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Shall we turn to Acts, the third chapter.

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Now, Peter and John went up together into

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the temple at the hour of prayer, being

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the ninth hour.

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The day started at six o'clock in

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the morning, sun up, and so the ninth

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hour would be three o'clock in the

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afternoon.

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At two-thirty in the afternoon, the evening

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sacrifices were offered.

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They did not go to the temple for

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the sacrifices.

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Following the sacrifices, as the smoke of the

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sacrifice was ascending into heaven, it would be

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the hour of prayer and the people would

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stand and praise the Lord or pray unto

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God as the smoke of the sacrifices ascended

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heavenward.

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And I think it's significant that they didn't

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go for the sacrifice.

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They knew that that was no longer valid.

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But they waited for the hour of prayer

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and went into the temple at the hour

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of prayer.

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In the early church in Jerusalem, Christianity was

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not considered separate from the Jews, except for

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the belief that Jesus was the Messiah.

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There is a common misconception among Jews today

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that to become a Christian, you have to

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become a non-Jew.

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But that was not so in the early

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church.

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They remained very Jewish.

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Going to the temple, worshiping in the temple,

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observing still the feast.

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However, the feast now to them had an

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entirely new meaning.

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But they did not seek to make a

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radical break from Judaism, but only seek to

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proclaim that Jesus Christ is indeed the Messiah

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that God had promised.

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With Peter and John, you have contrasting personalities.

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Peter the doer and John the dreamer.

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Peter always translated everything into activity.

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Remember the last question he asked Jesus concerning

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John is, What shall this man do?

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Peter always thought about doing things.

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But John wasn't a doer, he was a

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dreamer.

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And so the Lord said to Peter, Look,

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if I will that he remains till I

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come again, what's that to you?

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I can imagine that Peter was often sort

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of irritated with John because John was the

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dreamer.

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And it could very well be that John

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in turn was irritated with all of Peter's

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activity because the dreamer likes more quiet and

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a serene atmosphere around him.

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Contrasting personalities and yet made one in Christ.

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And that's always the way it goes.

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You know, Christ is the common meeting ground

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for all men.

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And though we may have contrasting personalities, still

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there is that beautiful unity in Christ.

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And so we see them going up to

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the temple at the hour of prayer being

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the ninth hour.

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Again, Mark.

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First characteristic of these men are that they

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are men of prayer.

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It is so important that we be men

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and women of prayer.

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Now, there was a certain lame man from

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his mother's womb who was carried, whom they

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laid daily at the gate of the temple,

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which is called beautiful, to ask alms of

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them that entered into the temple.

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The beautiful gate of the temple is often

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thought to be the eastern gate of the

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temple.

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And here is quite a contrast.

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This man, lame from birth, an ugly sight,

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lying at the beautiful gate of the temple,

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begging.

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And when he saw Peter and John about

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to go into the temple, he asked alms.

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And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with

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John, said, look at us.

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And so he gave heed unto them, expecting

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to receive something of them.

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No doubt holding out his hand, which is,

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of course, the typical gesture of the beggar.

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And Peter said, silver and gold have I

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none.

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And I imagine that the fellow at that

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point was disappointed and probably even wondering of

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them, why are you trying to get my

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attention?

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But Peter continued, such as I have, I

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will give you.

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In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

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rise up and walk.

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And he took him by the right hand

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and lifted him up, and immediately his feet

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and ankle bones received strength.

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And he leaping stood and walked and entered

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with them into the temple, walking and leaping

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and praising God.

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This Greek here in the description of his

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feet, ankle bones, and the word leaping up

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are medical terms.

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They are used only here by Luke, who

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was a physician.

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And he is actually describing a condition of

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an ankle that was twisted completely out of

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joint.

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Lame, probably, with the ankle twisted completely and

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flat ways.

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Because the word indicates coming into its socket

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and being straight.

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The medical term itself.

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It's being brought back into its socket and

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straightened.

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So here's this man lying there with this

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crippled condition, unable to walk from birth because

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of this problem with the undeveloped ankle bone

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and all.

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And yet, Peter, with that faith that the

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Lord planted in his heart, took hold of

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the man, lifted him to his feet, and

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immediately the ankle, the bone, came into joint.

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And the man began to leap and praise

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God.

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And he walked and entered with them into

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the temple, walking and leaping and praising God.

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I can imagine the stir and the excitement

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that this must have created.

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And all the people saw him walking and

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praising God.

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And they knew that it was the man

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who sat for alms at the beautiful gate

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of the temple.

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And they were filled with wonder and amazement

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at what had happened to him.

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And as the lame man, which was healed,

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held Peter and John.

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All of the people ran together unto them

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in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly

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wondering.

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So here's a very notable miracle that attracted

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immediately the attention of all the people.

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Because this man, no doubt, had been there

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for years and was a common sight to

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those who went into worship.

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And they saw this deformed condition of his

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feet.

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And now the feet are straight.

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Now the man is walking and leaping and

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praising the Lord.

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And he's hugging Peter and John so that

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the people relate the miracle to Peter and

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John.

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They realize that somehow, someway, Peter and John

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are responsible for this man's ability to walk.

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And so a great crowd of people, at

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least five thousand men, gathered there on Solomon's

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porch.

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Greatly wondering at what had happened.

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And when Peter saw it, he answered the

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people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye

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at this?

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They marveled at it because they had lost

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the sense of the greatness of the God

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that they served.

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If they really believed in the God of

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Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, then that God should

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do such a thing should not marvel them

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or cause them to wonder because they would

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know that he is a God of miracles

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by reading the Old Testament.

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And so the question is, why marvel ye

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at this?

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Now other people may marvel at it.

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The Gentiles may marvel at it.

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But you're the sons of Israel.

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You're the sons of the most high God.

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Why should you marvel at this second question?

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And why do you look so earnestly on

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us as though by our own power or

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holiness we have made this man to walk?

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Now, people so often relate the work of

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God with the instrument through which God works.

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And this is wrong.

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Why look ye on us as though we

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through our own power or holiness have done

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this thing?

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Unfortunately, there are many evangelists, healing evangelists, that

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try to give off the feeling that it

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is as a result of their righteousness or

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their holiness that marvelous works are wrought.

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I get so tired of these evangelists that

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come along with these big spectacular miracle campaigns

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and having the sheep come up and say,

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Oh, what do you think about Reverend so

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-and-so or Brother so-and-so, you

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know?

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Oh, I hear he's got a meeting over

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here and people are, you know, being healed

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and the blind are seeing and all kinds

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of things are going on.

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And I remember a while back I was

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told about one of these evangelists.

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And it so happened that he was on

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TV, so I had had so many people

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question me about him.

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I thought I would listen, and I listened

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as long as I could, about five minutes.

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And I heard all I needed to know

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in five minutes.

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For this particular evangelist, who is now serving

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time in a federal penitentiary for several felonies,

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this particular evangelist was saying, Do you have

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faith in me?

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I have power with God and all you

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have to have is faith in me.

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You know, and he was going on.

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That does it.

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I don't need to listen any further.

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The guy's a phony.

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God never called anybody to have faith in

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the instrument.

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But faith in God.

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And whenever a man begins to exalt himself,

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exalt the instrument, I know that there is

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something wrong, drastically wrong.

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Several years ago, my wife and I went

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to a meeting up in Buena Park area.

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That used to be where all of the

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evangelists would set their tents here in Orange

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County.

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Another healing evangelist, and some people wanted us

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to go with them to the meeting, and

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so we obliged them.

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And I've never been in such a circus

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in all my life.

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All of the gimmicks in the world to

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whip the crowd into a frenzy and get

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them all excited.

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They were boasting of all kinds of miracles.

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In fact, it was called a miracle rally.

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That particular evangelist ended up dying from alcoholism

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in a hotel room in San Francisco.

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But drawing attention to themselves.

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I'm always leery when a person names buildings

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or universities or evangelistic

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associations after their own names.

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I pray God that when he takes me

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that my name will quickly be forgotten.

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If they dare put my name on any

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kind of a building as a memorial, I'm

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going to ask the Lord to send an

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earthquake and shake it down.

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Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,

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but unto thy name bring glory.

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These men were not looking for a name

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for themselves.

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Why look on us as though we through

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our own power or holiness have done this

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thing?

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It's not that I'm a righteous man, and

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yet that is often the implication that is

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given.

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I have this power because I am so

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holy.

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00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:40,640
I am so righteous.

277
00:14:42,140 --> 00:14:43,820
Well, what's that do for the rest of

278
00:14:43,820 --> 00:14:45,480
us who know we're not holy or righteous?

279
00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:47,280
We think, oh, there's no way I can

280
00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:48,780
expect God to do anything for me because

281
00:14:48,780 --> 00:14:50,060
I'm not holy or righteous.

282
00:14:51,540 --> 00:14:52,780
But that's not so.

283
00:14:56,930 --> 00:14:58,950
For God will work in answer to your

284
00:14:58,950 --> 00:15:01,490
prayer and in response to your call just

285
00:15:01,490 --> 00:15:04,310
as quickly as the Pope or anybody else.

286
00:15:05,830 --> 00:15:08,010
God is no respecter of persons.

287
00:15:08,230 --> 00:15:09,650
Man is a respecter of persons.

288
00:15:09,770 --> 00:15:10,430
God isn't.

289
00:15:15,420 --> 00:15:16,640
And when I get to heaven, I can

290
00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:18,080
say, well, Lord, you know who I am.

291
00:15:18,140 --> 00:15:19,020
You know, I'm Chuck Smith.

292
00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:20,720
After all, I was Pastor Calvary Chapel.

293
00:15:24,470 --> 00:15:25,690
There's a backseat over there.

294
00:15:25,730 --> 00:15:26,810
Go sit down, son.

295
00:15:33,060 --> 00:15:34,360
Man respects the person.

296
00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:35,140
God doesn't.

297
00:15:38,370 --> 00:15:41,890
Why look you so earnestly on us as

298
00:15:41,890 --> 00:15:44,930
though by our own power or holiness we

299
00:15:44,930 --> 00:15:46,990
had made this man to walk?

300
00:15:48,270 --> 00:15:51,930
By something within us, by something we possess.

301
00:15:52,970 --> 00:15:54,690
It's nothing that we have.

302
00:15:56,790 --> 00:15:58,050
Peter is saying, I'm nothing.

303
00:15:58,790 --> 00:15:59,910
I have nothing.

304
00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:04,240
This is the work of God that you

305
00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:09,540
are seeing in response to faith that he

306
00:16:09,540 --> 00:16:10,040
has given.

307
00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:13,440
Not that I even have myself.

308
00:16:15,380 --> 00:16:18,800
So careful not to receive glory or credit

309
00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:20,400
for the work that God had done.

310
00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:27,160
For it is foolish to exalt the instrument.

311
00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:34,600
When we were living out in Las Heranas

312
00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:40,150
pastoring the community church out there, we had

313
00:16:40,150 --> 00:16:42,350
a lady that had begun to come to

314
00:16:42,350 --> 00:16:44,910
one of the Bible classes that I was

315
00:16:44,910 --> 00:16:45,870
teaching in Upland.

316
00:16:49,270 --> 00:16:54,850
And so she said, Chuck, I want you

317
00:16:54,850 --> 00:16:56,870
to witness to my husband.

318
00:16:59,380 --> 00:17:04,380
He is the finest psychiatrist in the whole

319
00:17:04,380 --> 00:17:05,339
Pomona Valley area.

320
00:17:06,060 --> 00:17:10,140
He's recognized as one of the greatest neurosurgeons

321
00:17:10,140 --> 00:17:11,160
in this area.

322
00:17:14,099 --> 00:17:15,359
But he needs help.

323
00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:17,579
He needs the Lord.

324
00:17:19,460 --> 00:17:21,260
And I want you to witness to him.

325
00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,300
So she arranged for Kay and I to

326
00:17:26,300 --> 00:17:27,760
come over to their house on a Friday

327
00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:28,280
evening.

328
00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:31,760
And to have dinner with them.

329
00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:36,020
And then after dinner, she and Kay disappeared

330
00:17:36,020 --> 00:17:36,900
into the kitchen.

331
00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:43,920
And left Bud and I to talk together.

332
00:17:46,550 --> 00:17:51,430
And we spent several hours talking together about

333
00:17:51,430 --> 00:17:52,710
God, about life.

334
00:17:55,360 --> 00:17:56,800
He professed to be an atheist.

335
00:17:57,840 --> 00:17:59,440
He was a very brilliant man.

336
00:18:02,700 --> 00:18:04,420
And we planted seed.

337
00:18:08,100 --> 00:18:10,720
And then she had us come over again

338
00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:11,480
on a Friday evening.

339
00:18:11,540 --> 00:18:12,880
She said that he had started doing some

340
00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:15,200
reading and he was beginning to search.

341
00:18:15,460 --> 00:18:17,520
And so we went over again.

342
00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,240
And after dinner, she and Kay disappeared into

343
00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:20,700
the kitchen.

344
00:18:23,300 --> 00:18:25,180
And left Bud and I to talk again.

345
00:18:27,490 --> 00:18:29,470
And I finally said, Bud, you're a psychiatrist.

346
00:18:29,690 --> 00:18:32,950
You've probably been examining and evaluating me in

347
00:18:32,950 --> 00:18:34,710
the questions and all that you've been asking.

348
00:18:36,940 --> 00:18:39,020
And you've got a pretty good understanding of

349
00:18:39,020 --> 00:18:39,700
me by now.

350
00:18:39,900 --> 00:18:41,800
You know my attitude towards life.

351
00:18:41,980 --> 00:18:44,340
You know the kind of a person I

352
00:18:44,340 --> 00:18:44,600
am.

353
00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:46,080
You know the joy that I possess.

354
00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:47,720
You know the peace that I have.

355
00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:52,920
I said, tell me.

356
00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:57,700
What if Jesus Christ is not the Son

357
00:18:57,700 --> 00:18:57,980
of God?

358
00:18:58,060 --> 00:19:02,000
What if all that I believe is not

359
00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:02,380
true?

360
00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:05,720
And the joy that I have and the

361
00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:07,900
peace I have are based upon a false

362
00:19:07,900 --> 00:19:08,440
premise.

363
00:19:11,550 --> 00:19:13,830
Yet knowing the joy and the peace that

364
00:19:13,830 --> 00:19:15,370
I have as a person.

365
00:19:15,670 --> 00:19:18,250
What do you feel I have lost by

366
00:19:18,250 --> 00:19:19,590
believing what I believe?

367
00:19:23,510 --> 00:19:26,030
And he looked at me very straight and

368
00:19:26,030 --> 00:19:27,430
studied me for a moment.

369
00:19:27,530 --> 00:19:28,490
And studied the question.

370
00:19:32,900 --> 00:19:34,820
And he finally said, not a damn thing.

371
00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,120
I wish I were as happy and peaceful

372
00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:38,100
a person as you are.

373
00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:42,420
I said, well then, tell me this Bud.

374
00:19:43,860 --> 00:19:45,960
What if what I believe is true?

375
00:19:47,020 --> 00:19:48,880
What have you lost by not believing?

376
00:19:52,910 --> 00:19:54,930
He said, you trapped me, didn't you?

377
00:19:59,690 --> 00:20:01,530
And I said, no, I think the Lord

378
00:20:01,530 --> 00:20:02,270
trapped you.

379
00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:08,400
So we got down on our knees.

380
00:20:09,580 --> 00:20:11,720
And he asked Jesus Christ to take over

381
00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:12,240
his life.

382
00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:16,340
Had a beautiful conversion experience.

383
00:20:16,700 --> 00:20:19,340
As God changed his life dramatically.

384
00:20:23,700 --> 00:20:25,660
The next morning, when I got to the

385
00:20:25,660 --> 00:20:27,440
office, his wife was waiting for me.

386
00:20:30,180 --> 00:20:34,260
She's a very demonstrative person.

387
00:20:39,110 --> 00:20:41,250
And she grabbed hold of me and began

388
00:20:41,250 --> 00:20:45,530
to just say, Chuck, Chuck, I knew you

389
00:20:45,530 --> 00:20:45,950
could do it.

390
00:20:45,990 --> 00:20:46,650
I knew you could do it.

391
00:20:46,770 --> 00:20:47,790
Oh Chuck, it's so wonderful.

392
00:20:48,130 --> 00:20:49,970
This morning, Bud was reading the Bible before

393
00:20:49,970 --> 00:20:50,310
he went to bed.

394
00:20:50,310 --> 00:20:51,430
Oh Chuck, I knew you could.

395
00:20:51,530 --> 00:20:52,770
Oh Chuck, you know, you're so wonderful.

396
00:20:53,990 --> 00:20:56,490
Hold on Edie, wait a minute, wait a

397
00:20:56,490 --> 00:20:56,770
minute.

398
00:21:01,410 --> 00:21:03,190
I said, your husband's a neurosurgeon, isn't he?

399
00:21:03,210 --> 00:21:04,170
Oh yes, he's the finest.

400
00:21:07,340 --> 00:21:15,480
I said, what if after an operation, the

401
00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,660
patient should come back to his office and

402
00:21:18,660 --> 00:21:20,680
say he's opened up his skull and tied

403
00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:22,680
off an aneurysm.

404
00:21:24,060 --> 00:21:30,340
So the patient comes into the office and

405
00:21:30,340 --> 00:21:31,440
he picks up the scaffold.

406
00:21:33,580 --> 00:21:36,460
He says, oh, you're such a marvelous scaffold.

407
00:21:37,140 --> 00:21:39,280
You did such a beautiful job in making

408
00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:40,840
that incision in my skull.

409
00:21:41,340 --> 00:21:42,820
Oh, you're marvelous.

410
00:21:43,060 --> 00:21:43,820
You're marvelous.

411
00:21:43,820 --> 00:21:45,780
You did such an excellent job.

412
00:21:48,830 --> 00:21:50,370
I said, your husband would think that the

413
00:21:50,370 --> 00:21:55,010
patient was ready for the couch because you

414
00:21:55,010 --> 00:21:58,810
don't exalt the instrument.

415
00:21:59,050 --> 00:22:02,950
You exalt the one who used the instrument.

416
00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:08,980
Therefore, Edie, exalt the Lord.

417
00:22:10,220 --> 00:22:13,460
It was the Holy Spirit that convicted Bud.

418
00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,760
It was the Holy Spirit that drew him.

419
00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:18,680
And it was the work of God's Spirit

420
00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:19,820
within his life.

421
00:22:19,820 --> 00:22:21,020
It wasn't my work.

422
00:22:21,120 --> 00:22:22,440
God just used me as his instrument.

423
00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:24,180
But that's all it was, was an instrument

424
00:22:24,180 --> 00:22:24,660
in God's hand.

425
00:22:24,980 --> 00:22:26,440
Don't give me any credit.

426
00:22:27,120 --> 00:22:28,820
Don't tell me how wonderful I am.

427
00:22:29,340 --> 00:22:31,320
Just know how wonderful God is.

428
00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:34,480
But people have the tendency to exalt the

429
00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:36,540
instrument because they can see, touch, and feel

430
00:22:36,540 --> 00:22:37,120
the instrument.

431
00:22:39,980 --> 00:22:42,100
Though we may feel God, it's hard to

432
00:22:42,100 --> 00:22:43,520
see Him and it's hard to touch Him

433
00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:45,020
except through the eyes of the Spirit.

434
00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:48,160
And thus man has a tendency to exalt

435
00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:51,340
the instrument rather than God who has used

436
00:22:51,340 --> 00:22:52,000
the instrument.

437
00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:53,860
But if you are an instrument that God

438
00:22:53,860 --> 00:22:58,280
uses, be careful that you don't take glory

439
00:22:58,280 --> 00:22:59,380
for the work of God.

440
00:23:00,940 --> 00:23:05,140
Why look on us as though through our

441
00:23:05,140 --> 00:23:08,560
power or holiness this man was healed?

442
00:23:11,380 --> 00:23:13,560
Now he starts on their level.

443
00:23:16,780 --> 00:23:18,880
The God of Abraham, oh yes, we know

444
00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:19,180
Him.

445
00:23:20,460 --> 00:23:26,810
Of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of

446
00:23:26,810 --> 00:23:27,910
our fathers.

447
00:23:31,020 --> 00:23:33,300
In his preaching he started off at the

448
00:23:33,300 --> 00:23:35,520
level that the people understood and where they

449
00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:36,020
were at.

450
00:23:36,060 --> 00:23:37,400
And I think that this is something that

451
00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:38,200
we need to learn from.

452
00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:43,100
When Paul was asked to give a speech

453
00:23:43,100 --> 00:23:52,050
on Mars Hill, there at the Areopagus, when

454
00:23:52,050 --> 00:23:55,150
Paul started his speech to these Epicurean philosophers,

455
00:23:55,150 --> 00:24:01,130
he didn't start off in the concept of

456
00:24:01,130 --> 00:24:02,830
justification by faith.

457
00:24:06,690 --> 00:24:09,350
He started his message at the level where

458
00:24:09,350 --> 00:24:10,530
the people were at.

459
00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:17,100
You men of Athens, I realize that you

460
00:24:17,100 --> 00:24:19,000
men are very spiritual.

461
00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:23,440
You're aware of the spirit realm.

462
00:24:24,820 --> 00:24:27,160
For as I've been walking through your streets

463
00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,480
all over, I see these little idols and

464
00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,080
these little altars to the various gods.

465
00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:36,180
And I happen to notice one of your

466
00:24:36,180 --> 00:24:39,360
altars, and inscribed above it was to the

467
00:24:39,360 --> 00:24:40,600
unknown God.

468
00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:44,160
That's the God I'd like to tell you

469
00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:44,540
about.

470
00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:47,800
You see, He is the God who created

471
00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:49,620
the heaven and the earth and everything that

472
00:24:49,620 --> 00:24:50,020
is in them.

473
00:24:50,180 --> 00:24:51,820
He started out where they were at and

474
00:24:51,820 --> 00:24:52,720
brought them along.

475
00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:54,560
Peter is starting out where they're at.

476
00:24:55,620 --> 00:24:58,400
Make sure that you start out where people

477
00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:00,380
understand where they're at and bring them into

478
00:25:00,380 --> 00:25:02,520
the spiritual dimensions, but start out where they're

479
00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:02,820
at.

480
00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,100
The God of Abraham, of Isaac and of

481
00:25:08,100 --> 00:25:14,910
Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified

482
00:25:14,910 --> 00:25:20,790
His Son, Jesus, whom you delivered up and

483
00:25:20,790 --> 00:25:23,690
denied Him in the presence of Pilate when

484
00:25:23,690 --> 00:25:25,310
He was determined to let Him go.

485
00:25:27,390 --> 00:25:30,190
So they were all aware of what had

486
00:25:30,190 --> 00:25:33,030
transpired within the year there in Jerusalem.

487
00:25:34,270 --> 00:25:36,670
They were all aware of the crucifixion of

488
00:25:36,670 --> 00:25:37,110
Jesus.

489
00:25:38,050 --> 00:25:42,090
And it is interesting that Peter here lays

490
00:25:42,090 --> 00:25:43,830
the blame squarely upon them.

491
00:25:44,470 --> 00:25:46,510
Pilate was wanting to let Him go.

492
00:25:47,770 --> 00:25:49,850
And, of course, in John's Gospel this is

493
00:25:49,850 --> 00:25:54,030
certainly indicated Pilate's desire to release Jesus.

494
00:25:55,850 --> 00:25:58,670
But when Pilate was determined to let Him

495
00:25:58,670 --> 00:26:01,090
go, you insisted on His death.

496
00:26:02,410 --> 00:26:05,290
You denied the Holy One and the Just

497
00:26:05,290 --> 00:26:13,770
One and you desired a murderer to be

498
00:26:13,770 --> 00:26:16,770
delivered or to be granted unto you.

499
00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:24,220
And you killed the Prince of Life.

500
00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,880
The word Prince probably is a poor translation.

501
00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:30,240
You remember in Hebrews where it talks about

502
00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,700
Jesus as the author and the finisher of

503
00:26:32,700 --> 00:26:33,200
our faith?

504
00:26:33,860 --> 00:26:36,180
That is the very same Greek word that

505
00:26:36,180 --> 00:26:38,680
in Hebrews is translated author.

506
00:26:40,710 --> 00:26:44,110
The word literally means a file leader, but

507
00:26:44,110 --> 00:26:46,210
that word doesn't do much for us in

508
00:26:46,210 --> 00:26:46,530
English.

509
00:26:46,690 --> 00:26:47,450
A file leader.

510
00:26:48,430 --> 00:26:50,230
And we get a picture in our minds

511
00:26:50,230 --> 00:26:51,930
of the files in the office and one

512
00:26:51,930 --> 00:26:53,450
in front and it's the file leader.

513
00:26:53,590 --> 00:26:58,990
But the word actually means one who is

514
00:26:58,990 --> 00:27:00,250
first in a new order.

515
00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,820
Jesus, the author of the new life.

516
00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,300
Or, as we read, He is the first

517
00:27:08,300 --> 00:27:10,560
begotten of those who rise from the dead.

518
00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:16,440
So He is the author, the Prince, the

519
00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:18,440
file leader of life.

520
00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:23,140
That new eternal life that has been promised

521
00:27:23,140 --> 00:27:25,660
to us who believe in Him.

522
00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:30,400
He's the author of that eternal life.

523
00:27:30,780 --> 00:27:32,500
Even as He is the author and the

524
00:27:32,500 --> 00:27:34,460
finisher of our faith, so He is the

525
00:27:34,460 --> 00:27:38,500
author of this life that we possess through

526
00:27:38,500 --> 00:27:38,860
Him.

527
00:27:45,050 --> 00:27:46,630
What a contradiction, isn't it?

528
00:27:46,810 --> 00:27:49,430
You killed the author of life.

529
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:54,700
It really is a paradoxical type of a

530
00:27:54,700 --> 00:27:55,080
sentence.

531
00:27:58,020 --> 00:28:01,680
But, God has raised Him from the dead

532
00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:02,960
whereof we are witnesses.

533
00:28:03,140 --> 00:28:06,480
Now remember, the first sermon that Peter preached

534
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:08,540
was centered in the resurrection again.

535
00:28:08,540 --> 00:28:10,580
As he has an opportunity to preach to

536
00:28:10,580 --> 00:28:12,780
them, his message centers in the resurrection.

537
00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:16,920
Remember, when Paul was preaching there on Mars

538
00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:18,720
Hill, he had to get to the resurrection.

539
00:28:19,260 --> 00:28:20,820
And when he got to the resurrection is

540
00:28:20,820 --> 00:28:21,780
when it broke the meeting.

541
00:28:21,940 --> 00:28:23,180
Ah, that's weird.

542
00:28:23,300 --> 00:28:24,720
Nobody rises from the dead.

543
00:28:24,780 --> 00:28:26,480
And it broke up the meeting with the

544
00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:27,620
Epicurean philosophers.

545
00:28:30,460 --> 00:28:33,060
But Peter again is preaching the resurrection.

546
00:28:33,300 --> 00:28:35,840
This was the heart of the message of

547
00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:38,600
the early church that there is hope for

548
00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:41,540
eternal life because Jesus rose again.

549
00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:45,600
And if Christ is not risen, then we're

550
00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:47,000
still in our sins.

551
00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:49,560
And we are in a hopeless condition.

552
00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:51,140
Those that have died have perished.

553
00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:53,680
And we are of all men most miserable.

554
00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,580
But the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the

555
00:28:57,580 --> 00:29:02,380
foundation of the gospel in the New Testament.

556
00:29:03,380 --> 00:29:06,640
Our hope is premised upon the fact that

557
00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:07,320
Jesus rose.

558
00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:09,660
So Peter said thanks be unto God who

559
00:29:09,660 --> 00:29:12,420
has begotten us again to a living hope

560
00:29:12,420 --> 00:29:15,240
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the

561
00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:15,460
dead.

562
00:29:16,620 --> 00:29:18,320
It's the heart of the message of the

563
00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:18,620
gospel.

564
00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:19,820
You can't take it away.

565
00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:22,400
If you do, you have no gospel.

566
00:29:26,870 --> 00:29:29,170
And so Peter gets to this favorite theme.

567
00:29:30,710 --> 00:29:32,990
God hath raised him from the dead whereof

568
00:29:32,990 --> 00:29:35,110
we are witnesses.

569
00:29:36,250 --> 00:29:38,630
And so they are bearing witness to the

570
00:29:38,630 --> 00:29:41,470
fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

571
00:29:44,340 --> 00:29:48,260
And His name, the power of the name

572
00:29:48,260 --> 00:29:49,120
of Jesus.

573
00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,620
Jesus said, If ye shall ask anything in

574
00:29:51,620 --> 00:29:54,540
My name, I will do it.

575
00:29:54,980 --> 00:29:56,980
Henceforth you have asked nothing in My name.

576
00:29:57,140 --> 00:30:00,000
Ask that you might receive that your joy

577
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:00,580
may be full.

578
00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:04,400
Oh, there is tremendous power in the name

579
00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,890
of Jesus when it falls from the lips

580
00:30:08,890 --> 00:30:10,510
of the weakest saint.

581
00:30:12,010 --> 00:30:12,830
No, it isn't.

582
00:30:12,910 --> 00:30:14,470
You're probably thinking, Oh, the name of Jesus,

583
00:30:14,590 --> 00:30:17,830
yes, but I don't have enough holiness or

584
00:30:17,830 --> 00:30:20,210
righteousness at all to utter that name.

585
00:30:21,070 --> 00:30:23,030
I don't care how weak you are.

586
00:30:24,330 --> 00:30:26,030
The power isn't in you.

587
00:30:26,170 --> 00:30:27,570
It's in the name of Jesus.

588
00:30:30,780 --> 00:30:31,620
You can be weak.

589
00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:32,440
That doesn't matter.

590
00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:34,580
The power isn't in you.

591
00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:37,320
It's in the name.

592
00:30:38,290 --> 00:30:41,860
And so Peter said, And His name, through

593
00:30:41,860 --> 00:30:47,720
faith in His name, hath made this man

594
00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:48,100
strong.

595
00:30:48,180 --> 00:30:49,060
Now don't look at me.

596
00:30:51,130 --> 00:30:55,530
Jesus Christ, the one you crucified, whom God

597
00:30:55,530 --> 00:30:59,230
raised from the dead, it is His name.

598
00:31:00,090 --> 00:31:03,130
And through the faith in His name that

599
00:31:03,130 --> 00:31:07,130
this wonder was wrought upon this lame man.

600
00:31:07,130 --> 00:31:09,810
He's the one that made the legs straight.

601
00:31:09,890 --> 00:31:11,750
He's the one that gave him the ability

602
00:31:11,750 --> 00:31:12,350
to walk.

603
00:31:12,430 --> 00:31:15,290
Gave him this perfect health, this perfect soundness,

604
00:31:15,850 --> 00:31:18,490
this completeness in the presence of you all.

605
00:31:22,140 --> 00:31:26,190
And then he went on to say, Yes,

606
00:31:26,310 --> 00:31:29,950
it is by the, yes, the faith which

607
00:31:29,950 --> 00:31:35,710
is by Him has given Him perfect soundness

608
00:31:35,710 --> 00:31:37,290
in the presence of you all.

609
00:31:37,630 --> 00:31:39,790
Now the faith which is by Him, notice

610
00:31:39,790 --> 00:31:40,390
the preposition.

611
00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,720
Peter isn't saying it was my great faith.

612
00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:50,600
Peter is saying it is the faith that

613
00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:51,200
is by Him.

614
00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:54,140
He's the one who gave me the faith.

615
00:31:55,300 --> 00:31:57,620
Christ is the author and the finisher of

616
00:31:57,620 --> 00:31:57,980
our faith.

617
00:31:58,340 --> 00:32:00,520
We so often times talk about faith as

618
00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:02,680
something that we can develop, something that we

619
00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:04,920
can work up, something that we can, you

620
00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:09,140
know, sit and just meditate and develop faith

621
00:32:09,140 --> 00:32:09,520
or something.

622
00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:13,400
And we find ourselves in these attempts to,

623
00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:19,000
you know, increase our faith through more or

624
00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:22,120
less a mesmerization and different ways by which

625
00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:24,740
I'm trying to just, you know, increase my

626
00:32:24,740 --> 00:32:25,100
faith.

627
00:32:27,910 --> 00:32:28,970
Faith is a gift.

628
00:32:31,230 --> 00:32:34,890
By grace are you saved through faith and

629
00:32:34,890 --> 00:32:36,270
that not of yourselves.

630
00:32:36,590 --> 00:32:37,970
That is, the faith isn't of yourselves.

631
00:32:38,230 --> 00:32:40,430
It is a gift of God and not

632
00:32:40,430 --> 00:32:42,050
of works lest any man should boast.

633
00:32:43,210 --> 00:32:45,210
Even the faith is a gift.

634
00:32:45,810 --> 00:32:48,750
And as Paul is listing the manifestations of

635
00:32:48,750 --> 00:32:51,590
the Spirit in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, and

636
00:32:51,590 --> 00:32:54,870
to some there is this gift of faith

637
00:32:55,670 --> 00:32:59,110
that God imparts at certain times for certain

638
00:32:59,110 --> 00:32:59,930
conditions.

639
00:33:01,470 --> 00:33:03,950
And it's interesting because it is a gift

640
00:33:03,950 --> 00:33:04,390
of faith.

641
00:33:04,730 --> 00:33:06,810
There are times when I'm facing a situation

642
00:33:06,810 --> 00:33:09,850
and I have complete faith that it's going

643
00:33:09,850 --> 00:33:10,430
to work out.

644
00:33:10,430 --> 00:33:11,910
I have no qualms, no worries.

645
00:33:12,210 --> 00:33:13,850
The Lord has given me faith and I'm

646
00:33:13,850 --> 00:33:15,810
just confident it's going to work.

647
00:33:15,890 --> 00:33:17,850
Now, there are other times I'm facing similar

648
00:33:17,850 --> 00:33:20,210
situations and God hasn't given me the faith

649
00:33:20,210 --> 00:33:22,530
and I'm worried and I'm wondering what's going

650
00:33:22,530 --> 00:33:23,810
to happen now, you know, and what if

651
00:33:23,810 --> 00:33:25,290
this doesn't happen, what if that...

652
00:33:25,290 --> 00:33:28,270
And it's all troublesome because God hasn't given

653
00:33:28,270 --> 00:33:30,570
me the faith in that particular situation.

654
00:33:31,870 --> 00:33:32,770
It's a gift.

655
00:33:34,750 --> 00:33:37,350
It isn't something that I just possess and

656
00:33:37,350 --> 00:33:39,410
can exercise anytime I want.

657
00:33:41,490 --> 00:33:44,190
It isn't an Al-Kazam kind of a

658
00:33:44,190 --> 00:33:47,670
magic word that can bring to pass any

659
00:33:47,670 --> 00:33:49,330
kind of a situation that I desire.

660
00:33:50,430 --> 00:33:52,790
It is something that God puts in my

661
00:33:52,790 --> 00:33:56,330
heart in certain times for certain situations and

662
00:33:56,330 --> 00:34:00,430
it's just glorious when it's there and it's

663
00:34:00,430 --> 00:34:02,030
disastrous when it isn't there.

664
00:34:03,230 --> 00:34:04,590
The gift of faith.

665
00:34:05,210 --> 00:34:07,570
It is the faith that is by Him.

666
00:34:08,449 --> 00:34:09,710
He's the one that gave me the faith.

667
00:34:09,850 --> 00:34:11,730
When Peter was walking up, he saw that

668
00:34:11,730 --> 00:34:12,989
man and the Lord gave him the faith.

669
00:34:13,130 --> 00:34:15,730
He said, Peter, give him what you've got.

670
00:34:16,650 --> 00:34:17,489
What did he have?

671
00:34:17,590 --> 00:34:19,489
God gave him at that instant this faith

672
00:34:19,909 --> 00:34:20,969
for the man's healing.

673
00:34:22,250 --> 00:34:24,070
And so Peter said, hey, I don't have

674
00:34:24,070 --> 00:34:25,090
silver and gold, but what I have I'll

675
00:34:25,090 --> 00:34:26,350
be glad to give you to him and

676
00:34:26,350 --> 00:34:27,489
took him and lifted him up and said,

677
00:34:27,570 --> 00:34:29,150
in the name of Jesus Christ, in the

678
00:34:29,150 --> 00:34:29,889
name of the Father, stand at one.

679
00:34:31,190 --> 00:34:32,370
Oh, the power of the name.

680
00:34:33,290 --> 00:34:34,190
Faith in the name.

681
00:34:35,070 --> 00:34:37,530
The faith that God gave to Peter at

682
00:34:37,530 --> 00:34:38,050
that moment.

683
00:34:38,050 --> 00:34:45,400
And now, brethren, I know that through ignorance

684
00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:47,840
you did it, as did also your rulers.

685
00:34:48,380 --> 00:34:51,460
Now as Peter is addressing them more personally,

686
00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:56,480
talking of the crucifixion of Jesus, he said,

687
00:34:56,660 --> 00:34:58,960
I know that in ignorance you did it.

688
00:34:59,000 --> 00:34:59,940
How did he know that?

689
00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:03,800
Because Jesus, when He was being nailed to

690
00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:06,560
the cross, said, Father, forgive them, for they

691
00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:08,420
know not what they do.

692
00:35:12,210 --> 00:35:14,230
So I know in ignorance you did it.

693
00:35:14,330 --> 00:35:15,750
You didn't know what you were doing.

694
00:35:15,890 --> 00:35:17,430
Jesus confessed that.

695
00:35:18,930 --> 00:35:20,970
He points out another interesting thing.

696
00:35:22,030 --> 00:35:23,670
In a little bit we'll read that 5

697
00:35:23,670 --> 00:35:26,790
,000 of them were converted.

698
00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:31,180
5,000 of those who were guilty of

699
00:35:31,180 --> 00:35:33,500
crucifying Jesus but didn't know what they were

700
00:35:33,500 --> 00:35:37,060
doing are now brought to Jesus Christ to

701
00:35:37,060 --> 00:35:38,560
trust in Him as their Lord and Savior.

702
00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:42,320
And the prayer of Jesus was then answered

703
00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:44,660
when He was being nailed to the cross

704
00:35:44,660 --> 00:35:46,040
and said, Father, forgive them.

705
00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:47,460
They know not what they do.

706
00:35:48,300 --> 00:35:50,960
His prayer was answered on this day when

707
00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:54,900
Peter said to these people, I know through

708
00:35:54,900 --> 00:35:56,820
ignorance you did it.

709
00:36:00,190 --> 00:36:03,910
But those things which God before had shown

710
00:36:03,910 --> 00:36:06,050
by the mouth of all of His prophets

711
00:36:06,450 --> 00:36:10,610
that Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled.

712
00:36:10,910 --> 00:36:14,210
In other words, that which transpired was not

713
00:36:14,210 --> 00:36:15,370
an accident.

714
00:36:16,570 --> 00:36:19,270
That which transpired in the crucifixion of Jesus

715
00:36:19,270 --> 00:36:27,200
was something that God had planned actually because

716
00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:31,240
it was predicted in the Scriptures, the suffering

717
00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:34,560
of the Messiah spoken of by the prophets.

718
00:36:36,380 --> 00:36:39,400
And so then Peter gets to the application.

719
00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:46,680
Repent, therefore, and be converted that your sins

720
00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:50,420
may be blotted out when the times of

721
00:36:50,420 --> 00:36:53,760
refreshing shall come from the presence of the

722
00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:54,200
Lord.

723
00:36:55,340 --> 00:36:57,120
And so he's calling to the people for

724
00:36:57,120 --> 00:37:03,240
repentance, for conversion, that they might receive the

725
00:37:03,240 --> 00:37:06,080
forgiveness of their sins and that glorious work

726
00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:09,240
of God's Spirit in the times of refreshing.

727
00:37:10,580 --> 00:37:13,920
And He, that is God, shall send Jesus

728
00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:17,600
Christ, which before was preached unto you.

729
00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:19,960
Jesus is coming again.

730
00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:23,060
The Father is going to send Him again.

731
00:37:23,220 --> 00:37:25,200
Jesus said, and if I go away, I

732
00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:25,900
will come again.

733
00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:27,600
Last week in our lesson, Acts chapter 1,

734
00:37:27,860 --> 00:37:30,520
as Jesus ascended into heaven and they were

735
00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:33,420
standing there looking up into heaven into the

736
00:37:33,420 --> 00:37:34,760
cloud that had received Him out of their

737
00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:37,080
sight, the two men in white apparel standing

738
00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:39,740
by said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand

739
00:37:39,740 --> 00:37:41,080
ye here gazing into heaven?

740
00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:43,600
For this same Jesus shall come again in

741
00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:45,040
like manner as you have seen Him go

742
00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:45,640
into heaven.

743
00:37:46,220 --> 00:37:47,320
He's coming again.

744
00:37:48,280 --> 00:37:53,480
God is going to send Jesus Christ who

745
00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:56,540
was preached unto you, whom the heaven must

746
00:37:56,540 --> 00:38:01,600
receive until the times of the restitution of

747
00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:04,040
all things which God has spoken by the

748
00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:06,020
mouth of all of the holy prophets since

749
00:38:06,020 --> 00:38:06,880
the world began.

750
00:38:07,660 --> 00:38:10,960
Now, upon this one little scripture, a whole

751
00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:14,800
doctrine has been developed of the final restitution

752
00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:15,920
of all things.

753
00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:20,480
And that final restitution of all things will

754
00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:25,700
take place when Satan finally kneels down and

755
00:38:25,700 --> 00:38:28,120
confesses his guilt and is brought in again

756
00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:29,140
as a child of God.

757
00:38:29,480 --> 00:38:31,780
And God has finally restored everybody and everything,

758
00:38:31,780 --> 00:38:34,160
all sinners and everybody will be saved.

759
00:38:34,260 --> 00:38:35,900
The final restitution of all things.

760
00:38:36,060 --> 00:38:40,320
And this particular heresy has been based upon

761
00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:42,140
this one little scripture.

762
00:38:45,820 --> 00:38:49,080
That he is not referring to the restoration

763
00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:51,280
of the wicked at some future date is

764
00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:56,210
obvious by the fact that he said it

765
00:38:56,210 --> 00:38:58,390
is something that all of the prophets have

766
00:38:58,390 --> 00:38:59,310
spoken about.

767
00:39:00,510 --> 00:39:02,630
And as we go back to the prophets

768
00:39:02,630 --> 00:39:05,070
of the Old Testament and their speaking of

769
00:39:05,070 --> 00:39:07,470
the restitution of all things, what are they

770
00:39:07,470 --> 00:39:08,310
referring to?

771
00:39:08,750 --> 00:39:11,290
They are referring to the restoration of the

772
00:39:11,290 --> 00:39:14,450
nation Israel into divine favor again.

773
00:39:17,810 --> 00:39:20,610
Israel, because of their rejection of God, is

774
00:39:20,610 --> 00:39:21,470
to be cut off.

775
00:39:21,610 --> 00:39:22,470
They are to be dispersed.

776
00:39:24,110 --> 00:39:25,710
They are to be scattered into all the

777
00:39:25,710 --> 00:39:25,950
world.

778
00:39:26,090 --> 00:39:27,170
They are to become a curse and a

779
00:39:27,170 --> 00:39:27,630
byword.

780
00:39:29,230 --> 00:39:32,510
They are to be burned in ovens as

781
00:39:32,510 --> 00:39:34,350
the prophets foretold.

782
00:39:35,410 --> 00:39:38,490
But each of them who foretold the awful,

783
00:39:38,790 --> 00:39:43,330
tragic misery that the Jews would endure during

784
00:39:43,330 --> 00:39:46,930
the great dispersion, they all saw through the

785
00:39:46,930 --> 00:39:49,630
darkness to the light on the other side

786
00:39:49,630 --> 00:39:53,990
when God would once again take his unfaithful

787
00:39:53,990 --> 00:39:58,570
bride, clean her up, dress her up, and

788
00:39:58,570 --> 00:40:02,170
receive her again as his wife and restore

789
00:40:02,170 --> 00:40:04,910
the unfaithful wife to her position.

790
00:40:06,030 --> 00:40:08,190
And Hosea and all of the prophets speak

791
00:40:08,190 --> 00:40:11,170
of this restoration of God's work and grace

792
00:40:11,170 --> 00:40:12,330
to the nation of Israel.

793
00:40:12,530 --> 00:40:14,630
And that is what is referred to, not

794
00:40:14,630 --> 00:40:17,330
that God is going to finally restore all

795
00:40:17,330 --> 00:40:18,670
the wicked, including Satan.

796
00:40:20,980 --> 00:40:22,880
That's what all of the prophets speak about.

797
00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:25,360
You won't find this other doctrine of the

798
00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:26,860
restitution of all things, that is, all men

799
00:40:26,860 --> 00:40:28,900
are to be saved ultimately, you won't find

800
00:40:28,900 --> 00:40:31,040
that in any of the prophets of the

801
00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:31,640
Old Testament.

802
00:40:32,700 --> 00:40:34,780
But it's always dealing with the nation of

803
00:40:34,780 --> 00:40:35,020
Israel.

804
00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:37,800
And you remember, he is addressing ye men

805
00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:38,760
of Israel.

806
00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:40,980
Why marvel you at this?

807
00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:45,340
So this restitution is God's restitution of his

808
00:40:45,340 --> 00:40:48,120
work with Israel, which shall come.

809
00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:51,080
Paul the Apostle, in the 11th chapter of

810
00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:54,900
Romans, said that blindness has happened to Israel

811
00:40:54,900 --> 00:40:58,140
in part until the fullness of the Gentiles

812
00:40:58,140 --> 00:40:58,820
become in.

813
00:40:58,820 --> 00:41:01,820
But at that point, all Israel will then

814
00:41:01,820 --> 00:41:02,680
be saved.

815
00:41:02,940 --> 00:41:04,880
For there shall come the deliverer out of

816
00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:06,540
Zion to turn the hearts of the children

817
00:41:06,540 --> 00:41:07,740
unto the fathers.

818
00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:10,660
And he makes reference to this restitution of

819
00:41:10,660 --> 00:41:13,380
the work of God among the Jewish people

820
00:41:13,380 --> 00:41:15,140
that shall take place.

821
00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:19,720
Now, Jesus said, you're not going to see

822
00:41:19,720 --> 00:41:22,340
me again until you say, blessed is he

823
00:41:22,340 --> 00:41:24,440
who comes in the name of the Lord.

824
00:41:25,220 --> 00:41:28,720
The earth has one more seven-year period

825
00:41:28,720 --> 00:41:29,500
to endure.

826
00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:36,180
For there were 77 determined upon the nation

827
00:41:36,180 --> 00:41:38,560
Israel to finish the transgressions, to make an

828
00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:42,060
end to sin, to make reconciliation for iniquity,

829
00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:48,120
to finish up the prophecies for the Messiah

830
00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:50,180
to come and to anoint the most holy

831
00:41:50,180 --> 00:41:50,780
place.

832
00:41:52,060 --> 00:41:55,740
And there would be 69 seven-year periods

833
00:41:55,740 --> 00:41:57,700
from the time that the prophecy would go

834
00:41:57,700 --> 00:41:59,660
forth to restore and rebuild Jerusalem to the

835
00:41:59,660 --> 00:42:01,000
coming of the Messiah, the Prince.

836
00:42:01,060 --> 00:42:03,820
But that leaves one seven-year period unfulfilled,

837
00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:05,920
which is yet future.

838
00:42:07,140 --> 00:42:08,960
During this seven-year period, God is going

839
00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:10,760
to deal with the nation Israel and that

840
00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:13,300
blindness that has been over their eyes for

841
00:42:13,300 --> 00:42:15,740
almost 2,000 years will be removed.

842
00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:18,460
Now, blindness has happened to Israel in part.

843
00:42:18,580 --> 00:42:20,140
That is, for the most of them.

844
00:42:20,220 --> 00:42:21,880
There are a part of them who have

845
00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:22,660
not been blind.

846
00:42:22,940 --> 00:42:24,340
There are a part of Israel today that

847
00:42:24,340 --> 00:42:25,880
God has opened their eyes to see the

848
00:42:25,880 --> 00:42:26,180
truth.

849
00:42:27,480 --> 00:42:30,000
And oh, what evangelists they usually make when

850
00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:32,960
God opens their eyes and they can see

851
00:42:32,960 --> 00:42:36,140
that Jesus indeed was the promised Messiah.

852
00:42:37,080 --> 00:42:42,180
But it's amazing how blind most of the

853
00:42:42,180 --> 00:42:42,780
people are.

854
00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:45,900
And they really don't know their own Scriptures

855
00:42:45,900 --> 00:42:46,720
that well.

856
00:42:47,300 --> 00:42:52,020
But they know the traditions and they know

857
00:42:52,020 --> 00:42:57,040
the dietary laws and all, the Sabbaths.

858
00:42:57,700 --> 00:42:59,580
But they're really blind to the true work

859
00:42:59,580 --> 00:43:00,120
of God.

860
00:43:01,000 --> 00:43:05,360
And having forsaken the way of God, they've

861
00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:08,500
gone about to establish a righteousness through works,

862
00:43:09,980 --> 00:43:11,280
through good works.

863
00:43:14,270 --> 00:43:15,690
But by the works of the law, the

864
00:43:15,690 --> 00:43:17,670
Bible tells us no flesh will be justified

865
00:43:17,670 --> 00:43:18,350
in His sight.

866
00:43:18,350 --> 00:43:21,450
The Bible also tells us, for without the

867
00:43:21,450 --> 00:43:24,370
shedding of blood there is no remission for

868
00:43:24,370 --> 00:43:24,750
sin.

869
00:43:26,150 --> 00:43:32,380
So, God is going to restore Israel.

870
00:43:32,740 --> 00:43:34,080
He's going to work again.

871
00:43:34,180 --> 00:43:35,660
He's going to put His Spirit upon Israel.

872
00:43:36,300 --> 00:43:39,940
According to Ezekiel, at the time that God

873
00:43:39,940 --> 00:43:43,480
destroys the invading Russian army who moves into

874
00:43:43,480 --> 00:43:47,500
the Middle East in the last days to

875
00:43:47,500 --> 00:43:49,900
take over the Middle East, in those days

876
00:43:49,900 --> 00:43:51,400
God is going to destroy Russia.

877
00:43:51,620 --> 00:43:53,140
And when He does, He'll put His Spirit

878
00:43:53,140 --> 00:43:54,180
upon the nation of Israel.

879
00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:56,620
The beginning of the end, the last seven

880
00:43:56,620 --> 00:43:58,500
years when God will be working with Israel.

881
00:43:58,680 --> 00:44:01,520
And during this period of time, the world

882
00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:03,980
around them will be going through a Holocaust.

883
00:44:05,060 --> 00:44:06,320
At least the last three and a half

884
00:44:06,320 --> 00:44:07,500
years of this period of time.

885
00:44:08,100 --> 00:44:10,160
A time of trouble such as the world

886
00:44:10,160 --> 00:44:12,620
has never seen before or will ever see

887
00:44:12,620 --> 00:44:12,920
again.

888
00:44:13,780 --> 00:44:15,480
The time of the Great Tribulation.

889
00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:20,600
Now, during this time, God dealing with the

890
00:44:20,600 --> 00:44:24,780
nation of Israel, they will begin to weep

891
00:44:24,780 --> 00:44:27,440
over their blindness.

892
00:44:29,380 --> 00:44:32,940
As a woman who weeps over the loss

893
00:44:32,940 --> 00:44:33,920
of her only son.

894
00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:38,620
They will weep that they were blind to

895
00:44:38,620 --> 00:44:40,820
the grace and the goodness of God and

896
00:44:40,820 --> 00:44:42,540
to the Messiah that God provided.

897
00:44:42,780 --> 00:44:46,160
For they will recognize that Jesus indeed is

898
00:44:46,160 --> 00:44:46,760
the Messiah.

899
00:44:47,360 --> 00:44:49,900
As they see the Scriptures coming to pass

900
00:44:49,900 --> 00:44:52,340
that were predicted and they'll realize that they

901
00:44:52,340 --> 00:44:54,580
made a mistake in their national rejection of

902
00:44:54,580 --> 00:44:57,120
Jesus and they will accept Him and they

903
00:44:57,120 --> 00:44:59,440
will be saying, Oh, blessed is He who

904
00:44:59,440 --> 00:45:00,500
comes in the name of the Lord.

905
00:45:00,760 --> 00:45:02,740
And at that point, Jesus will return with

906
00:45:02,740 --> 00:45:05,280
ten thousands of His saints to establish His

907
00:45:05,280 --> 00:45:06,700
kingdom upon the earth.

908
00:45:08,160 --> 00:45:12,400
Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of

909
00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:13,060
His saints.

910
00:45:13,060 --> 00:45:15,800
And when Christ, who is our life, shall

911
00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:19,880
appear, then shall we also appear with Him

912
00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:23,480
in glory as we come with Him to

913
00:45:23,480 --> 00:45:25,460
establish God's kingdom upon the earth.

914
00:45:25,900 --> 00:45:31,670
So, the heavens must keep Him until the

915
00:45:31,670 --> 00:45:35,350
times of restitution of all things which God

916
00:45:35,350 --> 00:45:40,250
has predicted in the prophets since the beginning

917
00:45:40,250 --> 00:45:41,850
of the world all the way back to

918
00:45:41,850 --> 00:45:44,670
the Garden of Eden where God promised that

919
00:45:44,670 --> 00:45:46,610
the seed of the woman would bruise the

920
00:45:46,610 --> 00:45:47,690
heel of the serpent.

921
00:45:48,170 --> 00:45:51,070
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A

922
00:45:51,070 --> 00:45:54,110
prophet shall the Lord your God raise up

923
00:45:54,110 --> 00:45:56,470
unto you of your own brethren like unto

924
00:45:56,470 --> 00:45:56,930
me.

925
00:45:57,650 --> 00:45:59,550
Him shall ye hear in all of the

926
00:45:59,550 --> 00:46:01,590
things whatsoever He shall say unto you.

927
00:46:02,090 --> 00:46:03,810
And it shall come to pass that every

928
00:46:03,810 --> 00:46:06,770
soul which will not hear that prophet shall

929
00:46:06,770 --> 00:46:09,390
be destroyed from among the people.

930
00:46:10,090 --> 00:46:12,730
Yea, and all of the prophets from Samuel

931
00:46:12,730 --> 00:46:15,250
and those that follow after him, as many

932
00:46:15,250 --> 00:46:18,870
as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these

933
00:46:18,870 --> 00:46:19,490
days.

934
00:46:20,530 --> 00:46:22,570
And ye are the children of the prophets

935
00:46:22,570 --> 00:46:24,550
and of the covenant which God made with

936
00:46:24,550 --> 00:46:26,990
our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy

937
00:46:26,990 --> 00:46:28,950
seed shall all of the kindreds of the

938
00:46:28,950 --> 00:46:29,710
earth be blessed.

939
00:46:30,090 --> 00:46:32,430
And unto you first, God having raised up

940
00:46:32,430 --> 00:46:34,910
His Son Jesus, send Him to bless you

941
00:46:34,910 --> 00:46:37,610
in turning away every one of you from

942
00:46:37,610 --> 00:46:38,470
His iniquities.

943
00:46:39,430 --> 00:46:41,710
So God has kept His promise that He

944
00:46:41,710 --> 00:46:43,870
has made through the Old Testament prophets.

945
00:46:45,130 --> 00:46:46,870
They spoke of these days.

946
00:46:47,050 --> 00:46:48,330
They spoke of the Messiah.

947
00:46:49,630 --> 00:46:50,610
And He came.

948
00:46:51,690 --> 00:46:53,230
And it shall come to pass if you

949
00:46:53,230 --> 00:46:55,390
won't hear Him that you'll be destroyed from

950
00:46:55,390 --> 00:46:56,350
among the people.

951
00:46:58,550 --> 00:47:01,070
You are the children of the prophets and

952
00:47:01,070 --> 00:47:02,550
of the covenant that God made with our

953
00:47:02,550 --> 00:47:03,010
fathers.

954
00:47:04,470 --> 00:47:07,290
And so unto you first, God has revealed.

955
00:47:07,290 --> 00:47:10,010
So Paul, in talking about the gospel, he

956
00:47:10,010 --> 00:47:11,370
said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of

957
00:47:11,370 --> 00:47:13,110
Jesus Christ, which is the power of God

958
00:47:13,110 --> 00:47:16,590
unto salvation, to the Jew first and also

959
00:47:16,590 --> 00:47:17,770
to the Greek.

960
00:47:18,530 --> 00:47:20,590
The gospel came to the Jew first.

961
00:47:21,390 --> 00:47:23,070
You shall bear witness of me both in

962
00:47:23,070 --> 00:47:25,350
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria to

963
00:47:25,350 --> 00:47:28,450
the Jew first and then to the uttermost

964
00:47:28,450 --> 00:47:29,510
parts of the earth.

965
00:47:30,210 --> 00:47:36,450
And when the Jew rejected the gospel, Paul

966
00:47:36,450 --> 00:47:39,650
turned and he said from henceforth, I go

967
00:47:39,650 --> 00:47:40,590
to the Gentiles.

968
00:47:41,010 --> 00:47:44,310
Since you judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life,

969
00:47:44,530 --> 00:47:45,890
I'm going to the Gentiles.

970
00:47:46,050 --> 00:47:49,590
And the door was opened to us who

971
00:47:49,590 --> 00:47:52,390
sat in darkness to come into the glorious

972
00:47:52,390 --> 00:47:53,990
light of God's love and truth.

973
00:47:54,850 --> 00:47:57,250
Now as they spake unto the people, the

974
00:47:57,250 --> 00:47:59,190
priest and the captain of the temple and

975
00:47:59,190 --> 00:48:04,010
the Sadducees came upon them being grieved that

976
00:48:04,010 --> 00:48:07,530
they taught the people and preached through Jesus

977
00:48:07,530 --> 00:48:09,810
the resurrection from the dead.

978
00:48:11,330 --> 00:48:13,890
You see, the Sadducees, who were the spiritual

979
00:48:13,890 --> 00:48:16,590
leaders in those days, the priesthood was mostly

980
00:48:16,590 --> 00:48:17,950
made up of Sadducees.

981
00:48:19,410 --> 00:48:23,510
The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection, in

982
00:48:23,510 --> 00:48:25,190
angels or in spirits.

983
00:48:26,230 --> 00:48:29,110
So they were very upset over the preaching

984
00:48:29,110 --> 00:48:30,030
of the resurrection.

985
00:48:31,130 --> 00:48:32,930
That's the thing that got them upset.

986
00:48:33,730 --> 00:48:37,010
There was a big argument, religious argument, going

987
00:48:37,010 --> 00:48:43,250
on among the Jews between the sect of

988
00:48:43,250 --> 00:48:45,710
the Sadducees and that of the Pharisees.

989
00:48:46,970 --> 00:48:49,250
Now the Pharisees did believe in a resurrection.

990
00:48:49,430 --> 00:48:50,710
They did believe in spirits.

991
00:48:52,880 --> 00:48:55,500
And when Paul the apostle later on was

992
00:48:55,500 --> 00:49:03,170
brought before the council, he realized that he

993
00:49:03,170 --> 00:49:05,990
had Pharisees there and he had Sadducees there.

994
00:49:09,030 --> 00:49:14,690
And so he used that to free himself.

995
00:49:14,810 --> 00:49:18,170
He said, I'm here today and I'm accused

996
00:49:18,170 --> 00:49:23,450
because I believe the Scriptures that there is

997
00:49:23,450 --> 00:49:25,050
a resurrection from the dead.

998
00:49:26,450 --> 00:49:28,450
And all the Pharisees said, well, there's nothing

999
00:49:28,450 --> 00:49:29,130
wrong with that.

1000
00:49:30,230 --> 00:49:32,070
The Sadducees, of course, all got upset and

1001
00:49:32,070 --> 00:49:33,630
they began to argue with each other.

1002
00:49:34,070 --> 00:49:36,010
They had a big commotion and Paul walked

1003
00:49:36,010 --> 00:49:37,310
out, you know, while they were fighting each

1004
00:49:37,310 --> 00:49:37,610
other.

1005
00:49:38,330 --> 00:49:38,990
Smart move.

1006
00:49:43,340 --> 00:49:45,680
So the Sadducees came upon them and they

1007
00:49:45,680 --> 00:49:48,880
were upset, they were aggrieved because through Jesus

1008
00:49:49,480 --> 00:49:51,840
they were teaching the resurrection of the dead.

1009
00:49:54,330 --> 00:49:55,930
And they laid their hands on them and

1010
00:49:55,930 --> 00:50:00,590
put them in jail until the next day.

1011
00:50:01,650 --> 00:50:03,550
For it was now eventide.

1012
00:50:03,550 --> 00:50:06,490
Now, this thing all started at 3 o

1013
00:50:06,490 --> 00:50:08,770
'clock in the afternoon, so it was now

1014
00:50:08,770 --> 00:50:09,210
evening.

1015
00:50:10,010 --> 00:50:11,970
So they threw them in jail overnight.

1016
00:50:13,030 --> 00:50:13,750
How be it?

1017
00:50:14,770 --> 00:50:17,370
Many of the people which heard the word

1018
00:50:17,370 --> 00:50:20,190
believed and the number of men was about

1019
00:50:20,190 --> 00:50:21,630
5,000.

1020
00:50:21,710 --> 00:50:27,930
So there was quite an evangelistic service that

1021
00:50:27,930 --> 00:50:28,230
day.

1022
00:50:29,230 --> 00:50:31,230
It came to pass on the morrow that

1023
00:50:31,230 --> 00:50:33,130
the rulers and the elders and the scribes

1024
00:50:33,130 --> 00:50:38,530
and Annas the high priest and Caiaphas, these

1025
00:50:38,530 --> 00:50:40,910
men that we were introduced before in the

1026
00:50:40,910 --> 00:50:44,970
Gospels who stood in judgment against Jesus Christ,

1027
00:50:45,810 --> 00:50:50,470
and John and Alexander and as many as

1028
00:50:50,470 --> 00:50:52,630
were of the family of the high priest

1029
00:50:52,630 --> 00:50:54,670
were gathered together at Jerusalem.

1030
00:50:55,950 --> 00:50:58,570
And when they had set them, that was

1031
00:50:58,570 --> 00:51:00,670
Peter and John and the lame man, in

1032
00:51:00,670 --> 00:51:05,090
the midst, they asked, by what power or

1033
00:51:05,090 --> 00:51:08,030
by what name have you done this?

1034
00:51:09,830 --> 00:51:13,510
Now, that question was no doubt asked by

1035
00:51:13,510 --> 00:51:17,940
a shrewd attorney who knew the law.

1036
00:51:20,420 --> 00:51:25,060
For in the law it declares that if

1037
00:51:25,060 --> 00:51:29,700
someone comes and does a sign or a

1038
00:51:29,700 --> 00:51:35,480
wonder before the people so that all the

1039
00:51:35,480 --> 00:51:37,800
people are amazed at the wonder which is

1040
00:51:37,800 --> 00:51:45,360
done, and if that person should seek to

1041
00:51:45,360 --> 00:51:49,000
cause you to worship other than Jehovah God,

1042
00:51:49,340 --> 00:51:52,160
that person shall be put to death.

1043
00:51:52,260 --> 00:51:53,260
He is a false prophet.

1044
00:51:54,360 --> 00:51:56,260
Deuteronomy, I think it is 13th chapter.

1045
00:51:57,780 --> 00:52:00,840
So, by what power or by what name

1046
00:52:00,840 --> 00:52:01,740
did you do this?

1047
00:52:06,790 --> 00:52:08,310
Now, Peter could have said, I take the

1048
00:52:08,310 --> 00:52:08,810
Fifth Amendment.

1049
00:52:08,810 --> 00:52:14,210
You know, I can't be required to testify

1050
00:52:14,210 --> 00:52:15,850
against myself because they have the Fifth Amendment

1051
00:52:15,850 --> 00:52:16,430
in their law.

1052
00:52:17,890 --> 00:52:18,610
That was recognized.

1053
00:52:18,810 --> 00:52:21,050
You could not force a man to testify

1054
00:52:21,050 --> 00:52:21,790
against himself.

1055
00:52:23,900 --> 00:52:26,120
Peter could have taken the Fifth, but he

1056
00:52:26,120 --> 00:52:26,420
didn't.

1057
00:52:27,180 --> 00:52:29,480
He took rather the opportunity to share Jesus

1058
00:52:29,480 --> 00:52:30,380
Christ with these fellows.

1059
00:52:32,120 --> 00:52:35,300
And knowing that the question was a league

1060
00:52:35,300 --> 00:52:40,120
question and knowing the consequence of telling the

1061
00:52:40,120 --> 00:52:43,900
people of another name other than, well, actually

1062
00:52:43,900 --> 00:52:45,480
he told them the name of Jehovah God

1063
00:52:45,480 --> 00:52:47,220
because he said it's through Jehovah Shua.

1064
00:52:49,720 --> 00:52:54,470
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto

1065
00:52:54,470 --> 00:52:58,790
them, Ye rulers of the people and elders

1066
00:52:58,790 --> 00:52:59,810
of Israel.

1067
00:53:00,430 --> 00:53:02,030
My, what an august body.

1068
00:53:02,930 --> 00:53:05,110
They're all gathered here today, all of the

1069
00:53:05,110 --> 00:53:07,470
leaders, the religious leaders, the Annas and Caiaphas

1070
00:53:07,470 --> 00:53:11,390
and the whole crew, all gathered here today.

1071
00:53:13,070 --> 00:53:17,790
If we this day are examined because of

1072
00:53:17,790 --> 00:53:20,330
the good deed done to the lame man

1073
00:53:20,330 --> 00:53:22,570
by what means he is made whole.

1074
00:53:24,710 --> 00:53:27,450
In other words, he is pointing out, isn't

1075
00:53:27,450 --> 00:53:29,670
this sort of ridiculous?

1076
00:53:31,010 --> 00:53:34,830
This whole furor and fuss has been created

1077
00:53:34,830 --> 00:53:37,010
because there was a lame man who had

1078
00:53:37,010 --> 00:53:39,330
been lame for about 40 years and now

1079
00:53:39,330 --> 00:53:41,750
he is standing here, his feet are straight,

1080
00:53:41,870 --> 00:53:43,490
and he's standing up here with us.

1081
00:53:44,670 --> 00:53:47,230
Is that what you're charging us for?

1082
00:53:47,390 --> 00:53:49,190
Is that your charges that you're bringing against

1083
00:53:49,190 --> 00:53:49,370
us?

1084
00:53:49,570 --> 00:53:53,070
Because we made this man to be whole.

1085
00:53:57,120 --> 00:53:59,180
What a peculiar thing to get so upset

1086
00:53:59,180 --> 00:53:59,520
about.

1087
00:54:03,140 --> 00:54:04,780
Be it known unto you, now you want

1088
00:54:04,780 --> 00:54:11,200
to know, and all the people of Israel

1089
00:54:12,280 --> 00:54:17,000
that by the name of Jesus Christ of

1090
00:54:17,000 --> 00:54:19,180
Nazareth, and I imagine he really drug it

1091
00:54:19,180 --> 00:54:29,280
out to press it in, Yeshua Christos, whom

1092
00:54:29,280 --> 00:54:34,320
ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead,

1093
00:54:35,680 --> 00:54:39,120
even by Him does this man stand here

1094
00:54:39,120 --> 00:54:40,400
before you whole.

1095
00:54:40,480 --> 00:54:41,400
You want to know how it happened?

1096
00:54:41,540 --> 00:54:42,460
This is it.

1097
00:54:43,940 --> 00:54:45,880
How does that grab you, you know?

1098
00:54:47,380 --> 00:54:48,320
It's straight on.

1099
00:54:49,800 --> 00:54:54,140
This is the stone which was set at

1100
00:54:54,140 --> 00:54:58,000
naught of you builders, which has become the

1101
00:54:58,000 --> 00:54:58,580
head of the corner.

1102
00:54:59,360 --> 00:55:05,900
Now, Psalm 118, a glorious messianic psalm, which

1103
00:55:05,900 --> 00:55:07,340
they all knew to be a psalm of

1104
00:55:07,340 --> 00:55:12,320
the Messiah, declares the stone which was set

1105
00:55:12,320 --> 00:55:14,100
at naught of the builders, the same has

1106
00:55:14,100 --> 00:55:15,780
become the chief cornerstone.

1107
00:55:16,080 --> 00:55:17,260
This is the work of the Lord.

1108
00:55:17,360 --> 00:55:19,180
It is marvelous in our eyes.

1109
00:55:21,730 --> 00:55:23,370
This is the day that the Lord hath

1110
00:55:23,370 --> 00:55:23,590
made.

1111
00:55:23,650 --> 00:55:25,950
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

1112
00:55:26,170 --> 00:55:28,790
Save now, blessed is he who comes in

1113
00:55:28,790 --> 00:55:29,490
the name of the Lord.

1114
00:55:30,530 --> 00:55:33,470
And they knew this was a messianic psalm,

1115
00:55:33,830 --> 00:55:36,250
and when Peter starts to quote it, they

1116
00:55:36,250 --> 00:55:39,330
know exactly what he's quoting, and they know

1117
00:55:39,330 --> 00:55:41,370
that it is a psalm concerning their Messiah,

1118
00:55:41,730 --> 00:55:43,790
and he said, you guys are it.

1119
00:55:45,680 --> 00:55:47,780
He is the stone which was set at

1120
00:55:47,780 --> 00:55:52,100
naught by you builders, but he has become

1121
00:55:52,100 --> 00:55:53,980
the head of the corner.

1122
00:55:54,660 --> 00:55:59,300
And neither is there salvation in any other.

1123
00:56:01,020 --> 00:56:04,000
Oh, that's heresy in the Jewish language.

1124
00:56:05,510 --> 00:56:08,610
To them, there was salvation through the sacrifices

1125
00:56:08,610 --> 00:56:09,710
that they were offering.

1126
00:56:11,490 --> 00:56:13,590
And today with them, there is salvation through

1127
00:56:13,590 --> 00:56:15,010
the good works that they do.

1128
00:56:16,650 --> 00:56:19,730
But Peter boldly proclaimed to them, neither is

1129
00:56:19,730 --> 00:56:22,050
there salvation in any other.

1130
00:56:22,270 --> 00:56:23,730
Take note of that.

1131
00:56:24,690 --> 00:56:27,750
In a day when there is tremendous pressure

1132
00:56:27,750 --> 00:56:30,970
for us to become more liberal in our

1133
00:56:30,970 --> 00:56:36,030
thinking, when we are accused of being narrow

1134
00:56:36,030 --> 00:56:42,350
and bigoted, the Bible declares, neither is there

1135
00:56:42,350 --> 00:56:44,730
salvation in any other.

1136
00:56:47,120 --> 00:56:50,940
You cannot be saved by chanting the um

1137
00:56:50,940 --> 00:56:52,860
while meditating on your navel.

1138
00:56:53,640 --> 00:56:56,320
It just won't do it.

1139
00:56:58,340 --> 00:57:00,740
Oh, now doesn't that sound narrow and bigoted?

1140
00:57:01,360 --> 00:57:04,160
Because think how sincere that person is who

1141
00:57:04,160 --> 00:57:05,240
is out there going, oh.

1142
00:57:11,810 --> 00:57:17,500
Neither is there salvation in any other, for

1143
00:57:17,500 --> 00:57:20,980
there is none other name under heaven given

1144
00:57:20,980 --> 00:57:26,100
among men whereby we must be saved.

1145
00:57:27,260 --> 00:57:29,080
The divine imperative, the must.

1146
00:57:29,600 --> 00:57:32,800
There's no other way by which we must

1147
00:57:32,800 --> 00:57:33,380
be saved.

1148
00:57:33,540 --> 00:57:34,760
Jesus is the way.

1149
00:57:35,520 --> 00:57:37,500
He said, straight is the gate, narrow is

1150
00:57:37,500 --> 00:57:39,420
the way that leads to eternal life.

1151
00:57:41,200 --> 00:57:43,420
Strive to enter in at the straight gate.

1152
00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:48,040
When people say, oh, you're too narrow, Smith.

1153
00:57:48,180 --> 00:57:49,500
I think, all right, I'm on the right

1154
00:57:49,500 --> 00:57:49,920
path.

1155
00:57:52,190 --> 00:57:53,550
Oh, you need to be on the broad

1156
00:57:53,550 --> 00:57:53,930
path.

1157
00:57:54,010 --> 00:57:56,870
You need to, you know, be more liberal,

1158
00:57:57,770 --> 00:58:01,310
accept other religions and other, you know, faiths

1159
00:58:01,310 --> 00:58:01,590
and all.

1160
00:58:03,170 --> 00:58:05,330
Neither is there salvation in any other.

1161
00:58:06,610 --> 00:58:08,330
Now when they saw the boldness, and hey,

1162
00:58:08,490 --> 00:58:09,710
Peter was bold, wasn't he?

1163
00:58:11,950 --> 00:58:13,610
This is the same crowd that he was

1164
00:58:13,610 --> 00:58:17,090
standing outside when Jesus was facing them, and

1165
00:58:17,090 --> 00:58:19,850
he was standing outside warming himself when the

1166
00:58:19,850 --> 00:58:21,390
maiden said, aren't you one of his disciples?

1167
00:58:21,530 --> 00:58:22,470
He said, no, not me.

1168
00:58:23,410 --> 00:58:24,550
You've made a mistake, lady.

1169
00:58:25,890 --> 00:58:27,270
Oh, I'm sure you're one of his.

1170
00:58:27,330 --> 00:58:28,730
I think I've seen you with him.

1171
00:58:28,790 --> 00:58:29,710
No, no, no.

1172
00:58:30,210 --> 00:58:30,890
Not me.

1173
00:58:31,970 --> 00:58:34,150
And those soldiers said, oh, yes, you are

1174
00:58:34,150 --> 00:58:34,690
one of his.

1175
00:58:34,750 --> 00:58:35,570
You're a Galilean.

1176
00:58:35,650 --> 00:58:36,490
You've got the accent.

1177
00:58:37,210 --> 00:58:38,730
He began to swear and curse and say,

1178
00:58:38,730 --> 00:58:39,850
I don't know the man.

1179
00:58:43,120 --> 00:58:44,300
What a different man.

1180
00:58:45,360 --> 00:58:46,880
How can you account for the difference?

1181
00:58:47,860 --> 00:58:48,680
It's accounted for.

1182
00:58:48,760 --> 00:58:49,500
It's right there in the Scripture.

1183
00:58:49,700 --> 00:58:52,060
But Peter filled with the Holy Spirit.

1184
00:58:52,220 --> 00:58:54,760
You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit

1185
00:58:54,760 --> 00:58:57,360
comes upon you, and you will be witnesses

1186
00:58:57,360 --> 00:58:58,680
unto me.

1187
00:58:59,700 --> 00:59:01,840
And here is Peter being a witness unto

1188
00:59:01,840 --> 00:59:04,800
the power of Jesus Christ before the Sanhedrin

1189
00:59:04,800 --> 00:59:09,040
and the whole crew, all of the rulers,

1190
00:59:09,180 --> 00:59:10,260
the elders of Israel.

1191
00:59:10,260 --> 00:59:14,920
And Peter is boldly declaring to them that

1192
00:59:14,920 --> 00:59:17,060
they made a terrible mistake.

1193
00:59:17,640 --> 00:59:20,320
They crucified the Lord of Glory.

1194
00:59:22,020 --> 00:59:25,720
They are the builders, prophesied, who said it

1195
00:59:25,720 --> 00:59:26,080
not.

1196
00:59:26,840 --> 00:59:28,280
The chief cornerstone.

1197
00:59:32,330 --> 00:59:34,290
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter

1198
00:59:34,290 --> 00:59:39,250
and John, and they perceived that they were

1199
00:59:39,250 --> 00:59:40,830
unlearned and ignorant men.

1200
00:59:40,830 --> 00:59:44,870
Now this is the first many times the

1201
00:59:44,870 --> 00:59:47,230
outsiders have a misconception of the Christian.

1202
00:59:47,550 --> 00:59:50,130
And here we find, I think, two or

1203
00:59:50,130 --> 00:59:51,010
three misconceptions.

1204
00:59:52,860 --> 00:59:54,320
They perceived.

1205
00:59:54,920 --> 00:59:56,000
Their perception was wrong.

1206
00:59:56,860 --> 01:00:00,480
But they perceived that they were unlearned and

1207
01:00:00,480 --> 01:00:01,240
ignorant men.

1208
01:00:02,640 --> 01:00:06,280
They did not have their degrees from the

1209
01:00:06,280 --> 01:00:07,120
Hebrew University.

1210
01:00:09,140 --> 01:00:11,560
But they were far from unlearned and ignorant

1211
01:00:11,560 --> 01:00:11,960
men.

1212
01:00:13,590 --> 01:00:16,950
They had had three years of private tutoring

1213
01:00:16,950 --> 01:00:19,510
by the greatest master who ever lived.

1214
01:00:21,670 --> 01:00:24,290
Far from being ignorant and unlearned, they were

1215
01:00:24,290 --> 01:00:26,610
probably the most scholarly of the whole group.

1216
01:00:26,810 --> 01:00:28,930
They knew the Scriptures so well.

1217
01:00:32,640 --> 01:00:35,300
They had such a vast comprehension of the

1218
01:00:35,300 --> 01:00:35,880
Word of God.

1219
01:00:38,000 --> 01:00:40,440
So that was a first misconception.

1220
01:00:41,720 --> 01:00:43,120
But they marveled.

1221
01:00:43,800 --> 01:00:46,020
And they took knowledge of them that they

1222
01:00:46,020 --> 01:00:47,540
had been with Jesus.

1223
01:00:47,540 --> 01:00:48,900
This is the second misconception.

1224
01:00:51,240 --> 01:00:53,620
Because they put their relationship with Jesus in

1225
01:00:53,620 --> 01:00:54,580
the past tense.

1226
01:00:55,840 --> 01:00:57,800
What they didn't know is that Jesus was

1227
01:00:57,800 --> 01:01:00,220
standing right beside them prompting them what to

1228
01:01:00,220 --> 01:01:00,580
say.

1229
01:01:02,300 --> 01:01:04,040
Jesus said, where two or three are gathered

1230
01:01:04,040 --> 01:01:06,120
together in My name, there I am in

1231
01:01:06,120 --> 01:01:07,580
the midst of them.

1232
01:01:09,460 --> 01:01:11,480
Jesus had said, they're going to bring you

1233
01:01:11,480 --> 01:01:12,420
before the councils.

1234
01:01:13,660 --> 01:01:15,700
Don't take any forethought what you're going to

1235
01:01:15,700 --> 01:01:15,880
say.

1236
01:01:15,980 --> 01:01:18,920
But in that hour, the Spirit will give

1237
01:01:18,920 --> 01:01:19,820
you the words to say.

1238
01:01:19,980 --> 01:01:22,040
Jesus said, go into all the world, preach

1239
01:01:22,040 --> 01:01:23,840
the gospel to every creature, and lo, I

1240
01:01:23,840 --> 01:01:25,620
am with you always.

1241
01:01:27,040 --> 01:01:28,980
And to think that they had been with

1242
01:01:28,980 --> 01:01:29,860
Jesus was wrong.

1243
01:01:30,120 --> 01:01:32,320
They were walking with Jesus into the temple

1244
01:01:32,320 --> 01:01:33,960
when they were walking in to pray.

1245
01:01:34,960 --> 01:01:36,880
The presence of the Lord was with them

1246
01:01:36,880 --> 01:01:39,340
throughout their life even as the presence of

1247
01:01:39,340 --> 01:01:41,120
the Lord is with us and He is

1248
01:01:41,120 --> 01:01:43,260
there for us to call upon Him at

1249
01:01:43,260 --> 01:01:45,420
any time when we're in trouble or when

1250
01:01:45,420 --> 01:01:46,300
we need help.

1251
01:01:47,320 --> 01:01:49,560
In the name of Jesus, the power of

1252
01:01:49,560 --> 01:01:53,260
that name is just as effective today as

1253
01:01:53,260 --> 01:01:54,800
it was in that day.

1254
01:01:54,980 --> 01:01:59,220
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and

1255
01:01:59,220 --> 01:01:59,680
forever.

1256
01:02:01,460 --> 01:02:03,920
And so the second misconception that they had

1257
01:02:03,920 --> 01:02:06,420
been with Jesus, they were with Jesus at

1258
01:02:06,420 --> 01:02:07,060
that moment.

1259
01:02:08,340 --> 01:02:09,860
But this I like.

1260
01:02:11,340 --> 01:02:14,260
Beholding the lame man which was healed standing

1261
01:02:14,260 --> 01:02:16,540
with Him, they could say nothing against Him.

1262
01:02:16,560 --> 01:02:17,220
What can you say?

1263
01:02:18,320 --> 01:02:20,160
Here's this guy, his legs are straight, he's

1264
01:02:20,160 --> 01:02:21,360
standing up there and he's smiling.

1265
01:02:23,560 --> 01:02:24,740
And he's standing.

1266
01:02:27,380 --> 01:02:28,480
What can you say?

1267
01:02:29,580 --> 01:02:31,520
You can't say anything against it.

1268
01:02:32,300 --> 01:02:34,220
Here is evidence that you can't deny.

1269
01:02:36,830 --> 01:02:39,090
You can't deny the power of the name

1270
01:02:39,090 --> 01:02:41,130
of Jesus when this guy is standing there

1271
01:02:41,130 --> 01:02:43,610
just smiling so big and you know the

1272
01:02:43,610 --> 01:02:45,010
condition that he was in all of his

1273
01:02:45,010 --> 01:02:45,390
life.

1274
01:02:48,750 --> 01:02:58,560
What the church needs today is more lame

1275
01:02:58,560 --> 01:03:01,300
men standing whole in its midst.

1276
01:03:03,150 --> 01:03:05,790
That's the kind of evidence that cannot be

1277
01:03:05,790 --> 01:03:06,130
denied.

1278
01:03:06,430 --> 01:03:08,010
And thank God for that evidence here.

1279
01:03:10,960 --> 01:03:15,690
So many of you were so lame as

1280
01:03:15,690 --> 01:03:17,470
the result of your sins.

1281
01:03:19,630 --> 01:03:25,750
Messed up with drugs, with alcoholism, with sex,

1282
01:03:25,830 --> 01:03:28,730
and you were living such a lame life

1283
01:03:30,560 --> 01:03:34,900
that having come to Jesus Christ, He washed

1284
01:03:34,900 --> 01:03:37,520
away all of the crud and the filth

1285
01:03:37,520 --> 01:03:40,040
of the past, and now you stand with

1286
01:03:40,040 --> 01:03:41,480
the children of God whole.

1287
01:03:42,040 --> 01:03:43,880
And people who used to know you as

1288
01:03:43,880 --> 01:03:46,000
you were see you as they are now,

1289
01:03:46,100 --> 01:03:48,880
and they can't say anything because of the

1290
01:03:48,880 --> 01:03:51,400
dramatic change that is quite obvious.

1291
01:03:51,480 --> 01:03:52,700
You're standing there whole.

1292
01:03:53,960 --> 01:03:55,080
What can you say?

1293
01:03:55,360 --> 01:03:56,220
It works.

1294
01:03:57,600 --> 01:03:59,040
What can you say against it?

1295
01:03:59,040 --> 01:04:00,880
There's nothing you can say when you see

1296
01:04:00,880 --> 01:04:02,600
the lame standing whole.

1297
01:04:03,000 --> 01:04:05,000
There's nothing that can be said against it.

1298
01:04:06,460 --> 01:04:09,340
That is always the most powerful witness that

1299
01:04:09,340 --> 01:04:10,240
the church can have.

1300
01:04:10,640 --> 01:04:13,600
Lame men standing whole in the midst of

1301
01:04:13,600 --> 01:04:13,840
it.

1302
01:04:14,800 --> 01:04:18,180
And all of us who were so lame

1303
01:04:18,180 --> 01:04:21,360
at one time now made whole through the

1304
01:04:21,360 --> 01:04:22,560
power of Jesus Christ.

1305
01:04:22,660 --> 01:04:23,380
How glorious.

1306
01:04:26,030 --> 01:04:28,150
But when they had commanded them to go

1307
01:04:28,150 --> 01:04:32,610
outside of the council, they conferred among themselves.

1308
01:04:33,590 --> 01:04:36,050
And they said, what shall we do to

1309
01:04:36,050 --> 01:04:36,610
these men?

1310
01:04:38,790 --> 01:04:42,430
For that a notable miracle has been done

1311
01:04:42,430 --> 01:04:44,610
by them is manifest to everyone who dwells

1312
01:04:44,610 --> 01:04:45,010
in Jerusalem.

1313
01:04:45,090 --> 01:04:45,930
We can't deny it.

1314
01:04:45,970 --> 01:04:47,870
We can't say, no, the man isn't walking.

1315
01:04:50,290 --> 01:04:52,310
Everybody in town knows what's happened now.

1316
01:04:52,370 --> 01:04:53,470
We can't deny the miracle.

1317
01:04:53,550 --> 01:04:54,390
What are we going to do?

1318
01:04:55,530 --> 01:04:59,500
What can we do to these fellows to

1319
01:04:59,500 --> 01:05:01,340
keep it from spreading any further?

1320
01:05:02,910 --> 01:05:04,830
And so they said, in order that it

1321
01:05:04,830 --> 01:05:07,510
not spread any further among the people, let

1322
01:05:07,510 --> 01:05:12,430
us strictly threaten them that they speak from

1323
01:05:12,430 --> 01:05:15,910
now on to no man in this name.

1324
01:05:16,430 --> 01:05:18,690
They're not to make mention of this name

1325
01:05:18,690 --> 01:05:19,130
again.

1326
01:05:21,750 --> 01:05:23,570
Now this is the third mistake that they

1327
01:05:23,570 --> 01:05:23,890
made.

1328
01:05:25,470 --> 01:05:28,350
Thinking that by threat they could shut them

1329
01:05:28,350 --> 01:05:28,670
up.

1330
01:05:29,870 --> 01:05:33,870
Could stop their witnessing by threats or by

1331
01:05:33,870 --> 01:05:34,490
beatings.

1332
01:05:34,550 --> 01:05:36,970
That was the third mistake they made.

1333
01:05:37,970 --> 01:05:40,630
But Peter and John answered and said unto

1334
01:05:40,630 --> 01:05:44,250
them, whether it is right in the sight

1335
01:05:44,250 --> 01:05:48,270
of God to hearken unto you more than

1336
01:05:48,270 --> 01:05:51,010
unto God, you're going to have to judge

1337
01:05:51,010 --> 01:05:51,750
for yourselves.

1338
01:05:52,690 --> 01:05:54,170
You know, whether or not you're going to

1339
01:05:54,170 --> 01:05:55,570
listen to God or listen to man, that's

1340
01:05:55,570 --> 01:05:57,090
something you've got to judge for yourself.

1341
01:05:58,210 --> 01:06:04,000
But as for us, we cannot but speak

1342
01:06:04,000 --> 01:06:05,720
the things which we have seen and heard.

1343
01:06:06,820 --> 01:06:08,660
So they threatened them, now don't speak any

1344
01:06:08,660 --> 01:06:09,140
more in this name.

1345
01:06:09,200 --> 01:06:11,760
And he said, hey, whether it's right for

1346
01:06:11,760 --> 01:06:13,700
us in the sight of God to hearken

1347
01:06:13,700 --> 01:06:16,640
to you or to God, you know, whether

1348
01:06:16,640 --> 01:06:17,980
a man should listen to God or man,

1349
01:06:18,060 --> 01:06:19,760
that's something every man is to judge for

1350
01:06:19,760 --> 01:06:19,900
himself.

1351
01:06:19,980 --> 01:06:21,480
But we know for us, we've got to

1352
01:06:21,480 --> 01:06:22,100
listen to God.

1353
01:06:22,180 --> 01:06:23,240
We've got to obey God.

1354
01:06:23,340 --> 01:06:26,060
We must obey God rather than men.

1355
01:06:26,840 --> 01:06:29,880
We cannot but speak the things which we

1356
01:06:29,880 --> 01:06:32,540
have seen and heard.

1357
01:06:36,900 --> 01:06:41,760
There is a time when as a child

1358
01:06:41,760 --> 01:06:47,660
of God, if the laws of the land

1359
01:06:49,600 --> 01:06:54,650
should be at variance with the law of

1360
01:06:54,650 --> 01:07:01,150
God, as a child of God, I must

1361
01:07:01,150 --> 01:07:02,990
hearken to God rather than to man.

1362
01:07:03,990 --> 01:07:07,490
And God's law over my life and God's

1363
01:07:07,490 --> 01:07:09,450
word over my life is supreme.

1364
01:07:12,500 --> 01:07:21,570
I am deeply concerned with the apparent government's

1365
01:07:21,570 --> 01:07:24,730
infringement upon our liberties.

1366
01:07:27,100 --> 01:07:32,120
I am deeply concerned when the government padlocks

1367
01:07:33,560 --> 01:07:44,080
a church in Nebraska because the pastor feels

1368
01:07:44,080 --> 01:07:47,340
a religious conviction not to register his school

1369
01:07:47,340 --> 01:07:48,200
with the state.

1370
01:07:50,880 --> 01:07:51,920
That bothers me.

1371
01:07:53,040 --> 01:07:54,600
You say, well, the pastor was wrong.

1372
01:07:54,880 --> 01:07:55,300
Maybe.

1373
01:07:57,740 --> 01:08:00,340
But yet when the state begins to exercise

1374
01:08:00,340 --> 01:08:05,780
authority and power over a man's genuine religious

1375
01:08:05,780 --> 01:08:11,440
convictions, that is a dangerous trend.

1376
01:08:13,460 --> 01:08:20,290
And I am deeply concerned with that movement

1377
01:08:20,290 --> 01:08:25,290
on foot among the humanist within the government

1378
01:08:25,290 --> 01:08:28,569
to silence the voice of the church.

1379
01:08:29,410 --> 01:08:33,390
The humanist, who so many of them are

1380
01:08:33,390 --> 01:08:40,569
editors in the magazines and newspapers who are

1381
01:08:40,569 --> 01:08:44,830
speaking against the freedom that the church has

1382
01:08:44,830 --> 01:08:50,790
enjoyed from the state's intrusion into its activities.

1383
01:08:53,760 --> 01:08:56,779
A recent editorial in the San Antonio Register

1384
01:08:58,779 --> 01:09:03,020
was aimed against the church's receiving tax-exempt

1385
01:09:03,020 --> 01:09:07,020
status for the properties where the people worship.

1386
01:09:09,380 --> 01:09:14,060
That editorial bothered me because it made an

1387
01:09:14,060 --> 01:09:18,620
assertion that by being tax-exempt, we were

1388
01:09:18,620 --> 01:09:20,979
really being supported by the government.

1389
01:09:23,029 --> 01:09:24,250
That's idiocy.

1390
01:09:31,000 --> 01:09:36,620
The church is doing a tremendous welfare work

1391
01:09:36,620 --> 01:09:38,319
among its people.

1392
01:09:39,160 --> 01:09:42,140
If the church wasn't doing that work, it

1393
01:09:42,140 --> 01:09:44,479
would then become the burden of the government.

1394
01:09:47,020 --> 01:09:49,000
Many of you people were a burden on

1395
01:09:49,000 --> 01:09:51,819
the government until your lives were transformed by

1396
01:09:51,819 --> 01:09:52,740
Jesus Christ.

1397
01:09:55,340 --> 01:09:58,200
The government is making much more off the

1398
01:09:58,200 --> 01:10:01,180
church than it would make in taxes of

1399
01:10:01,180 --> 01:10:02,520
the church's properties.

1400
01:10:03,260 --> 01:10:05,220
Now, I do agree that if a church

1401
01:10:05,220 --> 01:10:08,940
is engaged in businesses or if the church

1402
01:10:08,940 --> 01:10:12,080
has properties that are used for something other

1403
01:10:12,080 --> 01:10:17,160
than the worship of God, that if they

1404
01:10:17,160 --> 01:10:19,120
are used for commercial purposes and all, I

1405
01:10:19,120 --> 01:10:22,000
do agree that these properties should be taxed.

1406
01:10:22,280 --> 01:10:23,720
I think that's only right.

1407
01:10:26,360 --> 01:10:30,840
But to tax the church properties that are

1408
01:10:30,840 --> 01:10:34,500
used completely for that worship of God, I

1409
01:10:34,500 --> 01:10:36,680
feel to be wrong and an infringement.

1410
01:10:38,220 --> 01:10:40,720
And there is that movement on foot today

1411
01:10:40,720 --> 01:10:42,780
to take away all tax exemption from the

1412
01:10:42,780 --> 01:10:45,040
church as far as their properties are concerned.

1413
01:10:45,160 --> 01:10:46,460
I feel that's dangerous.

1414
01:10:49,560 --> 01:10:54,220
And should the day come, if the government

1415
01:10:54,220 --> 01:11:03,290
continues its trend towards this endeavor to control

1416
01:11:03,290 --> 01:11:08,190
the activities of church by government rules and

1417
01:11:08,190 --> 01:11:13,970
regulations, then I'll be singing, Daddy, get your

1418
01:11:13,970 --> 01:11:14,750
baby out of jail.

1419
01:11:16,050 --> 01:11:17,570
Daddy, won't you please go on my bail?

1420
01:11:18,910 --> 01:11:20,530
And I'll be calling Vernon and saying, Hey,

1421
01:11:20,550 --> 01:11:21,290
I need your help.

1422
01:11:28,330 --> 01:11:30,390
Whether it is right in your eyes to

1423
01:11:30,390 --> 01:11:31,570
obey God or man, you're going to have

1424
01:11:31,570 --> 01:11:32,490
to judge for yourself.

1425
01:11:32,490 --> 01:11:37,510
But we cannot but speak the things which

1426
01:11:37,510 --> 01:11:38,370
we have seen and heard.

1427
01:11:39,270 --> 01:11:41,270
There was a time when the prophet Jeremiah

1428
01:11:41,270 --> 01:11:43,030
got upset with God because he was thrown

1429
01:11:43,030 --> 01:11:44,550
in jail for giving God's message.

1430
01:11:44,630 --> 01:11:45,910
God said, go down and give him this

1431
01:11:45,910 --> 01:11:46,210
message.

1432
01:11:46,330 --> 01:11:47,210
He went down and gave him the message

1433
01:11:47,210 --> 01:11:48,090
and they threw him in jail.

1434
01:11:49,390 --> 01:11:51,790
And he said, that's some way for you

1435
01:11:51,790 --> 01:11:52,530
to treat your servant.

1436
01:11:52,610 --> 01:11:53,450
I go down and do what you tell

1437
01:11:53,450 --> 01:11:53,730
me to do.

1438
01:11:53,870 --> 01:11:55,170
And now you let them throw me in

1439
01:11:55,170 --> 01:11:55,350
jail.

1440
01:11:55,450 --> 01:11:55,890
I'm through.

1441
01:11:56,030 --> 01:11:56,510
I resign.

1442
01:11:56,610 --> 01:11:57,190
Here's my resignation.

1443
01:11:57,670 --> 01:11:59,170
I'm not going to speak any more in

1444
01:11:59,170 --> 01:11:59,670
your name.

1445
01:12:00,470 --> 01:12:01,450
I've had it.

1446
01:12:02,750 --> 01:12:04,590
And then he said, But the word of

1447
01:12:04,590 --> 01:12:06,530
God was in my bones like a burning

1448
01:12:06,530 --> 01:12:08,730
fire and I could not but speak.

1449
01:12:09,470 --> 01:12:10,610
That's what Peter is saying.

1450
01:12:10,670 --> 01:12:12,450
Hey, it's something that's burning in me.

1451
01:12:12,530 --> 01:12:17,370
I can't stop speaking the things which I

1452
01:12:17,370 --> 01:12:19,470
have seen and the things which I have

1453
01:12:19,470 --> 01:12:19,770
heard.

1454
01:12:23,290 --> 01:12:25,390
And so when they had further threatened them,

1455
01:12:25,430 --> 01:12:28,270
they let them go, finding nothing how they

1456
01:12:28,270 --> 01:12:29,970
might punish them because of the people.

1457
01:12:29,970 --> 01:12:32,690
For all of the people were glorifying God

1458
01:12:32,690 --> 01:12:33,730
for that which was done.

1459
01:12:33,850 --> 01:12:34,910
Oh, isn't that interesting?

1460
01:12:36,070 --> 01:12:37,790
All the people were glorifying who?

1461
01:12:38,450 --> 01:12:39,690
Not Peter, not John.

1462
01:12:40,450 --> 01:12:42,230
They were all glorifying God.

1463
01:12:42,570 --> 01:12:44,490
Let your light so shine before men that

1464
01:12:44,490 --> 01:12:45,890
when they see your good works, they will

1465
01:12:45,890 --> 01:12:48,230
glorify your father, which is in heaven.

1466
01:12:49,350 --> 01:12:50,950
You know, you can do your work so

1467
01:12:50,950 --> 01:12:53,190
that men are glorifying you.

1468
01:12:53,290 --> 01:12:54,330
Draw attention to yourself.

1469
01:12:55,370 --> 01:12:57,970
But all the people were glorifying God for

1470
01:12:57,970 --> 01:12:58,510
what was done.

1471
01:12:58,510 --> 01:13:01,030
For the man was over 40 years old

1472
01:13:01,030 --> 01:13:03,750
on whom the miracle of healing was showed.

1473
01:13:04,290 --> 01:13:07,310
And so being let go, they went to

1474
01:13:07,310 --> 01:13:08,250
their own company.

1475
01:13:09,150 --> 01:13:12,090
Now they've been in this hostile environment and

1476
01:13:12,090 --> 01:13:14,410
so they retreat to that friendly environment of

1477
01:13:14,410 --> 01:13:15,650
their own company, the church.

1478
01:13:16,970 --> 01:13:19,110
And they reported to them what the chief

1479
01:13:19,110 --> 01:13:20,950
priests and elders had said unto them.

1480
01:13:21,930 --> 01:13:23,790
And when they heard that, that is the

1481
01:13:23,790 --> 01:13:25,710
church, they lifted up their voice to God

1482
01:13:25,710 --> 01:13:27,790
with one accord and they said, and notice

1483
01:13:27,790 --> 01:13:28,570
now their prayer.

1484
01:13:28,910 --> 01:13:31,470
And this, to me, is a excellent model

1485
01:13:31,470 --> 01:13:32,170
for prayer.

1486
01:13:35,490 --> 01:13:38,950
I think that a excellent study for a

1487
01:13:38,950 --> 01:13:41,410
person to make is to study the prayers

1488
01:13:41,410 --> 01:13:42,030
in the Bible.

1489
01:13:42,670 --> 01:13:44,550
I think you'll find them extremely fascinating.

1490
01:13:44,750 --> 01:13:45,370
Study the form.

1491
01:13:45,930 --> 01:13:46,610
Study the patterns.

1492
01:13:47,750 --> 01:13:52,410
In this prayer, they begin, Lord, thou art

1493
01:13:52,410 --> 01:13:55,830
God, which has made the heaven and the

1494
01:13:55,830 --> 01:13:58,930
earth and the sea and everything that is

1495
01:13:58,930 --> 01:13:59,350
in them.

1496
01:14:01,500 --> 01:14:03,380
First of all, the recognition of the one

1497
01:14:03,380 --> 01:14:04,380
that they were praying to.

1498
01:14:05,760 --> 01:14:08,420
Hey, Lord, you're over all.

1499
01:14:08,800 --> 01:14:09,840
You made everything.

1500
01:14:11,720 --> 01:14:13,860
So many times I think that when we

1501
01:14:13,860 --> 01:14:15,780
go to God, we're not aware of the

1502
01:14:15,780 --> 01:14:17,800
greatness and the vastness of God.

1503
01:14:17,880 --> 01:14:19,580
We're too aware of our problem.

1504
01:14:21,710 --> 01:14:23,310
And we rush right in and our problem

1505
01:14:23,310 --> 01:14:24,470
is so large and so big.

1506
01:14:24,490 --> 01:14:25,610
Oh, God, I don't know what we're going

1507
01:14:25,610 --> 01:14:26,070
to do.

1508
01:14:27,050 --> 01:14:28,570
We're about to go down, God.

1509
01:14:28,590 --> 01:14:29,870
We're about to go under, Lord.

1510
01:14:29,870 --> 01:14:31,390
Because my eyes are on my problem.

1511
01:14:31,690 --> 01:14:32,790
And I've lost the perspective.

1512
01:14:33,390 --> 01:14:34,830
I don't see the vastness of God.

1513
01:14:36,190 --> 01:14:38,470
The first thing in prayer is to take

1514
01:14:38,470 --> 01:14:41,830
some time and just meditation in the vastness

1515
01:14:41,830 --> 01:14:43,610
of the God that you are talking to.

1516
01:14:44,110 --> 01:14:48,290
Imagine, I am sitting down to talk with

1517
01:14:48,290 --> 01:14:50,130
the creator of the universe.

1518
01:14:52,810 --> 01:14:57,450
Thou has created the heavens, the earth, everything

1519
01:14:57,450 --> 01:14:58,190
that is in them.

1520
01:15:00,420 --> 01:15:02,240
And if I will start off with that

1521
01:15:02,240 --> 01:15:06,600
quiet consciousness of the greatness and the vastness

1522
01:15:06,600 --> 01:15:09,220
of God, I'll find that my prayers don't

1523
01:15:09,220 --> 01:15:11,480
take on that desperate ring so much.

1524
01:15:13,750 --> 01:15:15,570
I only get desperate when I lose sight

1525
01:15:15,570 --> 01:15:16,110
of God.

1526
01:15:17,310 --> 01:15:20,090
When my problems seem so large that they

1527
01:15:20,090 --> 01:15:22,550
block my vision of God.

1528
01:15:23,430 --> 01:15:24,870
Because I've lost perspective.

1529
01:15:26,490 --> 01:15:28,430
And so, it's a good way to begin

1530
01:15:28,430 --> 01:15:32,070
your prayer very slowly, remembering who it is

1531
01:15:32,070 --> 01:15:32,870
you're talking to.

1532
01:15:32,870 --> 01:15:35,090
Oh Lord, Thou art God.

1533
01:15:35,250 --> 01:15:38,270
You've created the heaven and the earth and

1534
01:15:38,270 --> 01:15:39,650
everything that is in them.

1535
01:15:40,970 --> 01:15:44,050
The second thing, still in recognition of God.

1536
01:15:45,290 --> 01:15:48,290
Who by the mouth of Your servant David

1537
01:15:48,290 --> 01:15:52,430
has said, Why did the heathen rage and

1538
01:15:52,430 --> 01:15:54,710
the people imagine vain things?

1539
01:15:55,570 --> 01:15:57,290
The kings of the earth stood up and

1540
01:15:57,290 --> 01:16:00,130
the rulers were gathered together against the Lord

1541
01:16:00,130 --> 01:16:01,910
and against His Messiah.

1542
01:16:03,050 --> 01:16:06,190
For of a truth against Your holy child

1543
01:16:06,190 --> 01:16:09,550
Jesus, whom You have anointed, both Herod and

1544
01:16:09,550 --> 01:16:12,250
Pontius Pilate and the Gentiles and the people

1545
01:16:12,250 --> 01:16:14,050
of Israel were gathered together.

1546
01:16:14,570 --> 01:16:17,770
Lord, You know everything that is happening.

1547
01:16:20,270 --> 01:16:22,430
These things didn't take You by surprise.

1548
01:16:23,570 --> 01:16:26,050
You spoke about these things before they took

1549
01:16:26,050 --> 01:16:26,290
place.

1550
01:16:26,570 --> 01:16:29,190
Lord, You're perfectly aware of all of the

1551
01:16:29,190 --> 01:16:32,010
circumstances that surround my life.

1552
01:16:33,570 --> 01:16:35,670
That to me is comforting to know.

1553
01:16:37,030 --> 01:16:43,770
God, who is my heavenly Father, created the

1554
01:16:43,770 --> 01:16:49,350
universe and He is completely aware of all

1555
01:16:49,350 --> 01:16:52,530
of those circumstances that I face and that

1556
01:16:52,530 --> 01:16:53,550
surround my life.

1557
01:16:54,890 --> 01:16:57,710
He has spoken in advance of these things.

1558
01:16:57,830 --> 01:17:00,750
Lord, this has not caught You by surprise.

1559
01:17:01,990 --> 01:17:04,150
You spoke of these things by Your mouth

1560
01:17:04,150 --> 01:17:07,470
of David and just as You said, it

1561
01:17:07,470 --> 01:17:07,890
has happened.

1562
01:17:08,270 --> 01:17:12,350
For they have gathered together to do whatever

1563
01:17:12,350 --> 01:17:15,610
Your hand and Your counsel determined before to

1564
01:17:15,610 --> 01:17:16,010
be done.

1565
01:17:16,170 --> 01:17:17,590
God, You're in control.

1566
01:17:19,130 --> 01:17:21,350
You are the one that determined these things

1567
01:17:21,350 --> 01:17:22,110
that were to be done.

1568
01:17:22,630 --> 01:17:24,070
You were in control.

1569
01:17:24,410 --> 01:17:28,410
And that is again a glorious, comforting thought.

1570
01:17:28,410 --> 01:17:30,990
God is in control of my life.

1571
01:17:31,390 --> 01:17:34,070
God is in control of the circumstances that

1572
01:17:34,070 --> 01:17:35,430
surround my life.

1573
01:17:36,330 --> 01:17:38,550
We panic because we think that it's out

1574
01:17:38,550 --> 01:17:39,230
of control.

1575
01:17:40,150 --> 01:17:41,230
Not so.

1576
01:17:41,810 --> 01:17:46,350
God is in control of those circumstances surrounding

1577
01:17:46,350 --> 01:17:47,410
your life tonight.

1578
01:17:49,800 --> 01:17:51,300
And now, Lord...

1579
01:17:53,380 --> 01:17:56,020
Notice, they didn't jump right into their request.

1580
01:17:56,800 --> 01:18:01,280
They spent a little time in their prayer

1581
01:18:03,970 --> 01:18:07,770
just assuring their hearts as they spoke of

1582
01:18:07,770 --> 01:18:11,570
God, His greatness, His power, His wisdom, His

1583
01:18:11,570 --> 01:18:12,010
sovereignty.

1584
01:18:12,850 --> 01:18:14,830
And now, Lord, we get to the request.

1585
01:18:15,950 --> 01:18:17,830
Behold their threatenings.

1586
01:18:19,290 --> 01:18:21,370
Look at the way they just threatened us.

1587
01:18:22,730 --> 01:18:25,750
And grant unto Thy servants that with all

1588
01:18:25,750 --> 01:18:27,910
boldness we may speak Your Word.

1589
01:18:28,010 --> 01:18:29,570
Now, they've just been told not to speak

1590
01:18:29,570 --> 01:18:29,990
anymore.

1591
01:18:30,870 --> 01:18:32,230
We're going to really get you if you

1592
01:18:32,230 --> 01:18:33,230
speak again in His name.

1593
01:18:33,530 --> 01:18:34,610
And what are they praying for?

1594
01:18:34,910 --> 01:18:37,270
Power to do exactly what they were warned

1595
01:18:37,270 --> 01:18:37,970
not to do.

1596
01:18:39,390 --> 01:18:41,770
Don't let us shut up just because of

1597
01:18:41,770 --> 01:18:42,610
their threats, Lord.

1598
01:18:42,670 --> 01:18:44,670
Don't let us be cowed by their threats.

1599
01:18:46,370 --> 01:18:48,510
Don't let us keep quiet just because we've

1600
01:18:48,510 --> 01:18:49,770
been threatened on this.

1601
01:18:50,890 --> 01:18:54,130
But give us all boldness that we might

1602
01:18:54,130 --> 01:18:58,010
speak Your Word by stretching forth Your hand

1603
01:18:58,010 --> 01:19:02,310
to heal, and that signs and wonders may

1604
01:19:02,310 --> 01:19:05,870
be done by the name of Thy holy

1605
01:19:05,870 --> 01:19:07,070
child, Jesus.

1606
01:19:08,490 --> 01:19:11,170
And when they had prayed, the place was

1607
01:19:11,170 --> 01:19:13,670
shaken where they were assembled together, and they

1608
01:19:13,670 --> 01:19:16,190
were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and

1609
01:19:16,190 --> 01:19:18,650
they spake the Word of God with boldness.

1610
01:19:18,770 --> 01:19:19,830
Quick answer to prayer.

1611
01:19:20,690 --> 01:19:23,750
The place was shaken, and they spoke the

1612
01:19:23,750 --> 01:19:24,510
Word with boldness.

1613
01:19:25,470 --> 01:19:27,070
Years ago when I was in Bible college,

1614
01:19:27,130 --> 01:19:30,890
I'd been studying this particular verse, and I

1615
01:19:30,890 --> 01:19:31,970
was impressed by it.

1616
01:19:32,490 --> 01:19:33,730
The power of prayer.

1617
01:19:35,430 --> 01:19:37,810
That the place was shaken where they were

1618
01:19:37,810 --> 01:19:38,530
praying.

1619
01:19:38,970 --> 01:19:39,870
My, that's marvelous.

1620
01:19:39,990 --> 01:19:41,970
I underlined it, and I spent the evening

1621
01:19:41,970 --> 01:19:44,090
meditating on that, just thinking of the tremendous

1622
01:19:44,090 --> 01:19:45,490
power of these fellows' prayer.

1623
01:19:47,900 --> 01:19:49,040
So it happened at that time I was

1624
01:19:49,040 --> 01:19:50,860
a student body at the college, a student

1625
01:19:50,860 --> 01:19:53,760
body president at the college, and it was

1626
01:19:53,760 --> 01:19:58,520
my duty to have charge of the morning

1627
01:19:58,520 --> 01:20:00,880
prayer meeting, and to close the morning prayer

1628
01:20:00,880 --> 01:20:02,560
meeting and send the students to class.

1629
01:20:04,120 --> 01:20:06,720
And there was a pulpit somewhat like this.

1630
01:20:09,110 --> 01:20:12,090
And so as I called the students for

1631
01:20:12,090 --> 01:20:13,950
the final prayer before we went to class

1632
01:20:13,950 --> 01:20:17,150
and was leading them in prayer, suddenly I

1633
01:20:17,150 --> 01:20:19,090
felt the pulpit beginning to rock like this.

1634
01:20:21,720 --> 01:20:24,960
And my first impression was is someone getting

1635
01:20:24,960 --> 01:20:26,580
blessed on the other side, you know?

1636
01:20:26,860 --> 01:20:30,620
And I sort of peeked over the top

1637
01:20:30,620 --> 01:20:32,200
to see if there was someone pushing the

1638
01:20:32,200 --> 01:20:33,480
pulpit from the other side, and there was

1639
01:20:33,480 --> 01:20:33,960
no one there.

1640
01:20:34,560 --> 01:20:36,820
And then peripherally I saw that everybody was

1641
01:20:36,820 --> 01:20:39,640
looking around wide-eyed, and the whole place

1642
01:20:39,640 --> 01:20:40,180
was shaking.

1643
01:20:41,760 --> 01:20:42,160
Earthquake.

1644
01:20:45,010 --> 01:20:47,470
And I thought, my, what an interesting coincidence.

1645
01:20:47,670 --> 01:20:49,230
Right after I'd studied this the night before,

1646
01:20:49,510 --> 01:20:50,950
probably the Spirit brought it to my attention

1647
01:20:50,950 --> 01:20:53,030
just to prepare me so I didn't panic

1648
01:20:53,030 --> 01:20:54,730
in an earthquake.

1649
01:20:56,110 --> 01:20:58,490
But it was quite an interesting experience where

1650
01:20:58,490 --> 01:21:00,210
as I prayed, the place was shaking.

1651
01:21:04,300 --> 01:21:05,780
Now, I don't think it was the power

1652
01:21:05,780 --> 01:21:06,540
of my prayer at all.

1653
01:21:06,840 --> 01:21:09,080
But it's just one of those interesting coincidences.

1654
01:21:11,940 --> 01:21:13,980
And if you live in California very long,

1655
01:21:14,040 --> 01:21:16,480
you're apt to have one of those earth

1656
01:21:16,480 --> 01:21:17,420
-shaking experiences.

1657
01:21:19,880 --> 01:21:24,120
Now, the multitude of them that believed were

1658
01:21:24,120 --> 01:21:27,660
of one heart, of one soul, one mind.

1659
01:21:29,120 --> 01:21:31,760
Neither did any of them say that the

1660
01:21:31,760 --> 01:21:35,280
things that they owned were their own, but

1661
01:21:35,280 --> 01:21:36,420
they shared everything.

1662
01:21:37,620 --> 01:21:41,400
And with great power, the apostles gave witness

1663
01:21:41,400 --> 01:21:44,560
of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

1664
01:21:45,480 --> 01:21:46,540
With great power.

1665
01:21:46,600 --> 01:21:48,320
That is, through the signs and the wonders

1666
01:21:48,320 --> 01:21:49,500
and the healings and all.

1667
01:21:49,900 --> 01:21:55,920
They gave witness of the resurrection of the

1668
01:21:55,920 --> 01:21:56,560
Lord Jesus.

1669
01:21:56,560 --> 01:22:01,600
And great grace was upon them all.

1670
01:22:02,140 --> 01:22:04,020
God's glorious grace.

1671
01:22:06,440 --> 01:22:10,280
Yet, in view of this verse, the beginning

1672
01:22:10,280 --> 01:22:12,300
of our next chapter is quite interesting.

1673
01:22:14,600 --> 01:22:16,780
For though great grace was upon them all,

1674
01:22:16,900 --> 01:22:24,500
yet there was that powerful, righteous judgment of

1675
01:22:24,500 --> 01:22:26,040
God in their midst also.

1676
01:22:26,480 --> 01:22:28,640
As does testify the case of Ananias and

1677
01:22:28,640 --> 01:22:30,140
Sapphira, which we'll get into the first thing

1678
01:22:30,140 --> 01:22:30,640
next week.

1679
01:22:31,460 --> 01:22:33,660
But great grace was upon them all.

1680
01:22:34,560 --> 01:22:36,940
Neither was there any among them who lacked.

1681
01:22:37,520 --> 01:22:39,700
For as many as were possessors of lands

1682
01:22:39,700 --> 01:22:41,500
or houses sold them and brought in the

1683
01:22:41,500 --> 01:22:43,960
prices of the things that were sold, and

1684
01:22:43,960 --> 01:22:46,000
they laid them down at the apostles' feet.

1685
01:22:46,860 --> 01:22:49,300
And distribution was made to every man according

1686
01:22:49,300 --> 01:22:50,700
to as he had need.

1687
01:22:51,740 --> 01:22:54,660
And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed

1688
01:22:54,660 --> 01:22:57,760
Barnabas, which is being interpreted as the son

1689
01:22:57,760 --> 01:22:58,660
of consolation.

1690
01:22:58,840 --> 01:22:59,800
Beautiful name, Barnabas.

1691
01:23:00,200 --> 01:23:02,100
No doubt because of his characteristics and that

1692
01:23:02,100 --> 01:23:04,480
it's borne out as we continue in the

1693
01:23:04,480 --> 01:23:05,700
book of Acts and we read more about

1694
01:23:05,700 --> 01:23:06,200
Barnabas.

1695
01:23:06,500 --> 01:23:08,000
He was the son of consolation.

1696
01:23:08,120 --> 01:23:09,500
He was just a great mediator.

1697
01:23:12,330 --> 01:23:14,150
A Levite, that is, he was of the

1698
01:23:14,150 --> 01:23:16,630
tribe of the priest, and of the country

1699
01:23:16,630 --> 01:23:17,610
of Cyprus.

1700
01:23:19,170 --> 01:23:21,130
Having land, he sold it and brought the

1701
01:23:21,130 --> 01:23:23,010
money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

1702
01:23:24,650 --> 01:23:27,210
Now, in a sense, this was an attempt

1703
01:23:27,210 --> 01:23:29,270
in the early church for a form of

1704
01:23:29,270 --> 01:23:29,950
communism.

1705
01:23:32,030 --> 01:23:36,170
That is, a sharing together of their assets.

1706
01:23:38,560 --> 01:23:44,840
Seeking to sort of divide among themselves the

1707
01:23:44,840 --> 01:23:46,300
assets of the entire body.

1708
01:23:48,700 --> 01:23:50,660
It should be noted that it was a

1709
01:23:50,660 --> 01:23:51,100
failure.

1710
01:23:54,080 --> 01:23:56,920
That in time, the early church in Jerusalem

1711
01:23:56,920 --> 01:24:01,360
became broke and destitute.

1712
01:24:02,660 --> 01:24:06,720
And Paul the Apostle went among the Gentile

1713
01:24:06,720 --> 01:24:09,880
churches taking up an offering for the poor

1714
01:24:09,880 --> 01:24:11,100
brethren in Jerusalem.

1715
01:24:14,770 --> 01:24:17,650
And then Paul later writes about the work

1716
01:24:17,650 --> 01:24:18,090
ethic.

1717
01:24:18,230 --> 01:24:20,110
If a man doesn't work, he shouldn't eat.

1718
01:24:20,290 --> 01:24:21,890
There are some among you who are acting

1719
01:24:21,890 --> 01:24:22,510
disorderly.

1720
01:24:22,610 --> 01:24:23,650
They're not working.

1721
01:24:23,770 --> 01:24:25,130
They're trying to live off the body.

1722
01:24:26,010 --> 01:24:26,590
Parasites.

1723
01:24:27,950 --> 01:24:29,170
Don't support them.

1724
01:24:30,030 --> 01:24:32,530
If they don't work, then don't feed them.

1725
01:24:33,390 --> 01:24:35,990
Let every man work, laboring with his own

1726
01:24:35,990 --> 01:24:38,430
hands in order that he might provide those

1727
01:24:38,430 --> 01:24:40,250
things which are honest.

1728
01:24:41,130 --> 01:24:46,210
So, this was a move that was motivated

1729
01:24:46,210 --> 01:24:47,090
by love.

1730
01:24:48,590 --> 01:24:50,230
It was very commendable.

1731
01:24:51,890 --> 01:24:53,890
And I don't fault them for what they

1732
01:24:53,890 --> 01:24:54,190
were doing.

1733
01:24:54,310 --> 01:24:57,110
I think it was a marvelous, commendable, beautiful

1734
01:24:57,110 --> 01:24:58,150
thing that was happening.

1735
01:24:59,570 --> 01:25:04,250
As they sought for equality among the brethren.

1736
01:25:07,140 --> 01:25:08,900
But unfortunately, it didn't work.

1737
01:25:10,300 --> 01:25:12,260
And it ended up disastrously.

1738
01:25:13,440 --> 01:25:15,180
Though the motive behind it was right and

1739
01:25:15,180 --> 01:25:15,380
all.

1740
01:25:15,840 --> 01:25:21,560
Yet, God has declared that man shall earn

1741
01:25:21,560 --> 01:25:23,300
his bread by the sweat of his brow.

1742
01:25:23,780 --> 01:25:26,780
And we can't just, you know, say, well,

1743
01:25:26,800 --> 01:25:27,660
we're not going to work anymore.

1744
01:25:27,780 --> 01:25:28,820
We're just going to serve the Lord and

1745
01:25:28,820 --> 01:25:29,700
get holy and righteous.

1746
01:25:29,700 --> 01:25:32,120
And God is going to take care of

1747
01:25:32,120 --> 01:25:32,360
us.

1748
01:25:33,060 --> 01:25:34,240
And God will feed us.

1749
01:25:34,720 --> 01:25:35,700
God will provide for us.

1750
01:25:35,760 --> 01:25:36,480
We don't have to work.

1751
01:25:36,580 --> 01:25:38,180
We can just trust in God after all.

1752
01:25:38,740 --> 01:25:40,400
Our Father feeds the birds and He'll feed

1753
01:25:40,400 --> 01:25:40,720
us.

1754
01:25:43,020 --> 01:25:45,440
No, the Bible doesn't teach that kind of

1755
01:25:45,440 --> 01:25:46,480
haphazard living.

1756
01:25:48,140 --> 01:25:49,840
Jesus said, occupy till I come.

1757
01:25:51,060 --> 01:25:53,600
Let every man work, laboring with his own

1758
01:25:53,600 --> 01:25:54,000
hands.

1759
01:25:54,740 --> 01:25:57,340
So, it was beautiful.

1760
01:25:58,140 --> 01:25:59,540
The motivation was correct.

1761
01:26:00,080 --> 01:26:02,100
A glorious thing that they endeavored to do.

1762
01:26:02,260 --> 01:26:03,660
It did have its problems, as we will

1763
01:26:03,660 --> 01:26:05,640
find out next week, with Ananias and Sapphira.

1764
01:26:07,080 --> 01:26:12,900
But yet, in spite of that, I look

1765
01:26:12,900 --> 01:26:15,740
at the motive of the people's hearts and

1766
01:26:15,740 --> 01:26:17,420
I say, hey, that's neat.

1767
01:26:17,600 --> 01:26:18,260
I love it.

1768
01:26:19,740 --> 01:26:21,520
Certainly, their hearts were right in this thing.

1769
01:26:23,530 --> 01:26:24,090
So, we stand.

1770
01:26:31,650 --> 01:26:33,210
Now, may the Lord be with you and

1771
01:26:33,210 --> 01:26:34,870
watch over and keep you in His love.

1772
01:26:38,430 --> 01:26:41,850
And may you have that Word of God

1773
01:26:41,850 --> 01:26:46,060
so burning in your heart that you with

1774
01:26:46,060 --> 01:26:49,060
the Apostles cannot but speak the things which

1775
01:26:49,060 --> 01:26:49,940
you have seen and heard.

1776
01:26:50,820 --> 01:26:52,280
That's the true kind of a witness.

1777
01:26:52,460 --> 01:26:53,520
Hey, that's just my life.

1778
01:26:54,600 --> 01:26:55,900
It's not something I do.

1779
01:26:56,000 --> 01:26:56,920
It's something I am.

1780
01:26:58,480 --> 01:27:00,620
Witnessing for Jesus is the most natural thing

1781
01:27:00,620 --> 01:27:00,960
in the world.

1782
01:27:01,060 --> 01:27:02,080
It isn't programmed.

1783
01:27:04,000 --> 01:27:07,420
It isn't a little packed formula that I

1784
01:27:07,420 --> 01:27:08,660
have learned.

1785
01:27:09,940 --> 01:27:11,420
It's just something I am.

1786
01:27:12,220 --> 01:27:14,720
I cannot but speak the things which I

1787
01:27:14,720 --> 01:27:15,560
have seen and heard.

1788
01:27:16,620 --> 01:27:19,420
May you just bear witness of His love

1789
01:27:20,120 --> 01:27:21,300
and of His grace.

1790
01:27:22,160 --> 01:27:23,640
So, the Lord be with you.

1791
01:27:23,720 --> 01:27:24,560
Give you a beautiful week.

1792
01:27:25,180 --> 01:27:28,220
Look forward to that opportunity that God grants

1793
01:27:28,220 --> 01:27:29,920
to us to gather together again in the

1794
01:27:29,920 --> 01:27:32,380
name of Jesus and just study His Word

1795
01:27:32,380 --> 01:27:34,880
and learn of Him and grow together in

1796
01:27:34,880 --> 01:27:36,720
our love for Him and with each other.

1797
01:27:37,240 --> 01:27:38,460
In Jesus' name.