smack on
my side of the door.
00:53:27.54\00:53:30.04
I woke up in the
passenger seat of the truck.
00:53:30.04\00:53:33.54
And I remember coming to
00:53:33.54\00:53:35.21
and hearing
people standing outside,
00:53:35.21\00:53:37.18
"Look, he's still alive."
00:53:37.18\00:53:38.95
There was hairline
fractures in my pelvis,
00:53:38.95\00:53:41.25
and some compression
fracture in my spine.
00:53:41.25\00:53:43.85
And so on all
intents and purposes,
00:53:43.85\00:53:46.42
I walked away from an action.
00:53:46.42\00:53:47.79
I had no business living.
00:53:47.79\00:53:49.92
While with a broken back,
00:53:49.92\00:53:50.96
I wasn't allowed
to be vertical for...
00:53:50.96\00:53:54.10
But very short periods of time,
00:53:54.10\00:53:55.93
and I wasn't very mobile
with the fractured pelvis.
00:53:55.93\00:54:00.24
So I was forced
to move back home.
00:54:00.24\00:54:03.20
And, you know, thank
God I've got a stubborn wife
00:54:03.20\00:54:06.64
who was willing to take me
back and put up with all this.
00:54:06.64\00:54:10.48
During my
recovery, the only thing
00:54:10.48\00:54:11.95
that I could really
do was watch television.
00:54:11.95\00:54:14.48
And so I was
thumbing through the channels,
00:54:14.48\00:54:16.92
I noticed a
gentleman, and I had to stop
00:54:16.92\00:54:20.39
because he was proclaiming
that you can't prove biblically
00:54:20.39\00:54:24.16
that the Sabbath was
changed from Saturday to Sunday.
00:54:24.16\00:54:27.13
And that it's not biblical.
00:54:27.13\00:54:29.06
And I thought,
"Well, you know what?
00:54:29.06\00:54:31.43
I think I can do this."
00:54:31.43\00:54:33.84
You know, so I took up my Bible,
00:54:33.84\00:54:35.07
and did something strange to me,
00:54:35.07\00:54:36.57
which was actually study.
00:54:36.57\00:54:38.74
You know, and over a
course of several months
00:54:38.74\00:54:41.78
of watching this man
who I would later discover
00:54:41.78\00:54:44.28
was Pastor Doug Batchelor.
00:54:44.28\00:54:45.71
I started trying to disprove
everything he was saying.
00:54:48.28\00:54:51.69
And the more I read
and the more I studied,
00:54:51.69\00:54:54.26
the more I found out
00:54:54.26\00:54:55.32
that not only
could I not disprove it,
00:54:55.32\00:54:59.66
I was believing it,
00:54:59.66\00:55:00.90
and I realized it was the truth.
00:55:00.90\00:55:03.40
Then I started
soaking up everything
00:55:03.40\00:55:05.20
that Amazing Facts had.
00:55:05.20\00:55:07.04
I was at the website, you
know, doing all the reading.
00:55:07.04\00:55:09.27
I was looking at the
Sabbath truths, I was,
00:55:09.27\00:55:11.74
you know, downloading,
streaming everything they had.
00:55:11.74\00:55:14.18
You know, and I was
really, really getting it.
00:55:14.18\00:55:16.68
And it helped me so much.
00:55:16.68\00:55:18.38
Over a process of
about three months,
00:55:18.38\00:55:21.28
while studying, you
know, with Doug Batchelor
00:55:21.28\00:55:24.32
and the Amazing Facts team,
00:55:24.32\00:55:25.49
and then, you know,
of course, just my Bible.
00:55:25.49\00:55:28.19
But over that three months,
00:55:28.19\00:55:29.76
I had fallen in love with Christ
00:55:29.76\00:55:32.36
like I never had before.
00:55:32.36\00:55:34.10
And not only was my
back and my pelvis healed,
00:55:34.10\00:55:37.20
my soul was healed.
00:55:37.20\00:55:39.53
And I experienced an emotional
and a mental healing that,
00:55:39.53\00:55:45.11
you know, I had been
longing for, for years.
00:55:45.11\00:55:50.48
I've got to do
something. What do I do next?
00:55:50.48\00:55:52.98
So I looked up
in the phone book,
00:55:52.98\00:55:55.02
and I phoned the
number for the local pastor.
00:55:55.02\00:55:57.25
And I called him and
said, "Hi, my name is Brian.
00:55:57.25\00:55:59.22
I've just been
converted. Where do I go?"
00:55:59.22\00:56:02.66
And the poor guy was like,
"Brian, it's nice to meet you.
00:56:02.66\00:56:05.16
Converted from
what and go where?"
00:56:05.16\00:56:08.06
And I said, "That's
what I want to know."
00:56:08.06\00:56:10.67
But we had a
little laugh over that.
00:56:10.67\00:56:12.20
He thought I was moving.
00:56:12.20\00:56:13.27
And before he knew
it, I was, you know,
00:56:13.27\00:56:16.04
heart and soul
into this little church.
00:56:16.04\00:56:18.57
And I was
studying with the pastor
00:56:18.57\00:56:21.64
and decided, you
know, I want to be baptized,
00:56:21.64\00:56:23.48
I want to be re-baptized.
00:56:23.48\00:56:25.75
And we thought, great.
00:56:25.75\00:56:27.48
So I did some
study and we agreed that
00:56:27.48\00:56:31.35
I was gonna be
baptized on this date.
00:56:31.35\00:56:33.02
Well, the next
morning, my wife asked me, said,
00:56:33.02\00:56:35.02
"You realize what day this is?"
00:56:35.02\00:56:36.19
I said, "Well, it's Sabbath."
00:56:36.19\00:56:38.19
And Sabbath was
amazing in itself,
00:56:38.19\00:56:41.40
but she said,
"Look at the calendar."
00:56:41.40\00:56:44.43
And when I
looked at the calendar,
00:56:44.43\00:56:46.43
on that day was my one
year anniversary of my sobriety.
00:56:46.43\00:56:50.14
I was being baptized
one year after being sober.
00:56:50.14\00:56:53.71
And I just thought, you know,
this doesn't seem coincidence,
00:56:53.71\00:56:56.24
that was just amazing
that God worked out for me.
00:56:56.24\00:56:59.95
God has done
amazing things with my life.
00:56:59.95\00:57:02.02
And I have to
give Him, you know,
00:57:02.02\00:57:05.29
all the credit because short
of just responding, you know,
00:57:05.29\00:57:11.06
I have done
nothing, and it's been Him.
00:57:11.06\00:57:13.19
And it's pleasure,
00:57:13.19\00:57:15.66
absolute pleasure to
be called child of God.
00:57:15.66\00:57:18.50
I'm really
thankful that God used
00:57:18.50\00:57:20.70
Amazing Facts television program
00:57:20.70\00:57:22.77
and Pastor Doug Batchelor
to make a change in my life.
00:57:22.77\00:57:26.34
Together we have spread
00:57:30.78\00:57:32.48
the gospel much
farther than ever before.
00:57:32.48\00:57:36.08
Thank you for your support.
00:57:36.08\00:57:37.79
Did you know
that Noah was present
00:57:41.46\00:57:43.12
at the birth of Abraham?
00:57:43.12\00:57:44.83
Okay, maybe he
wasn't in the room.
00:57:44.83\00:57:47.46
But he was alive and
probably telling stories
00:57:47.46\00:57:49.90
about his floating zoo.
00:57:49.90\00:57:52.10
From the creation of the world
00:57:52.10\00:57:53.74
to the last day
events of Revelation,
00:57:53.74\00:57:56.10
biblehistory.com
is a free resource
00:57:56.10\00:57:58.71
where you can explore major
Bible events and characters.
00:57:58.71\00:58:02.31
Enhance your
knowledge of the Bible
00:58:02.31\00:58:04.35
and draw closer to God's Word.
00:58:04.35\00:58:06.68
Go deeper, visit the
amazing Bible Timeline
00:58:06.68\00:58:10.12
at biblehistory.com.
00:58:10.12\00:58:12.05