Good morning, friends,
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and 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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Very warm welcome
to our online members
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and also those who are
joining us across the country
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and around the world on
the various media networks,
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delighted that you are studying
the lesson with us today.
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Also I'd like to welcome
our regular church members
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and our visitors
right here at Granite Bay,
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always good to see
you from week to week,
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coming with your lesson
in hand, ready to study.
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Over the past quarter,
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we've been looking
at the Book of Acts
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as being the
theme for our study,
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and today, we find
ourselves on lesson number 12,
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which is entitled
Confinement in Caesarea.
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Very interesting study,
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we're reaching the end
of our study of the ministry
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on the life of the Apostle Paul.
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And so this is
an important part,
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Confinement in
Caesarea, lesson number 12.
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But before we get to
our study this morning,
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we want to let our friends know
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about our free
offer for this morning.
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It is a DVD entitled Courage
in the Face of Discouragement.
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And that is our
free offer for today,
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if you'd like to
receive that, call 866-788-3966
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and you can ask
for offer number 855.
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And if you'd like to
get a digital download
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of this special sermon,
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that's our free offer today,
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all you'll need to do is text
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the code "SH104"
to the number 40544.
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And you'll be able to get a link
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where you can
download our free offer DVD
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entitled Courage in
the Face of Discouragement,
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a special sermon by
Pastor Doug Batchelor.
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Well, before we
get to our study,
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we always like to begin by
lifting our voices in song.
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I'd like to invite the
song leaders to come forward.
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Dear Father in
heaven, once again,
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we're grateful
for the many blessings
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that You bestowed upon us
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for health, strength,
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the ability to
be gathered together
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to worship You
this morning in freedom.
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And as we open up our lesson
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and take a look
at the life of Paul,
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his ministry, and
his great witness,
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even there at a
city of Caesarea,
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Lord, we just
pray for Your guidance
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and lead us to
understand clearly what it is
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that You'd have
us do in our lives,
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in our witness, for we
ask this in Jesus' name, amen.
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Our lesson this morning
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is going to be
brought to us by Pastor Doug.
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Today, we're in lesson number 12
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and the title of the lesson
is Confinement in Caesarea.
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And basically, our study today
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is based on Acts
chapter 24, 25, 26.
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With the help of God,
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we're going to be able
to read through all of that,
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it is a very
interesting passage.
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It's history, and
we have a memory verse.
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The memory verse
is from Acts 26:29
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and here, it's from the
New Revised Standard Version,
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if you want to say it with me,
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just you can read it with
me out loud out of your lesson,
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"Whether quickly or not,
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I pray to God that not only you
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but also all who are
listening to me today,
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might become such as I
am, except for these chains."
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This was Paul's response
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when he said almost now
persuades me to be a Christian.
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He said, "I would
hope that not only you
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but all who are listening might
be as I am being a Christian,
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except for the chains"
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'cause he was
imprisoned at that time.
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And so let's
dive into our lesson
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and the way we're
going to do this is,
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I'm going to read a little
bit, some comment in history,
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then we're going to
go right to the Bible.
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You'll want to turn in
your Bibles to Acts 24.
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Now for those
who do not remember,
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Paul seemed to cause
riots wherever he went.
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And he was stoned once,
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and he's been
arrested several times,
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sometimes they had to
carry him out of a city
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'cause they thought he was
going to be killed by a mob,
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and he came to Jerusalem.
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He wasn't even
doing anything wrong,
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but because he
had become so infamous
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and notorious among the Jews
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for what he had been doing
among the synagogues in Asia.
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When they saw him
in the Jewish temple,
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they thought for sure
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that he had
brought gentiles with him,
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even though he hadn't.
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And he was here
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just quietly
trying to worship God
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and finish up a vow.
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And if it turned into a riot
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and they were trying to
tear him limb from limb,
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it's amazing he survived.
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The Romans had to
come with soldiers
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and forcibly tear
him away from the mob,
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carry Paul over
their heads out of the mob
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up into the garrison,
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and there he was
being investigated.
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They were about to whip him
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and they found out
that he was a Roman citizen.
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And at that point, they
said, "Oh, you're Roman."
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They brought him
down to Caesarea.
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There was a plot
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when he was in the
garrison there in Jerusalem.
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There were 40
men that took a vow
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that they were
going to not eat or drink
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until they had killed him.
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That came to Lysias,
the Roman Commander there,
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and he secreted
Paul out of Jerusalem
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down to Caesarea.
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Caesarea is by the sea.
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Karen and I and a
couple of you here
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who went on our recent trip
to Israel, we were at Caesarea.
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And saw some of the
buildings that still exist.
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It was named after one
of the early Caesar's wife,
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Caesarea, and so hence the name.
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Anyway, so he's
there now, he's in prison
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but he's imprisoned
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in somewhat
friendly circumstances,
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they allowed his
friends to come and go,
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and there were a few
people from the church there
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that probably
came and ministered
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to some of his needs.
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He probably was not
in shackles as he was
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when he was in Philippi,
they put him in the stocks.
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But he's got a
little more freedom there
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because they
said, "He is a Roman,
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he hasn't been condemned yet."
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But they couldn't let
him go 'cause there was...
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The Jews basically
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had put out a price on his head.
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They were going to probably
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reward anybody that killed Paul.
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And so for his own protection,
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they sort of needed
to keep him confined.
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So this is a little
bit of the backdrop.
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Now the sad
thing, there's no record
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that the church in
Jerusalem went to great lengths
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to try to send an
attorney, or representative,
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or to help him.
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Because there
were mixed feelings
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among the church in
Jerusalem, they thought,
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you know, "Paul has
caused a lot of stir in Asia
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and he's hurting our
reputation among our own people
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here in Jerusalem."
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And so sadly, you don't hear
that he got a lot of support.
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You can read here in Acts
of the Apostles, page 403.
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"Yet those were
still years of deep anxiety
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as well as tedious confinement,"
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for Paul who had been
so active to be confined,"
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in which the apostle
seems to have had no support
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of any kind from
the church in Jerusalem
00:10:02.13\00:10:05.00
whose leaders
still cherished a feeling
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that Paul should be
held largely responsible
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for the existing prejudice."
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The persecution that
was happening in Jerusalem
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against the church, they said,
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"If Paul wasn't
such a loud mouth,
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he's bringing all
these problems on us."
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So while he's there in...
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Caesarea, he's now
going to be tried by someone
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by the name of Felix.
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Now the word Felix, it
means happy or prosperous.
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He was the Roman
procurator of Judea
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before who Paul reasoned
and he appears to have expected
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a bribe from Paul
in order to let him go
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but Paul was not
going to bribe him.
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He thought that
would set a wrong precedent
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for the church.
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Therefore, he had
several interviews with him,
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and he was the one
who was in charge for...
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And he had the
term Porcius Festus,
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who was appointed in a
room of Felix in about 60 A.D.
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For two years, he
stays in prison there.
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Now you might be
thinking that, you know,
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he was being punished
for doing something wrong,
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actually God put him
in prison to save him.
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Because they were trying
so desperately to kill him,
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you'll see there's another plot.
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So go with me now to
Acts 24, I'm going to read
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and do some
comment along the way.
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In a few moments, I
might ask a couple of you
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to read some verses.
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Acts 24:1,
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"Now after five days,
Ananias the high priest,"
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who is up in Jerusalem,
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"he came down to Caesarea
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with the elders
and a certain orator,"
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they found the most
eloquent speaker among the Jews
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to represent their
case to try to persuade them
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to execute Paul or
turn Paul over to them
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to try according to their
law," his name was Tertullus.
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These gave evidence to
the governor against Paul
00:11:55.81\00:11:58.75
as delegation came to speak
against Paul in this trial.
00:11:58.75\00:12:03.12
And when he was called upon,
Tertullus began his accusation
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saying, 'Seeing
that though, through you
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we enjoy a great
peace, and prosperity
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is being brought to this
nation by your foresight,
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we accept it
always and in all places,
00:12:14.73\00:12:16.80
most noble Felix,
with all thankfulness,
00:12:16.80\00:12:20.14
"all these, get to
all these platitudes,"
00:12:20.14\00:12:22.14
nevertheless, not to be
tedious to you in any further,
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I beg you to
hear, by your courtesy,
00:12:26.68\00:12:28.64
a few words from us.
00:12:28.64\00:12:30.01
For we have found
this man a plague,
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a creator of
dissension among the Jews
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throughout the
world, and a ringleader
00:12:34.65\00:12:36.25
of the sect of the Nazarenes.
00:12:36.25\00:12:38.19
He even tried to
profane the temple,
00:12:38.19\00:12:40.32
''that wasn't true,"
00:12:40.32\00:12:41.69
and we seized him
and wanted to judge him
00:12:41.69\00:12:43.73
according to our law
but the Commander Lysias
00:12:43.73\00:12:46.03
came by with great violence,
00:12:46.03\00:12:47.86
"that isn't true," took
him, "it was their violence
00:12:47.86\00:12:50.20
he saved him from,"
took him out of our hands
00:12:50.20\00:12:52.90
commanding his
accusers to come to you.
00:12:52.90\00:12:55.67
By examining him
yourself, you may ascertain
00:12:55.67\00:12:57.94
all these things of
which we accuse him.
00:12:57.94\00:13:00.71
And the Jews also ascended,
00:13:00.71\00:13:02.18
maintaining that
these things were so.'"
00:13:02.18\00:13:03.78
So why Tertullus is making
his appeal and accusing Paul,
00:13:03.78\00:13:08.92
that's right, amen,
that's true, it's all true.
00:13:08.92\00:13:12.29
"Then Paul after the
governor nodded to him,"
00:13:12.29\00:13:15.19
you couldn't speak
until the judge told you.
00:13:15.19\00:13:18.89
I was in a court one time
and I said something very minor
00:13:18.89\00:13:23.77
and, boy, I got slapped
down by the judge right away,
00:13:23.77\00:13:26.90
"Do not speak in my court
unless you're asked to speak."
00:13:26.90\00:13:29.77
I think I said
two words to somebody.
00:13:29.77\00:13:32.77
And you're probably
not shocked with that
00:13:32.77\00:13:34.21
but, yeah, I learned,
you don't speak in the court
00:13:34.21\00:13:37.88
unless you're asked to.
00:13:37.88\00:13:40.12
And so he nodded,
he gave him permission
00:13:40.12\00:13:43.89
now to defend himself.
00:13:43.89\00:13:47.02
And Paul answered, "Then
Paul," and then verse 10,
00:13:47.02\00:13:51.13
"after the governor nodded
to him to speak answered..."
00:13:51.13\00:13:54.46
Now they thought
Tertullus was a good orator,
00:13:54.46\00:13:56.67
they didn't know Paul very well,
00:13:56.67\00:14:00.24
"Inasmuch as I
know that you have been
00:14:00.24\00:14:02.90
for many years a
judge of this nation,
00:14:02.90\00:14:04.84
I do the more
cheerfully answer for myself
00:14:04.84\00:14:08.01
because you may ascertain
00:14:08.01\00:14:09.34
that it is no
more than twelve days
00:14:09.34\00:14:12.01
since I went up to
Jerusalem to worship.
00:14:12.01\00:14:14.18
And they neither
found me in the temple
00:14:14.18\00:14:16.08
disputing with anyone
or inciting the crowd,
00:14:16.08\00:14:18.99
either in the
synagogue or in the city.
00:14:18.99\00:14:21.09
Nor can they prove the things
of which they now accuse me.
00:14:21.09\00:14:24.46
By this I confess to you
that according to the way..."
00:14:24.46\00:14:27.96
Speaking of the way is what?
00:14:27.96\00:14:31.23
It's the teachings of Christ.
00:14:31.23\00:14:34.97
I once had a modern translation
of the New Testament,
00:14:34.97\00:14:38.37
I don't recommend
it for Bible study
00:14:38.37\00:14:40.81
but it was called The Way
00:14:40.81\00:14:42.78
and back when I was a
hippie up in the mountains
00:14:42.78\00:14:44.31
that actually helped me decipher
00:14:44.31\00:14:45.81
some of the difficult
words but they called it that
00:14:45.81\00:14:47.92
because it's talking
about the Christian teaching
00:14:47.92\00:14:49.82
was called The Way.
00:14:49.82\00:14:52.32
"After the Way that
they call a sect..."
00:14:52.32\00:14:55.19
Has the truth ever
been called a cult before?
00:14:55.19\00:14:59.43
"After the Way that
they call a cult," a sect,
00:14:59.43\00:15:02.16
"I worship God of my
fathers, believing all things
00:15:02.16\00:15:04.97
which are written in the
Law and in the Prophets."
00:15:04.97\00:15:06.84
He said, "I just
believe Bible religion."
00:15:06.84\00:15:09.20
Does that sound familiar?
00:15:09.20\00:15:11.47
Sometimes if you
go by the real Bible,
00:15:11.47\00:15:13.51
they call you a sect.
00:15:13.51\00:15:16.51
"I have hope in God,
00:15:16.51\00:15:17.85
which they
themselves also accept,
00:15:17.85\00:15:19.51
that there will be a
resurrection of the dead,
00:15:19.51\00:15:21.42
both the just and the unjust.
00:15:21.42\00:15:23.42
This being so,
00:15:23.42\00:15:24.52
I myself always
strive to have a conscience
00:15:24.52\00:15:27.06
without offense
towards God and men.
00:15:27.06\00:15:29.46
Now after many days, I
came to bring alms," he says,
00:15:29.46\00:15:32.06
"I came to bring an
offering to Jerusalem.
00:15:32.06\00:15:34.46
To my nation and in the midst
of which some Jews from Asia
00:15:34.46\00:15:37.97
found me purified in the temple,
00:15:37.97\00:15:40.40
neither with the
mob nor with tumult.
00:15:40.40\00:15:43.00
They ought to have been
here before you to object
00:15:43.00\00:15:45.31
if they had
anything against me."
00:15:45.31\00:15:46.44
He said, "The ones who
accused me of doing this
00:15:46.44\00:15:48.34
aren't even here today."
00:15:48.34\00:15:50.21
"Or else let those
who are here themselves
00:15:50.21\00:15:52.18
say if they found
in me any wrongdoing
00:15:52.18\00:15:54.52
while I stood
before the council..."
00:15:54.52\00:15:57.02
They didn't actually
say what specifically
00:15:57.02\00:15:59.25
he was doing
wrong in the temple.
00:15:59.25\00:16:01.36
"Unless it's for
this one statement,
00:16:04.06\00:16:06.03
I cried out,
standing among them,
00:16:06.03\00:16:08.26
'Concerning the
resurrection of the dead
00:16:08.26\00:16:10.00
I am being
judged by you this day."
00:16:10.00\00:16:12.97
Now Paul knew that again
was going to create division
00:16:12.97\00:16:16.37
among the
Sadducees and the Pharisees
00:16:16.37\00:16:18.14
that were his accusers.
00:16:18.14\00:16:20.31
So after he
makes this statement,
00:16:20.31\00:16:22.34
then he presents his defense.
00:16:22.34\00:16:25.28
Now in this story,
you're going to see
00:16:25.28\00:16:28.05
what we're reading today
in Acts chapter 24, 25 and 26,
00:16:28.05\00:16:32.99
this is, Paul has
tried three times,
00:16:32.99\00:16:36.02
at least there's three hearings,
00:16:36.02\00:16:37.26
and many other private hearings
that he makes before Festus,
00:16:37.26\00:16:42.20
before Felix, and
before Agrippa II.
00:16:42.20\00:16:45.57
In fact, if Cheryl has it ready,
00:16:45.57\00:16:47.94
I don't have any
photographs but I do have
00:16:47.94\00:16:50.44
actually a picture of a statue.
00:16:50.44\00:16:54.14
That's Porcius Festus,
that's what he looked like,
00:16:54.14\00:16:57.48
they found a statue of him.
00:16:57.48\00:16:58.65
May as well put the
other one up now too,
00:16:58.65\00:17:00.65
just so you can
get it in your mind.
00:17:00.65\00:17:01.95
And this is Herod Agrippa
II, this is the great grandson
00:17:01.95\00:17:05.69
of King Herod the
Great that built Masada,
00:17:05.69\00:17:09.29
he rebuilt the temple,
00:17:09.29\00:17:10.49
he was the last
of Herod's Dynasty.
00:17:10.49\00:17:13.66
When he died off, it
was the end of the line,
00:17:13.66\00:17:15.93
and Paul was tried
before him as well.
00:17:15.93\00:17:17.53
He actually...
00:17:17.53\00:17:18.93
He was born when
Jesus was baptized, 27 A.D.
00:17:18.93\00:17:22.07
And he lived 70
years and he has died about
00:17:22.07\00:17:24.34
the same time
the Apostle Paul died
00:17:24.34\00:17:26.47
or John died rather.
00:17:26.47\00:17:28.21
And so they have statutes,
so you can actually say,
00:17:28.21\00:17:30.55
"Oh, I know what
this guy looked like."
00:17:30.55\00:17:31.71
That's very rare when you
go that far back in history
00:17:31.71\00:17:34.72
that you can have a picture
of what they looked like.
00:17:34.72\00:17:37.32
So you can thank me later.
00:17:37.32\00:17:38.59
All right, going back.
00:17:38.59\00:17:41.29
"But Jesus said,"
00:17:41.29\00:17:42.49
speaking of the
trials they'll have,
00:17:42.49\00:17:43.73
He said, "It'll turn out as
an occasion for a testimony.
00:17:43.73\00:17:47.03
Therefore settle
it in your hearts
00:17:47.03\00:17:49.13
not to meditate
beforehand what you will answer,
00:17:49.13\00:17:52.47
for I will give
you a mouth and wisdom
00:17:52.47\00:17:55.07
which all your
adversaries will not be
00:17:55.07\00:17:57.37
able to contradict or resist."
00:17:57.37\00:18:00.18
Everything that
Jesus foretold here
00:18:00.18\00:18:02.08
happens in the
story we're reading today.
00:18:02.08\00:18:04.38
He was persecuted,
they nearly killed him,
00:18:04.38\00:18:07.18
he had an occasion
to witness before kings
00:18:07.18\00:18:09.22
and the Holy Spirit
told Paul what to say.
00:18:09.22\00:18:11.62
This is when Paul was converted,
00:18:11.62\00:18:13.09
Jesus told Paul
right at the outset
00:18:13.09\00:18:15.49
and he actually shared
this with Ananias to tell Paul
00:18:15.49\00:18:19.03
that "I have a special job
for you to go to the gentiles
00:18:19.03\00:18:21.43
and you will bear My
name before kings and rulers."
00:18:21.43\00:18:25.10
And that's what
happened with him here.
00:18:25.10\00:18:28.30
All right, so if you
go now to Acts 24:22,
00:18:28.30\00:18:34.01
"But when Felix
heard these things,
00:18:34.01\00:18:35.71
having a more accurate
knowledge of the Way..."
00:18:35.71\00:18:38.01
There is that phrase again,
00:18:38.01\00:18:39.11
the Way, that means a
Christian way, the teachings.
00:18:39.11\00:18:43.18
"He adjourned the proceedings
00:18:43.18\00:18:44.45
and said when Lysias
the commander comes in..."
00:18:44.45\00:18:46.55
He's the one who
arrested him, he said,
00:18:46.55\00:18:47.69
"He'll have firsthand knowledge
of what the ruckus was."
00:18:47.69\00:18:51.43
"When Lysias, the
commander comes down,
00:18:51.43\00:18:53.09
I'll make a
decision on your case.
00:18:53.09\00:18:55.23
So he commanded the
centurion to keep Paul
00:18:55.23\00:18:57.37
and he let him have liberty..."
00:18:57.37\00:18:59.23
Meaning that he could
visit with people that came.
00:18:59.23\00:19:01.50
"And not to
forbid any of his friends
00:19:01.50\00:19:03.57
to provide for him or visit him.
00:19:03.57\00:19:06.54
And after some days,
00:19:06.54\00:19:07.68
when Felix came
with his wife Priscilla,
00:19:07.68\00:19:10.48
who was Jewish..."
00:19:10.48\00:19:12.48
And Drusilla is
actually the great granddaughter
00:19:12.48\00:19:16.08
of Herod the Great.
00:19:16.08\00:19:19.15
"He sent for Paul and heard him
00:19:19.15\00:19:21.32
concerning the
faith about Christ."
00:19:21.32\00:19:22.86
He's letting Paul, he says,
00:19:22.86\00:19:24.09
"I want to send
for Paul privately,
00:19:24.09\00:19:25.16
it's not a trial," he
said, "come and talk to me."
00:19:25.16\00:19:28.10
"Now as he
reasoned about righteousness
00:19:28.10\00:19:31.07
and self-control, which
kings need to hear about,
00:19:31.07\00:19:34.44
and judgment to
come, Felix was afraid."
00:19:34.44\00:19:38.81
Here is the king
trembling before the prisoner
00:19:38.81\00:19:42.58
because the words of
Paul are convicting him.
00:19:42.58\00:19:45.78
And Paul was probably appealing
for him to make a decision
00:19:45.78\00:19:48.72
to accept the way.
00:19:48.72\00:19:51.62
And he says, "Go away for now,
00:19:51.62\00:19:54.16
when I have a convenient
time, I will call for you."
00:19:54.16\00:19:57.83
Now you wonder how
many times in history
00:19:57.83\00:20:00.33
have people had an
opportunity to make a decision
00:20:00.33\00:20:03.33
and what's their response.
00:20:03.33\00:20:06.70
Procrastinate, "Not now,
00:20:06.70\00:20:09.27
now is not a convenient
time, I'm really busy.
00:20:09.27\00:20:11.74
You know, this would not be
politically a good move for me
00:20:11.74\00:20:14.21
to accept Christ right
now, when it's more convenient."
00:20:14.21\00:20:17.78
I've got this problem, you know,
00:20:17.78\00:20:18.81
I'd like to quit smoking.
00:20:18.81\00:20:20.78
But I've got a lot
of stress in my life,
00:20:20.78\00:20:22.35
I'll wait for a time
when there's no stress.
00:20:22.35\00:20:25.39
I can't do it now.
00:20:25.39\00:20:28.46
I got family here.
00:20:28.46\00:20:30.39
There's always an
excuse the devil will give you.
00:20:30.39\00:20:33.33
If you know what God's will
is, the best time to do His will
00:20:33.33\00:20:35.76
is when He's telling you.
00:20:35.76\00:20:37.37
If you're waiting
for it to be convenient,
00:20:37.37\00:20:40.24
the devil will see
that you go to your grave
00:20:40.24\00:20:42.07
and it is never convenient.
00:20:42.07\00:20:44.27
There's no record that
Felix ever made a decision
00:20:44.27\00:20:48.64
to accept the
teachings of Jesus.
00:20:48.64\00:20:50.75
Very common
strategy of the devil.
00:20:50.75\00:20:53.72
"Go your way for now, and
when it's more convenient,
00:20:53.72\00:20:57.09
then we'll talk
about these things."
00:20:57.09\00:20:59.69
All right, so
go reading on here.
00:20:59.69\00:21:02.56
If you go to...
00:21:02.56\00:21:04.79
He said, "Meanwhile,"
verse 26 in Acts 24,
00:21:04.79\00:21:08.63
"he also hoped that money
would be given him by Paul,
00:21:08.63\00:21:11.70
that he might release him.
00:21:11.70\00:21:13.87
And therefore he
sent for more often
00:21:13.87\00:21:15.74
and conversed with him."
00:21:15.74\00:21:17.31
He enjoyed talking to him.
00:21:17.31\00:21:20.18
And...
00:21:20.18\00:21:23.28
Can you think of
another king in the Bible
00:21:23.28\00:21:24.91
that wanted to
talk to a holy man?
00:21:24.91\00:21:27.72
Kept him in prison?
00:21:27.72\00:21:30.62
Go to Mark 6:20.
00:21:30.62\00:21:35.32
"For Herod feared
John," that's John the Baptist,
00:21:35.32\00:21:38.89
"knowing that he was
a just and a holy man
00:21:38.89\00:21:42.13
and he protected him."
00:21:42.13\00:21:43.33
Protected him against who?
00:21:43.33\00:21:45.47
Well, his wife
wanted to kill him.
00:21:45.47\00:21:48.84
For a while, John was in prison
protected, it seems strange.
00:21:48.84\00:21:52.31
"And when he heard
him, he did many things
00:21:52.31\00:21:54.91
and heard him gladly."
00:21:54.91\00:21:56.71
Frequently, Herod would
say, "Bring John out of jail,
00:21:56.71\00:21:59.75
I want to talk to
him, I want to..."
00:21:59.75\00:22:01.58
Something about
him, it stirred him.
00:22:01.58\00:22:03.25
But you know what?
00:22:03.25\00:22:04.29
He, like Felix, he
never made the decision
00:22:04.29\00:22:06.82
and later when Herod
wanted to see Jesus do a miracle
00:22:06.82\00:22:10.23
because he had rejected
the voice of John the Baptist
00:22:10.23\00:22:12.53
and had him killed,
00:22:12.53\00:22:13.66
Jesus did not say a word to him.
00:22:13.66\00:22:15.40
Now Jesus did talk to Pilate.
00:22:15.40\00:22:17.80
Pilate was a gentile,
00:22:17.80\00:22:19.63
he didn't have
the same opportunity.
00:22:19.63\00:22:21.60
Herod was at least half Jewish
00:22:21.60\00:22:24.94
and he had some
Edomite background.
00:22:24.94\00:22:28.91
But he would not...
00:22:28.91\00:22:31.48
Jesus would say
nothing to Herod.
00:22:31.48\00:22:34.25
And so, but he
wanted to hear Him.
00:22:34.25\00:22:36.92
He knew He was a holy man.
00:22:36.92\00:22:39.35
There's some
people that come to church
00:22:39.35\00:22:40.62
and they want
to hear the pastor,
00:22:40.62\00:22:41.79
they don't plan on
doing anything about it
00:22:41.79\00:22:43.56
but they think "You know,
maybe there's some virtue.
00:22:43.56\00:22:45.56
I might get points with
God for going to church.
00:22:45.56\00:22:49.43
I might get points with
God for turning the channel
00:22:49.43\00:22:52.33
and listening to that religious
preacher for a little while
00:22:52.33\00:22:54.20
and thinking
spiritual thoughts."
00:22:54.20\00:22:56.44
Some people think there's virtue
00:22:56.44\00:22:57.94
in thinking spiritual thoughts
and feeling a little convicted.
00:22:57.94\00:23:01.28
Well, I felt convicted,
00:23:01.28\00:23:02.38
they don't do anything about it.
00:23:02.38\00:23:04.98
But they think as long as
I'm thinking spiritual things,
00:23:04.98\00:23:07.62
there are some...
00:23:07.62\00:23:08.68
I get points.
00:23:08.68\00:23:10.35
God doesn't grade
in that way, friends.
00:23:10.35\00:23:13.46
Herod heard him,
00:23:13.46\00:23:14.82
but he never
did the right thing.
00:23:14.82\00:23:16.32
Felix heard Paul,
00:23:16.32\00:23:17.86
but he never
did the right thing.
00:23:17.86\00:23:19.89
At least it's not recorded.
00:23:19.89\00:23:22.26
So now you go to where
he's brought before Festus.
00:23:22.26\00:23:26.53
And you're in Acts 25.
00:23:26.53\00:23:29.34
Festus Porcius, he is
the successor of Felix,
00:23:29.34\00:23:33.44
he comes into power about AD 60
00:23:33.44\00:23:36.34
as the procurator of Judea.
00:23:36.34\00:23:39.05
And a few weeks after,
he entered on his office,
00:23:39.05\00:23:41.72
the case of Paul
was brought before him.
00:23:41.72\00:23:44.42
His name...
00:23:44.42\00:23:45.49
What is a festivity?
00:23:45.49\00:23:46.82
If you got a school
bus that is festooned,
00:23:49.39\00:23:54.46
what does festive mean?
00:23:54.46\00:23:57.53
It's talking about
festal, something that's joyful,
00:23:57.53\00:24:00.64
a celebration, a
prosperous occasion,
00:24:00.64\00:24:03.67
and that's what
his name means, Festus.
00:24:03.67\00:24:06.51
And so go to Acts 25,
00:24:06.51\00:24:08.58
we're going to
read a little bit here.
00:24:08.58\00:24:09.61
Someone in a minute is
going to read Mark 14:55.
00:24:09.61\00:24:14.42
You'll have that? Okay.
00:24:14.42\00:24:16.89
Let me read a few verses.
00:24:16.89\00:24:17.99
Now Festus, when he
had come to the province
00:24:17.99\00:24:20.42
after three days,
00:24:20.42\00:24:21.56
he went up from
Caesarea to Jerusalem."
00:24:21.56\00:24:24.39
Now Caesarea is on the coast,
00:24:24.39\00:24:25.56
Jerusalem is where the capital
and the high priest lives.
00:24:25.56\00:24:28.50
"And there the
high priest Ananias
00:24:28.50\00:24:30.77
and the chief men of the
Jews informed him against Paul."
00:24:30.77\00:24:34.07
They said, "You
got to do something
00:24:34.07\00:24:35.34
about that fellow
that's in prison back there.
00:24:35.34\00:24:37.07
Felix didn't do anything.
00:24:37.07\00:24:38.67
He needs to be eliminated."
00:24:38.67\00:24:41.84
"And they petitioned him,
asking a favor against him
00:24:41.84\00:24:44.65
that he would
summon him to Jerusalem."
00:24:44.65\00:24:46.38
Now why did they want
him summoned to Jerusalem?
00:24:46.38\00:24:49.02
"While they lay in ambush
along the road to kill him."
00:24:49.02\00:24:53.59
Now where would that
put them with the Romans
00:24:53.59\00:24:55.92
if they actually executed
Paul while he's being conducted
00:24:55.92\00:24:59.03
by the Romans to a trial?
00:24:59.03\00:25:00.63
I mean, they
were willing to risk
00:25:00.63\00:25:03.67
the repercussions
of the Roman Empire
00:25:03.67\00:25:05.97
just to get rid of Paul.
00:25:05.97\00:25:09.10
If you were to
attack a Roman prisoner
00:25:09.10\00:25:10.91
while he's being transported,
they hated Paul so much,
00:25:10.91\00:25:13.41
they were willing to do that.
00:25:13.41\00:25:14.61
This is the second time
they laid ambush to kill him
00:25:14.61\00:25:19.48
but he was protected.
00:25:19.48\00:25:20.55
How many of you
remember a story in 2 Kings,
00:25:20.55\00:25:24.72
when the king of
Syria kept laying plots
00:25:24.72\00:25:26.79
to ambush the king of Israel?
00:25:26.79\00:25:29.42
But God brought word
to Elijah, the prophet,
00:25:29.42\00:25:32.79
he told the king
of Israel, He said,
00:25:32.79\00:25:34.40
"Don't go here, don't go there,
00:25:34.40\00:25:35.56
King of Syria is
going to ambush you."
00:25:35.56\00:25:37.80
And God protected the
king of Israel several times
00:25:37.80\00:25:41.00
from the ambush of
Syria, how many remember that?
00:25:41.00\00:25:45.14
So wouldn't it be
interesting to get to heaven
00:25:45.14\00:25:49.78
and you find out
when the angel unfolds
00:25:49.78\00:25:51.75
not only the
records you know about,
00:25:51.75\00:25:53.52
but the behind the
scenes records of how many times
00:25:53.52\00:25:56.55
angels protected you
00:25:56.55\00:25:57.72
when the devil had
a plot laid for you,
00:25:57.72\00:26:00.19
you knew nothing about?
00:26:00.19\00:26:02.92
And you can just see the
curtain pulled aside here
00:26:02.92\00:26:04.99
in the story of Paul.
00:26:04.99\00:26:06.56
The devil was
trying so many times
00:26:06.56\00:26:08.10
to eliminate Paul.
00:26:08.10\00:26:09.50
So believe it
or not, the Romans,
00:26:09.50\00:26:12.17
who are thought
to be the bad guy,
00:26:12.17\00:26:14.57
they're the ones who
are actually protecting Paul
00:26:14.57\00:26:18.17
from the religious
zealots, his own people.
00:26:18.17\00:26:21.78
What about Jesus?
00:26:21.78\00:26:22.84
Isn't it Pilate that
wanted to protect Jesus
00:26:22.84\00:26:26.61
from the priests that
wanted to execute Him?
00:26:26.61\00:26:29.55
And so, you know,
sometimes Christians
00:26:29.55\00:26:32.59
have been saved
by the governing law
00:26:32.59\00:26:36.69
from religious zealots.
00:26:36.69\00:26:39.93
And so this is
the case here again.
00:26:39.93\00:26:41.86
Now you notice that they come
00:26:45.57\00:26:48.24
and they wanted to
ambush him along the way.
00:26:48.24\00:26:52.11
Let me go back to Acts 25 here,
00:26:52.11\00:26:55.71
"And Festus answered to them
00:26:55.71\00:26:58.01
and he said that Paul
should be kept in Caesarea."
00:26:58.01\00:27:01.05
He had heard that
they tried to ambush him
00:27:01.05\00:27:02.58
the first time from Lysias.
00:27:02.58\00:27:04.99
"And that he himself
was going there shortly,
00:27:04.99\00:27:07.09
therefore he said, 'Let
those who have authority
00:27:07.09\00:27:08.82
among you go down with me
and accuse the man, to see.'"
00:27:08.82\00:27:11.59
Now they've got a
big fortress and an army
00:27:11.59\00:27:13.06
in the garrison down there,
00:27:13.06\00:27:14.30
the Jews can't attack him there.
00:27:14.30\00:27:17.60
And he says, "When
you want, come on down,
00:27:17.60\00:27:19.20
bring your
accusation down to where he is."
00:27:19.20\00:27:22.24
"And when he remained among them
00:27:22.24\00:27:23.74
for more than ten days..."
00:27:23.74\00:27:26.04
Festus stayed among
the Jews in Jerusalem
00:27:26.04\00:27:27.78
for more than 10 days.
00:27:27.78\00:27:28.94
"He went down, back
down to the beach to Caesarea
00:27:28.94\00:27:31.68
and the next day sitting..."
00:27:31.68\00:27:32.75
Oh, by the way,
you know, in Caesarea,
00:27:32.75\00:27:34.08
there's a
interesting architecture.
00:27:34.08\00:27:38.15
There are still the
remnants of a Roman aqueduct
00:27:38.15\00:27:41.62
that Herod the Great
had built, that was there
00:27:41.62\00:27:43.86
when Paul and Jesus lived,
that brought water all the way
00:27:43.86\00:27:47.56
from Mount Carmel,
like 20 miles away,
00:27:47.56\00:27:50.80
they had this aqueduct.
00:27:50.80\00:27:51.87
Have you ever seen
these Roman aqueducts
00:27:51.87\00:27:53.00
where they get the stone arches
00:27:53.00\00:27:54.10
and it's just carrying an
exposed pipe or half a pipe
00:27:54.10\00:27:57.84
from the mountains,
they ran it 20 miles
00:27:57.84\00:28:00.28
to bring an abundance of
fresh water into Caesarea
00:28:00.28\00:28:03.18
from the mountains.
00:28:03.18\00:28:04.28
So it was a beautiful resort.
00:28:04.28\00:28:05.81
They had a fresh water
swimming pool, we saw it.
00:28:05.81\00:28:08.18
Right there by the ocean,
00:28:08.18\00:28:09.65
they had a fresh
water swimming pool
00:28:09.65\00:28:10.95
supplied with
water from Mount Carmel
00:28:10.95\00:28:12.35
from the aqueduct.
00:28:12.35\00:28:13.39
I mean, it was a
beautiful palace.
00:28:13.39\00:28:15.09
That's why this king said,
00:28:15.09\00:28:16.19
"I'm going back
to my beach house
00:28:16.19\00:28:19.16
and virtual palace there."
00:28:19.16\00:28:21.06
So he goes back down, he says,
00:28:21.06\00:28:22.26
"You can come try him there."
00:28:22.26\00:28:25.27
"He went down to
Caesarea and the next day
00:28:25.27\00:28:27.17
sitting on the judgment seat,
00:28:27.17\00:28:28.87
he commanded Paul to be brought.
00:28:28.87\00:28:31.01
When he had come,
00:28:31.01\00:28:32.17
the Jews who had
come down from Jerusalem
00:28:32.17\00:28:34.18
stood about and laid
many serious complaints
00:28:34.18\00:28:37.95
against Paul which
they could not prove.
00:28:37.95\00:28:42.02
While he answered for himself,
00:28:42.02\00:28:44.62
'Neither against
the law of the Jews,
00:28:44.62\00:28:46.39
nor against the
temple, nor against Caesar
00:28:46.39\00:28:48.32
have I offended
in anything at all."
00:28:48.32\00:28:52.19
'Now that's not the
first time that's happened.
00:28:52.19\00:28:54.30
You look in Acts 25:7, it says,
00:28:54.30\00:28:57.80
"They had many
serious complaints
00:28:57.80\00:28:59.73
against Paul
they could not prove."
00:28:59.73\00:29:01.34
Mark 15:3 concerning
Jesus, and the chief priest
00:29:01.34\00:29:05.97
accused them of many things.
00:29:05.97\00:29:08.78
But he answered nothing.
00:29:08.78\00:29:10.85
Pilate marveled.
00:29:10.85\00:29:11.98
Go ahead, read for us
please, Mark 14:55-56.
00:29:11.98\00:29:16.72
"Now the chief
priest and all the counsel
00:29:16.72\00:29:18.39
saw a testimony against
Jesus to put Him to death
00:29:18.39\00:29:21.69
but found none.
00:29:21.69\00:29:23.06
For many bore
false witness against Him
00:29:23.06\00:29:25.39
but their
testimonies did not agree."
00:29:25.39\00:29:28.40
You can see that
so often in history,
00:29:28.40\00:29:30.73
God has confounded or
confused the false testimony
00:29:30.73\00:29:34.37
of the enemies.
00:29:34.37\00:29:36.00
But one of the
devil's tactics is slander.
00:29:36.00\00:29:41.14
Did Jesus say that
"You should expect people
00:29:41.14\00:29:43.14
to say all manner of
evil against you falsely
00:29:43.14\00:29:45.15
for My name sake."
00:29:45.15\00:29:47.32
And Peter said,
"Don't be offended
00:29:47.32\00:29:50.15
when this
happens, just make sure
00:29:50.15\00:29:51.39
they're not saying anything
bad against you and it's true."
00:29:51.39\00:29:55.12
So people say,
00:29:55.12\00:29:56.32
"Oh, they are saying
terrible things against me."
00:29:56.32\00:29:57.93
You have to ask,
well, is it true.
00:29:57.93\00:29:59.83
But if they're
accusing you falsely
00:29:59.83\00:30:01.83
and you're Christian,
you're to bear it patiently.
00:30:01.83\00:30:04.33
Jesus said, "Rejoice
when you're falsely accused
00:30:04.33\00:30:06.77
for My sake."
00:30:06.77\00:30:08.20
All right, so we're going
to read a little more here.
00:30:08.20\00:30:12.44
Paul says,
"Neither against the law
00:30:12.44\00:30:14.91
nor the Jews nor
the temple nor Caesar
00:30:14.91\00:30:17.45
have I offended
in anything at all.
00:30:17.45\00:30:19.21
I have not done
anything illegal."
00:30:19.21\00:30:21.95
Now Paul being a Roman
was well-versed in Roman law
00:30:21.95\00:30:24.79
and he knew
what his rights were.
00:30:24.79\00:30:26.96
"But Festus wanted
to do the Jews a favor,
00:30:26.96\00:30:30.76
he answered and said,
00:30:30.76\00:30:32.26
'Are you willing to go up
to Jerusalem and be judged
00:30:32.26\00:30:34.73
before me
concerning these things?'"
00:30:34.73\00:30:36.10
Now here's a predicament.
00:30:36.10\00:30:37.80
He says, "Look. All
right, I'll try you.
00:30:37.80\00:30:39.33
You're willing
to go to Jerusalem?"
00:30:39.33\00:30:42.10
That was like
00:30:42.10\00:30:44.94
going to the
headquarters of Hades
00:30:44.94\00:30:46.37
as far as Paul was concerned
because they hated him up there
00:30:46.37\00:30:49.14
and they had tried several times
00:30:49.14\00:30:50.18
to kill him en route.
00:30:50.18\00:30:51.95
Paul knew that it
didn't end very well
00:30:51.95\00:30:54.95
for Stephen up there,
Paul was a witness to that.
00:30:54.95\00:30:58.09
It didn't end
very well for Jesus
00:30:58.09\00:31:00.06
when he was tried up there,
00:31:00.06\00:31:01.76
and he thought it
won't end very well for me.
00:31:01.76\00:31:04.19
So here he's got
to decide what to do
00:31:04.19\00:31:06.16
and Paul knowing that
he, as a Roman citizen,
00:31:06.16\00:31:08.90
had a right to
appeal to the Supreme Court.
00:31:08.90\00:31:12.97
The Supreme Court was you
would go to Caesar himself
00:31:12.97\00:31:16.37
with your case, and
that could be a long wait
00:31:16.37\00:31:21.28
because being
Caesar and being busy,
00:31:21.28\00:31:23.95
he had a long line of people
that were appealing to him.
00:31:23.95\00:31:26.88
So he said, "What
do you want to do?"
00:31:26.88\00:31:28.45
Paul said, Acts 25:10,
00:31:28.45\00:31:31.15
"I stand at
Caesar's judgment seat,
00:31:31.15\00:31:33.96
where I ought to be judged.
00:31:33.96\00:31:35.99
To the Jews I
have done no wrong,
00:31:35.99\00:31:37.93
as you very well know.
00:31:37.93\00:31:39.36
For if I am an
offender, or if I have committed
00:31:39.36\00:31:41.86
anything deserving of
death, I don't object to dying.
00:31:41.86\00:31:45.37
But if there is
nothing in these things
00:31:45.37\00:31:47.17
of which these men accuse me,
no one can deliver me to them."
00:31:47.17\00:31:51.11
He says, "I know
what the law is."
00:31:51.11\00:31:52.47
"I appeal to Caesar.
00:31:52.47\00:31:53.51
You cannot turn me
over to the death penalty
00:31:53.51\00:31:55.51
if I appeal and
I'm a Roman citizen.
00:31:55.51\00:31:58.78
Then Festus, he
stood up, went aside,
00:31:58.78\00:32:01.82
he conferred with
the other council,
00:32:01.82\00:32:04.42
and he answered and said,
'You have appealed to Caesar,
00:32:04.42\00:32:07.96
to Caesar you shall go.'"
00:32:07.96\00:32:09.52
Now he makes a
pronouncement here.
00:32:09.52\00:32:12.03
Notice and underline
that because later he wishes
00:32:12.03\00:32:15.93
that he could
revoke it but he can't
00:32:15.93\00:32:17.23
'cause he's
made a pronouncement.
00:32:17.23\00:32:18.33
He says, "You've
appealed to Caesar,
00:32:18.33\00:32:19.53
to Caesar you'll go."
00:32:19.53\00:32:20.84
Later on in the
story, you'll find out
00:32:20.84\00:32:22.10
that they investigate
him a little further.
00:32:22.10\00:32:24.24
He said "There's no
grounds to even hold him.
00:32:24.24\00:32:26.04
You could let him go if
he had not appealed to Caesar
00:32:26.04\00:32:29.18
and if you had not promised
that he was going to Caesar."
00:32:29.18\00:32:32.28
But this was really
God's way of saving Paul.
00:32:32.28\00:32:34.55
What would have happened to Paul
00:32:34.55\00:32:37.25
if the king had said,
"Okay, you're innocent.
00:32:37.25\00:32:39.29
Out the door you
go, you're a free man."
00:32:39.29\00:32:41.42
No sooner would the bailiff
had released him from prison,
00:32:41.42\00:32:46.59
then they would have
plotted to execute him.
00:32:46.59\00:32:49.03
There was a price on his head
all over in the land of Judea.
00:32:49.03\00:32:53.37
And so it was
probably a good thing
00:32:53.37\00:32:54.57
he had appealed to Caesar.
00:32:54.57\00:32:56.97
All right, moving on now.
00:32:56.97\00:32:58.54
Now we've got another character
that appeals, King Agrippa.
00:32:58.54\00:33:01.58
This is actually...
00:33:01.58\00:33:02.91
You'll hear Agrippa a few times.
00:33:02.91\00:33:04.48
How many of you get confused
when it talks about Herod?
00:33:04.48\00:33:07.22
You wonder which Herod
00:33:07.22\00:33:08.92
because so many of
them were called Herod.
00:33:08.92\00:33:10.39
You get Herod the Great
00:33:10.39\00:33:11.42
who tried to kill
the babies in Jerusalem.
00:33:11.42\00:33:14.22
You get Herod
Philip, Herod Agrippa,
00:33:14.22\00:33:17.39
You've got Herod
Archelaus, there's several...
00:33:17.39\00:33:19.89
You've got Herod Agrippa
II, there's several Herods,
00:33:19.89\00:33:22.26
they're all from the family
00:33:22.26\00:33:23.60
so they kind of
use the similar name.
00:33:23.60\00:33:26.90
This is again the great grandson
00:33:26.90\00:33:29.97
of the first
great, Herod the Great.
00:33:29.97\00:33:31.54
Herod the Great
was a great builder,
00:33:31.54\00:33:33.64
he reigned a long
time, he was a brutal man,
00:33:33.64\00:33:36.51
he killed the
babies in Bethlehem,
00:33:36.51\00:33:38.11
killed several
of his own children,
00:33:38.11\00:33:39.58
killed one of his wives
but he would not eat pork.
00:33:39.58\00:33:44.92
So Caesar said,
00:33:44.92\00:33:47.26
it's better to be
Herod's pig than his wife
00:33:47.26\00:33:51.99
or one of his sons.
00:33:51.99\00:33:54.10
So the Herod's pigs
are safer than his family.
00:33:54.10\00:33:57.40
And so...
00:33:57.40\00:33:58.53
But he kept the kingdom calm
00:33:58.53\00:34:01.00
so the Caesar allowed
Herod to remain the king.
00:34:01.00\00:34:04.41
He called himself
the king of the Jews.
00:34:04.41\00:34:07.34
Several of the Herods
00:34:07.34\00:34:09.21
underneath his
sons and his grandsons
00:34:09.21\00:34:13.18
called themselves
kings of the Jews.
00:34:13.18\00:34:15.25
This Herod Agrippa II,
00:34:15.25\00:34:17.05
he also called himself the
king of the Jews, started out,
00:34:17.05\00:34:21.12
the Caesar had to
give him permission,
00:34:21.12\00:34:23.26
I think it was
Claudius, Caesar said,
00:34:23.26\00:34:24.53
"You can be in
charge of the temple."
00:34:24.53\00:34:26.33
Later he gave him the
territory of his grandfather
00:34:26.33\00:34:30.13
and said he was king of the Jew.
00:34:30.13\00:34:32.03
So here, he's trying Paul
00:34:32.03\00:34:33.34
who's talking about
another king of the Jews,
00:34:33.34\00:34:36.14
just want to give
you the background.
00:34:36.14\00:34:38.64
He also knows the history
of what happened with Jesus
00:34:38.64\00:34:42.38
when his uncle had tried Jesus.
00:34:42.38\00:34:46.18
So now King Agrippa and Bernice
00:34:46.18\00:34:50.25
came to
Caesarea to greet Festus.
00:34:50.25\00:34:52.19
I'm in Acts 25:13
so you can follow.
00:34:52.19\00:34:55.96
"When they had
been there many days,
00:34:55.96\00:34:57.53
Festus laid Paul's case
before the king, saying,
00:34:57.53\00:35:01.06
'There is a certain man
left a prisoner by Felix,
00:35:01.06\00:35:04.23
about whom the chief priests
00:35:04.23\00:35:05.37
and the elders of
the Jews informed me...'"
00:35:05.37\00:35:07.00
Now he's been in prison
for two years at this point.
00:35:07.00\00:35:10.47
"When I was in Jerusalem,
00:35:10.47\00:35:11.57
asking for a
judgment against him.
00:35:11.57\00:35:14.08
To them I answered,
00:35:14.08\00:35:15.18
'It is not the
custom of the Romans
00:35:15.18\00:35:17.15
to deliver any
man to destruction
00:35:17.15\00:35:19.65
before the accused meets
the accusers face to face,
00:35:19.65\00:35:22.72
and has an opportunity
to answer for himself
00:35:22.72\00:35:25.15
concerning the
charge against him.'
00:35:25.15\00:35:27.22
Therefore when
they had come together,
00:35:27.22\00:35:28.62
without any delay,
00:35:28.62\00:35:30.16
the next day I sat on
the judgment seat...'"
00:35:30.16\00:35:32.39
He rehearses
everything that happened.
00:35:32.39\00:35:34.46
And eventually,
"Agrippa said to Festus..."
00:35:34.46\00:35:36.13
I'm in verse 22.
00:35:36.13\00:35:37.23
"I'd like to
hear the man myself.'
00:35:37.23\00:35:39.63
'Tomorrow,' he
said, 'you'll hear him.'"
00:35:39.63\00:35:41.47
"We'll bring him in
tomorrow" "So the next day,
00:35:41.47\00:35:44.17
when Agrippa and Bernice
had come with great pomp..."
00:35:44.17\00:35:47.11
This is the king of the Jews.
00:35:47.11\00:35:49.11
There is a great ceremony,
pomp circumstances, a fanfare.
00:35:49.11\00:35:53.35
They enter,
they sit in the seat,
00:35:53.35\00:35:54.62
their robes are
being carried about.
00:35:54.62\00:36:00.12
"He entered the
auditorium with the commanders
00:36:00.12\00:36:02.39
and the prominent
men of the city..."
00:36:02.39\00:36:03.56
They're all...
00:36:03.56\00:36:04.59
Now why is this
big assembly happening?
00:36:04.59\00:36:09.53
Why does God allow all this?
00:36:09.53\00:36:12.30
Here, God has this
one converted tent maker
00:36:12.30\00:36:17.51
who is going to
preach about Jesus
00:36:17.51\00:36:20.08
to all the leaders of
the Roman Empire in Judea.
00:36:20.08\00:36:25.41
It's a wonderful
opportunity that God's arranged.
00:36:25.41\00:36:27.82
He said, "I'm curious.
I want to hear the man."
00:36:27.82\00:36:29.68
So Paul has become
something of a novelty
00:36:29.68\00:36:32.42
because they see that
he is a brilliant speaker.
00:36:32.42\00:36:35.66
He is being
accused all over Asia
00:36:35.66\00:36:37.46
of creating some new religion
or spreading some new religion,
00:36:37.46\00:36:40.56
and so they want to
hear him for themselves,
00:36:40.56\00:36:42.16
but God uses this
as an opportunity,
00:36:42.16\00:36:44.40
this is a fulfillment
of the prophecy of Jesus
00:36:44.40\00:36:46.67
we just read about, isn't it?
00:36:46.67\00:36:48.17
Great pomp, all
leading men of the city,
00:36:48.17\00:36:50.57
the king is there,
the procurator is there,
00:36:50.57\00:36:53.68
their wives are there.
00:36:53.68\00:36:57.28
"And Festus
said: 'The King Agrippa
00:36:57.28\00:36:58.58
and all the men who
are here present with us,
00:36:58.58\00:37:00.58
you see this man about
whom the whole assembly
00:37:00.58\00:37:02.58
of the Jews petitioned me,
both at Jerusalem and here,
00:37:02.58\00:37:05.52
crying out that he was
not fit to live any longer.
00:37:05.52\00:37:08.42
But when I found that
he had committed nothing
00:37:08.42\00:37:10.29
deserving of death,
00:37:10.29\00:37:11.39
that he himself had
appealed to Augustus...'"
00:37:11.39\00:37:13.80
That's another
word for the Caesar.
00:37:13.80\00:37:16.46
"I decided to send him.
00:37:16.46\00:37:18.27
I have nothing certain to write
to my lord concerning him."
00:37:18.27\00:37:20.37
He said, "I don't have any
specific charges to even write
00:37:20.37\00:37:22.40
because there's nothing specific
00:37:22.40\00:37:23.64
they've given me."
00:37:23.64\00:37:25.41
"And especially
before you, King Agrippa,
00:37:25.41\00:37:27.51
so that after the
examination has taken place
00:37:27.51\00:37:29.78
I might have
something to write."
00:37:29.78\00:37:30.81
"So you may give me an
idea what do you think."
00:37:30.81\00:37:33.82
"For it seems to me unreasonable
00:37:33.82\00:37:35.38
to send a prisoner to the Caesar
00:37:35.38\00:37:37.19
without any specific
charges against him."
00:37:37.19\00:37:39.72
Everything that Jews
accused him of it was so vague.
00:37:39.72\00:37:42.92
"Then Agrippa said to Paul,
00:37:42.92\00:37:44.59
'You are permitted
to speak for yourself.'"
00:37:44.59\00:37:46.33
The king is here and
all the audience is there.
00:37:46.33\00:37:49.46
"Paul stretched out his hand
and answered for himself..."
00:37:49.46\00:37:52.27
His motions to the king.
00:37:52.27\00:37:54.30
"I think myself
happy, King Agrippa,
00:37:54.30\00:37:56.24
because today I shall
answer for myself before you
00:37:56.24\00:37:59.27
concerning all the things
00:37:59.27\00:38:00.71
of which I am
accused by the Jews,
00:38:00.71\00:38:02.78
especially
because you are an expert
00:38:02.78\00:38:04.68
in all customs and questions
00:38:04.68\00:38:06.61
which have to do with the Jews."
00:38:06.61\00:38:08.55
Now, what
language is Paul speaking?
00:38:08.55\00:38:13.25
Paul is a Jew but
where was he born?
00:38:13.25\00:38:15.89
In a Roman province,
00:38:15.89\00:38:18.53
but his letters are
written in what language?
00:38:18.53\00:38:20.00
Greek?
00:38:20.00\00:38:21.83
Do you remember in 1 Corinthians
00:38:21.83\00:38:22.90
where Paul said,
00:38:22.90\00:38:24.27
"I speak with
tongues more than you all."
00:38:24.27\00:38:26.77
Some Pentecostal charismatics
00:38:26.77\00:38:28.94
think that means
that Paul fell down
00:38:28.94\00:38:30.64
and started to babble
incoherently more than anybody.
00:38:30.64\00:38:33.64
They're just saying,
00:38:33.64\00:38:34.78
Paul spoke in more
different languages
00:38:34.78\00:38:37.88
than any of the early church.
00:38:37.88\00:38:39.68
Paul was very educated.
00:38:39.68\00:38:40.98
He could fluently speak
Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic,
00:38:40.98\00:38:45.72
and maybe other languages.
00:38:45.72\00:38:47.72
He's probably speaking
to them in their own tongue
00:38:47.72\00:38:50.26
which makes it he could
be speaking to them in Greek
00:38:50.26\00:38:52.26
which was a common language
in the courts back then.
00:38:52.26\00:38:54.23
He could be
speaking to them in Latin.
00:38:54.23\00:38:55.76
So he really
liked listening to Paul
00:38:55.76\00:38:57.40
'cause he didn't
need a translator.
00:38:57.40\00:38:59.67
So just keep that in mind.
00:38:59.67\00:39:02.87
He says, "I'm happy
that I can answer you
00:39:02.87\00:39:04.91
because you're an expert
in all customs and questions
00:39:04.91\00:39:07.71
which have to do with the Jews.
00:39:07.71\00:39:09.31
Therefore I beg you
to hear me patiently.
00:39:09.31\00:39:11.91
My manner of life from my youth,
00:39:11.91\00:39:13.85
which was spent
from the beginning
00:39:13.85\00:39:15.45
among my own
nation at Jerusalem.
00:39:15.45\00:39:18.32
They knew me from the first,
00:39:18.32\00:39:19.85
if they were willing to testify,
00:39:19.85\00:39:21.29
according to the
strictest sect of our religion
00:39:21.29\00:39:23.39
I lived a Pharisee.
00:39:23.39\00:39:25.03
And now I stand and I'm judged
00:39:25.03\00:39:26.80
for the hope of
the promise made by God
00:39:26.80\00:39:29.40
to our fathers this promise..."
00:39:29.40\00:39:30.87
Promise of the resurrection,
promise of the Messiah.
00:39:30.87\00:39:34.44
"To this promise
our twelve tribes,
00:39:34.44\00:39:36.37
earnestly serving God day
and night, hope to attain.
00:39:36.37\00:39:39.91
For this hope's
sake, King Agrippa,
00:39:39.91\00:39:42.01
I am accused by the Jews."
00:39:42.01\00:39:43.45
He said, "I'm here,
00:39:43.45\00:39:44.61
I'm being accused for
the hope of the resurrection
00:39:44.61\00:39:47.28
and the hope of the Messiah.
00:39:47.28\00:39:49.55
And this is a very, very
thing that we as a people
00:39:49.55\00:39:51.92
have looked forward
to and I believe in,
00:39:51.92\00:39:54.59
that's where
they're accusing me."
00:39:54.59\00:39:56.73
And so Herod of
course knew these things.
00:39:56.73\00:40:00.36
"Why should it be
thought incredible by you,"
00:40:00.36\00:40:02.53
I'm in verse 8,
"that God raises the dead?"
00:40:02.53\00:40:05.33
The big issue about Jesus
00:40:05.33\00:40:07.04
is not that He
lived, they all knew that.
00:40:07.04\00:40:08.74
The big issue was
his body disappeared
00:40:08.74\00:40:10.77
and the apostle said
he rose from the dead
00:40:10.77\00:40:12.87
and He had
instructed them to spread
00:40:12.87\00:40:14.41
His teachings everywhere.
00:40:14.41\00:40:16.31
And so this was
still being debated.
00:40:16.31\00:40:18.41
What was the
rumor that the Pharisees
00:40:18.41\00:40:20.35
had paid the soldiers to spread?
00:40:20.35\00:40:22.78
That they fell
asleep at the grave
00:40:22.78\00:40:24.42
and the body had been stolen.
00:40:24.42\00:40:26.55
But the disciples over 500 said,
00:40:26.55\00:40:28.56
we saw Him personally.
00:40:28.56\00:40:31.33
And Paul is now
saying, "I saw him personally."
00:40:31.33\00:40:34.76
So he jumped down.
00:40:34.76\00:40:37.30
He says," I even
voted against those
00:40:37.30\00:40:42.37
who were preaching Jesus.
00:40:42.37\00:40:43.67
I am in verse 11 now,
00:40:43.67\00:40:44.71
"I punished them
often in synagogues
00:40:44.71\00:40:46.74
and compelled them to blaspheme,
00:40:46.74\00:40:49.48
being exceedingly
enraged against them,"
00:40:49.48\00:40:51.81
he was infuriated,
00:40:51.81\00:40:53.65
"I persecuted them
even to foreign cities."
00:40:53.65\00:40:56.28
Paul was their fiercest enemy.
00:40:56.28\00:40:58.89
"While thus occupied,"
00:40:58.89\00:41:00.62
in persecuted
them at foreign cities,
00:41:00.62\00:41:02.49
"I journeyed to Damascus
with authority and commission
00:41:02.49\00:41:05.46
from the chief
priests, at midday, O king,
00:41:05.46\00:41:08.96
along the road I
saw a light from heaven,
00:41:08.96\00:41:11.73
brighter than the
sun, shining around me..."
00:41:11.73\00:41:14.57
If it's midday, it got
to be brighter than the sun.
00:41:14.57\00:41:17.77
"And those who
journeyed with me.
00:41:17.77\00:41:19.81
And when we had
fallen to the ground,
00:41:19.81\00:41:21.54
I heard a voice speaking to
me, saying in the Hebrew tongue,
00:41:21.54\00:41:23.98
'Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting Me?
00:41:23.98\00:41:27.65
Is it hard for you to
kick against the goads.'
00:41:27.65\00:41:31.42
So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?'
00:41:31.42\00:41:32.85
He said, 'I am Jesus,
who you are persecuting.
00:41:32.85\00:41:35.89
But rise and stand on your feet,
00:41:35.89\00:41:38.53
I have appeared to
you for this purpose,
00:41:38.53\00:41:39.93
to make you a
minister and a witness
00:41:39.93\00:41:41.53
both of the
things that you have seen
00:41:41.53\00:41:43.06
and the things that I
will yet reveal to you.
00:41:43.06\00:41:45.50
I will deliver to you
from the Jewish people,
00:41:45.50\00:41:47.97
as well as from
the Gentiles...'"
00:41:47.97\00:41:49.70
Paul is sitting here
before the Gentile leaders,
00:41:49.70\00:41:51.54
he is saying,
00:41:51.54\00:41:52.54
"I'm not only gonna
deliver you from the Jews,
00:41:52.54\00:41:53.68
I'm gonna
deliver you from them."
00:41:53.68\00:41:55.51
He said, "I will deliver
you," and he is very bold,
00:41:55.51\00:41:58.81
"from the Jewish
people and the Gentiles
00:41:58.81\00:42:00.52
to whom I now send
you, to open their eyes."
00:42:00.52\00:42:02.98
Now this, do you
underline here in your Bible.
00:42:02.98\00:42:07.46
This is a great, great verse.
00:42:07.46\00:42:10.83
This actually
deserves a third grade.
00:42:10.83\00:42:13.53
This is a great,
great, great verse.
00:42:13.53\00:42:16.56
Listen to this.
00:42:16.56\00:42:18.80
"I will deliver you
from the Jewish people,
00:42:18.80\00:42:20.57
as well as from the
Gentiles, to whom I send you."
00:42:20.57\00:42:22.97
Listen, verse 18,
"To open their eyes,
00:42:22.97\00:42:25.84
in order to turn them
from darkness to light,
00:42:25.84\00:42:29.48
from the power
of Satan to God..."
00:42:29.48\00:42:31.78
There's only two
things, darkness and light,
00:42:31.78\00:42:33.11
Satan and God.
00:42:33.11\00:42:34.48
"That they might
receive forgiveness of sins
00:42:34.48\00:42:37.79
and an inheritance among those
00:42:37.79\00:42:39.79
who are
sanctified by faith in Me."
00:42:39.79\00:42:43.09
Now if you are a Gentile,
00:42:43.09\00:42:46.43
and Herod knew that
the Jews kind of thought,
00:42:46.43\00:42:48.50
"You know, we are
the chosen people,
00:42:48.50\00:42:49.56
the Gentiles are all dogs."
00:42:49.56\00:42:50.77
Now Paul is saying no.
00:42:50.77\00:42:52.80
The message of God is
to go to the Gentiles.
00:42:52.80\00:42:56.17
It's for you in
this audience today
00:42:56.17\00:42:58.67
that he is preaching to
00:42:58.67\00:42:59.94
as well as while
I am preaching to,
00:42:59.94\00:43:01.94
to turn you from
darkness to light,
00:43:01.94\00:43:03.78
from the power of Satan.
00:43:03.78\00:43:05.68
Wouldn't you be like to
saved from the power of Satan
00:43:05.68\00:43:07.18
to the power of God,
00:43:07.18\00:43:09.05
that you might be
forgiven of your sins
00:43:09.05\00:43:11.09
and sanctified how?
00:43:11.09\00:43:12.62
By faith in me.
00:43:12.62\00:43:14.52
It's the whole gospel
encapsulated in this one verse,
00:43:14.52\00:43:17.23
it's wonderful.
00:43:17.23\00:43:19.19
"Therefore, King Agrippa,
00:43:19.19\00:43:20.90
I was not disobedient
to the heavenly vision,
00:43:20.90\00:43:23.63
but declared first to those
in Damascus and in Jerusalem,
00:43:23.63\00:43:26.60
and throughout all
the region of Judea,
00:43:26.60\00:43:28.47
then to the
Gentiles," he went up to Asia,
00:43:28.47\00:43:30.94
"that they should
repent and turn to God,
00:43:30.94\00:43:32.71
and do works
befitting repentance."
00:43:32.71\00:43:34.81
That was a message
of John the Baptist.
00:43:34.81\00:43:36.91
"For these
reasons the Jews seized me
00:43:36.91\00:43:38.95
in the temple
and tried to kill me.
00:43:38.95\00:43:40.72
Therefore, having
obtained help from God,
00:43:40.72\00:43:43.15
to this day I stand,
00:43:43.15\00:43:44.49
witnessing both to small
and great," you, the king,
00:43:44.49\00:43:48.79
saying no other things
than those which the prophets
00:43:48.79\00:43:51.79
and Moses said would
come that Christ would suffer,
00:43:51.79\00:43:55.03
that He would be the
first to rise from the dead,
00:43:55.03\00:43:57.53
and would proclaim the
light to the Jewish people
00:43:57.53\00:44:01.07
and to the Gentiles."
00:44:01.07\00:44:04.14
I got to hurry it up here.
00:44:04.14\00:44:05.27
"Now as he thus made
his defense before Festus
00:44:05.27\00:44:08.61
with a loud voice, he said,
00:44:08.61\00:44:11.08
'Paul, you are
beside yourself!'"
00:44:11.08\00:44:12.15
Festus is wondering
00:44:12.15\00:44:13.18
what the king is
gonna think of this.
00:44:13.18\00:44:15.22
That's why he says, "Oh,
you are getting too far."
00:44:15.22\00:44:18.12
"Much learning
is driving you mad!'
00:44:18.12\00:44:20.26
He said, 'I am not
mad, most noble Festus,
00:44:20.26\00:44:22.76
but I speak words
of truth and reason.
00:44:22.76\00:44:25.33
For the king, before
who I also speak freely,
00:44:25.33\00:44:27.23
knows these things,
00:44:27.23\00:44:28.16
for I am convinced
that none of these things
00:44:28.16\00:44:30.17
have escaped his attention...'"
00:44:30.17\00:44:31.90
This was all in the newspapers,
they all knew about Jesus.
00:44:31.90\00:44:34.94
"Since this thing was
not done in a corner."
00:44:34.94\00:44:37.71
The whole country knew about it.
00:44:37.71\00:44:39.31
He was tried in Jerusalem.
00:44:39.31\00:44:40.98
"King Agrippa, do you
believe the prophets?"
00:44:40.98\00:44:42.68
Now here is a
prisoner appealing to the king
00:44:42.68\00:44:45.68
asking for an altar call.
00:44:45.68\00:44:47.62
"King Agrippa, do
you believe the prophets?
00:44:47.62\00:44:49.05
I know that you believe.'
00:44:49.05\00:44:50.55
Then Agrippa said to Paul,
00:44:50.55\00:44:52.12
'You almost persuade
me to become a Christian.'
00:44:52.12\00:44:56.86
And Paul said, 'I would
to God that not only you,
00:44:56.86\00:44:59.16
but also all those
who hear me today, might,"
00:44:59.16\00:45:01.66
he is making an appeal,
00:45:01.66\00:45:03.73
"become almost and
altogether such as I am,
00:45:03.73\00:45:06.03
except for these chains.'
00:45:06.03\00:45:08.77
When he had said these
things, the king stood up."
00:45:08.77\00:45:10.67
You know what it
means when a king stand up?
00:45:10.67\00:45:13.11
Not listening to
evidence anymore.
00:45:13.11\00:45:15.08
You know, the Bible says
one day Michael will stand up.
00:45:15.08\00:45:18.21
That's when probation closes.
00:45:18.21\00:45:20.72
"The king stood up as well
as the governor and Bernice
00:45:20.72\00:45:23.89
and those who sat with
him, and when they went aside,
00:45:23.89\00:45:26.62
they talked among
themselves, saying,
00:45:26.62\00:45:27.82
'This man is doing nothing
00:45:27.82\00:45:30.66
that is deserving
of death or chains.'
00:45:30.66\00:45:33.13
Then Agrippa said to Festus,
00:45:33.13\00:45:34.66
'This man might
have been set free
00:45:34.66\00:45:36.73
had he not appealed to Caesar.'"
00:45:36.73\00:45:38.30
Of course, he might
have been killed too
00:45:38.30\00:45:39.80
if they had set him free.
00:45:39.80\00:45:41.60
So this covers our
teaching for today.
00:45:41.60\00:45:43.97
And don't forget
in a couple of weeks,
00:45:43.97\00:45:45.31
we are going to be
entering into our new quarterly,
00:45:45.31\00:45:47.08
"Oneness in Christ."
00:45:47.08\00:45:48.61
God bless you.
Time's up for today.
00:45:48.61\00:45:50.15
Look forward to
studying His Word
00:45:50.15\00:45:51.61
with you again next week.
00:45:51.61\00:45:53.82
Throughout history
mankind has been obsessed
00:45:57.95\00:46:00.46
with the idea of living forever.
00:46:00.46\00:46:02.92
Take for
example, Quin Shi Huang,
00:46:02.92\00:46:05.23
the first emperor
to unite Greater China.
00:46:05.23\00:46:07.76
During his rule, about 250 BC,
00:46:07.76\00:46:10.13
he started to work
on what would become
00:46:10.13\00:46:12.17
the Great Wall of China.
00:46:12.17\00:46:13.97
But Emperor Huang
00:46:13.97\00:46:15.10
was also obsessed with eternity.
00:46:15.10\00:46:17.41
He dispatched entire armies
00:46:17.41\00:46:19.31
to search for the
fable elixir of life,
00:46:19.31\00:46:22.11
a magical drink that
would allow him to live forever.
00:46:22.11\00:46:25.95
Fearing they would be punished
if they came back empty-handed,
00:46:25.95\00:46:28.72
most of these
soldiers never returned.
00:46:28.72\00:46:31.29
Because of his
obsession with eternity,
00:46:31.29\00:46:33.99
the emperor also began
working on his burial city
00:46:33.99\00:46:36.96
when only 13 years old.
00:46:36.96\00:46:38.96
He filled vast underground
caverns around his tomb
00:46:38.96\00:46:42.20
with replica of his court
00:46:42.20\00:46:43.93
believing that
somehow they'd come to life
00:46:43.93\00:46:45.77
in the next world.
00:46:45.77\00:46:47.20
Archeologists found
more than 8000 life-sized
00:46:47.20\00:46:50.84
terracotta statues of musicians,
00:46:50.84\00:46:53.21
troops of acrobats,
strong men, soldiers,
00:46:53.21\00:46:55.88
and horses to
guard his grave site.
00:46:55.88\00:46:58.81
No two are the same.
00:46:58.81\00:47:00.88
It's believed to have
taken around 700,000 workers,
00:47:00.88\00:47:04.89
approximately 38 years
to complete this wonder.
00:47:04.89\00:47:08.76
Tragically, Quin Shi Huang
died when only 49 years of age,
00:47:08.76\00:47:12.89
evidently by mercury poisoning.
00:47:12.89\00:47:15.23
He drank a
bizarre lethal cocktail
00:47:15.23\00:47:17.20
his doctors gave him
00:47:17.20\00:47:18.90
to supposedly
help him live longer.
00:47:18.90\00:47:21.50
Many others through history
00:47:21.50\00:47:23.30
have looked for this
elusive living water.
00:47:23.30\00:47:26.34
Alexander the Great was
said to have come across
00:47:26.34\00:47:28.98
a healing river of
paradise in the 4th Century BC.
00:47:28.98\00:47:32.88
Others have gone on epic quests
00:47:32.88\00:47:35.25
vainly searching
for the Holy Grail,
00:47:35.25\00:47:37.42
a mythical chalice
from the Last Supper
00:47:37.42\00:47:39.75
that would
purportedly give eternal life
00:47:39.75\00:47:42.02
to whoever could
drink water from it.
00:47:42.02\00:47:44.43
Spanish navigator,
Juan Ponce de León,
00:47:44.43\00:47:47.23
he heard from
natives in Puerto Rico
00:47:47.23\00:47:49.23
that there was
island called Benimy
00:47:49.23\00:47:51.23
that had a fountain of youth.
00:47:51.23\00:47:53.47
Today, scientists are
taking a more pragmatic approach
00:47:53.47\00:47:57.07
experimenting with stem
cells and genetic engineering
00:47:57.07\00:48:00.84
all in a concerted
effort to slow, stop,
00:48:00.84\00:48:04.05
or maybe even
reverse the aging process.
00:48:04.05\00:48:06.92
Let's face it.
00:48:06.92\00:48:08.32
We are all preprogrammed
for self preservation.
00:48:08.32\00:48:11.59
People want to survive and live.
00:48:11.59\00:48:14.46
So wouldn't you be
interested if I told you about
00:48:14.46\00:48:17.39
a viable way that you
could increase your life span,
00:48:17.39\00:48:21.13
not by 20 or 30
years but forever.
00:48:21.13\00:48:25.17
Did you know the Bible
actually does talk about
00:48:25.17\00:48:28.24
this secret fountain of youth?
00:48:28.24\00:48:30.21
That's right.
00:48:30.21\00:48:31.34
Jesus said, "Whoever
drinks the water of life
00:48:31.34\00:48:34.18
that I will give
him will never thirst.
00:48:34.18\00:48:36.58
But the water
that I will give him
00:48:36.58\00:48:38.41
will become in him
a fountain of water
00:48:38.41\00:48:41.25
springing up into
everlasting life."
00:48:41.25\00:48:44.45
In fact, the Bible
ends by inviting people
00:48:44.45\00:48:47.46
to drink from this living water.
00:48:47.46\00:48:49.86
"And the spirit and
the bride say, 'Come.'
00:48:49.86\00:48:52.13
And let him who
hears, say, 'Come.'
00:48:52.13\00:48:54.40
And let who is athirst, come.
00:48:54.40\00:48:56.90
And whoever will, let him
take the water of life freely."
00:48:56.90\00:49:01.57
Well, friend, it's real.
00:49:01.57\00:49:03.57
And the Bible teaches that
God deeply wants to give you
00:49:03.57\00:49:06.91
this gift of everlasting life.
00:49:06.91\00:49:09.28
But you might be
thinking there has to be catch.
00:49:09.28\00:49:11.91
How exactly do you
receive this free gift?
00:49:11.91\00:49:15.18
In the next few moments,
00:49:15.18\00:49:16.35
I am going to share
with you five practical steps
00:49:16.35\00:49:19.25
that you can
take that will place
00:49:19.25\00:49:21.12
the keys of eternal
life within your reach.
00:49:21.12\00:49:24.26
What you do with
them is up to you.
00:49:24.26\00:49:26.16
First, we must recognize
there's obviously a problem.
00:49:29.13\00:49:33.44
Death, disease, terrorism, pain,
00:49:33.44\00:49:36.20
none of this was
God's original plan.
00:49:36.20\00:49:38.61
In the world around us,
00:49:38.61\00:49:39.91
we can see a
spiritual battle is raging
00:49:39.91\00:49:42.64
between light and
darkness, good and evil,
00:49:42.64\00:49:45.11
right and wrong.
00:49:45.11\00:49:46.28
It all began eons ago
00:49:46.28\00:49:48.88
when the highest
of God's creations,
00:49:48.88\00:49:50.99
a beautiful and
powerful angel named Lucifer,
00:49:50.99\00:49:53.59
now better known as Satan,
became inflamed with jealously.
00:49:53.59\00:49:57.66
He resented that
he could not have
00:49:57.66\00:49:59.43
all of the power of God.
00:49:59.43\00:50:01.43
That's when following a
lengthy and slanderous campaign,
00:50:01.43\00:50:05.87
Lucifer lead
one-third of the angels of God
00:50:05.87\00:50:08.90
in an all out
rebellion against the Creator.
00:50:08.90\00:50:12.01
Satan next
deceived the first humans
00:50:12.01\00:50:14.21
into disbelieving
and disobeying God.
00:50:14.21\00:50:17.01
So they unwittingly surrendered
00:50:17.01\00:50:18.58
the dominion of
this world to the devil.
00:50:18.58\00:50:21.42
Our beautiful
planet was hijacked
00:50:21.42\00:50:23.32
by an evil fiend and his
forces that filled the world
00:50:23.32\00:50:26.42
with their spirit
of sin and selfishness.
00:50:26.42\00:50:29.96
But God sent His
Son into the world
00:50:29.96\00:50:31.99
as a human to guide, to rescue,
00:50:31.99\00:50:34.96
and ultimately to redeem
those that would trust in Him.
00:50:34.96\00:50:38.07
We are all sinners.
00:50:38.07\00:50:40.00
"For we have all sinned
00:50:40.00\00:50:41.27
and fallen short
of the glory of God."
00:50:41.27\00:50:44.07
It's true of
you, it's true of me.
00:50:44.07\00:50:46.47
"All we like
sheep have gone astray,
00:50:46.47\00:50:48.98
we've turned every
one, to his own way.
00:50:48.98\00:50:51.95
And the Lord
laid upon him, Jesus,
00:50:51.95\00:50:54.38
the iniquity of us all."
00:50:54.38\00:50:56.65
Whether it's lying, or
stealing, or evil thoughts,
00:50:56.65\00:50:59.65
we have all
broken the golden rule,
00:50:59.65\00:51:01.56
God's law of love
00:51:01.56\00:51:03.02
better known as
the Ten Commandments.
00:51:03.02\00:51:05.46
The principles of God's
law are meant to protect us
00:51:05.46\00:51:08.46
and to ensure a
life of peace and safety.
00:51:08.46\00:51:12.07
The Bible reveals
that the penalty for sin,
00:51:12.07\00:51:14.54
breaking God's law,
00:51:14.54\00:51:15.94
is death because sin
naturally separates us
00:51:15.94\00:51:19.01
from the one who gives life.
00:51:19.01\00:51:21.28
Are there unkind
words that you've spoken,
00:51:21.28\00:51:23.35
or actions that
you've taken in your life
00:51:23.35\00:51:25.31
that have hurt
others or even yourself?
00:51:25.31\00:51:28.32
God is asking you to acknowledge
00:51:28.32\00:51:30.25
that you are a sinner
00:51:30.25\00:51:31.29
so that you can
take the next step.
00:51:31.29\00:51:33.12
The second step to eternity
00:51:35.96\00:51:37.63
is to believe you
can in fact be saved.
00:51:37.63\00:51:41.16
And that's the
good news of salvation.
00:51:41.16\00:51:43.63
A Roman jailor once
asked the Apostle Paul,
00:51:43.63\00:51:46.94
"What must I do to be saved?"
00:51:46.94\00:51:48.70
Paul answered,
00:51:48.70\00:51:50.01
"Believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ
00:51:50.01\00:51:52.31
and you will be saved."
00:51:52.31\00:51:54.44
To believe in Christ
means to believe in who He is,
00:51:54.44\00:51:58.25
the Son of God, and
the Savior of the world,
00:51:58.25\00:52:01.15
and to trust Him with your life.
00:52:01.15\00:52:03.35
Unlike you or I, Jesus
lived a perfect sinless life.
00:52:03.35\00:52:07.72
By faith, He never
broke a commandment of God.
00:52:07.72\00:52:11.13
He now offers to
take your sinful record
00:52:11.13\00:52:13.70
in exchange for
His perfect life.
00:52:13.70\00:52:16.20
He literally died in your place
so that you can live forever
00:52:16.20\00:52:19.47
in a paradise without sin.
00:52:19.47\00:52:21.60
Jesus suffered in
your place for your sin
00:52:21.60\00:52:24.11
so you can be forgiven.
00:52:24.11\00:52:25.77
You must accept this by faith.
00:52:25.77\00:52:28.71
"He that believes in the
Son has everlasting life."
00:52:28.71\00:52:33.28
Isn't that simple?
00:52:33.28\00:52:35.05
Will you believe
this message of hope
00:52:35.05\00:52:37.02
that Jesus is
offering you right now?
00:52:37.02\00:52:38.65
The third step in
receiving the gift of salvation
00:52:41.72\00:52:44.79
is to confess and
repent of your sins.
00:52:44.79\00:52:47.73
Tell God you are sorry.
00:52:47.73\00:52:49.56
The Bible says, "He
that covers his sins
00:52:49.56\00:52:52.00
will not prosper.
00:52:52.00\00:52:53.27
But whoever confesses
00:52:53.27\00:52:54.54
and forsakes
them will have mercy."
00:52:54.54\00:52:58.11
Jesus also said,
"Unless you repent,
00:52:58.11\00:53:01.18
you will all likewise perish."
00:53:01.18\00:53:03.14
To repent means to
make a determined choice
00:53:03.14\00:53:06.15
to turn away from the self
destructive lifestyle of sin
00:53:06.15\00:53:09.58
and to trust that
God will help you do it.
00:53:09.58\00:53:12.12
It means to honor
God's commandments,
00:53:12.12\00:53:14.39
in your mind, in your
heart, and in your actions.
00:53:14.39\00:53:17.66
"Let the wicked forsake his way,
00:53:17.66\00:53:19.56
and the
unrighteous man his thoughts,
00:53:19.56\00:53:21.70
let him return to the Lord
and He will have mercy on him.
00:53:21.70\00:53:25.27
And to our God, for He
will abundantly pardon."
00:53:25.27\00:53:29.20
A person who repents is
genuinely sorry for sinning,
00:53:29.20\00:53:32.64
and they turn
their hearts towards God.
00:53:32.64\00:53:35.34
The Lord then
promises to give them
00:53:35.34\00:53:37.18
the transforming
power of the Holy Spirit.
00:53:37.18\00:53:39.85
He'll place within you a
new heart and a new mind.
00:53:39.85\00:53:43.28
Now God does not
expect you to remember
00:53:43.28\00:53:45.45
and confess every sin
you've ever committed.
00:53:45.45\00:53:48.26
Just humbly come to
Him in the name of Jesus
00:53:48.26\00:53:50.79
and willingly confess
you've broken His laws.
00:53:50.79\00:53:54.13
There may be
some specific things
00:53:54.13\00:53:56.10
the Holy Spirit will
bring to your attention.
00:53:56.10\00:53:58.43
Tell him you are sorry.
00:53:58.43\00:53:59.70
Ask him to wash away your sins.
00:53:59.70\00:54:02.40
When you do, the Bible says,
you can have complete assurance
00:54:02.40\00:54:05.87
that He will fully forgive you.
00:54:05.87\00:54:08.18
"If we confess our
sins, He is faithful
00:54:08.18\00:54:10.78
and just to forgive us our sins,
00:54:10.78\00:54:12.85
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
00:54:12.85\00:54:16.45
Will you please open
your heart now to the Lord?
00:54:16.45\00:54:19.25
Confess your sins,
00:54:19.25\00:54:20.56
and then believe
He has forgiven you.
00:54:20.56\00:54:23.46
Eternal life,
you are almost there.
00:54:23.46\00:54:25.53
The fourth step to eternity
is to willingly receive Jesus
00:54:28.56\00:54:32.70
as your personal savior.
00:54:32.70\00:54:34.67
Christ said, "Behold, I
stand at the door and knock.
00:54:34.67\00:54:38.81
If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door,
00:54:38.81\00:54:41.88
I will come into
him and dine with him,
00:54:41.88\00:54:44.55
and he with me."
00:54:44.55\00:54:46.21
You receive
Christ by audibly praying
00:54:46.21\00:54:48.58
and inviting
Him into your heart.
00:54:48.58\00:54:50.79
This is God's
amazing gift to you.
00:54:50.79\00:54:52.92
"For God so loved the world
00:54:52.92\00:54:55.16
that He gave His
only begotten Son
00:54:55.16\00:54:57.63
that whoever believes
in Him might not perish,
00:54:57.63\00:55:00.56
but have everlasting life."
00:55:00.56\00:55:03.20
But receiving
Christ also means more.
00:55:03.20\00:55:05.70
It means trusting
in His instruction
00:55:05.70\00:55:08.24
and guiding influence
in your life and actions.
00:55:08.24\00:55:11.37
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ,
00:55:11.37\00:55:14.31
he is a new creation.
00:55:14.31\00:55:15.84
Old things have passed away.
00:55:15.84\00:55:17.51
Behold, all
things have become new."
00:55:17.51\00:55:20.65
Will you now
receive Jesus into your life
00:55:20.65\00:55:23.49
and give Him
permission to abide in you?
00:55:23.49\00:55:25.72
Now is the best time.
00:55:25.72\00:55:27.66
Will you ask Him?
00:55:27.66\00:55:29.46
Sincerely pray
this simple prayer
00:55:29.46\00:55:31.43
and then review the
steps that we just covered.
00:55:31.43\00:55:34.46
Dear God, I know
that I've broken Your laws
00:55:34.46\00:55:37.43
and my sins have
separated me from You.
00:55:37.43\00:55:40.27
I believe that Your
Son Jesus died for my sins,
00:55:40.27\00:55:43.51
and was
resurrected from the dead,
00:55:43.51\00:55:45.54
and is alive in
heaven, and hears my prayers.
00:55:45.54\00:55:48.78
I am truly sorry
for my past sins,
00:55:48.78\00:55:51.65
and I now want to turn to
You and turn away from sin.
00:55:51.65\00:55:54.82
Please forgive me and
help me to walk in a new life.
00:55:54.82\00:55:58.55
I invite Jesus to
become the Lord of my life,
00:55:58.55\00:56:01.76
to rule and to reign in my heart
00:56:01.76\00:56:04.33
from this day forward.
00:56:04.33\00:56:05.83
Please send Your Holy
Spirit to help me obey you
00:56:05.83\00:56:08.70
and to do Your will
for the rest of my life.
00:56:08.70\00:56:11.67
And I pray these
things in Jesus' name.
00:56:11.67\00:56:14.50
Amen.
00:56:14.50\00:56:15.80
The fifth step to
eternity is to now confess Jesus
00:56:18.84\00:56:22.44
as your Lord.
00:56:22.44\00:56:23.91
Eternal life is
more than just receiving.
00:56:23.91\00:56:26.45
It's also about giving.
00:56:26.45\00:56:28.32
To keep your faith,
00:56:28.32\00:56:29.58
you need to
share it with others,
00:56:29.58\00:56:30.89
by word and example.
00:56:30.89\00:56:32.75
The Bible tells us, "If
you confess with your mouth
00:56:32.75\00:56:35.86
the Lord Jesus Christ
and believe in your heart
00:56:35.86\00:56:38.36
that God has
raised him from the dead,
00:56:38.36\00:56:40.56
you will be saved."
00:56:40.56\00:56:42.53
He then says,
"For with the heart
00:56:42.53\00:56:44.83
one believes unto righteousness,
00:56:44.83\00:56:46.90
and with the mouth,
00:56:46.90\00:56:48.00
confession is
made unto salvation."
00:56:48.00\00:56:50.74
To confess Jesus as your Lord
00:56:50.74\00:56:52.84
means to choose to
follow Him every day.
00:56:52.84\00:56:55.38
Christ said, "Whoever
desires to come after Me,
00:56:55.38\00:56:58.61
let him deny himself,
00:56:58.61\00:56:59.78
take up his
cross and follow Me."
00:56:59.78\00:57:02.75
Friend, remember,
00:57:02.75\00:57:04.49
following Jesus
is an ongoing walk,
00:57:04.49\00:57:06.89
a love relationship.
00:57:06.89\00:57:08.92
If you stumble and
fall along the way,
00:57:08.92\00:57:11.36
don't be discouraged.
00:57:11.36\00:57:12.56
He's promised,
00:57:12.56\00:57:13.70
"I will never leave
you or forsake you."
00:57:13.70\00:57:15.83
Just get up.
00:57:15.83\00:57:17.03
God wants to set you
free from the burden of guilt
00:57:17.03\00:57:19.70
and sin in your life.
00:57:19.70\00:57:21.40
God loves you so much.
00:57:21.40\00:57:22.97
He sent Jesus who
willingly took the wages
00:57:22.97\00:57:25.67
of your sins upon Himself.
00:57:25.67\00:57:27.98
Christ died so you can live.
00:57:27.98\00:57:29.74
Live forever.
00:57:29.74\00:57:31.78
Let Him free you from sin now
00:57:31.78\00:57:33.82
and experience a
real and lasting peace.
00:57:33.82\00:57:37.59
So I'd like to offer you a
free gift to strengthen you
00:57:37.59\00:57:40.62
in your new
relationship with Jesus.
00:57:40.62\00:57:43.46
To receive your free
gift and discover more about
00:57:43.46\00:57:45.89
walking with
Jesus, call us today
00:57:45.89\00:57:48.10
and ask for offer number 102.
00:57:48.10\00:57:50.37
Thank you so much for watching.
00:57:52.47\00:57:53.97
And now share this
gift of everlasting life
00:57:53.97\00:57:56.97
with others by
passing on this video.
00:57:56.97\00:57:59.47