Good morning, friends.
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Welcome again to
Sabbath School Study Hour
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here at the Granite Bay
Seventh-Day Adventist Church
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in Sacramento, California.
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A very warm welcome
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to our online members
and those who are joining us
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across the country
and around the world
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and the various
television networks,
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we're delighted
that you're here with us
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to study our lesson together.
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Also, the
members and the visitors
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as usual here at
the Granite Bay church,
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always a warm welcome to you.
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Good to see you
here this morning.
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We've been sending
through the book of Acts,
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that's been out theme
for the entire quarter.
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Today, we find
ourselves on lesson number nine,
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which is entitled The
Second Missionary Journey.
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So we'll deal with that
in more detail this morning.
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But before we get to our lesson,
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we'd like to let our
friends know of a free offer,
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it is a sermon
DVD by Pastor Doug
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entitled Spurning
a Great Invitation.
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And this is our
free offer for today.
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If you'd like to
receive this DVD,
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you'd want to give us a
call on our resource phone line,
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that's 866-788-3966,
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and you can ask
for offer number 854.
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We'll be happy to send that
to anyone who calls and asks.
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You can also
receive this sermon DVD
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in a digital format
simply by texting the code
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"SH103" to the number 40544.
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You'll then
receive an email link
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where you can
download this sermon DVD,
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and I think it will be
a great blessing to you.
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Well, before we get
to our lesson study,
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we always like to begin
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with lifting our voices in song.
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I'd like to
invite our song leaders
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to come forward.
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At this time, Pastor Ross
will have our opening prayer.
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Dear Father in heaven,
once again, we are so grateful
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for the opportunity to
gather to get in your house,
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open up Your Word and study.
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Lord, this is an
important subject
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and the great commission
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has been given
to us individually
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to take the gospel
to those nearest to us
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and then to some of us
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to take the
gospel around the world
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and pray that we
might be inspired
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and instructed as we
look at Paul's example
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that we find in
the book of Acts.
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Bless our time together
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for we ask this
in Jesus' name, amen.
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This morning, our
lesson will be brought to us
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by Pastor Dough Bachelor.
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Good morning, friends.
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I want to welcome
any who are visiting
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could be just my imagination,
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it seems like we
have a lot of visitors
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from around different parts
of California in the country,
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we're glad you're
here worshipping with us
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at the Granite Bay Church
studying the Word with us.
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I want to welcome our
extended Sabbath school class
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that's watching on television,
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and we've got a great lesson
today from the book of Acts.
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Our focus is going to be today
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to read Acts 16 and 17 and 18
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through about verse 11.
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A lot of
adventures happened in here.
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We're dealing with Paul's
Second Missionary Journey.
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And there's three principle
ones that it talks about,
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we're talking of the
second journey today.
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And we have a memory verse.
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The memory verse is
from Acts 18:9 and 10.
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I always feel more
secure if you say it with me,
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that's Acts 18:9 and 10.
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I'm reading it from
the New King James here.
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Do you have it?
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"Now the Lord spoke to
Paul in the night by a vision,
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'Do not be afraid,
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but speak and
do not keep silent,
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for I am with you,
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and no one will
attack you to hurt you,
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for I have many
people in this city.'"
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And He makes that
promise in Acts 18
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because in Acts
16 he is attacked.
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And so God was
trying to encourage Paul,
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"Don't be
bashful about preaching,"
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He says, "I'm with you,
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I've got a lot of
people in the city."
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They did attack
Sosthenes, his friend,
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but didn't attack Paul.
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God protected him.
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Anyway we're going to
learn a lot about this.
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And why don't you go
with me in your Bibles
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to the book of Acts 16,
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we'll be doing well if
we can get through it all.
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Acts 16, I'm going to
start right with verse 1.
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And it says, "And then
he came to Derby and Lystra,
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and, behold, a certain disciple
was there named Timothy,
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the son of a
certain Jewish woman,
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who believed, but
his father was a Greek,
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and he was well
spoken of by the brethren
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who were at Lystra and Iconium."
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Now it doesn't say much
about how Paul got to Jerusalem
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or how he got from
Jerusalem back up to Lystra,
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you can read at
the end of chapter 15.
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It says, "Paul
chose Silas and departed
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being commended
by their brethren..."
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I mean, the Acts 15:14,
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"Being commanded by
the brethren and departed.
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And he went
through Syria and Sicilia
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strengthening the churches."
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So it doesn't go
into everything he said
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in every church that
he visited along the way,
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but it's kind of
taking up the narrative now
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with a new
experiences in new churches.
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So as he went
from church to church
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going from
Jerusalem back through Antioch
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he makes his
way up to the Lystra
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and he's been strengthening
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the churches that
he had established,
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you read in other
places that he went,
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he's appointing elders.
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And if they needed
a change in leadership
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or more leadership,
he would help there.
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But he was in a hurry
to get on and do more what?
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Paul is an Itinerant
evangelist, he's a missionary,
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he wants to get on
and do more mission work.
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Now with a little bit of sadness
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in the Bachelor
family this week,
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now all the kids left than this
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little more than a year ago,
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Nathan came home for the summer
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and he's taking a
year off of college
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and he's going to
do "mission" work.
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And he's going to be part
of the church mission program
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and we had took
him to the airport,
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actually Karen
took him to the airport
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yesterday morning,
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and he's flying to
the Marshall Islands
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in the South
Pacific place called Majuro,
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we're going to pray for him.
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In Bible times,
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they did not
take jets to islands
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when they went
to do mission work.
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They took very slow boats.
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And the cabins were
not very comfortable.
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And the accommodations
were very primitive.
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And sometimes 50%
of the missionaries
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would die of scurvy
or disease or shipwreck
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before they ever got
to their mission fields.
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So going to do
mission work in Paul's day
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took a great deal of courage.
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Let me just read you
just so you get your mind
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kind of wrapped
around what's involved in it.
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Paul's account, now Paul
is writing to the Corinthians
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and he's actually
arguing a different point,
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but listen to how he describes
what he had been through,
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and in some of his
missionary journeys
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and then not over yet.
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Go to 2 Corinthians 11:23.
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I think Debbie referred
to this in her comments.
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2 Corinthians 11:23.
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"Are they ministers of Christ?
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I speak as a fool," you
see, I'm getting ready to brag.
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I'm talking like a fool.
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"I am more, in
labors more abundant,
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in stripes above measure."
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I've been whipped so many times,
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can't even count, "In
prisons, more frequently."
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It's like can you
see all the missionaries
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in Christ's
time getting together
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and say, "Oh, what
you guys have been doing?"
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"Oh, well, I've
been in six prisons."
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"Six? I've been
in eight prisons."
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I mean, this is
the kind of thing
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that says I was in
prisons, not prison,
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prisons more frequently.
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"I've been arrested
so many times in deaths,"
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not death, "deaths
often from the Jews 5 times,
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40 stripes minus 1,"
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he doesn't even
talk about the gentiles.
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"Three times I
was beaten with rods.
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Once I was stoned, three
times I was shipwrecked."
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So there you have it again,
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going as you travel on
these missionary trips.
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Every time you got on
a boat, it was dangerous.
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Yeah, of course, how
did Jonah's journey end?
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You remember reading about
where was a King Jehoshaphat
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went to build ships
with the king of Israel,
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and they were all shipwrecked,
the whole venture was lost.
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And so it was a risky business.
00:10:58.12\00:11:00.59
"Shipwrecked three
times, a night and a day,
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I have been in the deep,"
he floated around in the ocean.
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"In journeys often
in perils of water,
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in perils of robbers, in
perils of my own countrymen,
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in perils of the
Gentiles, in perils in the city,
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in perils in the wilderness."
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You could say he had a
city and a country ministry.
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"In perils in the sea, in
perils among false brethren,
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in weariness and toil,
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in sleeplessness
often in hunger and thirst,
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in fasting often,
in cold and nakedness.
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Besides all of these
things what comes upon me daily,
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my deep concern
for all the churches."
00:11:37.93\00:11:40.40
So Paul comes from
missionary journey number one,
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he gets to Jerusalem,
he checks into a hotel,
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and he gets a hot
shower and a nice meal.
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And someone says, "Are you ready
00:11:48.57\00:11:49.60
for missionary
journey number two?"
00:11:49.60\00:11:52.37
How many of you were
signed up for number two?
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Let alone three?
You couldn't stop him.
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He said,
00:11:59.75\00:12:00.85
"You know, I feel
constrained to preach Christ."
00:12:00.85\00:12:05.79
It was his hunger to do this.
00:12:05.79\00:12:08.89
And so when you think
00:12:08.89\00:12:10.59
about going on one
of these mission trips,
00:12:10.59\00:12:12.73
he was in such a hurry
to get on to new places.
00:12:12.73\00:12:15.63
And then you look
00:12:15.63\00:12:16.70
at how they picked
the different places,
00:12:16.70\00:12:18.30
you'll see as we read on,
he did not have invitations,
00:12:18.30\00:12:24.11
he did not have, you know,
now you can book a room ahead,
00:12:24.11\00:12:28.54
and, you know,
you've got a place to stay
00:12:28.54\00:12:29.91
when you get there.
00:12:29.91\00:12:30.98
Of course,
that's not always true,
00:12:30.98\00:12:32.21
Karen booked a room this week,
and she got to San Francisco,
00:12:32.21\00:12:34.52
and they said,
"Ah, didn't go through,
00:12:34.52\00:12:35.68
there's no room at the end."
00:12:35.68\00:12:39.29
And so but, you know,
he would go to a town,
00:12:39.29\00:12:42.06
and they would just be praying,
00:12:42.06\00:12:44.46
"Lord, open an opportunity
for me to preach here."
00:12:44.46\00:12:47.13
Didn't know where
they were going to preach.
00:12:47.13\00:12:49.96
And so that took
great faith back then.
00:12:49.96\00:12:53.67
And so with that introduction,
00:12:53.67\00:12:57.87
"Then they came
to Derby and Lystra,
00:12:57.87\00:12:59.71
and behold a certain disciple
was there named Timothy,"
00:12:59.71\00:13:02.58
you know, he comes
up a lot in the Bible,
00:13:02.58\00:13:04.38
this is where
he's first introduced,
00:13:04.38\00:13:06.25
"The son of a
Jewish woman who believed,
00:13:06.25\00:13:08.92
but his father was a Greek."
00:13:08.92\00:13:11.05
Now does a Bible
say something is wrong
00:13:11.05\00:13:14.86
with believers
marrying unbelievers?
00:13:14.86\00:13:18.89
Answer me, please.
00:13:18.89\00:13:20.40
I just commented,
no, it's not very popular
00:13:20.40\00:13:22.03
because it does happen,
00:13:22.03\00:13:23.10
but the Bible says
00:13:23.10\00:13:24.50
you should not be
unequally yoked together,
00:13:24.50\00:13:26.57
Paul said that,
but did it happen?
00:13:26.57\00:13:29.04
And as the Jews were
scattered among the Gentiles,
00:13:29.04\00:13:32.47
it was a little more common.
00:13:32.47\00:13:34.21
So here you have
an example of a woman,
00:13:34.21\00:13:35.81
but she must have
been a devoted woman
00:13:35.81\00:13:38.21
because she and her mother
00:13:38.21\00:13:39.48
spent a lot of
time teaching Timothy.
00:13:39.48\00:13:42.12
Matter of fact, I'm
going to have someone
00:13:42.12\00:13:43.15
read a verse for me.
00:13:43.15\00:13:44.22
Will you do that in
just a moment, Katrina?
00:13:44.22\00:13:45.69
You're going to have 2 Timothy.
00:13:45.69\00:13:47.59
Let me read a
couple of verses first,
00:13:47.59\00:13:51.96
and then in the 2 Timothy 1:5,
"When I call to remembrance..."
00:13:51.96\00:13:56.80
Paul is writing
to Timothy of course.
00:13:56.80\00:13:58.57
"When I call to remembrance
00:13:58.57\00:13:59.70
the genuine
faith that is in you,
00:13:59.70\00:14:02.47
which dwelt first in
your grandmother Lois
00:14:02.47\00:14:05.54
and in your mother Eunice, I
am persuaded is in you also."
00:14:05.54\00:14:10.25
This is unusual
because so often in the Bible
00:14:10.25\00:14:12.28
it doesn't even name the mother
let alone the grandmother,
00:14:12.28\00:14:16.02
but these must have been
two women that had great faith.
00:14:16.02\00:14:18.22
You know what
else that tells me,
00:14:18.22\00:14:19.75
not only was
Timothy a believer in Jesus
00:14:19.75\00:14:22.29
but his Jewish mother
and his Jewish grandmother,
00:14:22.29\00:14:25.63
they must have also
been part of the churches
00:14:25.63\00:14:27.13
'cause they're
mentioned by name.
00:14:27.13\00:14:28.83
What else? Go ahead, read
that for us in 2 Timothy 3:15.
00:14:28.83\00:14:32.70
"And that from childhood,
00:14:32.70\00:14:34.04
you have known
the Holy Scriptures,
00:14:34.04\00:14:35.84
which are able to make you
wise for salvation through faith
00:14:35.84\00:14:39.04
which is in Christ Jesus."
00:14:39.04\00:14:41.41
So Timothy even
as a very young man,
00:14:41.41\00:14:45.71
he was committed to
the Word, he knew the Word,
00:14:45.71\00:14:48.62
he had been taught it.
00:14:48.62\00:14:50.22
And it tells us...
00:14:50.22\00:14:55.92
He must've been very young men
00:14:55.92\00:14:57.13
'cause even later
about 10 years after this,
00:14:57.13\00:15:00.23
Paul says don't let
anyone despise your youth.
00:15:00.23\00:15:03.43
And he's already been
working with Paul for 10 years.
00:15:03.43\00:15:06.63
But then again,
you know, I notice now
00:15:06.63\00:15:08.50
I'm calling 40-year olds
young men as you get older,
00:15:08.50\00:15:12.14
everything's just a
matter of perspective
00:15:12.14\00:15:14.04
as you're looking
forward or looking back.
00:15:14.04\00:15:16.78
How important is
it to teach people
00:15:16.78\00:15:18.18
when they're
young the Word of God?
00:15:18.18\00:15:22.15
What's one of the
great commandments?
00:15:22.15\00:15:24.02
How many of you
know what the Shimei is?
00:15:24.02\00:15:26.76
That's that declaration
00:15:26.76\00:15:27.82
that you find
there in Deuteronomy 6,
00:15:27.82\00:15:30.73
"Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God is one.
00:15:30.73\00:15:32.56
Thou shall love the
Lord with all your heart,
00:15:32.56\00:15:33.93
mind, soul, and strength."
00:15:33.93\00:15:35.46
And then Jesus adds
00:15:35.46\00:15:36.53
you should love your
neighbors as yourself
00:15:36.53\00:15:37.87
quoting Leviticus 19:18.
00:15:37.87\00:15:41.07
But read on a little further,
00:15:41.07\00:15:43.71
and it tells us how
you show your love for God.
00:15:43.71\00:15:46.24
And you read
Deuteronomy 6:6 and 7,
00:15:46.24\00:15:48.91
"These words that I
command you today..."
00:15:48.91\00:15:51.45
He had just
repeated the Ten Commandments
00:15:51.45\00:15:53.05
in Deuteronomy 5.
00:15:53.05\00:15:54.98
"These words that
I command you today
00:15:54.98\00:15:56.79
shall be in your heart,"
how do you get them there?
00:15:56.79\00:15:59.29
"You shall teach them
diligently to your children,
00:15:59.29\00:16:02.56
you shall talk of them
when you sit in your house,
00:16:02.56\00:16:05.06
when you walk by the
way, when you lay down,
00:16:05.06\00:16:08.16
and when you rise up."
00:16:08.16\00:16:10.17
I was thinking
about this this week,
00:16:10.17\00:16:12.80
and so Nathan was
packing for his trip.
00:16:12.80\00:16:14.47
And I said, "Nathan,
third commandment, tell me."
00:16:14.47\00:16:18.71
And he stopped
and thinking about it
00:16:18.71\00:16:19.81
and then he quoted to you.
00:16:19.81\00:16:21.41
But that's kind
of what it involves
00:16:21.41\00:16:24.25
in being a Christian
parent is to just drill it in.
00:16:24.25\00:16:29.42
It says it's to be there
00:16:29.42\00:16:30.49
when you rise up in
the morning worship,
00:16:30.49\00:16:31.92
when you lie
down, evening worship,
00:16:31.92\00:16:33.32
when you walk by the way,
00:16:33.32\00:16:34.89
just surround them
with the Word of God.
00:16:34.89\00:16:38.13
You know, you can have
scriptures up on the wall,
00:16:38.13\00:16:39.79
but pretty soon
they don't notice that,
00:16:39.79\00:16:41.26
you need to talk to them.
00:16:41.26\00:16:42.60
Be teaching
them... Teaching them how?
00:16:42.60\00:16:45.23
Diligently.
00:16:45.23\00:16:47.14
You know what diligently means?
00:16:47.14\00:16:49.30
It means to the
point of perspiration,
00:16:49.30\00:16:52.24
aerobic teaching.
00:16:52.24\00:16:54.38
In other words, it's
got to be deliberate,
00:16:54.38\00:16:56.08
teaching them the Word
of God, putting in them,
00:16:56.08\00:16:57.88
helping them to
memorize scripture.
00:16:57.88\00:17:00.75
You know, you'd be surprised,
but we don't challenge I think
00:17:00.75\00:17:05.89
a lot of the young people
to remember the Word today
00:17:05.89\00:17:08.19
the way they used to.
00:17:08.19\00:17:09.92
Now my father, who
kind of became an agnostic
00:17:09.92\00:17:12.96
later in life
after World War II,
00:17:12.96\00:17:14.60
but he was raised a Baptist.
00:17:14.60\00:17:17.23
And years later, he
gave me the New Testament
00:17:17.23\00:17:19.90
that the issue
of the servicemen.
00:17:19.90\00:17:21.40
You know, when
you're a serviceman,
00:17:21.40\00:17:22.47
they used to give you a
New Testament with Psalms,
00:17:22.47\00:17:25.34
maybe Psalms and Proverbs,
00:17:25.34\00:17:27.08
and they give that
to all the service men.
00:17:27.08\00:17:29.28
And I think the
Jewish service men,
00:17:29.28\00:17:32.91
they might give them
a Jewish prayer book.
00:17:32.91\00:17:35.48
And then he gave me
his book that he had
00:17:35.48\00:17:37.82
in Baptist Sunday
School in Oklahoma,
00:17:37.82\00:17:40.16
and he got an award for
memorizing the Beatitudes.
00:17:40.16\00:17:45.09
I thought he
never would have thought
00:17:45.09\00:17:47.40
that my dad had gotten an award
for memorizing the Beatitudes.
00:17:47.40\00:17:53.90
How many of you could
recite the Beatitudes right now?
00:17:53.90\00:17:57.81
How many could
recite the Ten Commandments
00:17:57.81\00:18:00.41
without making a mistake?
00:18:00.41\00:18:03.65
Oh, God, I could
see a couple hands.
00:18:03.65\00:18:05.08
One of them was a
pastor's daughter,
00:18:05.08\00:18:07.65
Sherry.
00:18:07.65\00:18:09.28
I think I could do it. But
I'm a pastor you're saying.
00:18:09.28\00:18:11.92
But shouldn't we
be able to do that?
00:18:11.92\00:18:14.39
I think Jesus probably had that.
00:18:14.39\00:18:16.12
And it wasn't by any
supernatural ability,
00:18:16.12\00:18:18.56
it's because His
mother taught Him.
00:18:18.56\00:18:19.79
I think Jesus had the
book of Deuteronomy memorized.
00:18:19.79\00:18:24.13
We had a young man
that came to our Church
00:18:24.13\00:18:26.23
in Sacramento,
00:18:26.23\00:18:28.47
and the father said,
00:18:28.47\00:18:29.84
"He's memorized the
whole book of Revelation."
00:18:29.84\00:18:32.74
So we had him stand up
and do a demonstration,
00:18:32.74\00:18:34.41
a whole book of Revelation.
00:18:34.41\00:18:35.48
He says he's
working on Daniel now.
00:18:35.48\00:18:38.38
My next door neighbor,
00:18:38.38\00:18:40.42
before we moved to
where we're at now,
00:18:40.42\00:18:42.32
had the entire New
Testament memorized.
00:18:42.32\00:18:47.36
And so don't tell
me you can't do it.
00:18:47.36\00:18:51.76
Now if you spend all your time
00:18:51.76\00:18:53.40
surfing
Facebook and watching TV,
00:18:53.40\00:18:55.10
you're probably going to
have a hard time doing it.
00:18:55.10\00:18:58.17
They didn't have that to
contend with 100 years ago.
00:18:58.17\00:19:02.07
But there's so many
areas, so much other dribble
00:19:02.07\00:19:04.11
we fill our brains with today,
00:19:04.11\00:19:06.04
when we ought to be
storing the Word of God.
00:19:06.04\00:19:07.68
Timothy had a great
command for the Word
00:19:07.68\00:19:10.15
even as a young man,
00:19:10.15\00:19:11.18
he was made an
elder in the church
00:19:11.18\00:19:13.08
because of his commitment to God
00:19:13.08\00:19:16.48
in the command of
the Word of God he had.
00:19:16.48\00:19:17.79
All right, I
haven't gotten very far.
00:19:17.79\00:19:20.92
Keep going. Go to verse...
00:19:20.92\00:19:23.26
Let me see here. Go to verse 4.
00:19:23.26\00:19:26.26
"And as I went
through the cities..."
00:19:26.26\00:19:27.40
Well, wait a second here,
00:19:27.40\00:19:28.43
I want to go
back up a little bit.
00:19:28.43\00:19:29.70
And Paul wanting to
have him go with him,
00:19:29.70\00:19:31.43
he's wanting him to
now join hands Silas
00:19:31.43\00:19:33.23
on this missionary trip,
00:19:33.23\00:19:34.67
he took him and circumcised him
00:19:34.67\00:19:36.54
because of the Jews
who were in that region
00:19:36.54\00:19:38.31
for they all knew
that he was a Greek.
00:19:38.31\00:19:40.58
Now this is a
very important point
00:19:40.58\00:19:42.78
because you read in chapter15...
00:19:42.78\00:19:45.75
We're in Acts 16 now, in 15,
00:19:45.75\00:19:49.42
they said circumcision
was or was not required?
00:19:49.42\00:19:53.22
Not required.
00:19:53.22\00:19:54.59
And later, Paul says
circumcision is nothing,
00:19:54.59\00:19:56.49
uncircumcision is nothing.
00:19:56.49\00:19:58.33
And then he tells the Galatians
how have you fallen from grace
00:19:58.33\00:20:01.43
and that you're
requiring circumcision.
00:20:01.43\00:20:02.96
After all that, Paul says
about that, "What's with this?"
00:20:02.96\00:20:06.20
He circumcised everything.
00:20:06.20\00:20:08.54
It says because of
the Jews that were there.
00:20:08.54\00:20:10.91
That means look,
00:20:10.91\00:20:11.97
if it's going to
be a stumbling block
00:20:11.97\00:20:13.74
and Timothy said,
"Look I'm willing,
00:20:13.74\00:20:14.98
my mother's Jewish,
00:20:14.98\00:20:16.01
if it will help me
minister to the Jews,
00:20:16.01\00:20:18.41
let's get it over with."
00:20:18.41\00:20:20.92
So he says, you know,
become all things to all people
00:20:20.92\00:20:22.88
that you might
read some for Christ.
00:20:22.88\00:20:24.39
I'll tell you quick story,
I may have told you already.
00:20:24.39\00:20:27.99
Pastor Doug nearly
divided the church one time
00:20:27.99\00:20:30.79
over the subject
of ties, not tithes,
00:20:30.79\00:20:35.06
ties like I'm wearing
00:20:35.06\00:20:38.53
because I don't believe
in artificial ornamentation.
00:20:38.53\00:20:43.57
I don't wear jewelry.
00:20:43.57\00:20:44.87
And I think that your
clothing ought to be practical.
00:20:44.87\00:20:48.01
And when I first
learned these things,
00:20:48.01\00:20:49.31
I was very
idealistic and I said,
00:20:49.31\00:20:51.45
"Please explain to me,
you say don't wear jewelry,
00:20:51.45\00:20:53.92
why you wearing a tie?"
00:20:53.92\00:20:56.65
You can't give me a good reason.
00:20:56.65\00:20:59.25
As it just chokes you to death,
00:20:59.25\00:21:01.52
they don't get
washed very often,
00:21:01.52\00:21:03.56
they probably carry
all kinds of pathogens,
00:21:03.56\00:21:06.70
and you could start a
pandemic with your tie,
00:21:06.70\00:21:09.30
and just drags in your food,
00:21:09.30\00:21:10.60
and you wear it in the
next day and the next day,
00:21:10.60\00:21:12.60
and cuts off the circulation.
00:21:12.60\00:21:14.37
And what man would
want to start the day
00:21:14.37\00:21:16.34
by putting a
noose around his neck.
00:21:16.34\00:21:17.64
I said there's no
good reason to wear a tie.
00:21:17.64\00:21:20.44
And I was very eloquent in
making an argument for that
00:21:20.44\00:21:23.18
as you can tell.
00:21:23.18\00:21:24.91
And so I went
around among the churches
00:21:24.91\00:21:27.02
and said, "Why do we wear tie?
00:21:27.02\00:21:28.08
You don't have to..."
00:21:28.08\00:21:29.15
Now this is all happening
00:21:29.15\00:21:30.22
in the context of
the pastor in our church
00:21:30.22\00:21:32.12
that invited me to
preach, I'm a layman now.
00:21:32.12\00:21:34.49
I'm just a layman in the church.
00:21:34.49\00:21:36.49
And I said, "You said
you'll need to wear ties."
00:21:36.49\00:21:37.96
I said, "Why?" I was indignant.
00:21:37.96\00:21:40.10
It says here,
you say no jewelry.
00:21:40.10\00:21:41.50
You say, you got to wear a tie."
00:21:41.50\00:21:43.67
He said, "Show me that verse."
00:21:43.67\00:21:46.60
And I managed to split
the whole church over a tie.
00:21:46.60\00:21:51.21
I mean, it wasn't
ugly, but, you know.
00:21:51.21\00:21:54.51
And then something happened,
00:21:54.51\00:21:55.81
I had also been visiting a
local Assembly of God church,
00:21:55.81\00:22:00.18
and I was very involved in,
00:22:00.18\00:22:01.45
you know, visiting
different churches,
00:22:01.45\00:22:03.25
and so I wanted to
convert the world back then.
00:22:03.25\00:22:06.35
And I'd come out of
Sunday churches not long before,
00:22:06.35\00:22:09.22
so I still was
comfortable visiting there
00:22:09.22\00:22:11.19
and studying with them.
00:22:11.19\00:22:12.83
And the pastor actually
said Pastor Dwayne was his name.
00:22:12.83\00:22:17.03
He said, "Look, Doug,
00:22:17.03\00:22:18.97
how'd you like to
preach next Sunday?"
00:22:18.97\00:22:21.67
I thought I'd love to preach.
00:22:21.67\00:22:24.24
And then after we
talked a little bit about it,
00:22:24.24\00:22:25.74
he said, "Now, you know,
you'll need to wear a tie."
00:22:25.74\00:22:27.44
I was like, "Oh, man."
00:22:30.91\00:22:32.21
You know, I was
going to waste my time
00:22:32.21\00:22:33.58
trying to argue with
the principle of ties here
00:22:33.58\00:22:37.49
and God convicted me that look,
00:22:37.49\00:22:39.05
"If you get to hang a
piece of cloth around your neck,
00:22:39.05\00:22:41.69
it's not going to hurt
you in order to reach people
00:22:41.69\00:22:43.93
or if the culture feels
like it's a sign of respect
00:22:43.93\00:22:47.20
and propriety, and just do it."
00:22:47.20\00:22:50.07
And you know what I'm saying,
00:22:50.07\00:22:52.17
become all things that
all men that you might...
00:22:52.17\00:22:55.44
I'm not waiting for
ties to go out of fashion,
00:22:55.44\00:22:57.41
it's happening slowly,
00:22:57.41\00:22:58.47
and I'll be very
glad when it's complete.
00:22:58.47\00:23:00.88
But anyway, so Paul,
he circumcised Timothy,
00:23:00.88\00:23:05.21
so it won't be a stumbling block
00:23:05.21\00:23:06.61
to the Jews he's visiting.
00:23:06.61\00:23:08.68
And they went
through the cities...
00:23:08.68\00:23:09.82
I'm in Acts 16:4.
00:23:09.82\00:23:12.39
"And they
delivered to them the decrees
00:23:12.39\00:23:14.12
which were
determined by the Apostles
00:23:14.12\00:23:15.89
and elders of Jerusalem."
00:23:15.89\00:23:17.06
Remember in Acts 15, they said,
00:23:17.06\00:23:18.63
"Tell the Gentiles that
we're not going to require
00:23:18.63\00:23:22.13
that they keep
the ceremonial laws,
00:23:22.13\00:23:23.67
they don't have to
continue with circumcision,
00:23:23.67\00:23:26.23
but they're to obey
the Ten Commandments,
00:23:26.23\00:23:28.14
they are to obey
the health laws."
00:23:28.14\00:23:29.27
Remember among the things
they said abstain from blood.
00:23:29.27\00:23:32.61
That was in the
category of the health laws.
00:23:32.61\00:23:34.54
And so they sent
them communicating
00:23:34.54\00:23:37.25
what of these things
they were to still observe
00:23:37.25\00:23:41.95
and to keep themselves
from fornication and so forth.
00:23:41.95\00:23:46.19
And so they're
sharing these things with them
00:23:46.19\00:23:47.69
and they're going through
these parts of Asia Minor.
00:23:47.69\00:23:52.46
And the churches
were strengthened
00:23:52.46\00:23:53.83
and they
increased in number daily.
00:23:53.83\00:23:57.20
"Now when they've
gone through Phrygia,
00:23:57.20\00:23:58.97
the region of the Galatia,
00:23:58.97\00:24:01.27
they were
forbidden by the Holy Spirit
00:24:01.27\00:24:04.27
to preach the Word and in Asia,
after they'd come to Mysia,
00:24:04.27\00:24:10.71
they'd tried to go to Bithynia,
00:24:10.71\00:24:12.15
but the Spirit
did not permit them."
00:24:12.15\00:24:13.75
So it's almost like dark,
00:24:13.75\00:24:14.98
people in a room
trying to find a door,
00:24:14.98\00:24:17.05
they say, "Now, Lord,
where do you want us to go?"
00:24:17.05\00:24:18.85
They didn't have their
itinerary all mapped out.
00:24:18.85\00:24:21.46
They're being led by the spirit
00:24:21.46\00:24:23.46
where to go from place to
place in their mission work.
00:24:23.46\00:24:26.43
So little frustrated,
00:24:26.43\00:24:27.60
I don't know exactly how
the Spirit prevented them,
00:24:27.60\00:24:29.83
it's just may had
no peace in their heart
00:24:29.83\00:24:31.87
or when they made preparations
that everything fell through,
00:24:31.87\00:24:34.77
but have you ever
had those experiences
00:24:34.77\00:24:36.60
where you think you're
supposed to do something,
00:24:36.60\00:24:38.34
as you attempt to do, it's
like everything goes wrong,
00:24:38.34\00:24:40.18
it just doesn't
feel right and you say,
00:24:40.18\00:24:41.91
"Yeah, I don't think
00:24:41.91\00:24:42.94
that's where
I'm supposed to go."
00:24:42.94\00:24:44.58
And then they try something else
00:24:44.58\00:24:45.71
and it just doesn't feel right.
00:24:45.71\00:24:47.95
Now I know how that feels
00:24:47.95\00:24:51.75
because every year
Amazing Facts needs to plan.
00:24:51.75\00:24:56.39
I mean, pastors in a church,
00:24:56.39\00:24:57.59
you kind of know
from week to week,
00:24:57.59\00:24:58.73
you plan your
preaching schedule and stuff,
00:24:58.73\00:25:00.36
and you know where
you're going to be.
00:25:00.36\00:25:02.06
But Amazing Facts,
we're planning overseas,
00:25:02.06\00:25:04.03
mission work, and evangelism,
we have so many invitations,
00:25:04.03\00:25:07.97
we don't know which ones,
00:25:07.97\00:25:09.27
we say, "Lord, we can't
go to all these invitations."
00:25:09.27\00:25:12.37
I remember I'd go
to any invitation,
00:25:12.37\00:25:13.78
I'm so thankful,
00:25:13.78\00:25:15.51
I got an invitation to
speak to 20 people in Texas.
00:25:15.51\00:25:18.05
I drove across the country.
00:25:18.05\00:25:19.48
Praise the Lord,
there's 20 people
00:25:19.48\00:25:20.78
that will listen to me.
00:25:20.78\00:25:22.72
But, you know, as time goes by
00:25:22.72\00:25:24.25
and you get all
these invitations,
00:25:24.25\00:25:25.32
you say, "I want
to be economical,
00:25:25.32\00:25:26.59
Lord, where do
you want us to go."
00:25:26.59\00:25:28.69
And we really pray
the Holy Spirit guides us.
00:25:28.69\00:25:31.56
And so as we get
these invitations,
00:25:31.56\00:25:33.90
I know I
frustrate some of the people
00:25:33.90\00:25:35.56
around the world that invite us
00:25:35.56\00:25:37.33
I say, "Well, let me put
it down or pray about it."
00:25:37.33\00:25:39.37
And I really pray
and we look for openings.
00:25:39.37\00:25:42.40
We look for
providential openings,
00:25:42.40\00:25:44.17
we look for openings
where there can be synergy,
00:25:44.17\00:25:48.21
can we mix this program
with some evangelism training,
00:25:48.21\00:25:50.85
where are we going to
get the greatest results.
00:25:50.85\00:25:53.18
And so we're always
looking for the Spirit to guide.
00:25:53.18\00:25:55.75
I remember one time, years ago,
00:25:55.75\00:25:59.42
I had a dream
about going to India.
00:25:59.42\00:26:03.56
This is the truth. I dreamed
I was preaching in India.
00:26:03.56\00:26:06.33
I'd never been to India.
00:26:06.33\00:26:08.50
The next day, a man asked
00:26:08.50\00:26:10.20
if he could have lunch
with me during the camp meeting,
00:26:10.20\00:26:11.83
he said, "Please,
please talk to me."
00:26:11.83\00:26:13.40
I said, "Okay."
00:26:13.40\00:26:14.50
I'll just have lunch with
him, he's very persistent.
00:26:14.50\00:26:15.80
I went meet...
00:26:15.80\00:26:16.84
Well, he is an Indian gentleman.
00:26:16.84\00:26:18.47
He said, "We want
you to come to India."
00:26:18.47\00:26:21.38
I said, "Well, this is strange."
00:26:21.38\00:26:23.75
And then more
he talked about it,
00:26:23.75\00:26:25.28
the doors just all opened up
00:26:25.28\00:26:26.58
and we ended up doing 40
days of evangelism in Madras.
00:26:26.58\00:26:31.79
At the time, it was
one of the biggest meetings
00:26:31.79\00:26:33.42
that had been done in India.
00:26:33.42\00:26:34.79
We just saw the
providential opening.
00:26:34.79\00:26:36.22
Now I don't always have dreams.
00:26:36.22\00:26:37.29
That's one of
the few times I have.
00:26:37.29\00:26:39.19
But so you look for openings.
00:26:39.19\00:26:41.40
They were doing this, I suppose
00:26:41.40\00:26:42.73
in the Holy Spirit was
just shutting certain doors
00:26:42.73\00:26:44.77
and so while he's
wondering what do we do,
00:26:44.77\00:26:49.00
Paul in the night has a vision.
00:26:49.00\00:26:52.71
I'm in verse 9,
00:26:52.71\00:26:54.68
"A vision appeared
to Paul in the night,
00:26:54.68\00:26:56.28
a man of Macedonia stood
there and pleaded with him,
00:26:56.28\00:27:00.25
saying, 'Come over to
Macedonia, and help us.'"
00:27:00.25\00:27:04.15
This is the
northern part of Greece
00:27:04.15\00:27:05.85
and they're in Asia
Minor now or turkey area.
00:27:05.85\00:27:09.52
And after we'd seen the
vision, immediately we saw
00:27:09.52\00:27:12.16
and made plans
to go to Macedonia,
00:27:12.16\00:27:13.90
and now something
happened here, who caught it?
00:27:13.90\00:27:17.00
Something very big just
happened in the book of Acts.
00:27:17.00\00:27:21.27
Did you miss it? Did it slip by?
00:27:21.27\00:27:24.77
Let me see, read
some to you again.
00:27:24.77\00:27:26.37
Go to Acts 16:8.
00:27:33.48\00:27:35.12
"So passing by Mysia,
they came down to Troas.
00:27:35.12\00:27:39.89
And a vision
appeared to Paul in the night,
00:27:39.89\00:27:41.92
a man of Macedonia
stood pleading with him,
00:27:41.92\00:27:44.13
saying, 'Come over
to us, and help us.'
00:27:44.13\00:27:46.59
Now after he had seen
the vision immediately we..."
00:27:46.59\00:27:51.10
Now the book of
Acts has transitioned
00:27:51.10\00:27:53.40
from Luke writing
"they" to Luke writing "we."
00:27:53.40\00:27:58.24
What does that tell you?
00:27:58.24\00:28:01.31
Suddenly, Luke
is in the picture.
00:28:01.31\00:28:04.58
From here on, Luke is with
Paul in all of his travels,
00:28:04.58\00:28:08.32
it just changed everything
else before this point is they,
00:28:08.32\00:28:12.69
now after he has this vision
00:28:12.69\00:28:13.86
of a man in
Macedonia, he says we.
00:28:13.86\00:28:16.86
Some have
wondered does this mean
00:28:16.86\00:28:19.96
who is the man that
he saw in Macedonia.
00:28:19.96\00:28:23.23
Was it Luke?
00:28:23.23\00:28:24.53
Well, the problem is
Luke is now still travelling
00:28:24.53\00:28:26.57
with him to Macedonia.
00:28:26.57\00:28:28.47
So he hasn't gone there yet.
00:28:28.47\00:28:29.64
Luke could have been
a Macedonian physician.
00:28:29.64\00:28:32.64
Luke is probably
00:28:32.64\00:28:33.71
one of the only
Gentile writers of the Bible
00:28:33.71\00:28:37.18
with the
exception of a small passage
00:28:37.18\00:28:38.71
written by
Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 5
00:28:38.71\00:28:41.48
or sorry, is it 4?
00:28:41.48\00:28:45.75
But the rest of the
Bible is written by Jews.
00:28:45.75\00:28:48.39
So it could have been
Luke is this man who pled,
00:28:48.39\00:28:51.83
and then Paul
saw him the next day,
00:28:51.83\00:28:53.90
and he says, "Will
you please come with us?"
00:28:53.90\00:28:55.26
And he's the man
I saw in the vision
00:28:55.26\00:28:56.63
and they went
together to Macedonia."
00:28:56.63\00:28:58.97
And Luke is with
them from there on
00:28:58.97\00:29:00.90
through the rest
of the book of Acts.
00:29:00.90\00:29:02.44
Ain't that interesting?
00:29:02.44\00:29:03.64
So many people miss that,
00:29:03.64\00:29:04.67
it says, "They,
they, they, they, we."
00:29:04.67\00:29:07.54
And then from now on,
00:29:07.54\00:29:08.61
it's "We went
here, we went there."
00:29:08.61\00:29:10.88
So I think I made
that point, we'll move on.
00:29:10.88\00:29:14.75
Go to verse 10.
00:29:14.75\00:29:17.85
And it says here,
00:29:17.85\00:29:18.99
"Now after he
had seen the vision
00:29:18.99\00:29:20.66
immediately we
sought to go to Macedonia
00:29:20.66\00:29:22.66
concluding the
Lord had called us
00:29:22.66\00:29:24.46
to preach the gospel to them.
00:29:24.46\00:29:26.90
Therefore sailing from Troas,
00:29:26.90\00:29:28.36
we ran a straight
course to Samothrace,
00:29:28.36\00:29:31.67
and the next day
we came to Neapolis,
00:29:31.67\00:29:34.04
and from there to Philippi
which is the foremost city
00:29:34.04\00:29:36.50
in that part of
Macedonia, a colony."
00:29:36.50\00:29:38.54
When it says a colony it
means it's a Roman colony,
00:29:38.54\00:29:41.64
the Romans had a
cultural center there.
00:29:41.64\00:29:46.25
"And we were staying in
that city for some days.
00:29:46.25\00:29:49.28
And on the Sabbath day
00:29:49.28\00:29:50.42
we went out of the
city to the riverside,
00:29:50.42\00:29:52.35
where prayer was
customarily made."
00:29:52.35\00:29:53.89
Now we're in the section,
00:29:53.89\00:29:55.09
the section that's
dealing with Philippi
00:29:55.09\00:29:56.52
in the Sabbath school lesson.
00:29:56.52\00:29:59.39
"A place where prayer
was customarily made...
00:29:59.39\00:30:01.06
Now wait a second,
00:30:01.06\00:30:02.13
why did you say
on the Sabbath day?
00:30:02.13\00:30:03.97
I thought they'd
given up on the Sabbath.
00:30:03.97\00:30:06.57
It's not a
Sabbath in a synagogue.
00:30:06.57\00:30:08.70
It's a Sabbath by riverside.
00:30:08.70\00:30:10.84
People say, "Well,
the only reason that Paul
00:30:10.84\00:30:13.01
and Silas and Barnabas,
00:30:13.01\00:30:14.31
they went to the
synagogues on the Sabbath
00:30:14.31\00:30:16.38
is because that's
where the Jews went."
00:30:16.38\00:30:18.51
But here it says on the Sabbath,
00:30:18.51\00:30:19.95
we went out of
the city to a river.
00:30:19.95\00:30:23.45
It doesn't say on
the Jewish Sabbath.
00:30:23.45\00:30:26.86
All through the book of Acts
00:30:26.86\00:30:28.02
whenever Luke
talks about the Sabbath,
00:30:28.02\00:30:29.46
Luke being a Gentile,
he always refers to it
00:30:29.46\00:30:31.49
as a Sabbath still
recognized by Christians.
00:30:31.49\00:30:35.93
It would be very easy for him
00:30:35.93\00:30:37.07
to try to explain
to Gentile readers,
00:30:37.07\00:30:38.83
this is a special
Jewish holiday, but he doesn't.
00:30:38.83\00:30:42.50
He says it is though
00:30:42.50\00:30:43.61
this is something
all Christians know about
00:30:43.61\00:30:45.04
'cause it's our day of rest.
00:30:45.04\00:30:46.84
He never says
that on the first day,
00:30:46.84\00:30:49.74
we now begin to keep a holy day.
00:30:49.74\00:30:53.48
"So we go out of the
city by the riverside
00:30:53.48\00:30:56.62
or customary place to pray.
00:30:56.62\00:31:00.96
And we sat down and we spoke
to the women who met there.
00:31:00.96\00:31:05.16
Now a certain woman
named Lydia heard us,
00:31:05.16\00:31:09.00
and she was a seller of
purple from the city of Thyatira
00:31:09.00\00:31:12.40
who worshipped God."
00:31:12.40\00:31:14.17
Now it could be
00:31:14.17\00:31:15.24
that she
worshipped the Jewish God,
00:31:15.24\00:31:16.71
she could have been
Jewish, we don't know,
00:31:16.71\00:31:20.08
could be one reason
00:31:20.08\00:31:21.14
that they were
gathered on that time.
00:31:21.14\00:31:23.91
"The Lord opened her heart
00:31:23.91\00:31:25.38
to heed the
things spoken by Paul,"
00:31:25.38\00:31:27.42
it says he sat
down and spoke to them.
00:31:27.42\00:31:28.68
What do you think
they spoke to him about?
00:31:28.68\00:31:30.72
They're talking to them about
00:31:30.72\00:31:31.79
how Jesus was
the Messiah, right?
00:31:31.79\00:31:34.59
Now she's a seller of purple.
00:31:34.59\00:31:37.39
In Bible times, this
Royal Purple was gathered
00:31:37.39\00:31:41.20
and they still do it
today by collecting mollusks,
00:31:41.20\00:31:46.07
shellfish that
grow in certain places,
00:31:46.07\00:31:48.94
and it is a very
intensive process
00:31:48.94\00:31:51.57
to get them to
excrete, they heat them up
00:31:51.57\00:31:54.31
and they excrete is
very deep rich purple color,
00:31:54.31\00:31:57.81
it is worth more than gold.
00:31:57.81\00:32:00.18
So when it says that
Lydia is a seller of purple,
00:32:00.18\00:32:02.88
she may also be
a person of means.
00:32:02.88\00:32:05.55
It was common in Bible times
00:32:05.55\00:32:07.76
for people to
specialize in different colors.
00:32:07.76\00:32:11.19
Rahab and her family may
have had a cottage ministry
00:32:11.19\00:32:14.00
of scarlet,
making dying scarlet.
00:32:14.00\00:32:17.03
And if you ever
heard of cochineal red,
00:32:17.03\00:32:21.00
cochineal red,
00:32:21.00\00:32:22.60
the Native Americans
would sell these beans
00:32:22.60\00:32:27.04
to the Spanish conquistadores
that they would crush,
00:32:27.04\00:32:30.51
and it produced
a very bright red,
00:32:30.51\00:32:35.12
and the British would buy it
and pay a lot of money for it
00:32:35.12\00:32:38.52
because they use it to dye
the coats of their soldiers.
00:32:38.52\00:32:42.56
And that actually came
00:32:42.56\00:32:43.63
from the deserts
of the southwest.
00:32:43.63\00:32:46.90
So it made a long trip
00:32:46.90\00:32:47.96
to get the deepest, richest red.
00:32:47.96\00:32:52.00
For years, people thought
00:32:52.00\00:32:53.07
they were these tiny cedar bean,
00:32:53.07\00:32:54.84
it's actually a beetle,
00:32:54.84\00:32:57.27
they're cochineal beetles,
and they would crush them,
00:32:57.27\00:32:59.34
and produce this
very bright red dye.
00:32:59.34\00:33:01.88
Well, it was very
time-intensive to get it.
00:33:01.88\00:33:04.55
Again, it was almost
worth its weight in gold.
00:33:04.55\00:33:06.61
Lydia could have
because she's a seller of purple
00:33:06.61\00:33:10.35
could have been very
wealthy, she had a big home,
00:33:10.35\00:33:12.05
she takes the Apostles in,
she's taking in at least Paul,
00:33:12.05\00:33:15.49
and Silas, and
Timothy into her home.
00:33:15.49\00:33:17.66
They use that
as their beachhead,
00:33:17.66\00:33:19.76
this is what Jesus
said, "Go out two by two
00:33:19.76\00:33:22.16
in whatever home they
receive you, there stay.
00:33:22.16\00:33:24.70
Don't go from house to house,
00:33:24.70\00:33:26.20
but find a home
where you can get settled
00:33:26.20\00:33:28.24
and work out of
that place in the home."
00:33:28.24\00:33:31.34
Lydia said, "Look, if I
found the grace of the Lord..."
00:33:31.34\00:33:34.78
She opened her heart,
she opened her household,
00:33:34.78\00:33:37.58
she was baptized,
she begged a saint,
00:33:37.58\00:33:39.68
"If you have
judged me to be faithful.
00:33:39.68\00:33:42.72
And you have come
into my house, stay."
00:33:42.72\00:33:44.62
So she persuaded us.
00:33:44.62\00:33:46.22
You know to say they
always urged them to come in.
00:33:46.22\00:33:49.89
"Now it happened
as we went to prayer
00:33:49.89\00:33:51.53
that a certain slave girl
00:33:51.53\00:33:52.89
possessed with the
spirit of divination met us
00:33:52.89\00:33:55.70
who brought her
masters much profit
00:33:55.70\00:33:57.47
by fortune telling."
00:33:57.47\00:33:59.50
I drove by a place
of business in Rockland,
00:33:59.50\00:34:04.94
there's several
roundabouts there and Rockland
00:34:04.94\00:34:06.84
on the Pacific
drive or near there
00:34:06.84\00:34:09.48
and one of them says Psychic,
place looks very ominous,
00:34:09.48\00:34:13.08
it's all like dark lettering.
00:34:13.08\00:34:16.55
And there are people
00:34:16.55\00:34:18.59
I think that are in
league with the enemy
00:34:18.59\00:34:20.59
that at least some of
are probably charlatans,
00:34:20.59\00:34:23.36
some of them may seem to have
00:34:23.36\00:34:25.76
some kind of
supernatural insights.
00:34:25.76\00:34:27.96
This girl really
did have a spirit.
00:34:27.96\00:34:31.30
"And she begins to follow
Paul up and down the street,
00:34:31.30\00:34:35.27
Paul and Silas,
00:34:35.27\00:34:36.84
and she's crying out after them,
00:34:36.84\00:34:37.97
she points them,
00:34:37.97\00:34:39.04
and she cries
out and advertises,
00:34:39.04\00:34:41.04
'These men are the
servants of the most high God
00:34:41.04\00:34:43.41
who proclaim to us
the way of salvation.'"
00:34:43.41\00:34:47.12
Do you want the devil
doing your advertising
00:34:47.12\00:34:48.78
doesn't it kind of
give you a bad association.
00:34:48.78\00:34:52.85
Did the Devils do
that to Jesus, too?
00:34:52.85\00:34:56.06
When Jesus was
preaching in the synagogue,
00:34:56.06\00:34:57.79
this demon-possessed man
said, "I know who you are
00:34:57.79\00:35:00.30
you're Jesus, the Son of God."
00:35:00.30\00:35:02.23
And they would call him out.
00:35:02.23\00:35:04.20
And then Jesus
cast out the devils.
00:35:04.20\00:35:05.67
Well, Paul is
having the same problem.
00:35:05.67\00:35:07.90
He didn't want
advertising from the devil.
00:35:07.90\00:35:10.91
"And Paul greatly annoyed,
he put up with it for a while
00:35:10.91\00:35:14.68
he finally turns
around he says to the spirit,"
00:35:14.68\00:35:17.51
not talking to the girl.
00:35:17.51\00:35:19.75
"I command you in
the name of Jesus Christ
00:35:19.75\00:35:21.95
to come out of her."
00:35:21.95\00:35:23.65
Now right there is...
00:35:23.65\00:35:26.29
I don't do special seminars
on how to cast out devils,
00:35:26.29\00:35:29.76
but if I ever do
encounter someone
00:35:29.76\00:35:32.26
that you're
convinced as demon-possessed,
00:35:32.26\00:35:35.03
don't engage them in dialogue.
00:35:35.03\00:35:37.03
I hear about
these people that say
00:35:37.03\00:35:38.23
they've got
special exorcism ministries
00:35:38.23\00:35:40.50
and they talk to the devils,
they interview the devils.
00:35:40.50\00:35:42.74
And the Bible...
00:35:42.74\00:35:44.24
The only time it ever happened
00:35:44.24\00:35:46.01
Jesus simply asked one question,
00:35:46.01\00:35:47.94
he said, "What is your name?"
00:35:47.94\00:35:49.18
for our benefit so we would know
00:35:49.18\00:35:50.81
that bad man was
possessed by a legion of devils.
00:35:50.81\00:35:53.58
But don't engage the devil,
00:35:53.58\00:35:54.82
that's how Eve
got in trouble, right?
00:35:54.82\00:35:57.62
Kind of parley with the devil.
00:35:57.62\00:36:00.22
"And he said, 'Come out,'
00:36:00.22\00:36:02.72
and he came out that very
hour and when her masters saw
00:36:02.72\00:36:07.76
that their hope
of profit was gone
00:36:07.76\00:36:09.33
without the Spirit,
she'd maybe accepted Christ
00:36:09.33\00:36:12.37
that ruined their
gain, they became so upset."
00:36:12.37\00:36:16.10
Now this, you know,
they've got a sex slave trade
00:36:16.10\00:36:20.04
in different countries,
including North America
00:36:20.04\00:36:21.88
where there are
people who we call pimps
00:36:21.88\00:36:24.58
that make money
00:36:24.58\00:36:26.41
off taking advantage
of typically young ladies
00:36:26.41\00:36:31.72
and marketing them
here with these people
00:36:31.72\00:36:34.32
that were spiritual pimps.
00:36:34.32\00:36:36.59
It's really what it amounts to.
00:36:36.59\00:36:38.13
It is they were using
her spiritualistic skills
00:36:38.13\00:36:41.43
to make money.
00:36:41.43\00:36:42.70
And now she's been
delivered from the devil
00:36:42.70\00:36:45.43
and the hope of
their gain is gone.
00:36:45.43\00:36:48.24
And they get all upset.
00:36:48.24\00:36:50.57
And they seize Paul
and Silas, I'm in verse 19.
00:36:50.57\00:36:54.01
"They dragged them
into the marketplace
00:36:54.01\00:36:55.68
to the authorities,
00:36:55.68\00:36:57.18
and they brought them to
the magistrates, and said,
00:36:57.18\00:36:59.15
'These men, being Jews,
exceedingly trouble our city.'"
00:36:59.15\00:37:01.92
Now the Jews said,
00:37:01.92\00:37:02.95
"These men, being Christians..."
00:37:02.95\00:37:04.49
The Pagans say
"These men, being Jews..."
00:37:04.49\00:37:06.02
Why?
00:37:06.02\00:37:07.09
Because there is very
little difference in their mind
00:37:07.09\00:37:08.86
between the belief of
the Christians and the Jews,
00:37:08.86\00:37:13.23
which is why it became
very difficult for Christians
00:37:13.23\00:37:15.66
when the Jews
rebelled against the Romans
00:37:15.66\00:37:18.90
because the Romans saw the
Jews as they saw the Christians
00:37:18.90\00:37:21.60
as just a branch of Judaism,
00:37:21.60\00:37:24.44
they are another
monotheistic branch of Judaism.
00:37:24.44\00:37:27.91
They said,
"These men, being Jews,
00:37:27.91\00:37:30.91
do exceedingly trouble our city,
00:37:30.91\00:37:33.15
and they teach customs
00:37:33.15\00:37:34.28
that are not lawful for us
to be in Romans to receive."
00:37:34.28\00:37:37.99
This is what
they accuse Jesus of
00:37:37.99\00:37:39.72
when they brought
him before Pilate.
00:37:39.72\00:37:41.29
"Then they
multitude without examining
00:37:41.29\00:37:43.02
or getting a fair trial...
00:37:43.02\00:37:44.23
"Then the multitude rose
up together against them,
00:37:44.23\00:37:46.36
the magistrate
tore off their clothes
00:37:46.36\00:37:49.10
and commanded them
to be beaten with rods."
00:37:49.10\00:37:52.87
That's a painful business.
00:37:52.87\00:37:54.54
I don't know if
any of you remember,
00:37:54.54\00:37:55.80
a few years ago,
a young American boy
00:37:55.80\00:37:57.94
who was probably
a little entitled,
00:37:57.94\00:38:00.21
he broke some law in Singapore,
00:38:00.21\00:38:02.84
I think is name of Michael Fay,
00:38:02.84\00:38:05.51
and he was arrested.
00:38:05.51\00:38:07.52
And according to the law,
he was to be beaten with a rod
00:38:07.52\00:38:10.89
which is a long bamboo pole,
00:38:10.89\00:38:12.29
and they strike
you three or four times
00:38:12.29\00:38:14.66
on the small of the
back of the back of the legs,
00:38:14.66\00:38:16.39
I forget.
00:38:16.39\00:38:17.69
And there was big
outrage in America,
00:38:17.69\00:38:19.76
he had like spray
graffiti on something,
00:38:19.76\00:38:21.66
I forgot what he did.
00:38:21.66\00:38:23.03
He did commit a crime,
00:38:23.03\00:38:24.80
and the Americans
and the ambassadors,
00:38:24.80\00:38:27.07
everyone said,
"This is barbaric.
00:38:27.07\00:38:28.44
How dare you don't do
this?" And they fought it.
00:38:28.44\00:38:31.47
And the people in Singapore
said, "This is our law.
00:38:31.47\00:38:33.21
He broke our law."
00:38:33.21\00:38:34.24
And he was beaten with
rods. And it just raise...
00:38:34.24\00:38:36.44
It's very
painful, raises a well,
00:38:36.44\00:38:38.01
but it will heal.
00:38:38.01\00:38:39.41
But it's very painful.
00:38:39.41\00:38:40.48
And so this is
what they're doing now.
00:38:40.48\00:38:41.75
They're beating them with rods.
00:38:41.75\00:38:44.22
And it's not
designed to kill you.
00:38:44.22\00:38:45.65
It's designed to extract
just terrible shocking pain.
00:38:45.65\00:38:49.52
And when they had
laid many stripes on them,
00:38:49.52\00:38:51.59
every time you
strike, it's a big red welt.
00:38:51.59\00:38:54.83
"They threw them in prison,
00:38:54.83\00:38:56.73
commanding the
jailer to keep them securely
00:38:56.73\00:38:59.87
having received
such a charge and said,
00:38:59.87\00:39:01.54
'I'm not taking any chances.
00:39:01.54\00:39:03.61
I heard these apostles of
escape from prison before.'
00:39:03.61\00:39:07.14
He put them in the inner prison
00:39:07.14\00:39:09.21
and fastened their
feet in the stocks."
00:39:09.21\00:39:12.18
Now you'd be in a lot of pain
if that had been done to you,
00:39:12.18\00:39:15.38
you're sore,
you're uncomfortable.
00:39:15.38\00:39:19.69
It's dark, it
stinks, it's unsanitary,
00:39:19.69\00:39:24.03
you can't say, "Hello, I
need to go to the bathroom,"
00:39:24.03\00:39:27.20
they don't care.
00:39:27.20\00:39:29.30
I'll just leave
that to your imagination.
00:39:29.30\00:39:30.83
So in these
terrible, miserable conditions,
00:39:30.83\00:39:33.77
would you get discouraged?
00:39:33.77\00:39:35.50
I would.
00:39:35.50\00:39:36.57
I get discouraged if I
got a dirty hotel room.
00:39:36.57\00:39:41.11
I was sure they would get
discouraged, but did they?
00:39:41.11\00:39:43.78
No, they had
suffered for Christ's sake.
00:39:43.78\00:39:45.58
And what does Jesus
say you're supposed to do
00:39:45.58\00:39:47.08
if you suffer for Christ's sake?
00:39:47.08\00:39:48.95
"Rejoice and be
exceedingly glad."
00:39:48.95\00:39:51.72
And it says, "At
midnight," verse 25,
00:39:51.72\00:39:53.49
"Paul and Silas were
praying and singing hymns to God
00:39:53.49\00:39:56.99
and the
prisoners were listening."
00:39:56.99\00:39:58.49
You know, when
you're going through trials,
00:39:58.49\00:40:00.10
the prisoners are
listening to how you respond.
00:40:00.10\00:40:02.70
When you going
through a hard time,
00:40:02.70\00:40:04.23
there will be other people
who are imprisoned by the devil
00:40:04.23\00:40:06.50
that will watch you
as a Christian to see
00:40:06.50\00:40:08.47
how are you going to
react to your trials.
00:40:08.47\00:40:10.31
Will you be positive?
00:40:10.31\00:40:11.97
Are you going to mope
and mourn like everyone else
00:40:11.97\00:40:13.61
and be bitter and complain?
00:40:13.61\00:40:15.48
Or are you going to
glorify God and be positive?
00:40:15.48\00:40:18.35
"And as they were
singing praises to God
00:40:18.35\00:40:20.32
and the prisoners
were listening to him
00:40:20.32\00:40:22.55
in astonishment.
00:40:22.55\00:40:23.95
Suddenly, there
was a great earthquake.
00:40:23.95\00:40:26.99
So the foundations of
the prison were shaken.
00:40:26.99\00:40:30.06
And immediately..."
00:40:30.06\00:40:31.16
It doesn't say it's
a universal earthquake,
00:40:31.16\00:40:32.66
it's a prison earthquake.
00:40:32.66\00:40:35.03
"And immediately, all
the doors were opened.
00:40:35.03\00:40:37.77
This is a very
supernatural earthquake
00:40:37.77\00:40:39.93
caused by angels that
unlock all the prison doors,
00:40:39.93\00:40:42.84
and everyone's
chains were loose."
00:40:42.84\00:40:44.47
Have you ever seen an earthquake
00:40:44.47\00:40:46.04
that would undo handcuffs?
00:40:46.04\00:40:48.54
Is it clear to you
00:40:48.54\00:40:49.68
this is a supernatural
specific earthquake?
00:40:49.68\00:40:53.42
And I don't miss the
point that if you glorify God
00:40:53.42\00:40:56.95
in your darkness and trials,
00:40:56.95\00:40:59.95
God will use it as a
means to liberate others
00:40:59.95\00:41:05.26
and yourself in the process.
00:41:05.26\00:41:08.76
Paul said, "I've
learned in whatever state I am
00:41:08.76\00:41:10.67
to be content and to
praise God even in your trials."
00:41:10.67\00:41:15.90
Jesus sang a hymn
before He went to the cross.
00:41:15.90\00:41:17.84
You wonder how could he do that?
00:41:17.84\00:41:18.87
Peter, I'm sorry,
Daniel got on his knees
00:41:18.87\00:41:20.91
and gave thanks before
he went to the lion's den.
00:41:20.91\00:41:24.28
It takes a lot
of faith to do that.
00:41:24.28\00:41:28.25
"Everyone's chains were loose,
00:41:28.25\00:41:29.52
then the keeper of the
prison awakened from his sleep,
00:41:29.52\00:41:31.52
seeing the prison doors open
00:41:31.52\00:41:32.82
supposing the
prisoners had fled,
00:41:32.82\00:41:34.42
he drew his sword
00:41:34.42\00:41:35.92
and was about to
kill himself," why?
00:41:35.92\00:41:37.89
'Cause Roman law was
if you lose a prisoner,
00:41:37.89\00:41:39.83
it's your life or their life.
00:41:39.83\00:41:42.63
"But Paul called and
said with a loud voice,
00:41:42.63\00:41:44.77
'Do not do yourself no
harm for we're all here.'"
00:41:44.77\00:41:47.37
Now he's just a jailer,
00:41:47.37\00:41:48.44
he's probably the
one who would whip them.
00:41:48.44\00:41:50.71
For the Bible says,
"Love your enemies."
00:41:50.71\00:41:52.81
And because Paul cared about him
00:41:52.81\00:41:56.21
instead of saying,
"Well, that's good,
00:41:56.21\00:41:57.38
he whipped us, "Go ahead,
stab yourself, I want to watch.
00:41:57.38\00:42:00.55
You're going to
get what you deserve.
00:42:00.55\00:42:02.45
We weren't even
tried and you beat us.
00:42:02.45\00:42:04.42
Couldn't have been better."
00:42:04.42\00:42:05.49
He cared about the man's soul,
00:42:05.49\00:42:06.72
he said, "Don't hurt
yourself, we're all here."
00:42:06.72\00:42:09.09
They could have
run forth, they didn't.
00:42:09.09\00:42:12.89
"And he called
in for a light..."
00:42:12.89\00:42:16.10
you know, after you've
heard the apostle sing,
00:42:16.10\00:42:19.17
light comes in,
00:42:19.17\00:42:20.57
"He ran, and he fell down
00:42:20.57\00:42:21.84
trembling
before Paul and Silas."
00:42:21.84\00:42:23.74
It's just interesting reversal.
00:42:23.74\00:42:25.71
A little while ago,
00:42:25.71\00:42:27.34
Paul and Silas
were trembling with pain
00:42:27.34\00:42:31.31
as he was beating them,
00:42:31.31\00:42:32.38
now he is trembling before them.
00:42:32.38\00:42:35.82
"And he brought
them, and he says, "Sirs,
00:42:35.82\00:42:37.62
what must I do to be saved?"
00:42:37.62\00:42:38.82
How many of you
would like to have
00:42:38.82\00:42:39.89
more people ask
you that question?
00:42:39.89\00:42:42.79
I went to give a Bible study
00:42:42.79\00:42:44.03
to these families
and neighbors years ago.
00:42:44.03\00:42:46.49
And I remember the wife
is with tears in her eyes,
00:42:46.49\00:42:48.50
she says, "What do we
need to do to be saved?"
00:42:48.50\00:42:50.83
Almost right out of the Bible.
00:42:50.83\00:42:52.70
And it was so
wonderful to hear somebody
00:42:52.70\00:42:54.04
just ask me straight up.
00:42:54.04\00:42:55.27
I didn't have to get into Bible,
00:42:55.27\00:42:56.34
it was the first time there,
00:42:56.34\00:42:57.37
didn't have to get in
the Bible study two or three,
00:42:57.37\00:42:59.54
"What do we need
to do to be saved?"
00:42:59.54\00:43:01.38
And I was able to kneel
with the husband and wife,
00:43:01.38\00:43:02.98
and pray with them, and talked
about how to receive Christ.
00:43:02.98\00:43:06.92
"So they said, 'Believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:43:06.92\00:43:09.05
and you will be saved,
you and your household.'
00:43:09.05\00:43:12.35
Then they spoke the
word of the Lord to him."
00:43:12.35\00:43:14.19
So obviously,
there's more in believing,
00:43:14.19\00:43:15.89
they teach them what's involved.
00:43:15.89\00:43:18.16
"He took them the
same hour of the night,
00:43:18.16\00:43:20.43
washed their stripes
that he had put on earlier,
00:43:20.43\00:43:23.33
and immediately he and
all his family were baptized.
00:43:23.33\00:43:27.27
Now when he had
brought them out into his house
00:43:27.27\00:43:29.10
he set food before
him and he rejoiced
00:43:29.10\00:43:31.34
having believed in God
with all his household."
00:43:31.34\00:43:33.38
He went from near suicide
to rejoicing in one night
00:43:33.38\00:43:37.25
from hearing the Word.
00:43:37.25\00:43:39.21
Talk about an
amazing the transformation.
00:43:39.21\00:43:43.52
"And when it was day,
00:43:43.52\00:43:44.59
the magistrates sent
the officers, saying,
00:43:44.59\00:43:46.65
'Let those men go.'
00:43:46.65\00:43:48.32
So the keepers of the prison
reported these words to Paul,
00:43:48.32\00:43:50.63
saying, 'The magistrates
have sent to let you go.
00:43:50.63\00:43:53.13
Now therefore
depart, and go in peace.'"
00:43:53.13\00:43:57.73
I just realized I took the verse
00:43:57.73\00:43:59.00
she was supposed to read.
00:43:59.00\00:44:00.10
I read it. Are you okay?
00:44:00.10\00:44:02.30
I got
hypnotized by my own voice.
00:44:02.30\00:44:05.24
I got carried away.
00:44:05.24\00:44:09.78
It happened a long time ago too.
00:44:09.78\00:44:13.88
"So the
magistrates come and say,
00:44:13.88\00:44:15.32
'Oh, you're free to go now.'
00:44:15.32\00:44:17.99
And the keeper of
the prison reported
00:44:17.99\00:44:19.35
these words to Paul saying,
00:44:19.35\00:44:20.46
'The magistrates
have sent to let you go.
00:44:20.46\00:44:22.22
Now therefore
depart and go in peace,'
00:44:22.22\00:44:23.73
but Paul said to them,
00:44:23.73\00:44:25.36
'They've beaten us openly,
uncondemned being Romans...'"
00:44:25.36\00:44:29.10
Now what did we
just read about Philippi?
00:44:29.10\00:44:30.77
It was a Roman colony,
it is ruled by Roman law,
00:44:30.77\00:44:32.93
and they were
Romans in a Roman colony,
00:44:32.93\00:44:34.94
they should have been
protected by the process.
00:44:34.94\00:44:37.77
They who have done this
00:44:37.77\00:44:40.01
could be
prosecuted by the Romans
00:44:40.01\00:44:42.71
for beating a Roman untried.
00:44:42.71\00:44:45.18
And Paul knows
this, Paul's half Roman.
00:44:45.18\00:44:47.38
He knows the law, uncondemned.
00:44:47.38\00:44:50.42
"They've thrown us and now
00:44:50.42\00:44:51.49
they're going to
put us out secretly?
00:44:51.49\00:44:52.55
No indeed, let them
come in cells and get us out.
00:44:52.55\00:44:57.29
And the officers told
these words to the magistrates
00:44:57.29\00:45:00.60
and they were afraid
00:45:00.60\00:45:02.33
when they heard
that they were Romans."
00:45:02.33\00:45:03.90
This happened
twice in Paul's life.
00:45:03.90\00:45:06.27
"Then they came
and pleaded with them,
00:45:06.27\00:45:08.70
and brought them out,
00:45:08.70\00:45:10.07
and they asked them
to depart from the city."
00:45:10.07\00:45:11.81
Now why did Paul do that?
00:45:11.81\00:45:13.27
Did he do that
just to be difficult?
00:45:13.27\00:45:15.44
Well, he did it partially
because he wanted them to know
00:45:15.44\00:45:17.48
"You've just broken the law."
00:45:17.48\00:45:18.58
I think another reason he did it
00:45:18.58\00:45:19.81
is he had just
established church in Philippi.
00:45:19.81\00:45:23.65
He was now going to
let the magistrates know,
00:45:23.65\00:45:26.39
"I have leverage.
00:45:26.39\00:45:28.59
If I want to, I can
report you to the Romans,
00:45:28.59\00:45:31.09
you do not bother this group,
00:45:31.09\00:45:32.86
you just whipped us
because of our teachings.
00:45:32.86\00:45:34.36
You better not bother
them or I'm going to the Romans
00:45:34.36\00:45:37.73
to say that you
beat a Roman untried,
00:45:37.73\00:45:41.24
you condemn me,
00:45:41.24\00:45:42.67
I've got the welts
on my back to prove it,"
00:45:42.67\00:45:44.81
and I think that
he bought some peace
00:45:44.81\00:45:47.88
for the Philippian baby church
00:45:47.88\00:45:50.28
through that meeting
with the magistrates.
00:45:50.28\00:45:52.08
What do you think?
00:45:52.08\00:45:53.21
So I think that's part
of the reason he did that.
00:45:53.21\00:45:56.58
"So they came and pleaded
with them and brought them out,
00:45:56.58\00:45:59.59
and they asked them
to depart from the city.
00:45:59.59\00:46:01.39
All of a sudden the
magistrates are very apologetic.
00:46:01.39\00:46:04.26
So they entered
the house of Lydia,
00:46:04.26\00:46:07.00
and when they had
seen the brethren,
00:46:07.00\00:46:08.40
they encouraged
them and they departed."
00:46:08.40\00:46:10.20
They didn't leave the same day.
00:46:10.20\00:46:11.27
So they had
strengthen the church
00:46:11.27\00:46:12.97
and they went on to
establish another church.
00:46:12.97\00:46:16.04
Chapter 17.
00:46:16.04\00:46:18.37
"Now when they had
passed through Amphipolis
00:46:18.37\00:46:21.31
and Apollonia,
00:46:21.31\00:46:22.68
they came to Thessalonica,
00:46:22.68\00:46:24.18
where there was a
synagogue of the Jews.
00:46:24.18\00:46:26.61
Then Paul, as his custom was,
00:46:26.61\00:46:28.08
he went into them,
and for three Sabbaths,
00:46:28.08\00:46:29.92
he reasoned with
them from the Scriptures."
00:46:29.92\00:46:31.92
First, he'd go and
gathered in the synagogues,
00:46:31.92\00:46:34.32
people already had the
foundation for the truth,
00:46:34.32\00:46:36.93
"Explaining and demonstrating
that Christ had to suffer
00:46:36.93\00:46:41.23
and rise again
from the dead saying,
00:46:41.23\00:46:43.77
'This Jesus, who I preached you,
00:46:43.77\00:46:45.53
is the Christ,'
00:46:45.53\00:46:47.20
and some of them were persuaded,
00:46:47.20\00:46:48.87
and a great
multitude of the devout Jews,
00:46:48.87\00:46:51.51
and not a few of
the leading women,
00:46:51.51\00:46:52.91
joined Paul and Silas."
00:46:52.91\00:46:54.08
So some of the Jews,
00:46:54.08\00:46:55.38
a great multitude of
the converted Jews, believed
00:46:55.38\00:46:58.11
and some of the
women, they joined.
00:46:58.11\00:46:59.78
So immediately
after his preaching,
00:46:59.78\00:47:01.75
they've got believers,
00:47:01.75\00:47:03.08
they get a church established
there in Thessalonica,
00:47:03.08\00:47:06.82
but some did not believe.
00:47:06.82\00:47:08.76
Go to verse 5.
00:47:08.76\00:47:10.29
"But the Jews who
were not persuaded
00:47:10.29\00:47:12.03
becoming envious..."
00:47:12.03\00:47:14.13
You know, what causes a
lot of splits in the church?
00:47:14.13\00:47:17.47
Envy.
00:47:17.47\00:47:18.53
You know what's caused a
lot of theological splits?
00:47:18.53\00:47:20.97
One pastor is jealous
00:47:20.97\00:47:22.17
of the other
pastor has more listeners.
00:47:22.17\00:47:25.47
Why did they want to kill Jesus?
00:47:25.47\00:47:27.78
Pilate said he knew
it was because of envy
00:47:27.78\00:47:31.11
that they had
brought Christ to him.
00:47:31.11\00:47:33.35
They were jealous
that Jesus had such crowds.
00:47:33.35\00:47:36.72
It was their pride.
00:47:36.72\00:47:38.95
"But the Jews who
were not persuaded,
00:47:38.95\00:47:40.52
becoming envious,
00:47:40.52\00:47:41.96
took some of the evil
men from the marketplace,
00:47:41.96\00:47:44.13
and gathering a mob, set
all the city in an uproar
00:47:44.13\00:47:47.23
and attacked the house of Jason,
00:47:47.23\00:47:49.00
and sought to bring
them out to the people.
00:47:49.00\00:47:51.10
But when they did not find them,
00:47:51.10\00:47:52.60
they dragged
Jason and some brethren
00:47:52.60\00:47:54.20
to the rulers of
the city, crying,
00:47:54.20\00:47:56.20
'These who have
turned the world upside down
00:47:56.20\00:47:58.27
have come here too.''
00:47:58.27\00:48:00.41
So had Christians made
some impact at this point?
00:48:00.41\00:48:03.01
Amen.
00:48:03.01\00:48:04.35
I mean, there must have been
some truth to their accusation.
00:48:04.35\00:48:06.05
They've turned
the world upside down.
00:48:06.05\00:48:09.28
Paul, and it wasn't
just Paul going out,
00:48:09.28\00:48:11.15
Peters going out, 12
apostles are going out,
00:48:11.15\00:48:13.42
Barnabas and Mark are going out.
00:48:13.42\00:48:15.96
So there's
different missionary groups
00:48:15.96\00:48:17.46
are fanning out from Jerusalem.
00:48:17.46\00:48:19.46
What happened to Pentecost?
00:48:19.46\00:48:20.96
Devout Jews out of every nation
under heaven heard the gospel,
00:48:20.96\00:48:23.70
they went back home.
00:48:23.70\00:48:25.37
And so the teaching of Jesus
00:48:25.37\00:48:26.87
just began to
permeate the Roman Empire.
00:48:26.87\00:48:29.64
Paul being one of
the most outspoken,
00:48:29.64\00:48:31.97
we read about him in Acts,
00:48:31.97\00:48:33.31
but you can have
Acts of the Apostles
00:48:33.31\00:48:35.01
written about Peter,
00:48:35.01\00:48:36.21
you can have an
Acts of the Apostles
00:48:36.21\00:48:37.35
written about Thomas,
00:48:37.35\00:48:38.41
you can have an
Acts of the Apostles
00:48:38.41\00:48:39.48
written about...
00:48:39.48\00:48:40.65
pick your favorite apostle.
00:48:40.65\00:48:43.05
They were all
going out doing things.
00:48:43.05\00:48:45.92
And so it says, "They've
turned the world upside down,
00:48:45.92\00:48:47.82
they've come here now.
00:48:47.82\00:48:50.06
And Jason is harbored them,
00:48:50.06\00:48:52.36
and these are
all acting contrary
00:48:52.36\00:48:54.36
to the decrees of Caesar,
saying there's another king,"
00:48:54.36\00:48:56.63
isn't that what
they accused Jesus of?
00:48:56.63\00:48:58.93
He's saying they
should worship another king.
00:48:58.93\00:49:01.17
"And they troubled the crowd
in the rulers of the city,"
00:49:01.17\00:49:03.47
they get them all stirred up,
"Where they heard these things.
00:49:03.47\00:49:06.27
So when they had
taken security from them,
00:49:06.27\00:49:09.01
from Jason and the
rest, they let them go."
00:49:09.01\00:49:12.25
Then...
00:49:12.25\00:49:13.42
Oh, I'm out of time.
00:49:13.42\00:49:15.68
Wow.
00:49:15.68\00:49:17.29
I didn't even get
Paul to preach in Athens,
00:49:17.29\00:49:19.92
it's amazing
00:49:19.92\00:49:21.49
God providentially
gives him an opportunity
00:49:21.49\00:49:23.53
to preach in the biggest arena
in the Greek empire back then
00:49:23.53\00:49:28.90
but He gives him an audience
and he preaches about Jehovah
00:49:28.90\00:49:31.43
using one of their
altars to be unknown God.
00:49:31.43\00:49:33.94
It's a brilliant
example of evangelism.
00:49:33.94\00:49:36.81
And then he eventually
00:49:36.81\00:49:38.37
after some
success there in Athens,
00:49:38.37\00:49:40.68
he goes into Corinth
and has great success there.
00:49:40.68\00:49:44.48
You'll read about
that in Acts 18:1-11.
00:49:44.48\00:49:48.45
Of course, you've
got 1 and 2 Corinthians
00:49:48.45\00:49:50.12
so you know that he established
00:49:50.12\00:49:51.22
some significant
churches in Corinth.
00:49:51.22\00:49:53.52
I apologize I was hoping I
could just read through it,
00:49:53.52\00:49:55.92
but I got involved
00:49:55.92\00:49:57.26
doing some sort of
expository preaching.
00:49:57.26\00:49:59.76
Hope we learned
something along the way.
00:49:59.76\00:50:01.53
Hey, I want to tell our
friends before we sign off,
00:50:01.53\00:50:03.33
I want to remind you
we do have a free offer.
00:50:03.33\00:50:06.30
And it's a message
based on not missing
00:50:06.30\00:50:09.34
the great
invitation of the gospel.
00:50:09.34\00:50:10.87
It's called
Spurning a Great Invitation.
00:50:10.87\00:50:12.91
We'll send you a
free DVD. It's actually...
00:50:12.91\00:50:14.78
I think it's DVD, yeah.
00:50:14.78\00:50:16.34
It's got the
audio and the visual
00:50:16.34\00:50:18.51
ask for offer number
854 when you request this
00:50:18.51\00:50:21.98
and call the
number 866-788-3966.
00:50:21.98\00:50:26.42
It translates
into 866 Study More.
00:50:26.42\00:50:28.69
And if you want
to get it digitally,
00:50:28.69\00:50:30.29
you can download
this right now for free.
00:50:30.29\00:50:32.79
Simply go on your phone,
00:50:32.79\00:50:35.16
text "SH103" to 40544,
00:50:35.16\00:50:41.40
and you can then get a link
00:50:41.40\00:50:43.00
and you'll be able to
download that audio message
00:50:43.00\00:50:45.47
and video message right now.
00:50:45.47\00:50:46.88
God bless you, friends.
00:50:46.88\00:50:47.91
We'll study His Word
together again next Sabbath.
00:50:47.91\00:50:51.91
Can't get enough
Amazing Facts Bible Study?
00:50:51.91\00:50:54.95
You don't have to
wait until next week
00:50:54.95\00:50:56.79
to enjoy more
truth-filled programming.
00:50:56.79\00:50:59.39
Visit the Amazing Facts
Media Library at AFTV.org.
00:50:59.39\00:51:04.59
At AFTV.org,
00:51:04.59\00:51:06.66
you can enjoy video
and audio presentations
00:51:06.66\00:51:09.50
as well as printed
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00:51:09.50\00:51:12.67
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00:51:12.67\00:51:15.17
right from your
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00:51:15.17\00:51:17.64
Visit AFTV.org.
00:51:17.64\00:51:21.48
We're here on
the beautiful coast
00:51:31.65\00:51:33.42
of the island of Puerto Rico.
00:51:33.42\00:51:35.29
And if you were to
travel east about 2,000 miles,
00:51:35.29\00:51:38.19
of course you'd be out
the middle of the ocean,
00:51:38.19\00:51:40.43
but you'd also be in
the middle of a mystical sea
00:51:40.43\00:51:42.70
called the Sargasso Sea.
00:51:42.70\00:51:44.87
It gets its name
00:51:44.87\00:51:46.00
because of it is
common brown seaweed
00:51:46.00\00:51:48.97
that can be found
floating in vast mass.
00:51:48.97\00:51:52.24
The area of the Sargasso
Sea is about 700 miles wide
00:51:52.24\00:51:56.18
and 2,000 miles long.
00:51:56.18\00:51:58.51
Now the seaweed
itself is fascinating stuff.
00:51:58.51\00:52:01.38
It was first
observed and called Gulf weed
00:52:01.38\00:52:03.52
by Christopher Columbus.
00:52:03.52\00:52:04.95
It gets the name
Sargon from the Portuguese.
00:52:04.95\00:52:07.42
Some people use it
as herbal remedies.
00:52:07.42\00:52:09.49
But out in the
middle of the Sargasso Sea,
00:52:09.49\00:52:11.86
the water is some of
the bluest in the world
00:52:11.86\00:52:14.36
'cause there you can
see 200 feet deep in places.
00:52:14.36\00:52:18.00
It also has a great
biodiversity an ecosystem
00:52:18.00\00:52:20.74
that surrounds
the Saragossa Sea.
00:52:20.74\00:52:23.14
For years, scientists wondered
00:52:23.14\00:52:24.57
where the American
and the Atlantic Eels
00:52:24.57\00:52:26.78
were breeding,
00:52:26.78\00:52:28.01
they knew the adult
eel swam down the rivers
00:52:28.01\00:52:30.11
out into the Atlantic,
00:52:30.11\00:52:31.35
but they never
could find a place
00:52:31.35\00:52:32.68
where they reproduce.
00:52:32.68\00:52:33.82
Finally they discovered
00:52:33.82\00:52:34.92
it was out in the
middle of the Sargasso Sea.
00:52:34.92\00:52:37.85
So it's a fascinating place.
00:52:37.85\00:52:39.52
But if you are
an ancient sailor,
00:52:39.52\00:52:41.09
you did not want
to get stuck there.
00:52:41.09\00:52:45.66
Being caught in the doldrums
00:52:45.66\00:52:47.23
was extremely difficult
for the ancient sailors.
00:52:47.23\00:52:50.53
Of course, their boats
were driven by wind and sail,
00:52:50.53\00:52:53.37
and they'd be caught in
the vast mats of the seaweed
00:52:53.37\00:52:56.07
that would wrap
around the rudder,
00:52:56.07\00:52:57.61
barnacles would begin to grow.
00:52:57.61\00:52:59.34
It's an area that is notorious
for light in baffling winds,
00:52:59.34\00:53:03.08
and so they'd make no
progress, they'd get stuck.
00:53:03.08\00:53:06.25
The men would become
extremely dispirited.
00:53:06.25\00:53:08.65
Sometimes violence
00:53:08.65\00:53:10.02
and even
insanity would break out
00:53:10.02\00:53:11.99
as people were
trapped in the doldrums.
00:53:11.99\00:53:14.89
Well, friends, perhaps sometimes
00:53:14.89\00:53:16.16
you felt that you're
trapped in the doldrums.
00:53:16.16\00:53:18.63
You've gone through
episodes of depression,
00:53:18.63\00:53:20.76
you feel like
you're going in circles,
00:53:20.76\00:53:22.63
life seems stifling.
00:53:22.63\00:53:24.33
You know, the
Bible offers good news.
00:53:24.33\00:53:26.13
There is a way out.
00:53:26.13\00:53:27.80
Bible talks about
a famous character
00:53:27.80\00:53:29.90
that was trapped in
a cycle of depression.
00:53:29.90\00:53:32.41
He was low as you could be.
00:53:32.41\00:53:34.18
Matter of fact,
he even had seaweed
00:53:34.18\00:53:35.51
wrapped around his head.
00:53:35.51\00:53:36.91
His name was Jonah.
00:53:36.91\00:53:38.48
But God gave
him a way of escape.
00:53:38.48\00:53:40.95
In Jonah 2:3-7, we read,
00:53:40.95\00:53:44.79
"For you cast me into the depths
00:53:44.79\00:53:46.69
into the heart of the seas
and the flood surrounded me,
00:53:46.69\00:53:50.46
all of your billows and
your waves passed over me.
00:53:50.46\00:53:53.50
Then I said, 'I have
been cast out of your sight,
00:53:53.50\00:53:56.60
yet I will look again
towards Your Holy temple.'
00:53:56.60\00:53:59.33
The waters
surrounded me, even to my soul,
00:53:59.33\00:54:02.20
the deep closed around me.
00:54:02.20\00:54:04.11
Weeds were
wrapped around my head.
00:54:04.11\00:54:06.51
I went down to the
moorings of the mountains.
00:54:06.51\00:54:09.24
The earth with its bars
closed behind me forever,
00:54:09.24\00:54:12.68
yet you've brought
my life up from the pit,
00:54:12.68\00:54:15.45
O, Lord, my God.
00:54:15.45\00:54:17.02
When my soul fainted
within me, I remember the Lord.
00:54:17.02\00:54:20.52
And my prayer went up to
You into Your holy temple."
00:54:20.52\00:54:24.43
You know,
friends, the way the Jonah
00:54:24.43\00:54:25.76
got out of the
sturgeon circumstance,
00:54:25.76\00:54:28.23
he turned to God and he prayed.
00:54:28.23\00:54:30.53
And if God could
hear Jonah's prayers,
00:54:30.53\00:54:31.97
just think about it,
00:54:31.97\00:54:33.10
he was as far away from
God as anybody could be,
00:54:33.10\00:54:35.77
he was in the
belly of a sea monster,
00:54:35.77\00:54:37.54
in the bottom of
the ocean, in the dark,
00:54:37.54\00:54:39.67
yet he turned to God,
and God heard his prayer.
00:54:39.67\00:54:42.34
You know, these ancient sailors,
00:54:42.34\00:54:43.65
when they were trapped
00:54:43.65\00:54:44.91
on the deck of a ship for weeks,
00:54:44.91\00:54:46.41
stuck in the
doldrums discouraged,
00:54:46.41\00:54:48.28
sometimes they would
have a prayer meeting
00:54:48.28\00:54:50.32
and pray that God
would send a breeze
00:54:50.32\00:54:52.69
that would set them free,
and get their boats moving.
00:54:52.69\00:54:55.49
They turned to God in prayer,
00:54:55.49\00:54:56.62
and often miracles would happen,
00:54:56.62\00:54:58.46
and the wind would
flutter in the sails,
00:54:58.46\00:55:00.40
and bring them out
of their seaweed prison.
00:55:00.40\00:55:03.16
Friends, maybe you have
been stuck in the doldrums.
00:55:03.16\00:55:06.03
Maybe you've been caught
in a cycle of depression.
00:55:06.03\00:55:08.77
If God can do it for Jonah,
00:55:08.77\00:55:10.11
if He can do it for
the ancient sailors,
00:55:10.11\00:55:11.61
He can do it for you.
Turn to the Lord in prayer.
00:55:11.61\00:55:14.21
Trust His spirit to
blow through your soul
00:55:14.21\00:55:16.85
and to set you free.
00:55:16.85\00:55:18.61
Let's face it,
it's not always easy
00:55:25.95\00:55:28.19
to understand everything
you read in the Bible.
00:55:28.19\00:55:30.76
With over 700,000
words contained in 66 books,
00:55:30.76\00:55:34.46
the Bible can
generate a lot of questions.
00:55:34.46\00:55:36.97
To get biblical
straightforward answers,
00:55:36.97\00:55:39.30
call into Bible Answers Live,
00:55:39.30\00:55:41.20
a live nationwide
call-in radio program
00:55:41.20\00:55:43.94
where you can talk
to Pastor Doug Bachelor
00:55:43.94\00:55:46.24
and ask him your most
difficult Bible questions.
00:55:46.24\00:55:48.81
For times and
stations in your area
00:55:48.81\00:55:50.98
or to listen to answers online,
00:55:50.98\00:55:52.78
visit Bal.AmazingFacts.org.
00:55:52.78\00:55:56.22
So what is the
brightest light in the world?
00:56:06.03\00:56:08.86
Well, naturally,
you'd say the sun,
00:56:08.86\00:56:10.40
but we're talking about
00:56:10.40\00:56:11.47
the brightest
manmade light in the world.
00:56:11.47\00:56:13.84
It's the light that shines
00:56:13.84\00:56:15.37
out of the roof of
that pyramid shaped hotel
00:56:15.37\00:56:17.94
in Las Vegas called the Luxor.
00:56:17.94\00:56:20.24
There in the cap of that hotel
there is a room that contains
00:56:20.24\00:56:23.68
39 washing
machine size Xenon bowls,
00:56:23.68\00:56:27.45
and each of those bowls requires
00:56:27.45\00:56:29.18
about 7,000 watts altogether,
00:56:29.18\00:56:31.99
they produce about 40
billion candle power of light.
00:56:31.99\00:56:36.66
Can you imagine
getting that electric bill
00:56:36.66\00:56:38.19
of the Luxor Hotel every month?
00:56:38.19\00:56:40.33
That light is so bright
00:56:40.33\00:56:41.60
that planes can
see it 250 miles away,
00:56:41.60\00:56:45.57
they're shooting light
10 miles up into space.
00:56:45.57\00:56:48.80
I mean if you
happen to be floating by,
00:56:48.80\00:56:50.64
you could read a
newspaper up there.
00:56:50.64\00:56:53.51
And as you might have guessed,
00:56:53.51\00:56:54.74
that bright light has become
the world's best bug attractor,
00:56:54.74\00:56:58.11
bringing in
moths, bats, and owls
00:56:58.11\00:57:00.75
creating its own ecosystem
there at night above the hotel.
00:57:00.75\00:57:03.95
But the sad thing
00:57:03.95\00:57:05.02
about the brightest
light in the world is,
00:57:05.02\00:57:06.99
especially when
the night air is clear
00:57:06.99\00:57:09.39
without any particles,
the light doesn't hit anything
00:57:09.39\00:57:12.83
and it's invisible, it
shoots up into empty space.
00:57:12.83\00:57:16.97
The brightest light in the world
00:57:16.97\00:57:18.97
illuminates nothing.
00:57:18.97\00:57:20.84
You know, the Bible tells us
00:57:20.84\00:57:21.90
that there's
another great wasted light,
00:57:21.90\00:57:24.17
and that's the
light of God's Word.
00:57:24.17\00:57:26.37
It says in Psalm 119:105,
00:57:26.37\00:57:29.18
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
00:57:29.18\00:57:31.61
and a light unto my path."
00:57:31.61\00:57:33.45
And yet so many people
are walking in darkness.
00:57:33.45\00:57:36.28
Furthermore, Jesus said,
if you do have that light,
00:57:36.28\00:57:39.12
make sure you don't
put it under a bushel,
00:57:39.12\00:57:40.79
but you let it shine
00:57:40.79\00:57:41.86
and illuminate
the lives of others.
00:57:41.86\00:57:44.06
Jesus said in Matthew 5,
00:57:44.06\00:57:46.09
"Set your light up
on a hill like a city
00:57:46.09\00:57:48.06
so that all might see it."
00:57:48.06\00:57:50.07
Light only benefits others
00:57:50.07\00:57:52.27
when it reflects
off of something.
00:57:52.27\00:57:54.67
God wants our lights
00:57:54.67\00:57:56.17
to illuminate
the lives of others.
00:57:56.17\00:57:58.54
So are you glowing for God?
00:57:58.54\00:58:00.11
Remember, Jesus
said, "Let there be light."
00:58:00.11\00:58:02.98