The pleasure is mine
once again to welcome you
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to the 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
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This is our weekly
gathering together to study the
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word of God and to search
into the things of the Lord...
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and we are so happy
that you have joined us
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on this very day.
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I'm going to go right
into the introduction of
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my fellow travelers and
fellow students of the word...
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Jill Morikone, Mollie
Steenson, Pastor Kenny Shelton,
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and Shelley Quinn -
good to have you all here.
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We've been having a wonderful
time because we've been
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looking at the Lord's work
in the early Nascent days of the
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church, of the
Christian era and we've seen how
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the men and women
filled with the Spirit of God
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and with power went
forth doing mighty, mighty
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works for the Lord.
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We have been assured
that in these last days
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those same things -
mighty works will be repeated
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as we come closer and
closer to the second coming
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of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
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So we've been having fun!
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We've enjoyed
listening to each other;
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fellowshipping with each other;
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and hearing what the
Lord has done and is doing,
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and, indeed, will do before
we see Christ face-to-face.
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Now, should you want to
join us in a more systematic
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way, there are two
ways that you can do that...
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First, you can
go to your computer,
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fire that computer up and go
to "Adult Bible Study Guide,"
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ABSG.Adventist.org
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and you can download your study,
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and that makes it nice
because it allows you to sort of
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go with us - you can
make notes - I like to have a
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pen and paper in front of
me and you can open up your
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computer and sort of add
some things and you can study
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right along with us at home.
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The preferred way for me
is for you to make your way
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down to the local
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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should one be close to
you, introduce yourself to the
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saints there and request
an "Adult Bible Study Guide,"
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and tell them 3ABN
sent you, let them know,
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and then spend a
little time with them.
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They will be more than
happy to study with you.
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You will find that the Seventh-
day Adventist people are
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wonderful people,
loving people and they do love
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to study the word of God.
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So if you show an
interest, I guarantee you,
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they will have an interest
and you can study together;
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you can make some new
friends and should you go
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on a Sabbath or a
Saturday, may I suggest that you
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stay by for the sermon
and if you're fortunate,
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they will have potluck or
what we call "fellowship lunch,"
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stay by for that
too, and so you can have a
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wonderful day as together
you learn some things from
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the word of God and this
is a marvelous lesson that I
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guarantee will thrill
you and really give you a
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little pep in
your spiritual step
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as we walk together
on the road to glory.
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Now, Sister Shelley
Quinn, would you open up
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with prayer for
us? Absolutely...
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Heavenly Father, We
come before You in the
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name of Jesus thanking You for
grace; thanking You for Jesus
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our Savior; thanking You for
Your Holy Spirit and Your word.
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And we pray right now,
Father, You will send Your
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Holy Spirit to just pour
Him out on all who are calling
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upon Your name, all
who are participating
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in this lesson study and,
Lord, let Him be our teacher
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and may Your
name be glorified...
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In Jesus' name, Amen
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We will take a look, this
particular week, at Paul's
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first missionary
journey and this is really
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an exciting study.
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The memory text for this
particular week comes to us
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from the NIV, perhaps
we should read it together.
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"Therefore, my friends, I
want you to know that through
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Jesus the forgiveness of
sins is proclaimed to you.
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Through him everyone who
believes is set free from
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every sin, a justification
you were not able to obtain
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under the law of
Moses." Acts 13:38
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Truth being told, we
could stay on that memory text
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for the next hour and
not exhaust it because
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so much has been said,
but we need to wind our way
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through this lesson... and an
exciting one it is to be sure!
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We were talking
about, when last we met,
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the work that was going on
in Antioch, home of the first
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Gentile church and Acts
11:26 tells us one of the first
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places that the disciples
were called Christians...
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And there is some understanding
that this designation of
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Christians really was
not a praise kind of a thing,
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it was an epithet; it
was sort of a nasty thing
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that they were putting on these
new followers of this Nazarene
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carpenter who many did
not accept and they were
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... these new followers were
so fervent and so passionate
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that they called them,
"little christs," you know,
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"christ-ettes"
almost... kind of a thing,
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and so the term was not
meant to be a term of praise,
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it was meant to be derogatory,
but, you know, sometimes
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when you own some of the stuff,
I'm sure the brethren felt
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"that's alright, I'll
take that name," you know,
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"I'll own that, if you
want to call me a Christian,
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a Christian I will be,"
and it certainly did not stop.
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So a lot of this began
in the City of Antioch.
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And so this fervent
evangelistic posture
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of the saints in Antioch
really made it one of the first
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really important Christian
centers outside of Judea
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as far as
evangelism is concerned.
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One of the backstories to
the beginning of the church was
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the reticence of the
early believers to move away
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from Jerusalem and
to focus their efforts,
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in an organized way outside
of Judea and that local area.
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Of course, we were just
years from 70 AD when the
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City of Jerusalem was destroyed,
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and, of course, they were
forced then to spread out.
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But at this point in time,
they were somewhat reticent
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for that to happen and Paul
and some of these other people
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really moved out on
their own as pushed and
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motivated by the Lord.
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So we're dealing with
the City of Antioch...
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It's a Greek city
founded by Seleucus in 300 AD.
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Now when we think of
Seleucus, we think about
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the four generals that
took over the Grecian Empire
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after the death of
Alexander the Great.
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You had Lysimachus,
Ptolemy in the South, Seleucus
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and Cassander.
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So Seleucus founded
this city, so of course
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it was a Greek city.
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Now, of course, the Romans
were in charge, but really
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the Roman civilization
was built for the most part
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on a lot of Greek philosophy
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as far as
government was concerned.
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Certainly their
pantheon of gods...
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they changed the
names, but the same gods.
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So when you think
Romans, really there is Greek
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underpinnings too
to a lot of the things
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that happened in
Rome, and this was a
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Grecian city because it was
founded by a Grecian general.
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All three of Paul's missionary
journeys began in Antioch,
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I think we established that last
week if not the week before.
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So Antioch had in some
ways, for a time, some of the
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same spiritual status
as did Rome and, of course,
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the intellectual
heart Alexandria,
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so it was the third largest
city in the Roman Empire...
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And really, it was a
very vibrant town and a very
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important town during the days,
that we're speaking of here,
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in the Book of Acts.
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Perhaps it is
somewhat understandable then
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that fairly early on,
there was this pressure to add
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Greek philosophy
to this pure religion
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because so much of the
world outside of Palestine was
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Greek-influenced, and so
very early on, there was this
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subtle pressure and Greek
thinking, Greek philosophy
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to the Greek way of
approaching life began
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to insinuate
itself into the church.
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Now we don't see this
here just yet, but as we move
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further on, you see it a little
bit more, a little bit more
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and then you have that
coupled with the pressure from
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the Jewish community
to try to make them Jews,
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and you got the Pagan community
to try to make them Greek,
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and so the early church
had a lot of fighting to do
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to establish itself hemmed
in by these two philosophies
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that were pushing
at it all the time.
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It was because of their
commitment that Christianity
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became what Jesus
intended, and I like this...
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this is directly from
the Sabbath School Lesson...
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"A world religion, one
in which the gospel would be
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spread to every nation,
tribe, tongue and people."
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And so we see beginning as
we look at what is happening
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in Antioch.
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Let's move on to the
Sunday part of the lesson,
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and I'm gonna
rearrange my papers here...
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Salamis and Paphos!
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In the church at Antioch,
there already were devout men.
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Christianity had
spread to Antioch.
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While they were
ministering and fasting,
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and I think this is important,
that the sending out of
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Paul and Barnabas, came as
a result of fasting and prayer
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and teaching the will of God.
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They did not think themselves
so wise and so perfect
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as to select these men
without direct intervention
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from the Lord, and I think
whenever we're trying to do
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something for the Lord,
it's good to get the Lord
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in there early - you
know, start with the Lord,
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pray it up, make sure that
you're doing the will of the
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Lord and not
leading and asking the Lord
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to bless what
you've already done.
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And so, these men
are praying and fasting,
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and ministering and the Bible
says, and this is important,
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the Holy Spirit directed.
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This was not man's
decision and that's important
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because of some little
rub-up that we're going to
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see in the next
couple of chapters.
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But as this
began, this was at the
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the direction
of the Holy Spirit.
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Now this says this,
my fellow students...
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that sometimes
even in the church,
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you can have two people who
are both blessed by the Spirit,
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both led by the
Spirit, who could have
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differences of opinion.
00:11:04.66\00:11:06.83
Being one in the Spirit
does not necessarily mean
00:11:06.90\00:11:09.40
we think precisely
alike, nor do we act it.
00:11:09.43\00:11:13.74
I think the test of
your Christianity is
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what happens once you disagree.
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You know, if we're just
agreeing, we're walking along,
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holding hands - no problem.
00:11:21.31\00:11:22.71
It's when we
disagree that our Christianity
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leads to sort of bubble
and percolate to the surface.
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And we see that a
little bit later on.
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So this selection of Saul
and Barnabas at that time,
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is important - as we
will see later because it was
00:11:33.86\00:11:36.89
initiated by the Holy Spirit.
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This was an action
of the Holy Spirit.
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The men laid hands
on them and then...
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You know, I like this
idea of laying hands on people.
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I'm a touchy kind of person
and I think that goes back
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to the days when I was
blind, you had to handle people
00:11:52.51\00:11:57.38
to be able to make your way.
00:11:57.41\00:11:59.88
You had a sighted person
paired with a blind person,
00:11:59.95\00:12:03.32
and so you're
accustomed to touching.
00:12:03.39\00:12:06.49
If I feel comfortable
with a person, man or woman,
00:12:06.52\00:12:09.22
sooner or later I
will touch you some place,
00:12:09.26\00:12:10.93
on the shoulder - I try
to be respectful, you know
00:12:10.96\00:12:12.83
I'm not handling you,
but as a blind person,
00:12:12.86\00:12:16.56
you don't feel really
comfortable with a person
00:12:16.63\00:12:19.37
until you touch them...
00:12:19.40\00:12:20.80
you know - until you make
some sort of contact with them.
00:12:20.84\00:12:23.97
And, I've never lost
that, the idea that if I say
00:12:24.01\00:12:28.18
"Good morning" to you
and I know you, I will just
00:12:28.21\00:12:30.31
reach out and touch,
you know, kind of thing
00:12:30.35\00:12:32.01
because it's just natural.
00:12:32.05\00:12:34.22
So this idea of laying hands
on people, I really like that!
00:12:34.28\00:12:37.45
You know, let's lay hands
on them and let's give them
00:12:37.49\00:12:40.56
a sendoff in the Lord Jesus.
00:12:40.62\00:12:42.72
So the brethren laid hands
on them and sent them away.
00:12:42.76\00:12:46.96
Now the lesson takes
pains to note that once we reach
00:12:47.00\00:12:51.90
Acts 13 and 14, the
Book of Acts makes a shift
00:12:51.93\00:12:56.30
and from that
point on to the end,
00:12:56.34\00:12:58.34
we're really dealing
with the journeys of Paul,
00:12:58.37\00:13:01.04
the work as done by Paul.
00:13:01.08\00:13:02.61
We looked at Peter and James
and some of the other brethren,
00:13:02.64\00:13:05.41
but now we're kind of
focusing laser-like on Paul
00:13:05.45\00:13:09.12
through the rest of the book.
00:13:09.15\00:13:11.82
And Paul has much to
tell us and much to say.
00:13:11.85\00:13:14.39
So this is one of the
initial strategic and planned
00:13:14.42\00:13:17.03
forays into the Gentile world.
00:13:17.06\00:13:19.43
This one was planned by
God, and it was not man's
00:13:19.46\00:13:23.26
initiative, it was God's.
00:13:23.33\00:13:25.37
"There was in these early
years, of the Christian era,
00:13:25.40\00:13:28.60
some hesitancy as I
said before and I want to
00:13:28.64\00:13:33.07
sort of lean on this,
to evangelize non-Jews,
00:13:33.11\00:13:38.05
you know, on a wholesale
basis and frankly there were a
00:13:38.08\00:13:40.78
number of reasons - some of
it was prejudice, some of it was
00:13:40.82\00:13:44.15
the idea that we
are the chosen people,
00:13:44.19\00:13:46.39
some of it was rejection
of the gospel message...
00:13:46.42\00:13:49.02
But, for whatever constellation
of reasons there was,
00:13:49.06\00:13:52.69
there was this hesitancy
to go out into the wider world
00:13:52.73\00:13:55.80
and take the gospel to
those who needed to hear.
00:13:55.83\00:13:59.70
When we place ourselves in
God's hands with the intent
00:13:59.73\00:14:04.21
of doing God's will... you
know what you're going to do?
00:14:04.24\00:14:08.58
You're going to evangelize!
00:14:08.61\00:14:09.94
You're going to take the
gospel out - there's no other
00:14:09.98\00:14:12.85
way to be a co-laborer
with God - if you've got the
00:14:12.88\00:14:15.85
Spirit of God in you,
it's fire shut up in your
00:14:15.88\00:14:17.89
bones, it's gotta
leak out some kind of way,
00:14:17.92\00:14:20.06
either you're
gonna tell somebody,
00:14:20.09\00:14:21.42
you're gonna show somebody,
you're going to do that.
00:14:21.46\00:14:23.96
And I think it was fear
and then maybe not knowing
00:14:24.03\00:14:27.83
and we have that today.
00:14:27.86\00:14:29.16
We've done evangelism
here at 3ABN so many times,
00:14:29.20\00:14:31.67
and we've seen that people
are a little afraid to go out
00:14:31.70\00:14:34.00
and sometimes share the Lord.
00:14:34.04\00:14:35.37
And we have that here...
for any number of reasons.
00:14:35.40\00:14:39.21
Truth being though, no reason
is sufficient just because
00:14:39.24\00:14:43.08
Christ said, "All
power is given to Me,"
00:14:43.11\00:14:45.21
and what we are
seeing in the Book of Acts,
00:14:45.25\00:14:47.42
is based again on
Acts 1:8, when they were
00:14:47.48\00:14:51.29
given "dunamis" power
to do the work of God,
00:14:51.32\00:14:54.79
and all of these men
that we have talked about
00:14:54.82\00:14:56.69
certainly Saul/Paul was
full of the Spirit of God,
00:14:56.73\00:15:00.83
and recognized his
call from the Lord.
00:15:00.86\00:15:04.43
I'm looking at my time because
it's getting away from me.
00:15:04.47\00:15:07.37
So, Agrippa kills James, jails
Peter and harasses the church
00:15:08.60\00:15:16.04
while this is spreading.
00:15:16.08\00:15:17.95
You know, persecution really
is fertilizer for the gospel...
00:15:17.98\00:15:23.99
even the devil realizes,
"the hotter I push down,
00:15:24.02\00:15:26.22
the more they'd spring
up," so he could not stop.
00:15:26.25\00:15:28.79
And Paul sails to
Cypress, he goes to Salamis,
00:15:28.82\00:15:32.99
and... let me take
just one minute over my time
00:15:33.03\00:15:36.03
because I've got to talk
about what happens at Salamis
00:15:36.06\00:15:38.30
and to a greater
sense what happens on the
00:15:38.33\00:15:41.37
other side of
the Island at Paphos.
00:15:41.40\00:15:44.87
Very quickly... We've
got a Jewish half-Christian
00:15:44.91\00:15:52.91
by the name of
Bar-Jesus, and he is sort of
00:15:52.95\00:15:59.35
"house-sorcerer"
for the Roman proconsul
00:15:59.39\00:16:03.59
which is the governor.
00:16:03.66\00:16:04.99
He is trying to
dissuade this man from
00:16:05.03\00:16:11.03
coming to the Lord and it's
interesting the Jew is trying to
00:16:11.07\00:16:14.64
to push him away and Sergius
Paulus, the Roman governor wants
00:16:14.67\00:16:18.17
wants to come... Here
then is the summation...
00:16:18.24\00:16:21.28
In verse 10, Paul calls
Bar-Jesus deceitful and a fraud,
00:16:21.31\00:16:26.15
and he loses his
sight and Sergius Paulus
00:16:26.18\00:16:29.62
comes to the Lord anyway.
00:16:29.65\00:16:31.45
The upside of
the lesson is this...
00:16:31.49\00:16:33.22
simply that the worse
place you can be in the world
00:16:33.25\00:16:35.86
is between the Lord and
somebody who wants to get saved,
00:16:35.89\00:16:39.13
you never want to
find yourself there,
00:16:39.16\00:16:40.93
you always want to find yourself
00:16:40.96\00:16:42.26
in the will and
on the side of God.
00:16:42.30\00:16:45.00
Amen! Thank you
so much Pastor CA.
00:16:45.03\00:16:47.40
What a wonderful foundation
for the first missionary
00:16:47.44\00:16:50.47
journey of Paul or, at this
time, he is still called Saul.
00:16:50.51\00:16:53.94
Saul and Barnabas!
00:16:53.98\00:16:55.31
I pick up the story when
they depart from Cypress.
00:16:55.34\00:16:58.75
They have been at Salamis
and Paphos and when they depart
00:16:58.78\00:17:02.45
from there, they take a
ship and they go north to Perga.
00:17:02.48\00:17:06.12
So let's take a look at
that, we're in Acts 13:13...
00:17:06.15\00:17:10.76
"Now when Paul and his
party set sail from Paphos,
00:17:10.79\00:17:14.46
they came to Perga
and Pamphylia and John,
00:17:14.50\00:17:18.27
departing from them,
returned to Jerusalem.
00:17:18.30\00:17:21.77
So there's a couple
of points I want to note
00:17:21.80\00:17:23.30
just in this passage here...
00:17:23.34\00:17:24.97
#1... A name
switch has occurred.
00:17:25.01\00:17:28.28
I don't know if
you picked up on that.
00:17:28.31\00:17:29.91
All the way through Acts,
Saul of Tarsus is called "Saul,"
00:17:29.94\00:17:34.12
until we get to in
Pastor's CA section, verse 9,
00:17:34.15\00:17:38.42
it says, "Then Saul,
who is also called Paul,
00:17:38.45\00:17:41.22
... so in that place, he
puts Saul and Paul together.
00:17:41.26\00:17:43.96
And then when we get
to verse 13 from hereon
00:17:44.03\00:17:47.00
through the rest of the Book
of Acts, he is called "Paul,"
00:17:47.03\00:17:49.60
the "Apostle Paul."
00:17:49.63\00:17:50.97
The other thing is -
we see a leadership switch
00:17:51.00\00:17:53.80
takes place here.
00:17:53.84\00:17:55.17
Remember when Pastor CA
talked about the setting apart
00:17:55.20\00:17:58.24
for the work that
was to take place.
00:17:58.27\00:18:00.41
When the brethren in
Antioch fasted and prayed
00:18:00.44\00:18:03.14
and laid hands on them,
who did they lay hands on?
00:18:03.18\00:18:05.65
It says in Acts
13:2... "Barnabas and Saul."
00:18:05.68\00:18:10.15
We come over to Acts 13, it
says when they're in Cyprus,
00:18:10.22\00:18:13.19
Acts 13:7...
"Barnabas and Saul."
00:18:13.22\00:18:16.96
You notice Barnabas'
name is mentioned first,
00:18:16.99\00:18:19.09
and then Saul's name.
00:18:19.13\00:18:20.83
Now of course, in
verse 9, Saul is mentioned
00:18:20.86\00:18:24.07
"Saul who is called Paul."
00:18:24.10\00:18:25.90
Now when we get to
verse 13, instead of saying,
00:18:25.93\00:18:29.07
"Barnabas and Paul,"
because now they're calling
00:18:29.10\00:18:32.31
him Paul, or instead of
saying "Paul and Barnabas,"
00:18:32.34\00:18:36.21
what does it say?
"Paul and his party."
00:18:36.24\00:18:38.85
Barnabas is not even
mentioned here in this section.
00:18:38.88\00:18:43.02
The leadership switch
you can see as it progresses
00:18:43.05\00:18:45.95
through the book of
Acts... Paul is emerging
00:18:45.99\00:18:48.89
as a dynamic leader of
the early Christian church,
00:18:48.92\00:18:52.66
and that
continues really through
00:18:52.69\00:18:54.56
the rest of the Book of Acts.
00:18:54.56\00:18:58.40
The other thing I see
here is that John Mark left,
00:18:58.43\00:19:01.67
he deserted them and
he returned to Jerusalem.
00:19:01.70\00:19:06.17
Perga - they went up to
Perga, it's about 150 miles
00:19:06.21\00:19:10.68
from Paphos, going from,
you know, they're on Cypress
00:19:10.71\00:19:13.65
the Island in the Mediterranean
Sea, it's about 150 miles
00:19:13.68\00:19:16.38
north of Perga and this is
the southern part of what we
00:19:16.42\00:19:19.15
would call modern-day Turkey...
00:19:19.19\00:19:21.42
And so they landed
there in what we would call
00:19:21.46\00:19:24.16
modern-day Turkey and
John Mark decided, for whatever
00:19:24.19\00:19:28.83
reason, "I'm going
back home to Jerusalem."
00:19:28.86\00:19:32.10
Now whether John Mark thought
"this is too much for me,
00:19:32.13\00:19:36.71
I'm a little discouraged,"
I know there are different
00:19:36.74\00:19:39.31
philosophies as to why he
left and went back to Jerusalem,
00:19:39.34\00:19:43.45
and this is in Acts
of the Apostles, p.170,
00:19:43.48\00:19:46.85
"Mark was intimidated and
losing all courage, refused to
00:19:46.92\00:19:53.09
go farther and
returned to Jerusalem."
00:19:53.12\00:19:56.76
Now we would say
later, this is going to cause
00:19:56.83\00:19:59.59
contention between Paul
and Barnabas - we see that
00:19:59.63\00:20:02.10
with the second
missionary journey,
00:20:02.13\00:20:03.73
but years down the road,
I love the ending of this
00:20:03.77\00:20:07.40
passage because in 2
Timothy 4:11, when Paul...
00:20:07.44\00:20:12.17
this is the last book that
Paul wrote, he's imprisoned
00:20:12.21\00:20:15.18
there at the end of his life
and he writes these words...
00:20:15.21\00:20:18.11
"Get Mark and bring him
with you, for he is useful
00:20:18.15\00:20:22.45
to me for ministry."
00:20:22.48\00:20:23.99
That shows that John
Mark, he grew up, he matured
00:20:24.05\00:20:28.62
as a Christian
and he was eventually
00:20:28.66\00:20:30.59
reconciled back with Paul.
00:20:30.63\00:20:31.96
So at this time, John Mark
has left and Barnabas and Paul
00:20:31.99\00:20:36.03
or Paul and his party,
continue on the journey here.
00:20:36.06\00:20:39.33
They're going up to Pisidian
Antioch, we're in verse 14.
00:20:39.37\00:20:43.20
When they departed from
Perga, they came to Antioch
00:20:43.24\00:20:46.17
in Pisidian, now that's
100 miles north of Perga,
00:20:46.21\00:20:49.14
they're traveling by land.
00:20:49.21\00:20:50.58
"And went into the synagogue
00:20:50.61\00:20:52.11
on the Sabbath
day and sat down."
00:20:52.15\00:20:54.85
We will notice this throughout
00:20:54.88\00:20:56.52
Paul's
missionary journeys often.
00:20:56.55\00:20:58.49
Pastor CA, when he
goes to a new city,
00:20:58.52\00:21:00.96
he goes to the synagogue
first, you notice that.
00:21:00.99\00:21:03.29
He preaches to the Jews
in the synagogue and then he
00:21:03.32\00:21:06.83
expands the gospel and shares
it with the Gentiles as well.
00:21:06.90\00:21:10.07
"And after the reading
of the law and the prophets,
00:21:10.13\00:21:12.57
I'm in verse 15, the rules
of the synagogue said to them
00:21:12.63\00:21:16.00
saying, "Men and brethren,
if you have any word of
00:21:16.04\00:21:18.21
exhortation for
the people, say on."
00:21:18.24\00:21:20.98
So this is Paul's first recorded
sermon in the Book of Acts.
00:21:21.01\00:21:24.85
Now, obviously, he has
given many, many sermons
00:21:24.88\00:21:27.52
before this time, but this is
00:21:27.58\00:21:28.92
his actually
first recorded sermon.
00:21:28.95\00:21:31.65
It's his longest sermon as well
00:21:31.69\00:21:33.12
that's recorded
in the Book of Acts.
00:21:33.15\00:21:35.16
Almost 30 speeches are
in the Book of Acts and they
00:21:35.19\00:21:38.53
comprise probably
a third of the book.
00:21:38.56\00:21:40.93
So Luke thought it was
pretty important to record
00:21:40.96\00:21:43.10
quite a few of the speeches
and the sermons that were given.
00:21:43.13\00:21:45.90
Of the 30 speeches, Paul gives
11 of them in the Book of Acts.
00:21:45.93\00:21:51.17
There are some similarities
between what he shares
00:21:51.21\00:21:53.71
with the brethren
here at Pisidian Antioch,
00:21:53.74\00:21:56.24
and Peter's sermon - the
Pentecost sermon in Acts 2,
00:21:56.28\00:22:00.22
and Stephen's sermon - we
could say his defense before
00:22:00.25\00:22:03.82
the Sanhedrin in
Acts 7 or you can say the
00:22:03.89\00:22:06.59
offence before the Sanhedrin
because he was delivering the
00:22:06.62\00:22:10.36
"rib" to them as far
as the covenant lawsuit.
00:22:10.43\00:22:13.70
So the
similarities that I see...
00:22:13.73\00:22:15.16
They all had a focus on Jesus.
00:22:15.20\00:22:16.93
Jesus in the fulfillment of
the Old Testament prophecies.
00:22:16.97\00:22:20.80
King David and
the coming Messiah.
00:22:20.84\00:22:24.71
They all talked about
Jesus and His death and burial
00:22:24.74\00:22:27.44
and resurrection.
00:22:27.48\00:22:28.81
Now, Paul's sermon begins
with the Israelites coming
00:22:28.84\00:22:32.25
out of Egypt and
we will look at that.
00:22:32.28\00:22:34.55
Peter's sermon
begins with David and Jesus.
00:22:34.58\00:22:39.09
Stephen's defense or
offense, whatever you call it,
00:22:39.12\00:22:42.29
actually began as the
earliest of the three sermons.
00:22:42.32\00:22:45.66
It begins all the way
back with Abraham leaving Ur,
00:22:45.69\00:22:48.80
and the promise to
Abraham, and his sermon
00:22:48.83\00:22:51.50
continues
probably the longest there.
00:22:51.53\00:22:54.00
So let's look at the line
of thought in Paul's sermon,
00:22:54.07\00:22:56.94
and there's probably -
if you were to divide it,
00:22:56.97\00:22:58.87
I would divide it
into three sections.
00:22:58.91\00:23:00.98
The first section is a
sketch of Jewish history
00:23:01.01\00:23:04.15
to the time of David...
that begins in verse 16.
00:23:04.18\00:23:08.52
Paul stood up and motioning
with his hand, he said,
00:23:08.55\00:23:11.62
"Men of Israel and you
who fear God, listen...
00:23:11.65\00:23:14.59
"The God of this people
Israel, chose our fathers
00:23:14.62\00:23:18.06
and exalted the people
when they dwelt as strangers
00:23:18.09\00:23:20.60
in the land of Egypt,
and with an uplifted arm
00:23:20.63\00:23:23.67
He brought them out of it."
00:23:23.73\00:23:25.47
Now for a time of about
40 years, He put up with
00:23:25.50\00:23:28.87
their ways in the wilderness,
and when He had destroyed
00:23:28.90\00:23:31.84
seven nations in
the land of Canaan,
00:23:31.87\00:23:34.08
He distributed their
land to them by allotment."
00:23:34.14\00:23:37.11
So what is he saying?
God, your God, our God
00:23:37.15\00:23:40.58
brought the Israelites,
brought you out of the land
00:23:40.62\00:23:43.08
of Egypt - He
sustained you in the wilderness
00:23:43.12\00:23:46.55
for those 40 years
and then He destroyed the
00:23:46.59\00:23:49.32
Canaanite nation so you could
take possession of the land.
00:23:49.36\00:23:52.56
After that, He gave
them judges for 450 years,
00:23:52.59\00:23:56.40
Samuel the prophet,
they asked for a king,
00:23:56.43\00:23:58.67
they got Saul and
then we get David...
00:23:58.70\00:24:01.50
Verse 22... "And
when He had removed him,
00:24:01.54\00:24:04.51
meaning Saul from being
king, He raised up for them
00:24:04.54\00:24:07.48
David as king, to whom
also He gave testimony and said,
00:24:07.51\00:24:11.11
"I have found David the
son of Jesse, a man after
00:24:11.15\00:24:14.15
My own heart who
will do all My will."
00:24:14.22\00:24:16.89
Now it kind of shifts to the
second phase of Paul's sermon,
00:24:16.92\00:24:20.56
and this phase he shows
Jesus as the fulfillment
00:24:20.59\00:24:24.13
of the Old Testament prophecy.
00:24:24.16\00:24:26.59
That begins in verse
23... "From this man's seed
00:24:26.63\00:24:30.07
according to the promise...
that would be from David's
00:24:30.13\00:24:32.47
seed because the Jewish people
were looking for the coming
00:24:32.50\00:24:35.44
Messiah - through the
seed or linage of David...
00:24:35.47\00:24:38.44
From this man's seed according
to the promise, God raised
00:24:38.47\00:24:41.48
up for Israel a Savior -
Jesus," and then he talks about
00:24:41.51\00:24:45.98
John's preaching about
the coming of the Messiah,
00:24:46.01\00:24:48.88
and then if you go down,
he talks about Jesus coming
00:24:48.92\00:24:53.19
and His death...
We go to verse 30,
00:24:53.22\00:24:56.32
"God raised Him from
the dead and He was seen for
00:24:56.36\00:25:00.33
many days by those who
came up with Him from Galilee
00:25:00.36\00:25:03.50
to Jerusalem, who are
His witnesses to the people."
00:25:03.57\00:25:06.84
And then he quotes some
from the Old Testament from
00:25:06.87\00:25:10.01
David, from Psalm and some
of those prophecies and how
00:25:10.04\00:25:12.74
Jesus fulfilled that.
00:25:12.77\00:25:14.11
Then we switch to the third
portion of Paul's sermon here,
00:25:14.18\00:25:19.11
and Mollie is going
to share more with it.
00:25:19.15\00:25:20.92
I just want to
touch on one thing...
00:25:20.95\00:25:22.95
This is the invitation
to justification by faith,
00:25:22.98\00:25:27.79
and a warning against rejecting
the salvation available
00:25:27.82\00:25:32.03
through Jesus.
00:25:32.06\00:25:33.60
So we see that in verse
38... "Therefore let it be known
00:25:33.63\00:25:36.93
to brethren that through this
Man... that's Jesus Christ...
00:25:36.97\00:25:39.93
is preached to you
the forgiveness of sins;
00:25:40.00\00:25:42.74
and by Him everyone who
believes is justified from the
00:25:42.77\00:25:46.24
things from which you
could not be justified
00:25:46.27\00:25:48.48
by the law of Moses."
00:25:48.51\00:25:49.84
The Jewish people believed
in almost salvation by works.
00:25:49.88\00:25:54.45
They thought that they had
to do things and keep the law
00:25:54.48\00:25:57.45
perfectly and he is saying...
Jesus came and Jesus is
00:25:57.49\00:26:01.39
the One who forgives
you and Jesus is the One who
00:26:01.42\00:26:04.36
justifies you.
00:26:04.39\00:26:05.73
And Mollie, I know you
have more to share with us
00:26:05.76\00:26:08.03
on that with in
Pisidian Antioch...
00:26:08.06\00:26:10.80
I will get that
out, Pisidian Antioch.
00:26:10.87\00:26:13.47
Okay and thank you for
laying the foundation for this.
00:26:13.54\00:26:16.60
It is amazing to me how God
has laid these Sabbath School
00:26:16.64\00:26:21.58
Lessons out - one builds
on the other and if you hadn't
00:26:21.61\00:26:24.68
laid the
foundation, what I have to share
00:26:24.71\00:26:27.22
may not be received as easily.
00:26:27.25\00:26:29.15
So Jill actually just read
the two scriptures that I'm
00:26:29.18\00:26:33.56
going to read to you
again, that's in Acts 13:38-39.
00:26:33.59\00:26:39.06
Thank you Jill.
00:26:39.09\00:26:40.43
"Therefore let it
be known to you...
00:26:40.50\00:26:42.16
... now where is Paul
at this time, where is he?
00:26:42.20\00:26:44.67
He's in the synagogue,
so who is he teaching to?
00:26:44.70\00:26:48.67
Who is the crux, who makes
up the most of the congregation?
00:26:48.70\00:26:52.77
See, this is the Jewish people.
00:26:53.58\00:26:56.18
So.. "Therefore let it
be known to you brethren...
00:26:56.21\00:26:58.61
Paul calls them "brethren."
Why would he do that?
00:26:58.65\00:27:01.15
Because he's a Jew and that's
something I want to stress.
00:27:01.18\00:27:04.25
Paul LOVED his
brothers, he was a Jew,
00:27:04.32\00:27:08.39
and the son of a Jew
and had an ancestry of Jews.
00:27:08.42\00:27:13.26
He loved these
people, it was vitally
00:27:13.29\00:27:15.60
important to him that
they receive the truth.
00:27:15.63\00:27:18.53
"Therefore let it be
known to you brethren
00:27:18.57\00:27:20.84
that through this
Man... Who is he talking about?
00:27:20.87\00:27:23.54
The Lord Jesus Christ.
00:27:23.61\00:27:25.44
... is preached to you
the forgiveness of sins,
00:27:25.47\00:27:28.11
and by Him everyone
who believes is justified
00:27:28.14\00:27:32.98
from all things from
which you could not be justified
00:27:33.01\00:27:39.12
by the law of Moses."
00:27:39.15\00:27:40.86
You could not be
justified by the law of Moses.
00:27:40.89\00:27:44.23
Now that may not set well with
some of these Jewish believers,
00:27:44.26\00:27:50.03
but let's see the purpose
that Paul is doing this...
00:27:50.07\00:27:55.04
He is never doing anything
really to bring dissention,
00:27:55.07\00:27:59.01
but again I want to stress
this, Paul loves his brethren.
00:27:59.04\00:28:02.84
Paul stresses the inability
of the law of Moses to justify.
00:28:02.88\00:28:07.68
He is in no way
suggesting that the law was bad
00:28:07.72\00:28:12.59
or trying to do away with
the law - abrogate the law.
00:28:12.62\00:28:17.19
He was bringing correct
doctrine, a correct doctrinal
00:28:17.26\00:28:23.57
teaching where
there is misunderstanding.
00:28:23.60\00:28:26.67
See, Paul wants the
Jewish faith for all of us
00:28:26.74\00:28:34.08
is the foundation of
Christianity - is it not? Yes
00:28:34.11\00:28:36.85
This is our foundation,
thank God for the Jewish
00:28:36.88\00:28:41.32
faith that had this
foundation of religion laid...
00:28:41.35\00:28:45.69
and the natural progression
of this Jewish faith...
00:28:45.72\00:28:50.83
What had they been prophesying
and predicting was coming
00:28:50.86\00:28:54.00
all of these years? The Messiah!
00:28:54.10\00:28:56.33
So with the coming of
the Lord Jesus Christ...
00:28:56.36\00:28:59.07
what was supposed to
happen is everybody receive the
00:28:59.10\00:29:03.84
Lord and things just continue
to progress and move forward.
00:29:03.87\00:29:07.51
So, I'm going to
read this to you...
00:29:07.54\00:29:11.61
This is out of the Quarterly,
this is a good Quarterly,
00:29:11.65\00:29:14.48
CA, I agree with you.
00:29:14.52\00:29:16.22
"The law is unable to bring
justification because it cannot
00:29:16.25\00:29:20.19
produce perfect obedience
in those who observe it.
00:29:20.22\00:29:24.09
Even if the law could
produce perfect obedience in us,
00:29:24.16\00:29:28.43
that perfect obedience
cannot atone for past sins.
00:29:28.46\00:29:32.23
Now think about
this... Brother Kenny, can you,
00:29:32.27\00:29:34.80
by an act of your
will, choose to be perfect
00:29:34.84\00:29:38.47
all day long today?
00:29:38.51\00:29:40.21
We can say, "Oh Lord,
I'm going to be perfect
00:29:40.28\00:29:43.78
the rest of the
day... Oh, I want to be,
00:29:43.85\00:29:46.41
but... there's that "but."
00:29:46.45\00:29:48.42
Oh and that's
when... Oh Jill, we thank God
00:29:48.45\00:29:51.52
for 1 John 1:9, but see
when you are relying on the
00:29:51.55\00:29:55.29
law - on your
perfect obedience, 1 John 1:9
00:29:55.32\00:29:58.53
has no place for you
because it's your works...
00:29:58.56\00:30:02.20
1 John 1:9... The Scripture
says, "If we confess our sins,
00:30:02.23\00:30:09.24
He is faithful and
just... HE is faithful and just
00:30:09.27\00:30:12.31
to forgive us of our sins
and cleanse us from all our
00:30:12.34\00:30:15.44
unrighteousness."
00:30:15.48\00:30:16.81
Well if you are
depending on your good works,
00:30:16.85\00:30:19.38
then you're depending
on your righteousness,
00:30:19.41\00:30:22.42
on your ability.
00:30:22.45\00:30:23.79
So let me go on with this...
00:30:23.85\00:30:26.52
This is why
justification cannot be earned,
00:30:26.55\00:30:30.09
not even partially.
00:30:30.13\00:30:32.86
We can receive
it only by faith in
00:30:32.89\00:30:36.36
what Jesus Christ did for us.
00:30:36.40\00:30:38.67
Okay... The Jews
wanted to be justified.
00:30:38.70\00:30:42.77
Pastor CA, the Jews -
they wanted to be justified.
00:30:42.80\00:30:46.91
They were just going about
it the wrong way. Well said.
00:30:46.94\00:30:50.78
They were relying on being
justified by works of the law.
00:30:50.81\00:30:54.75
Paul says, "No, the law
can't justify - only through
00:30:54.78\00:31:00.16
faith believing in the crucified
Savior can we be justified,
00:31:00.19\00:31:06.13
brought into right
relationship with God.
00:31:06.16\00:31:08.93
So Paul... it was
vitally important to Paul
00:31:08.96\00:31:13.30
that he take them from
their misunderstanding.
00:31:13.34\00:31:17.31
You know, I had to call it
"error" earlier and it is error,
00:31:17.37\00:31:20.84
but it wasn't an error
that they were wanting to be in.
00:31:20.88\00:31:26.05
They just had a
misunderstanding,
00:31:26.08\00:31:28.02
they had been taught wrong.
00:31:28.05\00:31:30.15
You know, that's
called "ignorance."
00:31:30.19\00:31:32.49
Do you know there is
nothing wrong, Jill, in being
00:31:32.52\00:31:35.26
ignorant because what is
the remedy for ignorance?
00:31:35.29\00:31:38.26
Education! Being
taught what is right!
00:31:38.29\00:31:42.20
But this concept that it's
not works, that was a whole
00:31:43.50\00:31:49.24
new concept for them - that's
what they had been taught,
00:31:49.27\00:31:53.51
how long? All of their life,
00:31:53.54\00:31:56.38
they had been taught.
00:31:56.41\00:31:57.75
There were three main
aspects in the Jewish religion.
00:31:57.78\00:32:01.12
Now CA help me with
this, and I think I've got the
00:32:01.15\00:32:02.92
right understanding...
00:32:02.95\00:32:04.29
#1... It's the
importance of temple worship.
00:32:04.32\00:32:08.26
#2... The importance
of the study of the law.
00:32:08.29\00:32:11.96
#3... The
importance of good works.
00:32:11.99\00:32:14.73
So this is what
they had been taught.
00:32:14.76\00:32:16.93
And I'll agree
with #1, it's important
00:32:16.97\00:32:19.90
that you're in church. Amen!
00:32:19.93\00:32:21.40
That's vitally
important that you're in church.
00:32:21.44\00:32:23.51
#2, I agree with that.
00:32:23.57\00:32:25.51
It's important that
you study God's word.
00:32:25.54\00:32:29.44
#3, You know, I'm
going to agree with that too.
00:32:29.48\00:32:31.95
It's for grace you
are saved through faith,
00:32:31.98\00:32:33.98
that not of yourself, it's
a gift of God, not of works.
00:32:34.02\00:32:38.39
But we are created unto
good works, is that not true?
00:32:38.42\00:32:41.46
So it's not that what they were
taught was totally in error,
00:32:41.49\00:32:46.26
but they had just had
a misunderstanding of it
00:32:46.29\00:32:49.26
thinking that it was those works
that were going to save them...
00:32:49.30\00:32:53.07
Kenny, do our
works save us? No...
00:32:53.10\00:32:55.20
It's not our works, it's
the shed blood of the Lord
00:32:55.24\00:32:58.37
Jesus Christ and what He
wrought out for us at Calvary.
00:32:58.41\00:33:01.58
So let's see how
those in the synagogue
00:33:01.61\00:33:05.01
received Paul's
message, that's Acts 13:42-44...
00:33:05.05\00:33:11.19
"So when the Jews
went out of the synagogue,
00:33:11.22\00:33:13.76
the Gentiles begged that
these words might be preached
00:33:13.79\00:33:16.73
to them the next Sabbath.
00:33:16.76\00:33:18.73
Now when the congregation
had broken up, many of the Jews
00:33:18.76\00:33:22.60
and devout proselytes followed
Paul and Barnabas, who seeking
00:33:22.63\00:33:27.10
them persuaded them to
continue in the grace of God."
00:33:27.14\00:33:30.07
"On the next
Sabbath... listen at this...
00:33:30.11\00:33:32.87
"On the next
Sabbath, almost the whole city
00:33:32.91\00:33:36.71
came together to
hear the word of God."
00:33:36.75\00:33:38.65
How many people
Jill? The whole city.
00:33:38.68\00:33:41.18
Almost the whole city.
00:33:41.22\00:33:43.25
Now let me just tell you
this right off the bat...
00:33:43.28\00:33:45.22
trouble's brewing.
00:33:45.25\00:33:47.12
Trouble is brewing!
00:33:47.16\00:33:48.56
If they had just
been kinda paw pawed at,
00:33:48.59\00:33:50.79
and nobody showed up,
trouble wouldn't brew.
00:33:50.83\00:33:53.70
Let's look at chapter 13,
again starting with verse 45...
00:33:53.76\00:33:58.20
"And when the Jews saw
the multitudes... saw what?
00:33:58.23\00:34:02.07
The multitudes...
they were filled with
00:34:02.10\00:34:05.57
"envy"... is an ugly word.
00:34:05.61\00:34:07.64
... envy, jealousy - causes
strife, and it causes jealousy.
00:34:07.68\00:34:12.58
And contradicting and
blaspheming, they opposed
00:34:12.61\00:34:16.69
the things spoken by Paul."
00:34:16.72\00:34:18.09
They started contradicting
what he was saying.
00:34:18.12\00:34:20.66
Flying in the face of
the truth of the word of God,
00:34:20.69\00:34:23.29
can God ever honor
that? Never honors that, okay.
00:34:23.32\00:34:26.49
Verse 46... "Then Paul
and Barnabas grew bold...
00:34:26.53\00:34:29.10
now they were
already pretty bold...
00:34:29.13\00:34:31.50
and said, "It was
necessary that the word of God
00:34:31.53\00:34:34.64
should be spoken to you
first... he was speaking to the
00:34:34.67\00:34:38.64
Jewish people - it was
important that I bring this
00:34:38.67\00:34:41.64
message to you first,
but since you reject it,
00:34:41.68\00:34:46.11
and judge yourself...
Paul is not judging them,
00:34:46.15\00:34:50.25
their actions judge them...
00:34:50.29\00:34:51.99
and judge yourself
unworthy of everlasting life,
00:34:52.02\00:34:56.26
behold we turned to
the Gentiles... Mercy!
00:34:56.29\00:34:58.96
for so the Lord has commanded
us, "I have set you as a light
00:34:58.99\00:35:03.60
to the Gentiles
that you should be
00:35:03.67\00:35:05.23
the salvation to
the ends of the earth."
00:35:05.27\00:35:07.04
And that's a
quote from Isaiah 42:6.
00:35:07.07\00:35:10.71
Verse 48... "Now when
the Gentiles heard this,
00:35:10.74\00:35:14.38
they were glad and
glorified the word of the Lord
00:35:14.41\00:35:16.44
and as many as had been
appointed to eternal life
00:35:16.48\00:35:19.81
believed and the
word of the Lord was being
00:35:19.85\00:35:22.35
spread
throughout the whole world."
00:35:22.38\00:35:23.72
The Jewish leaders rejected
the gospel and that had a
00:35:23.79\00:35:27.82
two-prong effect.
00:35:27.86\00:35:29.36
#1... Their rejection excluded
them from God's salvation,
00:35:29.39\00:35:36.43
but the other side of
that was it liberated Paul
00:35:36.46\00:35:41.00
and Barnabas to turn to the
Gentiles... for exactly that.
00:35:41.04\00:35:44.91
Well I'm going to look at what
I want to bring away from this.
00:35:44.94\00:35:47.44
This is what I think we
need to bring away from this
00:35:47.48\00:35:50.15
if nothing else...
00:35:50.21\00:35:51.55
Ephesians 2:8-9...
"For by grace - and I've
00:35:51.58\00:35:54.38
quoted it 2 or
3 times already...
00:35:54.42\00:35:56.42
"For by grace you have
been saved, through faith
00:35:56.45\00:36:03.86
and that not of
yourself, it is the gift of God
00:36:03.89\00:36:07.23
not of works lest
anyone should boast."
00:36:07.23\00:36:09.63
Pastor Kenny...
00:36:09.66\00:36:11.00
Well you set it up
here the last minute or two,
00:36:11.03\00:36:14.50
you said,
"There's trouble brewing,"
00:36:14.54\00:36:16.07
I think that was the words,
so that kinda came over to
00:36:16.10\00:36:18.87
my part of
"There's trouble brewing,"
00:36:18.91\00:36:20.68
and I think any time
that we move forward in the
00:36:20.71\00:36:23.35
cause of Christ, there's
going to be some trouble. Yes.
00:36:23.38\00:36:25.55
I think what CA brought out,
00:36:25.58\00:36:26.92
but it's how we deal
with the trouble. Yes.
00:36:26.95\00:36:28.85
Trouble is going to come,
no matter where you're at,
00:36:28.88\00:36:31.09
or what you're
doing is moving forward,
00:36:31.12\00:36:32.45
trouble is going to come
and Iconium here is where we are
00:36:32.49\00:36:34.86
with our lesson - Wednesday's
lesson and I thought it was
00:36:34.89\00:36:37.26
interesting - but a
little background on it,
00:36:37.33\00:36:39.56
but it's an important
city in inland of Asia Minor...
00:36:39.59\00:36:43.00
You know, if
people don't study that,
00:36:43.03\00:36:44.73
you have no idea and
maybe they don't care,
00:36:44.77\00:36:46.43
but it's good to know.
00:36:46.47\00:36:47.97
It was incorporated
to the Roman providence
00:36:48.00\00:36:50.31
you know, in about
25 BC, I mean it was
00:36:50.37\00:36:53.17
the early, early stages.
00:36:53.21\00:36:54.98
The city has been constantly
inhabited - something has been
00:36:55.01\00:36:59.05
going on there -
it says the good seed
00:36:59.08\00:37:00.48
was planted and
maybe some bad seed,
00:37:00.55\00:37:01.88
but some things
have been going on there.
00:37:01.92\00:37:03.32
Paul and Barnabas went to
preach in Iconium, but before
00:37:03.35\00:37:06.35
we get there in Iconium,
but interesting what happened
00:37:06.39\00:37:09.09
to them when we were
talking about in Antioch...
00:37:09.12\00:37:11.36
They were preaching
the good news and they were
00:37:11.39\00:37:13.63
doing a good work, what
happened? They were driven out.
00:37:13.66\00:37:15.76
They were driven out
and somebody was mentioning
00:37:15.80\00:37:18.57
the other day about
gnashing the teeth and people
00:37:18.60\00:37:21.57
were getting so mad...
I've been to board meetings,
00:37:21.60\00:37:23.84
but I don't think I've ever
been to one quite like that.
00:37:23.91\00:37:26.91
People get a little
upset sometimes as Christians,
00:37:26.98\00:37:28.58
but there were
some people here that,
00:37:28.61\00:37:30.58
I used to have an aunt to
say that "If looks could kill,
00:37:30.65\00:37:33.62
there would be a
lot of people dead,"
00:37:33.65\00:37:35.38
so, I've never been around
all that, but there was some
00:37:35.42\00:37:38.22
horrible things going
on in the name of Jesus,
00:37:38.25\00:37:41.02
and so there had to be
some straightening out that
00:37:41.06\00:37:42.89
was done when we look
here, but they had to flee
00:37:42.92\00:37:45.86
because the
persecution broke out...
00:37:45.89\00:37:47.83
And a lot of times we're
content to stay, aren't we?
00:37:47.86\00:37:50.57
We're content to stay
where things are going well.
00:37:50.63\00:37:53.40
When things are not
going so well, we tend to
00:37:53.44\00:37:55.84
jump out of the boat
sometimes and then go find
00:37:55.87\00:37:58.24
some other place.
00:37:58.27\00:37:59.61
But backup just a
little bit before Iconium,
00:37:59.64\00:38:01.94
what do we find?
00:38:01.98\00:38:03.31
And I think this is
something that maybe we need to
00:38:03.38\00:38:05.55
hit a little harder than
maybe we've hit it and you
00:38:05.58\00:38:07.55
don't really want to, but
we have to look and really
00:38:07.58\00:38:10.12
put responsibility
where it really lies.
00:38:10.15\00:38:12.62
Responsibility, many times,
was with not only the people,
00:38:12.65\00:38:16.19
us as it were or
the early church,
00:38:16.22\00:38:18.59
but the leadership -
we have to be careful.
00:38:18.63\00:38:21.23
You know, you look at
yourself and you think you're
00:38:21.26\00:38:22.93
leaders here in
different departments,
00:38:22.96\00:38:24.50
we're leaders in
the cause of Christ.
00:38:24.53\00:38:25.90
We have responsibility
in the cause of Christ
00:38:25.93\00:38:28.74
to be the right kind of
leader because a man or a woman
00:38:28.77\00:38:31.24
says "I'm a leader," they're
going to have to prove it to me
00:38:31.27\00:38:33.58
from the word of God before
I'm going to get behind them
00:38:33.61\00:38:35.61
and follow them all the way.
00:38:35.64\00:38:37.25
But notice that the
stirring up almost always...
00:38:37.28\00:38:39.91
the leadership was involved.
00:38:39.95\00:38:41.58
I'm not trying to criticize or
condemn in any form or fashion.
00:38:41.62\00:38:44.19
People can apply it
where they want to do it,
00:38:44.22\00:38:46.02
but I think this is imperative
that we look at these issues
00:38:46.05\00:38:48.36
over here.
00:38:48.39\00:38:49.79
Running Paul and
Barnabas out of town, right,
00:38:49.82\00:38:53.13
every place they went to preach,
00:38:53.16\00:38:54.96
all of a sudden, they
were greeted and everybody was
00:38:55.00\00:38:56.50
happy, they were all
excited and pretty soon, uh oh,
00:38:56.53\00:38:58.80
we don't like what we're hearing
and stirring up opposition,
00:38:58.83\00:39:02.00
and somebody
mentioned... there was jealousy,
00:39:02.04\00:39:04.34
against one another and
pretty soon there was all kind
00:39:04.37\00:39:07.41
of problems.
00:39:07.44\00:39:08.88
It was interesting, Acts
13:54 in Wednesday's lesson...
00:39:08.91\00:39:12.45
It says, "And the
disciples were filled with joy
00:39:12.48\00:39:15.08
and with the Holy Ghost.
00:39:15.12\00:39:17.12
I love that because when they
were thrown out, as it were,
00:39:17.15\00:39:21.16
thrown out... what did they do?
00:39:21.19\00:39:22.52
They were still happy!
00:39:22.56\00:39:23.89
What was that Scripture?
00:39:23.96\00:39:25.29
I think that was
Acts 13:52. ... 52 Okay
00:39:25.33\00:39:28.66
Yeah, it still says
they were thrown out.
00:39:28.70\00:39:30.90
How many of us who might
get removed from a certain
00:39:30.97\00:39:33.57
position or even from
church... I would be careful
00:39:33.64\00:39:36.71
to mention the
word "disfellowship,"
00:39:36.74\00:39:38.07
but we're going to
leave and we're going to be
00:39:38.11\00:39:39.44
happy - we're going
to be happy about it.
00:39:39.47\00:39:41.08
They left with great joy because
they knew they were doing
00:39:41.11\00:39:45.15
#1 what? They were
doing the right thing here,
00:39:45.18\00:39:47.62
and that, to me, joy
is fruit of conversion.
00:39:47.65\00:39:50.39
It's one of the
fruits of the Spirit.
00:39:50.42\00:39:51.82
So regardless of what happens
to us, it may be hurtful,
00:39:51.85\00:39:54.76
we may shed tears over it,
but what was the end result?
00:39:54.79\00:39:57.23
We're going to
continue on down that same road
00:39:57.26\00:39:59.09
on account of the joy to
be persecuted and were things
00:39:59.13\00:40:02.23
to happen in our life
as God's little workmen
00:40:02.26\00:40:04.67
to help us to continue to grow.
00:40:04.70\00:40:06.07
Paul constantly - this is
what I get from this lesson...
00:40:06.13\00:40:09.50
Paul constantly preached Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. Amen
00:40:09.54\00:40:13.11
That caused him problems,
that will cause you problems,
00:40:13.14\00:40:16.18
that will cause me
problems, but that's what we are
00:40:16.21\00:40:18.38
commanded to do is to
preach Christ, lift Him up!
00:40:18.41\00:40:21.38
As He was lifted up...
00:40:21.42\00:40:26.02
People that are not
spiritual don't want to see
00:40:26.05\00:40:27.69
Christ lifted up - they want
to see man that's lifted up.
00:40:27.72\00:40:30.53
The arm of flesh, they want
to lean to the arm of flesh.
00:40:30.59\00:40:34.83
Now how sad that is
because we find that even today
00:40:34.86\00:40:38.03
we cling to the arm of flesh.
00:40:38.07\00:40:40.17
Interesting even in Adventism,
and in our world today
00:40:40.20\00:40:43.07
in churches, they'll say,
have you ever heard this one?
00:40:43.10\00:40:46.24
"What side you on?"
00:40:46.27\00:40:47.91
I said, "What do you
mean, what side am I on?"
00:40:47.94\00:40:51.78
Well they say... you're
on this side or this side,
00:40:51.81\00:40:55.62
and either way I
look at one side or
00:40:55.65\00:40:57.02
the other, it's
the arm of flesh."
00:40:57.05\00:40:58.39
My response simply
is, "I'm on God's side."
00:40:58.42\00:41:01.22
"I'm on God's side."
"Well no, but you have to be..."
00:41:01.26\00:41:03.73
"No, I have to
be on God's side."
00:41:03.76\00:41:05.29
So here was issues that
people were... I mean they were
00:41:05.33\00:41:09.13
every day - it came to the point
00:41:09.16\00:41:10.93
they had to make
this decision choice.
00:41:10.97\00:41:12.50
Testimonies to Ministers,
p.380 says, "They need to cease
00:41:12.53\00:41:15.74
putting their dependence upon
men making flesh their arm."
00:41:15.77\00:41:20.08
So they were still doing
that because they were listening
00:41:20.14\00:41:22.44
to the ones who were leading
out and they got all excited
00:41:22.48\00:41:24.91
and all of a sudden there
was division and separation
00:41:24.95\00:41:26.55
and all these problems here.
00:41:26.58\00:41:28.05
Testimonies to
Ministers, p.380, says this...
00:41:28.08\00:41:30.45
"The warnings given in the word
of God to the children of Israel
00:41:30.49\00:41:33.86
were meant not merely
for them... notice this...
00:41:33.92\00:41:36.62
but for all who
should live upon the earth."
00:41:36.69\00:41:40.56
So it's more than...
Oh, it happened back then,
00:41:40.60\00:41:42.76
we need dare not talk about it,
00:41:42.80\00:41:44.13
I'm not afraid to
talk about it today.
00:41:44.20\00:41:45.53
I'm not afraid to talk about it.
00:41:45.57\00:41:47.10
The Scripture is very
clear, a lot of passages are
00:41:47.17\00:41:48.74
brought up - we need to be
very careful who we follow.
00:41:48.77\00:41:51.61
Jesus must be the One
that we follow. Absolutely!
00:41:51.64\00:41:54.21
You know, that said,
"Well we understand all that,
00:41:54.24\00:41:56.44
but we'll follow
because the brother said this
00:41:56.48\00:41:58.41
or that brother said that."
00:41:58.45\00:41:59.81
I just go back to
the word of God and say,
00:41:59.85\00:42:01.85
"Where does it say
it in the word of God?"
00:42:01.88\00:42:03.59
If it says it
in the word of God,
00:42:03.62\00:42:05.22
we all are willing to do that.
00:42:05.25\00:42:06.79
But see, they weren't willing
to do it, that's why some
00:42:06.86\00:42:08.92
of the problems
in the early church.
00:42:08.96\00:42:10.33
You know what was laid
out was straight, was good,
00:42:10.36\00:42:13.29
the message was
good, but they decided not
00:42:13.33\00:42:15.63
to follow that because
they didn't want to hear it.
00:42:15.66\00:42:17.27
Jesus said in Psalm
50:15, "Call upon Me in the day
00:42:17.33\00:42:21.44
of trouble... I like this one.
00:42:21.47\00:42:22.90
Call upon Me in what?
In the day of trouble,
00:42:22.94\00:42:25.11
I will deliver thee
that thou shall glorify Me."
00:42:25.14\00:42:28.98
So we are to
glorify God, aren't we?
00:42:29.01\00:42:31.05
How many of you ever heard
this... I need to say this...
00:42:31.08\00:42:34.35
"We're the voice of God."
Have you ever heard that one?
00:42:34.38\00:42:38.19
The voice of God... It
needs to be balanced out,
00:42:38.22\00:42:40.22
but this is true - this is the
statement "We're the voice of
00:42:40.26\00:42:42.16
God," and I've always
said to those people...
00:42:42.19\00:42:43.73
"If we claim to be, as
it were, the voice of God
00:42:43.79\00:42:46.86
or God speaking through us,"
then we must say those things
00:42:46.90\00:42:49.70
that God would say. Amen!
00:42:49.73\00:42:51.13
See, if we do not say
that what God would say,
00:42:51.17\00:42:53.57
we are NOT the voice of
God, regardless of position,
00:42:53.60\00:42:56.94
and that just makes good sense.
00:42:56.97\00:42:58.64
I'm not trying to tear
anybody down or raise knots
00:42:58.67\00:43:00.38
on anybody's head - it's simply
to look at the word of God,
00:43:00.41\00:43:03.01
and say, "Ooo, that's what God's
word says, that's what I want,
00:43:03.04\00:43:05.75
that's what I want to do."
00:43:05.78\00:43:07.12
Well jealousy
developed, we know that scene.
00:43:07.15\00:43:09.88
If we won't get through all of
it, we want to think about it,
00:43:09.92\00:43:12.82
but anyway... no, who
does, but as we look at this
00:43:12.85\00:43:15.69
lesson here, what happened?
00:43:15.72\00:43:17.06
The Jews began to get
jealous because of the Gentile
00:43:17.13\00:43:21.93
converts... when they came...
Ooo - when they came into
00:43:21.96\00:43:24.73
the faith, they were happy. Yes!
00:43:24.77\00:43:26.90
See I'm starting
to get happy now!
00:43:26.94\00:43:28.87
The Jews looked at them and
they had long faces, you know,
00:43:28.90\00:43:32.51
they weren't so happy,
they were hearing the truth,
00:43:32.54\00:43:34.98
but these Gentiles when
they came in - think about it,
00:43:35.01\00:43:37.65
this was the first time they
heard this message possibly.
00:43:37.68\00:43:40.48
It was exciting, it was
new, it was thrilling and
00:43:40.52\00:43:43.45
sometimes they might
have raised their hand or they
00:43:43.49\00:43:45.35
might have shouted -
well it offended other people.
00:43:45.39\00:43:47.99
But I've kind of let that
go, and Lord if I want to raise
00:43:48.02\00:43:50.39
my hand, I'll raise my
hand, if shout, I wanna shout!
00:43:50.43\00:43:52.43
Because why? Look at here...
00:43:52.46\00:43:54.60
They were so excited...
think about you when you
00:43:54.63\00:43:56.90
first came into
the faith. Absolutely!
00:43:56.93\00:43:58.80
When you first heard
this, you thought that you were
00:43:58.83\00:44:00.74
just going to what?
00:44:00.77\00:44:02.20
I'm just going to pop!
Yeah I'm just going to pop if I
00:44:02.24\00:44:04.87
can't tell somebody,
if I can't do something,
00:44:04.91\00:44:07.71
you know, if I can't
tell it show on my face,
00:44:07.74\00:44:09.41
I'm just gonna pop wide open!
00:44:09.44\00:44:11.01
There would be
nothing left of me.
00:44:11.05\00:44:12.48
But see, that's kind of
the way the converts were,
00:44:12.51\00:44:15.12
and some jealousy occurred
and because they weren't
00:44:15.15\00:44:18.62
showing this kind of a religious
excitement in the cause
00:44:18.65\00:44:21.79
of Christ - the witnessing
saving power of God is awesome
00:44:21.82\00:44:25.76
when it touches down and reaches
down to get an old sinner
00:44:25.79\00:44:29.23
and brings you up right?
00:44:29.26\00:44:30.63
Them bootstraps bring
right on up, you know through
00:44:30.67\00:44:32.67
the grace of God.
00:44:32.70\00:44:34.04
Find Paul and
Barnabas continued to speak,
00:44:34.10\00:44:36.37
to the Jews first and
then certainly they went to the
00:44:36.40\00:44:38.51
Gentiles, but notice...
the work still flourished
00:44:38.54\00:44:41.68
even though the enemy was
working very, very, very hard.
00:44:41.71\00:44:44.45
I like it because you brought
out two points and this time
00:44:44.48\00:44:47.48
is almost up...
because it says, "Paul on every
00:44:47.52\00:44:50.05
occasion, he went to
church on the Sabbath...
00:44:50.09\00:44:52.89
hmm, I like that.
Now why did he do it?
00:44:52.92\00:44:55.49
Well two certain reasons
is, #1... I think is because
00:44:55.52\00:44:58.23
he could make contact
with the Jews which priority,
00:44:58.26\00:45:01.56
contact with the Jews.
00:45:01.60\00:45:03.06
And certainly #2, he
could certainly keep the Sabbath
00:45:03.10\00:45:05.73
of the Bible. Right.
According to Luke 23:56.
00:45:05.77\00:45:10.41
So he was just following along
in the footsteps that he should
00:45:10.44\00:45:13.31
that his Master had showed
him; things that Jesus had
00:45:13.38\00:45:15.58
encouraged him to share.
00:45:15.61\00:45:17.45
So, yes, things are going
to go on, we're going to have
00:45:17.48\00:45:20.25
problems; we're going to
have tests; we're going to have
00:45:20.32\00:45:21.72
trials - the early church did.
00:45:21.75\00:45:23.59
There were divisions and
separations, but God's people
00:45:23.62\00:45:26.45
God's real people I
believe will come together. Amen
00:45:26.49\00:45:29.26
God's real people -
there will be a unity.
00:45:29.29\00:45:31.36
A unity that Christ
prayed for in John 17.
00:45:31.39\00:45:34.00
That I look at it now and
I say, "Oh God, only You know
00:45:34.10\00:45:36.87
how this can come
about, only You know why"
00:45:36.93\00:45:39.77
because there seems to be
such division and separation,
00:45:39.80\00:45:42.34
but we need to be shouldering
together, pulling together
00:45:42.37\00:45:44.61
put our heads in the
word of God and say, "This is
00:45:44.64\00:45:46.74
what God's word has
said, by God's grace,
00:45:46.78\00:45:49.71
by God's strength,
this is what I will do.
00:45:49.74\00:45:53.58
Amen and I have to
just say Brother Kenny,
00:45:53.62\00:45:55.92
I love your enthusiasm.
00:45:55.95\00:45:57.35
The word "enthusiasm"
is... theo - it's God within,
00:45:57.39\00:46:02.56
and then the "iasm" -
I am sold myself, so Ooo!
00:46:02.59\00:46:06.96
Alright, I have
Thursday's lesson and we need to
00:46:07.03\00:46:10.67
talk about "Lystra and Derbe."
00:46:10.70\00:46:13.54
So let's just
begin in Acts 14:5...
00:46:13.57\00:46:17.41
So here they are,
we're starting off,
00:46:17.44\00:46:19.91
they're still in
Iconium, the city is divided.
00:46:19.94\00:46:22.18
Some are siding with the
Jews, some with the apostles,
00:46:22.21\00:46:25.31
and verse 5 says, "When
a violent attempt was made
00:46:25.35\00:46:28.75
by both the Jews and
Gentiles with the rulers
00:46:28.78\00:46:31.65
to abuse and stone
them, they became aware of it,
00:46:31.69\00:46:35.09
and fled to Lystra and
Derbe, cities of Lycaonia,
00:46:35.12\00:46:39.19
and to the surrounding region
00:46:39.23\00:46:41.30
and they were
preaching the gospel there.
00:46:41.33\00:46:43.93
And in Lystra - now they
spent some time in Lystra,
00:46:43.97\00:46:46.90
but Luke only records one story,
00:46:46.94\00:46:49.84
and we're getting
ready to look at that.
00:46:49.90\00:46:51.27
In Lystra, a certain man without
00:46:51.31\00:46:53.24
strength in his
feet was sitting,
00:46:53.27\00:46:55.18
a cripple from his mother's
womb who had never walked...
00:46:55.21\00:46:58.85
so from birth he
has been crippled.
00:46:58.88\00:47:01.58
This man heard Paul
speaking and Paul observing
00:47:01.62\00:47:06.92
him intently...
now notice this...
00:47:06.99\00:47:10.26
and seeing that he had
the faith to be healed...
00:47:10.29\00:47:14.93
see faith can be seen,
I've always said that...
00:47:14.93\00:47:17.90
seeing that he had
the faith to be healed,
00:47:17.93\00:47:20.34
said with a loud voice,
"Stand up straight on your
00:47:20.37\00:47:23.51
feet and he
leaped and he walked.
00:47:23.54\00:47:26.78
Now when the people
saw what Paul had done,
00:47:26.81\00:47:29.21
they raised their
voices saying in the Lycaonian
00:47:29.24\00:47:33.55
language, "The gods had come
down to us in the likeness of
00:47:33.62\00:47:38.15
men and Barnabas,
they called Zeus...
00:47:38.19\00:47:41.59
Zeus was the supreme
god of the Greek pantheon.
00:47:41.62\00:47:46.53
And Paul, they called
Hermes because Hermes was the
00:47:46.56\00:47:50.27
attendant and spokesman
for Zeus - he said, because
00:47:50.33\00:47:55.80
he was the chief speaker."
00:47:55.84\00:47:57.17
Our Quarterly points out
that there was a Latin poet
00:47:57.21\00:48:01.74
who had written a story
about these same two gods,
00:48:01.78\00:48:06.48
Zeus and Hermes, who had
come down incognito and gone
00:48:06.51\00:48:10.92
to visit in a little
village and when they got to the
00:48:10.95\00:48:14.46
village, the people didn't
receive them, they were very
00:48:14.49\00:48:17.29
indifferent, but there was
this humble, little, elderly
00:48:17.36\00:48:19.69
couple who brought them into
their home, treated them with
00:48:19.73\00:48:23.03
great hospitality and respect
and you know what happened?
00:48:23.06\00:48:26.43
In the story, this is
all legend, of course,
00:48:26.47\00:48:29.47
but in the legend,
what happened was that Zeus
00:48:29.50\00:48:34.44
and Hermes turned the little,
humble house of this old couple
00:48:34.48\00:48:40.92
into a temple and the old couple
into priests and they destroyed
00:48:40.95\00:48:45.35
the rest of the city.
00:48:45.39\00:48:46.76
So this is the story that
was circulating about the time
00:48:46.79\00:48:49.76
that Paul and
Barnabas are there and so,
00:48:49.79\00:48:53.06
then it goes on in verse 13...
00:48:53.09\00:48:55.06
You can see why these
people reacted the way they do
00:48:55.10\00:48:58.33
if you understand that story...
00:48:58.37\00:49:00.07
Verse 13... "Then the
priest of Zeus, whose temple was
00:49:00.10\00:49:03.84
in front of their city, brought
oxen and garlands to the gate,
00:49:03.87\00:49:07.54
intending to
sacrifice with the multitudes,
00:49:07.61\00:49:10.18
but when the Apostles
Barnabas and Paul heard this,
00:49:10.21\00:49:13.75
they tore their clothes...
that was always a sign
00:49:13.78\00:49:16.92
that somebody was committing
blasphemy in your presence...
00:49:16.95\00:49:20.39
you tore your clothes.
00:49:20.42\00:49:21.89
And they ran in among the
multitude crying out and saying,
00:49:21.92\00:49:25.86
"Men why are you
doing these things?
00:49:25.89\00:49:27.66
We also are men with the
same nature as you and preach
00:49:27.66\00:49:32.47
to you that you should
turn from these useless things
00:49:32.50\00:49:36.54
to the living God who
made the heaven and the earth,
00:49:36.57\00:49:38.77
the sea and all the
things that are in them.
00:49:38.81\00:49:41.64
So turn to the Creator
God who in bygone generations
00:49:41.68\00:49:45.88
allowed all nations to
walk in their own ways.
00:49:45.91\00:49:49.05
Nevertheless, he did not
leave himself without witness
00:49:49.08\00:49:52.75
in that he did good, He
gave us rain from heaven
00:49:52.79\00:49:55.89
and fruitful
seasons, filling our hearts
00:49:55.92\00:49:58.66
with food and gladness."
00:49:58.69\00:50:00.03
And with these
things, they could scarcely
00:50:00.10\00:50:03.13
restrain the multitudes
from sacrificing to them.
00:50:03.16\00:50:06.17
So then... now watch
this... Here they are in this
00:50:06.20\00:50:12.81
situation here and the
Jews from Antioch and the Jews
00:50:12.84\00:50:18.88
from Iconium, they were
both just been run out of these
00:50:18.91\00:50:21.35
cities, right?
00:50:21.38\00:50:22.72
... came there and
having persuaded the multitudes,
00:50:22.75\00:50:25.95
they stoned Paul and
dragged him out of city
00:50:25.99\00:50:29.49
supposing him to be dead.
00:50:29.52\00:50:31.43
Can you believe
this... Jewish opponents from
00:50:31.46\00:50:34.56
... these were people who just
had pushed Paul and Barnabas
00:50:34.60\00:50:39.17
out - they are
following them to cause problems
00:50:39.20\00:50:43.64
and they cause a complete
reversal of the situation.
00:50:43.67\00:50:46.71
The people go from adoration,
wanting to worship Paul,
00:50:46.74\00:50:51.95
to wanting to kill him.
00:50:51.98\00:50:54.28
So perhaps what they
convinced these people
00:50:54.32\00:50:57.99
that - alright, these men
have said they're not gods,
00:50:58.02\00:51:00.96
perhaps they
convinced them they were demons,
00:51:00.99\00:51:02.99
I don't know how they did
it, but what was Paul's reward
00:51:03.02\00:51:05.89
for the miracle that
he did for this lame man?
00:51:05.93\00:51:08.40
Well, he was stoned
and drug out of the city
00:51:08.43\00:51:12.37
and left for dead.
00:51:12.40\00:51:13.74
They thought he was dead or
they would have finished it off.
00:51:13.80\00:51:15.94
So now let's look at Acts 14:20.
00:51:15.97\00:51:20.54
"However, when the
disciples gathered around him,
00:51:20.58\00:51:23.35
he rose up and went into the
city... now these disciples were
00:51:23.41\00:51:27.82
the new believers and it
probably included Timothy.
00:51:27.85\00:51:30.65
Timothy was a native of
Lystra, his father was Greek,
00:51:30.69\00:51:36.06
his mother was Eunice,
his grandmother was Lois
00:51:36.09\00:51:39.26
and they were both Jewish.
00:51:39.29\00:51:41.03
And then it says,
"The next day he departed
00:51:41.06\00:51:44.67
with Barnabas to Derbe."
00:51:44.70\00:51:46.50
Alright, and he being
Paul, the whole...It's...
00:51:46.53\00:51:51.91
when the disciples gathered
around him, he rose up and
00:51:51.94\00:51:54.28
went into the city
and then Paul and Barnabas
00:51:54.31\00:51:56.44
go into Derbe.
00:51:56.48\00:51:57.81
So they're
compelled to leave Antioch,
00:51:57.85\00:52:00.65
they're compelled to
leave Iconium, now they're
00:52:00.72\00:52:04.45
compelled to leave Lystra...
don't you think that Paul
00:52:04.49\00:52:08.79
could have felt a little
bit gloomy, have a little
00:52:08.82\00:52:11.46
pity party - you know,
here I am serving the Lord.
00:52:11.49\00:52:14.46
Lord, You called me, You
turned my life upside-down,
00:52:14.50\00:52:18.23
but he wasn't, he was
zealous and he was ready to go
00:52:18.27\00:52:23.07
witnessing - and he
is on his way to Derbe,
00:52:23.10\00:52:24.97
and what does God do? Hm!
00:52:25.01\00:52:28.04
He gives him an
abundant harvest of souls
00:52:28.08\00:52:30.85
in Derbe, let's
look at verse 21...
00:52:30.91\00:52:32.48
"And when they preached the
gospel to that city in Derbe,
00:52:32.51\00:52:36.65
and made MANY disciples...
so God gives them an abundant
00:52:36.75\00:52:41.82
harvest... then now watch
what they're going to do...
00:52:41.86\00:52:44.76
They're going to backtrack,
they're going to go back
00:52:44.79\00:52:47.66
to Lystra, Iconium, on
their way back to Antioch,
00:52:47.66\00:52:51.83
strengthening the souls of
the disciples exhorting them to
00:52:51.87\00:52:55.40
continue in the faith and
saying, "We must through many
00:52:55.44\00:52:58.91
tribulations enter
the kingdom of God."
00:52:58.94\00:53:01.44
So they evangelized
Derbe, now they're backtracking
00:53:01.48\00:53:06.82
because they're ready to go
back to Antioch and give the
00:53:06.85\00:53:09.18
report, but they go back
right into Lystra again where
00:53:09.22\00:53:14.42
they just stoned him
and left him for dead;
00:53:14.46\00:53:16.93
then they go back to
Iconium, and on to Antioch.
00:53:16.96\00:53:21.36
These are the same cities that
threatened them and physically
00:53:21.40\00:53:25.07
abused them and kicked them out,
and it's interesting to me...
00:53:25.10\00:53:28.54
that the Bible doesn't
talk, Luke doesn't record
00:53:28.57\00:53:32.11
any renewed opposition,
so maybe when they went back,
00:53:32.14\00:53:37.01
they confined their
ministry just exclusively to
00:53:37.05\00:53:40.88
the small group of new believers
00:53:40.92\00:53:44.29
that they were
there to strengthen.
00:53:44.32\00:53:45.69
But you have to know
that these churches were all
00:53:45.72\00:53:49.52
in the Roman providence
of Galatia and this is
00:53:49.56\00:53:53.96
probably the churches
to whom Paul wrote this
00:53:54.00\00:53:58.30
Book of Galatians and
they're in southern Galatia,
00:53:58.33\00:54:04.61
but they endured
opposition from the Jews,
00:54:04.64\00:54:09.01
they endured opposition from
the Gentiles and they needed
00:54:09.04\00:54:13.31
encouragement during
their time of suffering.
00:54:13.35\00:54:15.62
When he said in verse
21, "We must through many
00:54:15.65\00:54:18.75
tribulations,
enter the kingdom of God,
00:54:18.79\00:54:22.19
he's not preaching a theology
of suffering for salvation.
00:54:22.22\00:54:26.63
This doesn't mean that
you're, you know, going on the
00:54:26.70\00:54:29.70
long - what's the word
they use... pilgrimages
00:54:29.73\00:54:35.17
with the crosses on
their back or something.
00:54:35.20\00:54:37.27
He's just saying that
we're going to share in
00:54:37.31\00:54:39.37
Christ's
sufferings, but boy, Paul,
00:54:39.41\00:54:41.08
in 2 Corinthians 11,
he tells about how much he
00:54:41.11\00:54:45.28
understood this, doesn't he?
00:54:45.31\00:54:47.38
Forty lashes he got five times.
00:54:47.42\00:54:49.52
He was imprisoned,
he was beaten with rods,
00:54:49.55\00:54:52.99
shipwrecked, etcetera.
00:54:53.02\00:54:54.96
He wrote to Timothy
later, 2 Timothy 3:12...
00:54:54.99\00:54:59.26
He said, "Yes, all
who desire to live godly
00:54:59.29\00:55:01.93
in Christ Jesus
will suffer persecution."
00:55:01.96\00:55:04.80
See, this is just when you
enter the Kingdom of God...
00:55:04.83\00:55:08.47
and he told the Colossians
that God has brought you
00:55:08.50\00:55:11.31
into the Kingdom
of the Son He loves,
00:55:11.34\00:55:13.14
but these tribulations
that we suffer are consequences
00:55:13.17\00:55:17.25
for entering the
Kingdom, but the grace of God
00:55:17.28\00:55:20.72
will work in us and through
us until such time as Christ
00:55:20.75\00:55:27.79
returns. Amen! Amen! Amen!
00:55:27.82\00:55:31.83
So very, very well done!
00:55:31.86\00:55:35.50
Paul's methodology was so
consistent in that he went
00:55:35.53\00:55:39.87
into the synagogue
and there he got a read on
00:55:39.90\00:55:43.61
how the city was functioning
and what he was facing.
00:55:43.67\00:55:47.54
A couple of things come to my
mind in the last 1-1/2 minutes
00:55:47.58\00:55:50.65
that is left to us...
00:55:50.71\00:55:54.72
#1... He found
resistance in everything.
00:55:54.75\00:55:57.79
Sadly, many times
from his own countrymen.
00:55:57.82\00:56:02.16
In fact, the most pernicious
resistance was from the Jews.
00:56:02.19\00:56:06.59
There was resistance
from the Gentiles - sometimes
00:56:06.63\00:56:08.83
it was because he was
eating into their profit-margin;
00:56:08.86\00:56:10.97
he was preaching things
that they could not support.
00:56:11.00\00:56:13.34
But this kind of evil
backbiting resistance came
00:56:13.37\00:56:17.51
from his own countrymen.
00:56:17.54\00:56:18.87
But that resistance
was also accompanied by
00:56:18.91\00:56:23.45
converts in every
city, miracles in every city,
00:56:23.48\00:56:28.78
and the establishment of
the brethren in every city.
00:56:28.82\00:56:31.55
There are two texts that
come to mind that I want to just
00:56:31.59\00:56:34.26
reference very quickly...
00:56:34.29\00:56:36.46
Paul in his letter
to the Hebrews, he says,
00:56:36.49\00:56:38.93
"Let your conduct be without
00:56:38.96\00:56:40.30
covetousness, be content
with such things as you have,
00:56:40.33\00:56:43.67
for He Himself has said...
and this is what keeps you
00:56:43.73\00:56:47.20
when you got resistance...
"I will never leave you
00:56:47.24\00:56:49.90
nor forsake you, so we can
boldly say - I like this part,
00:56:49.97\00:56:54.04
we can BOLDLY say...
00:56:54.08\00:56:55.48
"The Lord is my helper." Amen!
00:56:55.51\00:56:57.05
You think Paul knew
that the Lord was his Helper?
00:56:57.11\00:56:58.71
Of course he did,
boldly he could say,
00:56:58.75\00:57:00.95
"I know God is with me, I
could see His keeping hand."
00:57:00.98\00:57:03.75
"I will not fear what can
man do to me," it's powerful.
00:57:03.82\00:57:08.49
And the last
one, 2 Timothy 1:12,
00:57:08.52\00:57:12.03
this is a great text...
"For this reason, I also
00:57:12.06\00:57:15.43
suffer these
things; nevertheless,
00:57:15.46\00:57:17.80
I am not ashamed for I KNOW
Him in whom I have believed."
00:57:17.83\00:57:22.94
You see, when you've
got opposition behind
00:57:22.97\00:57:25.84
and opposition in
front, you gotta know
00:57:25.87\00:57:29.11
who you believe and
that's the word for us today.
00:57:29.14\00:57:32.18
Once you know Jesus,
you can stand for Him,
00:57:32.21\00:57:34.85
you can take it because you
know Christ is on your side.
00:57:34.88\00:57:37.19
We'll see ya
next week! Bye, bye...
00:57:37.22\00:57:39.35