1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:04,040 Hey everybody, this is Pastor John Ewart from Inglewood 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:05,920 Baptist Church in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,119 Thank you so much for tuning in to our podcast. 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,320 You're going to hear from God today as we share from his word 5 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,080 about important issues facing your life that can guide you 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:21,400 according to the Bible. Well, what a special morning, 7 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:25,200 Amen. Celebrating decisions for 8 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:30,680 Christ, life decisions, decisions about church life. 9 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:35,880 That's what our passage is going to be about this morning too. 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,480 In fact, I'm just going to be dovetailing off the challenge 11 00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:44,320 that Dylan has shared with these graduates and families. 12 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,880 Take your Bibles and turn to Acts chapter 4, if you will, and 13 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:53,360 I'll catch up to you there. We're so thankful for these 14 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:57,760 families and for the decisions of commitment and obedience that 15 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,800 you've witnessed this morning. Maybe you're here this morning. 16 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,440 You need to make a similar type commitment. 17 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,280 We would more than welcome the opportunity to visit with you 18 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,240 about that. And I also just want to thank 19 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:13,560 you for your prayers during our transition. 20 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:16,800 We have to be out of our house in Roseville tomorrow. 21 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:21,960 And so the movers came yesterday and moves most of it out. 22 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:27,400 We're staying graciously out on the Manning farm near MO Meyer 23 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,320 for a few weeks. Teresa's going to be cleaning 24 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:31,920 the house tomorrow. If you want to help Teresa 25 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:33,800 clean, you can talk to her after the service. 26 00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:37,360 I'll be over there today trying to fix a few things. 27 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,720 Also, Teresa's going to be one of the speakers at the Women's 28 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,160 Gathering on June 12th. I'm plugging it because she's 29 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:47,640 sitting right here. So no, actually, I'm extremely 30 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:49,360 biased. You would be blessed, ladies, if 31 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,720 you would come to that experience together. 32 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:56,640 She's a great speaker. But I do want to say, first of 33 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,200 all, it's what a special day. Congratulations to everybody. 34 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:03,880 And the message that I have this morning really is, I think in 35 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:06,680 tune with the graduates, but also for all of us. 36 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,840 We all are going to face certain decisions and challenges in 37 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:12,760 life. So thank you for being here so 38 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:14,880 much. God really does have a special 39 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,920 plan for each one of us that we're only going to be able to 40 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:21,760 accomplish if we completely trust in him, rely upon him. 41 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,200 And that's what this passage is going to help us do today. 42 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,800 Passage is a little apologetic even on how to deal with the 43 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,760 world in which we live. And, and that's what I pray for 44 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:32,920 all of us. I pray that in the end that in 45 00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:37,080 the end, the only way to explain what happened here at Inglewood, 46 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,680 the only way to explain what happened in your life is that 47 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,760 God stepped in and did something supernaturally miraculous. 48 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:44,640 We want to give him all the glory. 49 00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:47,800 We want to give him all the credit for all that he's doing. 50 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,280 Appreciate the folks being baptized this week. 51 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,200 We got more people being baptized next week. 52 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,200 God's just continuing to bless that, and I thank him for that. 53 00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:58,480 And today's passage really does help us. 54 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:00,520 Today's passage has a surprise ending. 55 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,480 It has a surprise ending that might not seem like it's where 56 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,480 it's going to go, but in the beginning it seems like it. 57 00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:10,560 It's also a huge obstacle. It's kind of like thinking about 58 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:14,480 graduating as a senior when you're still a freshman and yet 59 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:16,880 here you are in cap and gown, you know? 60 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,640 So but we all face new challenges. 61 00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:22,760 We all face decisions, We all face opportunities. 62 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,080 And they're going to be some new obstacles to overcome in life. 63 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:30,040 So don't be shocked when life throws you a curveball. 64 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,440 Don't be shocked when life throws you surprises. 65 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,800 We have an enemy who will make sure those things occur. 66 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,120 We also have a God is going to teach us through those things. 67 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,720 Years ago, I was in Kenya helping to plant a church up in 68 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,640 the tea and coffee mountains of the Thika area of Kenya. 69 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,160 And we took a couple of days off to go see some of the animals 70 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,040 there on the Masa Mara or the Serengeti, depending on which 71 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:53,840 side of the border with Tanzania you're on. 72 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:58,160 And we were there at a little lodge for a couple of days and, 73 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:01,760 and, and we, I woke up that that morning I heard screams coming 74 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,800 from the room next door, women screaming in the room next door. 75 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,440 So I, I, I, I hop out of the room and along with a friend of 76 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,200 mine and we're rushing to see if we can be of some service 77 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:13,560 because I mean, blood curdling screams going on. 78 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,760 And they, they point into the bathroom and say we go in the 79 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,240 bathroom and they're curled around the bottom of a toilet 80 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:24,080 was a black mamba. And we call those 10 steppers in 81 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:25,920 Africa. You know, you got about 10 steps 82 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:27,760 before you're going to drop if they bite you. 83 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,000 And that's not the kind of surprise I want in the morning. 84 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:36,880 I don't know about you, but but how do we successfully navigate 85 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:41,480 the surprises and curveballs of this thing called life? 86 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:46,120 How do I make the right choices? How do I stand firm in my faith? 87 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,520 How do I do those sees the challenges that Pastor Dylan was 88 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,560 sharing with these families? How do we pull that off right? 89 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,160 How do we do that? How do I grow as a disciple? 90 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,520 How do I overcome the challenges to my discipleship? 91 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,000 Well, today's passage is going to help us because what is it 92 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:06,320 really asking us is how do I come and join the King's 93 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,360 mission? How do I, how do I serve and 94 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:11,240 follow him to do what he wants us to do? 95 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,880 And this is what our series is about in these first 13 chapters 96 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,640 of the book of Acts. So our passage today has a bunch 97 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,680 of twists and turns. Yet through them all, we're 98 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:24,040 going to be reminded very clearly that we must speak of 99 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,760 what we have seen and heard. Now Acts 4 is simply a 100 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,320 continuation of Acts 3. Isn't that amazing? 101 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,720 Isn't that miraculous? It's the last week we studied 102 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:39,960 about a lame man who was healed at the temple by the power of 103 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,520 Christ through Peter and John. The people are amazed. 104 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,400 The people gather in a large crowd and Peter explains the 105 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,800 gospel to them. And then in chapter 4, verse one 106 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,720 see what happens. And as they were speaking to the 107 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:56,160 people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the 108 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:00,600 Sadducees came upon them greatly annoyed because they were 109 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,840 teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the 110 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:06,080 resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put 111 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:09,600 them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 112 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,800 But many of those who had heard the word believed. 113 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,520 And the number of the men came to about 5000. 114 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:19,120 I don't miss this. At Pentecost we have 3000 saved. 115 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:21,760 Now we have thousands more. You got to understand how large 116 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:26,280 this new instant mega church is becoming in a very short amount 117 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:29,120 of time. So remember, for us, as we 118 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:33,040 continue this journey called the Christian life, continue this 119 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,680 journey as a church where you're graduating from school, whether 120 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,760 you're a brand new member or whether you've been here for 121 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,520 years, how do we navigate the twists and turns of life? 122 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:48,520 And remember that in this world, they're going to be moments when 123 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,840 your faith will face resistance. And that's the first thing we 124 00:06:52,840 --> 00:06:54,200 got to understand. This is going to be a very 125 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,520 practical, very apologetic. You ought to write these points 126 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:57,960 down. Probably they'll be good steps 127 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,600 for you to remember, because up until this point there had not 128 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,160 been much resistance to the first Church. 129 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,880 They, they, and especially from the Jews, not yet the the. 130 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:10,720 The Jewish leaders probably assumed they'd killed the leader 131 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,040 off, and so this thing's going to die down like all the other 132 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:15,600 movements they'd seen over the years. 133 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,040 But the First Church was experiencing favor with the 134 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,840 people, so opposition was beginning. 135 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,920 Opposition was increasing, as as I've shared, and we got to 136 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:30,000 always remember this, The book of Acts displays a series of 137 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:34,920 power engagements between the Holy Spirit and Satan, fighting 138 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,120 over the existence of the First Church and fighting over the 139 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,280 spread of the gospel. There's a war going on, and 140 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:45,520 that's the same war continues and that same war rages right 141 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,920 now, right here in your hearts and minds. 142 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,960 Those skirmishes occur in your heart and mind right now. 143 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,200 It it for those of you who are not believers in Christ, that 144 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,320 war's raging. For those of us who are 145 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,920 believers in Christ, we still fight these skirmishes of 146 00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:03,880 temptation and, and choices. And how do I stand and what do I 147 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:05,680 do? Whether I do the right thing or 148 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,520 the wrong thing for the Lord? And so we're going to face 149 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:14,920 choices as to how we respond to those who do not believe as we 150 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:16,880 do. And these graduates going off to 151 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,320 college campuses especially, they're going to face people who 152 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:22,280 do not believe what they believe. 153 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,080 And how are they going to stand in the middle of all that? 154 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:28,400 And so the Jewish leaders are now beginning to attack. 155 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:30,800 They fear this new movement as a threat. 156 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:34,720 It's a threat to their status quo and, and people like them 157 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,080 see, they believe they should be able to do what they want the 158 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,919 way they would want to do it, the, the way they, whenever they 159 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:42,200 want to do it, they, they think that they actually get to 160 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:46,320 control life And, and that's the lie that they're living under. 161 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:50,240 And if they did not think of it or they didn't create it 162 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,160 themselves, they're bothered by it. 163 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:54,680 Their comfort level is threatened. 164 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:59,040 So what we see is as Peter and John, as they were speaking, as 165 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:01,680 they were speaking, they're interrupted right in the middle 166 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:06,920 of the teaching, an official contingency of priests, the 167 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:11,080 captain of the temple guard, and Sadducees come upon them. 168 00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:15,320 So, so just for a second, let's get a little background to 169 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:19,640 understand who these people are. So the Sadducees were largely 170 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:23,840 the wealthy aristocratic group who are more theologically 171 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:25,920 conservative. They were from the tribe of 172 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:29,160 Levi, and they were protectors of tradition. 173 00:09:29,680 --> 00:09:31,720 So they're more conservative in theology. 174 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,920 But because they were rich, they were also land owners. 175 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,840 And so they had a tendency at this time and the time of Christ 176 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:41,760 and the First church to want to get along with Rome. 177 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,000 They didn't want to upset the apple cart. 178 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,680 They didn't want to have confrontation with Rome because 179 00:09:46,680 --> 00:09:49,600 they wanted to be able to keep things as they were, because 180 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,200 they wanted to protect what was theirs, especially their 181 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,800 properties. Now, theologically, they also 182 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:00,560 denied the resurrection. So when Peter's talking about 183 00:10:00,560 --> 00:10:04,160 the resurrection of Christ, this, this preaching is way too 184 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:08,800 revolutionary for them. This is too much unsanctioned 185 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,440 healings at the temple, large crowds, talk of the 186 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,320 resurrection. It's just too much. 187 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:17,840 They've crossed the line now it's time to stop this nonsense. 188 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,480 So they were greatly disturbed. They were annoyed. 189 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:25,120 The word means highly agitated. And we're going to face people 190 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,080 out in this world who just don't like Christianity. 191 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,240 They don't like the church, they don't like your faith. 192 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,040 They don't like your belief system. 193 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:34,800 Now it's also interesting because back in verse 4, 194 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,800 thousands more are being saved. It's too successful. 195 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:44,200 It's too much too fast. We've never done it like that 196 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,960 before. We've never seen it done like 197 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,040 this before. So it must be wrong. 198 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:53,280 It must be wrong. And so this thing called the 199 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:57,120 church was getting way out of hand, healed people leaping and 200 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:00,040 praising God and thousands flocking to it. 201 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,960 It's just way too radical. This, this is not, this is not 202 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,240 us. This is not the traditions that 203 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:09,080 we hold to now. It is amazing to me because 204 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,240 behind the scenes, spiritually, you got to think about what's 205 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:14,360 going on here. Do you think the enemy, do you 206 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,280 think Satan's just going to stand by quietly and do nothing 207 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:20,040 to try to stop it? That when the church is 208 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:23,160 exploding like this, Satan is simply not going to stand for 209 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:25,160 it? He gets highly agitated. 210 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:29,080 He gets greatly annoyed. Even though he's a slimy snake, 211 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:30,760 he's going to burn in hell forever. 212 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:32,720 And I just like saying that out loud all the time because 213 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:34,440 somebody going to report that to him. 214 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:40,000 So how about at Inglewood? Are we seeing lives so impacted 215 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:44,680 by the gospel and transformed by grace that we actually agitate 216 00:11:44,680 --> 00:11:48,600 the enemy? Is this church so impactful that 217 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:52,680 he even notices us? Do we even matter to the gates 218 00:11:52,680 --> 00:11:55,400 of hell? Is God doing so much in and 219 00:11:55,400 --> 00:12:01,480 through your personal life that you annoy Satan, as Doctor Chuck 220 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:03,480 Lawless preached to you several weeks ago? 221 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,440 Does the enemy even know your name? 222 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:11,320 So be ready for opposition. If you're walking with Christ, 223 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:14,400 be ready for disagreement. Be ready for challenges. 224 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:16,120 These graduates need to be ready. 225 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,480 These seniors need to be ready for people who are resistant, 226 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,240 even antagonistic toward their faith. 227 00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:24,920 They don't believe it, and they're going to try very hard, 228 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:28,960 just as Pastor Dylan challenged them, to distract them and lead 229 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,760 them away from it. But we're all facing that in 230 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:35,160 this fallen world. Satan, in this lost world, will 231 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,720 do all they can to deter us from fulfilling the mission of God. 232 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:41,160 He's going to interrupt. He's going to create 233 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:46,640 distraction, but take heart, remember, and rely upon the fact 234 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,760 that when someone tries to interrupt his mission, that's 235 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,600 when God's about to step in and do something with complete 236 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:58,600 sovereign authority and do something very special and very 237 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:00,680 powerful. Let's just read verse 5. 238 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:04,840 On the next day, their leader, their rulers and elders and 239 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,480 scribes gathered together in Jerusalem with Anas the high 240 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,400 priest, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and all who were 241 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,360 of the high priestly family. And when they had set them in 242 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:18,120 the midst, they inquired by what power or by what name did you do 243 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:21,040 this, Talking about healing the lame man back in chapter 3. 244 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,560 So the Jewish Supreme Court, the Sanhedrin, made-up of both 245 00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:30,320 Sadducees and Pharisees, led by the high priest, they met every 246 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:34,920 single day, and they had jurisdiction over temple 247 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,080 violations every day but the Sabbath. 248 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:43,040 And they demanded to know where Peter and John received their 249 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:46,600 power. Now, whenever I read this, I 250 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:48,880 just want to say you better watch out, boys, for what you 251 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,920 asked for, because you're fitting to find out. 252 00:13:53,560 --> 00:13:57,280 I mean, are you so filled with the Holy Spirit that other 253 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:01,120 people notice? Is that what your life is like? 254 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,880 Does the enemy recognize it and this world resist it? 255 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:07,600 That's my challenge to these seniors. 256 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:10,320 Is it powerful enough to annoy them greatly? 257 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:13,320 Not because you're arrogant, not because you're obnoxious about 258 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:16,320 your faith, because some Christians are, but because they 259 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:20,680 recognize you possess something that they lack and they 260 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,280 desperately need. They don't have that power in 261 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:27,760 their life. Look at verse 8, then Peter. 262 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:33,320 Here's the key part filled with the Holy Spirit said to them, 263 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:37,000 rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today 264 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,240 concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this 265 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,160 man has been healed? Let it be known to all of you 266 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,680 and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ 267 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:51,320 of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead by 268 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:53,200 him, this man is standing before you. 269 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:57,280 Well, this Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the 270 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,320 builders, which has become the cornerstone. 271 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,560 We, if we're going to face this world, if we're going to be who 272 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,080 we're supposed to be, you're going to be able to deal with 273 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,000 this fallen creation. And unless you put yourself in a 274 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,080 bubble wrap and Teresa and I've been bubble wrapping enough 275 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:12,760 stuff, I don't want to see another piece of bubble wrap for 276 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,400 a long time. And you can bubble wrap yourself 277 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,080 up and try to insulate yourself from this world all you can and 278 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:20,960 separate and isolate. But if you're going to be a 279 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:23,040 minister fulfilling the mission of God, you're going to be out 280 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,880 in the thick of it. And you better be ready and 281 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:29,160 prepare yourself because people are going to resist your faith. 282 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:32,440 But secondly, we also have to recognize and we have to decide 283 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:37,240 right now that the gospel must be our strength, our trust, our 284 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:41,440 truth, and our strength. The key here is that Peter's 285 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:42,640 filled with the Holy Spirit, right? 286 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,480 That's real power, but it's not Peter's own power. 287 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,840 That's the important part. It's real power, but it's not 288 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,560 Peter's own power. Instead. 289 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:54,600 And notice instead of some defense to seek to save 290 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:58,920 themselves, he gives a mini sermon to the Jewish High Court 291 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:02,720 to seek to save them. See how far Peter's come? 292 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:05,360 Think about this. I mean, not that long ago Peter 293 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:09,640 denied Christ three times around a little campfire in front of a 294 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:12,000 servant girl and some common folk. 295 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:17,400 And now he stands up to the most powerful body of his people, the 296 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:20,360 very same body that helped crucify Jesus. 297 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,440 I want you to see how the resurrected Lord makes all the 298 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,080 difference. You heard testimonies of that 299 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:28,760 this morning. Here's the answer to your 300 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:31,920 question, Sanhedrin. Here's the answer to your need 301 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,640 world. Here's the the answer to you who 302 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,360 questioned my faith, The name of Jesus. 303 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:41,160 That's the source of my power, the name in which this healing 304 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,200 occurred. And by the way, let me just tell 305 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:48,000 you all about him, right? So here his story. 306 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:52,720 It's the gospel that's the source of our power, the truth 307 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:57,480 of God, not made-up self truths created by the desperate people 308 00:16:57,480 --> 00:16:59,400 around you. Don't don't, don't be 309 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:00,840 intimidated by how smart they are. 310 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:04,040 I was a lady after the first service was talking about a bad 311 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:06,760 experience at a Christian School to where a bunch of liberals and 312 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:08,520 they have all kinds of degrees. Well let me tell you them I got 313 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:09,960 more than they do. Listen to me. 314 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,560 Don't be deceived by these false self truths from the desperate 315 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:19,480 worldly people around you. God's truth will be your power 316 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:22,599 to withstand resistance that you might need in this world. 317 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:27,119 So Peter quotes from Psalm 118, then lays a massive new truth 318 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:29,680 right on their little bewildered brains. 319 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:35,040 Look at verse 12. And there's salvation in no one 320 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:37,800 else. For there's no other name under 321 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:42,120 heaven given among men by which we must be saved. 322 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,560 Your old ways aren't going to get it done, guys. 323 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:50,120 Being true to yourself will get you nowhere if you made-up the 324 00:17:50,120 --> 00:17:52,160 truth yourself. You're just talking to the 325 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,800 mirror at that point. It goes no further. 326 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:03,880 Peter lays out the truth, objective, biblical and errant, 327 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:07,280 vital our souls depend upon at truth. 328 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:10,160 He's actually playing on a Greek word, Sozo. 329 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:12,000 I've mentioned to you before, it means to be saved. 330 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,880 It also means to be rescued. In other words, the lame man was 331 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:18,320 both physically and spiritually healed. 332 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:21,600 And don't miss his personal message to the Sanhedrin. 333 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,120 This is a huge moment. Remember Jesus, the one you all 334 00:18:25,120 --> 00:18:29,000 murdered not too long ago. He's now the only possible 335 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:33,720 source of your salvation. I mean, what a historically 336 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:39,320 unique moment for these people who physically and politically 337 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,680 played their role in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and 338 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:48,200 now would actually have the opportunity to be saved only by 339 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,120 the very same Jesus. That's grace. 340 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:56,240 That's how gracious our God is. He's gracious enough to save 341 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,840 something like me. If you all really knew I was 342 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:02,600 sharing parts of my testimony last night at another church at 343 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,200 a wild game dinner and and I was just sharing my testimony. 344 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,480 I got a little lost and I didn't feel like I did a very good job 345 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:10,640 at because I was actually lost in my own story. 346 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:13,920 Just just remembering God's grace in my life and how he 347 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:18,280 pulled me out of such severe gutter type experiences. 348 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:23,280 He graciously healed this man lame from birth and will 349 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:29,080 graciously save even those of you who crucified him if you'll 350 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:32,480 believe in trust in him. I mean, when your faith is 351 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,520 challenged, respond with God's truth. 352 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,200 When the storm hits, turn to the gospel. 353 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:39,560 This is your strength in this world. 354 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:43,560 Remember those you those, whether those around you find 355 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:45,960 you. Remember those you find yourself 356 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:47,680 around. Whether they believe it or not, 357 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:51,600 whether they argue against it, even if they deny it, even if 358 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,120 they reject it. Always remember this. 359 00:19:54,560 --> 00:20:01,240 You possess the truth and that's powerful, and that will empower 360 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:03,680 you because that truth overcomes. 361 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:10,160 So Peter shares this unique, exclusive truth of biblical 362 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:11,760 Christianity. This is one of the things that 363 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:14,240 makes us different, one of the things that makes us unique. 364 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,160 The only way a person can be saved is by grace through faith 365 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:19,880 in Jesus Christ. Sums it up. 366 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:22,560 He's the only one who could pay for our sin. 367 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:25,120 He's the only one who did, and he's the only source of 368 00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:27,560 forgiveness and salvation. He's the only one. 369 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:28,920 So he's not just one of the names. 370 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,600 He's not just one of the ways. He's not just one of the past by 371 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,200 which you must be saved. He is the only one, the one. 372 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:38,560 There's no one else, no other way, no matter what this world 373 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:42,640 tries to feed you. So, no matter how bad you are, 374 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:44,760 no matter what sins you've committed, no matter how 375 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:48,760 stubborn you are in your denial, even listen, even if you 376 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:53,640 actually hammered the nails in his wrists and his ankles, the 377 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:57,120 grace of the gospel is still more powerful and can overcome 378 00:20:57,120 --> 00:20:59,680 your failures. It's amazing moment. 379 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:04,600 There's only one way to make the best choices, only one way to 380 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:07,120 have peace, only one way to have purpose. 381 00:21:07,120 --> 00:21:10,120 Graduates, new members, old members, only one way to 382 00:21:10,120 --> 00:21:13,760 forgiveness and eternal life. Guess that's through Jesus 383 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:16,080 Christ. Look at verse 13. 384 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:19,680 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived 385 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,400 that they were uneducated common men, they were astonished and 386 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,960 they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 387 00:21:26,360 --> 00:21:28,960 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, 388 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:30,840 they had nothing to say in opposition. 389 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,000 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they 390 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,160 conferred with one another, saying, What shall we do with 391 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:38,560 these men? For that a notable sign has been 392 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,760 performed through them, as evident to all the inhabitants 393 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:42,560 of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 394 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,160 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let 395 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,320 us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name. 396 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:52,760 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach it 397 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:56,640 all in the name of Jesus. Your face going to be resisted. 398 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,640 Even though the Gospel is your truth and strength, it still 399 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:07,360 will be resisted. And sadly #3 not everyone else 400 00:22:07,360 --> 00:22:10,360 will believe. I've read the end of the book. 401 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:12,960 There's still lost people at the end of the book. 402 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,600 I wish that weren't true. It's tragic. 403 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:21,280 I'm trying to do all we can to help get as many of you to go 404 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:24,840 with us. But the arrogant perception of 405 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,080 these sophisticated religious people see, see sometimes these 406 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:31,080 deniers that they come off as like they're more educated than 407 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:33,160 you are, that somehow you're backward, you're some kind of 408 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,040 hillbilly if you you believe in faith in the gospel. 409 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:39,400 Somehow they're smarter. They're more sophisticated in 410 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:43,040 their conversations, when in fact they're, they're just 411 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:48,240 arrogant in their lostness. These sophisticated religious 412 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:50,640 men, they recognize that Peter and John, they said these are 413 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,640 uneducated men. They're beneath us. 414 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:55,640 That they had no rabbinical training, that they had no 415 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:58,120 religious credentials. Why should we listen to them? 416 00:22:58,200 --> 00:22:59,280 Who? Who are they? 417 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:03,960 How dare they preach to us? See, human reasoning will always 418 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:07,880 reject gospel truth because humans have the wrong person 419 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:09,840 sitting in the control room of their lives. 420 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:15,120 And so it makes no sense to this fallen and spiritually blind 421 00:23:15,120 --> 00:23:17,720 world. Jesus and the cross are 422 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,000 foolishness to them and dangerous to them. 423 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,640 And, and, and they're, they're sticking Peter and John right in 424 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:26,840 there with Jesus. Now, we often, because we look 425 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:30,720 back with a Christian filter, we often interpret this like they 426 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,240 thought it was a good thing when they said we recognize they'd 427 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:37,960 been with Jesus because for us it's a good thing, but it wasn't 428 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:41,280 a good thing to them. I mean, we just killed him. 429 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,760 Maybe we ought to kill these guys or at least punish them. 430 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:50,880 And so man's understanding alone will always fall short. 431 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:54,080 His philosophies will always. People think they have it all 432 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:57,320 figured out when in fact they're missing the truth right in front 433 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:59,080 of them. Regardless of what you think 434 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,720 about him, Jesus is real and he's the truth, the way in the 435 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:05,240 life. And no one can come to the 436 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:08,520 Father except through Him, or there's no way I would be here 437 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,520 right now. I wouldn't be standing here. 438 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:16,680 I wasn't looking for salvation. I wasn't even going to church. 439 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:18,560 I mean, I wouldn't have ever heard a sermon. 440 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,640 He transformed my life supernaturally. 441 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:25,440 Or you might think somehow on the other end of a spectrum, 442 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:27,000 you're not. You're not important enough to 443 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,560 make a difference, not worthy enough to be saved and served, 444 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,160 or strong enough to stand for your faith. 445 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:34,480 And you know, by yourself, by your own strength, you're right. 446 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,000 We're not. But here's the truth. 447 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:43,000 The resurrected, resurrected Christ makes all the difference. 448 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,920 I mean, look at Peter go. Let them all recognize we too 449 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:49,080 have been with Jesus. Whether they like it and they 450 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,440 think it's a good thing, or whether they don't like it and 451 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,840 they think it's a bad thing. Let them recognize it whether 452 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:57,920 they like him or not. Even if they reject him, embrace 453 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,000 him, own it and let them see Him and us. 454 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:07,520 But the leaders selfish fear led to the rejection of the Gospel. 455 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,200 They're more afraid of losing power and prestige than the 456 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:13,680 possibility that these men could actually speak the truth. 457 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,200 More concerned about their positions, more concerned about 458 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,200 the reputations, more concerned about their traditions than that 459 00:25:19,360 --> 00:25:23,640 the fact that a crippled man had been healed and set free and 460 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:25,760 thousands of lives had been changed. 461 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,320 So incredibly selfish. They wanted to box up and 462 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,960 control God and his people. That's what liberals will do. 463 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:34,680 Let me teach you something. You may not know the word 464 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:39,960 religion comes from a Latin word to bind, like you're tied up 465 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,920 with ropes. And what that means is, is that 466 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,400 these can be beliefs that you attach yourself to very closely. 467 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:50,640 I'm tied to these beliefs, these truths in a positive way, but in 468 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:52,320 a negative way. It can also mean that the 469 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,840 traditions, the unbiblical teachings, the attitudes and 470 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:57,840 rituals can also hold you in bondage. 471 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,520 So amazingly, you just got to put yourself in the spot for a 472 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,520 second. They even recognized a true sign 473 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:09,120 it occurred. I mean, I mean, the dudes right 474 00:26:09,120 --> 00:26:11,680 over there, probably still hopping and praising God with 475 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:15,720 that silly grin on his face. He's right there. 476 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:20,440 They knew something different had taken place, but their boxes 477 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:24,520 had no place for it. They were more afraid of losing 478 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:26,680 something than gaining everything. 479 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:32,160 And so even though they witnessed God's power, they 480 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,520 reject it. That's a dangerous place to be. 481 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:39,520 Inwardly focused earthly philosophies. 482 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:43,960 Now listen to me, the inwardly focused earthly philosophies out 483 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:46,920 there. And belief systems are always 484 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:53,200 the wrong filters of truth. Always don't fall prey to them, 485 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:55,240 even though they're trying to force upon you. 486 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,440 Some of these graduates are going to go to college campuses 487 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:01,000 and they're going to be force fed by professors, force fed by 488 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:05,080 other people on campus, stuff that's just not true because 489 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:09,640 this world suffers from misplaced fears, misplaced 490 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:14,360 loves, and misplaced faith. We love the wrong things, we're 491 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:17,160 afraid of the wrong things, and we believe the wrong things. 492 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:20,960 See, now Peter and John were compelled by someone else. 493 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:24,720 They're compelled that they're, they're, they have a divine 494 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,200 drive inside of them called the Holy Spirit. 495 00:27:27,360 --> 00:27:30,600 And I pray we do also. That's the only way for success. 496 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:32,880 That's the only way to fulfilment. 497 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,400 They experienced the resurrected Christ and nothing and no one, 498 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:39,960 excuse me, gentleman on the Supreme Court, not even you. 499 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:43,400 We're going to stop them from talking about Him because Holy 500 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,880 Spirit power was in charge, not them. 501 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:51,160 This is his story, not theirs. Look at verse 19. 502 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:57,200 But big word. But Peter and John answered 503 00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:59,200 them. All right, dudes. 504 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,160 All right, guys. Whether it's right in the side 505 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,240 of God to listen to you rather than to God, you all must judge, 506 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:10,880 for we cannot but speak of what we've seen and heard. 507 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,120 They couldn't help it. They would rather face death 508 00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:18,160 than disobedience. Now, friends, sometimes in our 509 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:20,440 world today, our silence is deafening. 510 00:28:21,120 --> 00:28:26,040 So who's going to win the war? Even the battle raging right now 511 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:30,120 in this room between Satan and the Holy Spirit, for your hearts 512 00:28:30,120 --> 00:28:34,320 and minds, the hearts and minds of these graduates as they go 513 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:38,160 off. Who's going to win the battle 514 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:41,080 for your struggles, the battle for your pain, the battle for 515 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:43,800 your hopes, the battle for your family, the battle for your 516 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:45,920 future, the battle for this church? 517 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:50,880 Are we so full of the Holy Spirit, so in tune with His 518 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,360 leading, that we will stand for Him even in the face of 519 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:58,200 opposition? And we cannot be silent because 520 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:03,600 listen to me, our world is sick. It's fallen, it's failing, it's 521 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:08,080 decaying, It's starving for truth, it's starving for grace, 522 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:11,320 it's starving for love. And we have exactly what they 523 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:13,000 seek. But will we hide the cure from 524 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:15,560 them? You just got to see the 525 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:19,520 intentional contrast here between the false power of these 526 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:22,880 leaders and the real power of the Christ followers. 527 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:27,520 Now, who's truly in charge of the most powerful body of the 528 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,800 Jewish people? Who's really in charge of this 529 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:31,160 situation? Look at verse 21. 530 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:34,920 And when they had further threatened them, they let them 531 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:38,680 go, finding no way to punish them because of the people. 532 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:40,920 For all we're praising God for what had happened. 533 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:44,080 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more 534 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:46,960 than 40 years old. When they were released, they 535 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,640 went to their friends and reported what the chief priests 536 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:52,960 and elders had said to them. So how do we navigate the 537 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:58,040 Christian life in a resistant world where not everyone else is 538 00:29:58,040 --> 00:29:59,720 going to believe the same way we do? 539 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:02,960 The gospel must be our truth and our strength. 540 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:06,680 And finally, we must trust in God's power. 541 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:09,840 I told you this story doesn't end the way we might think. 542 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:12,280 Twists and turns along the way. They issue threats, but they had 543 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:13,600 to let them go. I mean, what else they going to 544 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:14,920 do? I mean, once again, that 545 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:17,480 healing, smiling, crippled man's over there jumping around, 546 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:18,840 running in circles all around them. 547 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:26,680 So Peter and John run to find their new church to share. 548 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:28,440 Listen to what they did in verse 24. 549 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:32,200 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to 550 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:35,520 God and said, Sovereign Lord, don't miss that sovereign Lord 551 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:37,640 who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything 552 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:40,280 in them, who through the mouth of our Father David, your 553 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:43,920 servant said by the Holy Spirit, why do the Gentiles rage and the 554 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:47,440 people, people's plot in vain the kings of the earth set 555 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,120 themselves and the rulers were gathered together against the 556 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:53,360 Lord and against his anointed. For truly, in this city there 557 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,640 were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom 558 00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:59,960 you anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the 559 00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:03,800 Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do whatever Your hand 560 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:07,080 and your plan had predestined to take place. 561 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:11,080 They immediately go to God in prayer together. 562 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:14,440 Learn that lesson. Follow their example. 563 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:20,280 They ran to God in the midst of difficulty, but also in the 564 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:23,360 midst of victory. Trust in Him. 565 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:25,320 They knew. They had to praise Him for what 566 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:27,280 He had done. They had listen to this. 567 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,440 They had just think about this. They had just shared the gospel 568 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:34,560 to the Sanhedrin and survived. What a miracle. 569 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:37,840 They praise God in prayer for His sovereignty and His 570 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:40,640 authority over all creation and over them. 571 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:44,120 God's in control, not the Sanhedrin, God's in control, not 572 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:46,200 Satan. God's in complete control, not 573 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:47,840 these earthly philosophies out there. 574 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,080 God's in control, not your lost friends. 575 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:52,120 God's in control, not this culture. 576 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:55,920 He wins the war. He always wins the war. 577 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:59,600 We got to trust in him. But they also recognize this 578 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:02,360 whole part of a master mission. God knew all this was going to 579 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:03,400 happen. That's part of His plan. 580 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:05,120 He'd predestined this long before time. 581 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,320 So look at verse 30. Look at verse 29. 582 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:15,280 And now Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your 583 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:18,480 servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness 584 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:21,080 while you stretch out your hand to heal. 585 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:23,840 And signs and wonders are performed through the name of 586 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:27,320 your holy servant, Jesus. Notice what they didn't pray. 587 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:32,960 They didn't pray for relief, they didn't pray for comfort. 588 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:36,800 They didn't pray for safety. They didn't pray for 589 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:39,040 deliverance. They prayed for courage and 590 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:41,320 boldness. Put us right in the thick of it, 591 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:45,840 God, we trust you. Help us to stand and speak 592 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:47,360 truth. We are resolute, we're 593 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,200 determined, we're committed. We're devoted with a single eye 594 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:53,080 to your glory, God, and we will not be moved. 595 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:57,800 Let us stand firm in the face of whatever might come, even if the 596 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:00,160 enemy is agitated, highly annoyed at us. 597 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:04,320 We will not budget when others tell us, tell us that we're 598 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:06,360 wrong. We're not going to flinch when 599 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:09,720 we're tempted with bad choices. We choose yours, your, you, 600 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:13,360 because we are yours. My life is yours, and this is 601 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:16,800 your church. So Father, please bring a new 602 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:19,920 empowered movement of your Holy Spirit among us. 603 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:25,880 Then one more surprise, one more verse, verse 31, because God 604 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:30,600 did. And when they'd prayed, the 605 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:32,840 place in which they were gathered together was shaken, 606 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:36,160 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to 607 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:39,200 speak the Word of God with boldness. 608 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:44,160 The Holy Spirit empowered and defended His church. 609 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:47,880 And I pray that we're so filled with the Holy Spirit that we too 610 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,600 speak the Word of God with boldness. 611 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:53,240 The world doesn't need our words. 612 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:55,520 The world doesn't need John's words. 613 00:33:55,600 --> 00:34:00,640 It needs God's word. So graduates, new members, old 614 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:05,480 members, we will all face a moment when the world tells us 615 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:08,280 we can't. Then they're going to try to 616 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,719 tell us how we should. And, and they're going to try to 617 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:15,159 teach you their broken truth. And you're going to have to 618 00:34:15,159 --> 00:34:19,920 decide who you serve, who you're going to obey, no matter what 619 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:23,120 the rest of them say, no matter what the rest of them believe. 620 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:27,520 And you need to prepare yourself for that moment now, not not in 621 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:30,080 the heat of it. Commit yourself now to serve 622 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:33,199 only him, to remember what you have seen and heard. 623 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:36,320 And don't simply let it be some memory from your childhood, 624 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:37,920 something you did when you were a kid. 625 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:42,679 Let it be alive and fresh today. You live it, you pursue it every 626 00:34:42,679 --> 00:34:44,400 day. You breathe it, you believe it, 627 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:48,320 you proclaim it. Because once saved, we do not 628 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:53,520 have the right to remain silent. You can either be defeated, you 629 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:57,120 can decline in your faith, or you can be a true disciple and 630 00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:01,040 imitator of the Master. So I pray our lives are shaken 631 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:04,680 to the core. I pray we're shaken so the Holy 632 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:08,320 Spirit is free to work in us as a light in this dark, 633 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:14,200 unbelieving world. I was in a tropical jungle once. 634 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:19,160 I've spent a lot of time in tropical jungles and we were out 635 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:23,600 in the middle of nowhere trying to show the Jesus film to some 636 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:27,720 folks. And there's no electricity, so 637 00:35:27,720 --> 00:35:30,280 we had flashlights. It was getting dark walking 638 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:34,480 along a narrow, dusty old dirt trail and probably more mud than 639 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:39,120 dirt and and we could tell a disturbance was up ahead of us. 640 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:41,160 Couldn't see it. There's moonlight, but you 641 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:43,120 couldn't quite make it out. And then we realized it was a 642 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:46,080 group of animals. And then we realized it was a 643 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:51,480 wild pack of dogs. And they begin to bark and growl 644 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:53,480 and then they begin to run toward us. 645 00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:56,000 They were coming at us. They were going to get us. 646 00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:58,480 And we knew we weren't going to be able to outrun them. 647 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:00,800 And there's no way to outrun them, not in that mud and 648 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:03,640 jungle. And and I didn't have a stick or 649 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:05,000 stone. I had flashlights. 650 00:36:05,240 --> 00:36:08,240 And I don't, I believe I, I, I'm not smart enough to think of 651 00:36:08,240 --> 00:36:11,160 these things, but the Holy Spirit are, you know, help me to 652 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:13,000 think about. I just said all in order to turn 653 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:15,440 off your flashlights. So we all turned off our 654 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:18,160 flashlights and I said, when they get when, I say now you 655 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:20,120 shine those flashlights right in their eyes. 656 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:25,400 So there you can hear them coming at us going to RIP us 657 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:33,320 apart. We're standing there now. 658 00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:35,960 We all turn our flashlights on. There's a good group of us all 659 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:38,000 turn our flashlights on shining at those dogs. 660 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:40,040 You'd have thought I had a 12 gauge shotgun. 661 00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:44,960 Those dogs started yelping and screaming and crying and and 662 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:46,600 running in a million different directions. 663 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:51,800 That light terrified them. Now, on a practical level, those 664 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:53,760 dogs had probably never seen a flashlight before. 665 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:57,040 But on a spiritual level, I just want to believe there was an 666 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:58,480 Angel with a sword standing there. 667 00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:03,360 You know what I'm saying? Because those dogs, I mean, we 668 00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:08,640 never saw them again. Remember Inglewood? 669 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:13,560 We got to move forward shining that light, that world's dark 670 00:37:13,560 --> 00:37:18,080 out there. But light always defeats 671 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:21,360 darkness. Light always wins. 672 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:26,080 God will always win. I've read the end of the book. 673 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:29,800 He wins. And some of you need to trust in 674 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:31,840 him right now, today, because there's a war going on. 675 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:33,600 You know you're not living the way you're supposed to be 676 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:35,960 living. For some of you, it's salvation. 677 00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:37,560 For some of you, it's rededication. 678 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:39,360 For some of you it might be baptism. 679 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:40,880 For some of you, it might be church membership. 680 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:42,120 From it. You maybe just need to come 681 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:47,280 pray. The darkness is 1 enough. 682 00:37:48,240 --> 00:37:51,160 Let's reclaim it. Let's do that now. 683 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:56,200 Father, thank you that we don't have to live in the dark. 684 00:37:57,840 --> 00:37:59,160 We don't have to live in the dark. 685 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:04,080 Father, help us to not only be a light, but help us to shine that 686 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:07,080 light. Father, I thank you for today. 687 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:08,920 What a celebration, Father. Thank you. 688 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:13,000 I pray, Father, for these graduates as they move on and 689 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:16,840 their families. I pray for these new members as 690 00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:19,040 they plug in. Lord, I pray we'll surround them 691 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:22,520 and just love them. I pray for these who are 692 00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:25,000 baptized and will be baptized next week. 693 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:28,840 And I pray for those in the room right now. 694 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:30,480 Lord, there's a war going on in here. 695 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:32,760 They may not see it, they may not feel it, they may not 696 00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:37,000 believe it, but there is. For some, there's a struggle of 697 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:42,800 whether or not they'll believe. We're only saved by grace 698 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:45,320 through faith. Give us the grace we need and 699 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:50,280 the faith we need to believe. Lord, help us pray right now 700 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:54,800 that you'll convict. You'll draw that folks would 701 00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:59,520 repent, confess, come forward to find a pastor to say I need to 702 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:02,480 know what it really means to trust in Jesus right now. 703 00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:08,840 I can't wait any longer. I just know I need to be saved. 704 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:12,720 Maybe someone else says, you know, I need to join the church. 705 00:39:12,720 --> 00:39:17,160 I've been visiting and been attending but not really fully 706 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:21,000 participating. I pray Father, they'll come and 707 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:24,720 say how, how can I be a member or, or how could I be baptized? 708 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:27,360 Others just need to come and pray. 709 00:39:27,360 --> 00:39:28,920 They need to come and pray for their lives. 710 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:30,640 Maybe they need to come and pray for friends. 711 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:34,800 They know. Lord, I just pray that there'll 712 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:39,440 be a freedom during this time. And Father, that as we sing and 713 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:42,040 the pastor stand here, that Lord, people would physically 714 00:39:42,040 --> 00:39:44,160 come, that they would come. They wouldn't wait for somebody 715 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:48,120 else to come, They would come. Maybe some of them need to leap 716 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:52,360 and praise a little bit, but they'd surrender. 717 00:39:52,720 --> 00:39:59,640 This world has nothing for us, Father, except the opportunity 718 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:01,680 to serve You. That's it. 719 00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:05,680 It's the opportunity for us to learn more about you and to 720 00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:08,680 glorify you and our service and praise. 721 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:14,920 So let us take advantage of the moment and let us respond in 722 00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:18,240 Christ's name, Amen. Stand with me if you would. 723 00:40:18,760 --> 00:40:25,160 This incredible worship team is going to lead us, and I just 724 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:26,760 pray you come. Pastors will be here. 725 00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:30,440 You can just come and kneel at these steps and pray. 726 00:40:31,680 --> 00:40:33,720 I want there to be a freedom. You want to know about trusting 727 00:40:33,720 --> 00:40:36,080 in Jesus, joining the church, baptism, you come. 728 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:38,520 Whatever we need to do, you come right now. 729 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:45,000 Thank you so much for listening today. 730 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:46,320 And I also hope that you'll go to 731 00:40:46,320 --> 00:40:50,120 ourwebsite@englewoodbaptist.com as well as our app and find many 732 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:52,480 other resources that will bless you and your families. 733 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:53,680 Thank you once again.