1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:05,360 This morning we are reading from Acts Chapter 9, verses 32 to 43, 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,960 Anais and Dorcas. As Peter travelled about the 3 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,960 country, he went to visit the Lord's people who lived in Lyda. 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:20,080 There he found a man named Anais who was paralyzed and had been 5 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:26,280 bedridden for eight years. Anais Peter said to him, Jesus 6 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:31,640 Christ heals you, get up and roll up your mat immediately. 7 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,520 Anais got up. All those who lived in Lyda and 8 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:37,720 Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. 9 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,360 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha. 10 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,760 In Greek her name was Dorcas. She was always doing good and 11 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,560 helping the poor. About that time she became ill 12 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,000 and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs 13 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,600 room. Leyder was near Joppa. 14 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,240 So when the disciples heard that Peter was in Leyder, they sent 15 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,520 two men to him and urged him Please come at once. 16 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,000 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs 17 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,080 to the room. All the widows stood around him 18 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,720 crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas 19 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,320 had made while she was still with them. 20 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:19,680 Peter sent them all out of the room, and he got down on his 21 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,000 knees and prayed. Turning towards the dead woman 22 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:28,600 he said Tabitha get up. She opened her eyes and seeing 23 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,040 Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and 24 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,960 helped her to her feet. Then he called for the 25 00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:38,800 believers, especially the widows and presented her to them alive. 26 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:43,960 This became known to all over Dropper and many people believed 27 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:46,520 in the Lord. Peter stayed in Dropper for some 28 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:52,920 time with a Tanner named Simon. Great morning everyone and my 29 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:54,600 welcome to that of Richards and others. 30 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:57,640 If you can have that passage in front of you, that would be 31 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,040 brilliant. We've got some question sheets, 32 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:05,480 notes to take as we go through. I'll pass this one in a second. 33 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,919 While we do, I don't know you. I find so often I can have a 34 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:11,600 passage read to me on a Sunday morning and it kind of washes 35 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,400 slightly over me and I just sit there waiting to be told what it 36 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,240 says. So you've got about 75 seconds 37 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,440 while people are handing these round to those who would like 1 38 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,720 reread that passage. What stands out to you? 39 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:26,480 If you were about to say, hey, here's the big idea, here's a 40 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:28,880 summary, here's what's going on, What would that be? 41 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,200 Does it maybe remind you of any other stories that you know 42 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,600 elsewhere in the Bible? You've got about 75 seconds if 43 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,360 you'd like one, a piece of paper in the meantime to help you 44 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,680 stick your hand up and Amy and Richard will come and put one in 45 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:46,240 your hand. Thank you just counting 75 in my 46 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:46,840 head. There we go. 47 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,280 That's about the good. Anyone want to share something 48 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,520 any any immediate things that have jumped out of you questions 49 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,720 that we might have of the passage things that look 50 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,720 familiar things that are going on that you've seen otherwise 51 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,520 I'll sit down again. Thanks Mark brilliant. 52 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:04,360 Thank you. If you didn't quite hear that I 53 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:08,200 almost identical to a miracle of Jesus in recorded in Mark and in 54 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:09,960 Luke. Joel, were you going to say 55 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,120 something different to that? Brilliant. 56 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,000 Amazing. So 2 miracles, both of which are 57 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,560 basically mirror images of miracles that Jesus himself 58 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,480 performed during his earthly ministry. 59 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:22,440 Great. Any other observations or 60 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,280 questions, things that jump at us? 61 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:27,200 Fine. OK. 62 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:28,600 Oh, yes, sorry, Hillary. Thank you. 63 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:31,240 Just say the latter bit of that again. 64 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:32,760 Hillary, I've got the first bit. Great. 65 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:33,440 Thank you. Yeah. 66 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,840 So who is Inaus? And then we get this reaction in 67 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:38,840 the light actually, of both of these miracles. 68 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,440 In one, it says everyone believed, probably not literally 69 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,000 true that everyone, but a lot of people. 70 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,600 And the other one is many turned and and believed. 71 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:49,280 Brilliant. Thank you. 72 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:53,240 Let's dive into this. So we're going to spend our next 73 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,400 chunk of time looking at that particular. 74 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,520 I thought it would be helpful. Actually is a bit of a summary 75 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,400 of acts so far as well. We've not met Peter for a while. 76 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,160 We've left him behind. So let's just go right back to 77 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,720 the beginning of Acts. Acts is the Acts of the 78 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:10,240 Apostles. So it's Jesus witnesses his 79 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:15,400 disciples who'd been with him going on and building the Church 80 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,079 of Jesus Christ right back at the beginning of Acts. 81 00:04:18,079 --> 00:04:21,240 Before Jesus ascends to heaven, he is with his disciples and he 82 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,880 says this, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes 83 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,800 on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in 84 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:32,240 all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. 85 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,520 So that is what has been going on so far over these first nine 86 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,200 chapters of Acts. Let's just see kind of who the 87 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,520 the main players have been so far. 88 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,880 So Acts one to five we've had mostly it's been Peter. 89 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:50,520 He's been the leader of that early church movement and he's 90 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,920 been teaching and preaching and in confrontation and so on and 91 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,720 he's been the centre of things. Then we met Stephen, you 92 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:59,320 remember, was martyred, the first Christian martyr that we 93 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,600 see there in Acts because he stood up and spoke clearly of 94 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:04,880 Jesus. Then we have Philip speaking to 95 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,840 the Ethiopian in chapter 8. Then we got last week to Saul, 96 00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:12,120 who's going to become Paul and will be the main feature of 97 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,720 chapters sort of 13 and onwards in Acts. 98 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:21,120 But here and up to the middle of chapter 12, we're back to Peter. 99 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:27,080 And in all of that time, there has been the growing of the 100 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,000 church in Jerusalem and in or Judea, in Samaria. 101 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,240 It's gradually spreading. And what's about to happen next 102 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:38,640 week is that that is going to explode to the rest of the 103 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:40,920 world. It's going to start to expand 104 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:43,280 and expand and expand further and further and further. 105 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:49,000 That's initiated, as we'll see next week by Peter coming to 106 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,080 understand through a vision when we're going to see his dream of 107 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,600 a sheet with animals on it coming down and Peter get up, 108 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,160 kill and eat. And Peter comes to realise that 109 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,000 God's salvation plan for the world isn't narrow. 110 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:07,280 It isn't to the Jews, but it's to the whole world, the 111 00:06:07,280 --> 00:06:11,600 Gentiles, the non Jewish background, people like the 112 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,480 great majority, I imagine of us here this morning. 113 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:20,880 And Peter is going to be vital for that change, that expansion 114 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:23,600 and that that change of understanding that the church 115 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:25,680 needs to have to say no, no, it's not narrow. 116 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,200 It's not just us who've been the people of God in the past, it's 117 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:35,760 the whole world. So Peter here comes centre stage 118 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:38,400 again just before that's going to happen in chapter 10. 119 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,880 And crucially, I think what's going on here is that that Peter 120 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:47,880 is established and confirmed as Jesus's messenger, as Jesus 121 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:52,120 apostle. This passage today, these 122 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,120 incredible miracles, which as you guys have said already, 123 00:06:54,280 --> 00:06:57,680 mirror so perfectly miracles that Jesus performed during his 124 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,920 earthly ministry. They are going to confirm and 125 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:07,000 establish that Peter is a true apostle of Jesus. 126 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:11,720 Therefore he has the authority of Jesus as we meet him next 127 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:14,560 week, beginning to understand and then teach and lead the 128 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,680 church in, in realising that the good news of Jesus isn't narrow, 129 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:24,760 but is broad and wide. So that's the story of Acts so 130 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,280 far. But if you've been paying 131 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,560 attention, you'll notice that that's not really the story of 132 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:31,680 Acts so far. Acts 1 to 9 isn't really about 133 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:33,800 Peter, Stephen, Phillips, Saul and Peter. 134 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:36,320 It's really about this other guy called Jesus. 135 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:39,800 The full name of the book of Acts is the Acts of the 136 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,280 Apostles. But actually we could better 137 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:47,360 call it the continuing Acts of Jesus as he built his church. 138 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:52,040 It's the ongoing Acts of Jesus I've just clicked on where I 139 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,880 shouldn't have known. Oh, wow, that's suddenly woken 140 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:56,280 up and gone further ahead than I meant. 141 00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:00,680 There we go. So Jesus is writ large over all 142 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:02,440 that we've seen so far in Acts and all that we're going to 143 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:06,760 continue to see as he works through his people. 144 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,640 So let's dive into what we're seeing today specifically then. 145 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,480 And really there's I think one point that I want to bring out 146 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,920 from from this story, from these different stories, one point 147 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:20,800 that is at the heart of what's going on in these two miracles, 148 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:25,840 and that is this, that the risen Jesus is powerfully at work 149 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,920 through Peter. The risen Jesus is powerfully at 150 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:34,840 work through Peter. So let's walk through the 151 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:36,679 passage together. 2 miracles, as we've seen already. 152 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:41,280 First of all, in Lidder, in Lidder we meet Anaeus. 153 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:42,720 We don't know anything more about him. 154 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:44,520 Actually, to Hillary's question, who was he? 155 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:48,360 We just know that he's there. I, I'm going to, I'm not 156 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,200 apologising because who cares about wearing glasses? 157 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:52,200 I'm reaching that stage in life where I have to put glasses on 158 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,280 to read my Bible now. So I'm going to have to do that. 159 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,040 We'll have to figure this out. I've never done this before, so 160 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:58,880 we'll see if it's like putting our plates on. 161 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:02,320 As Peter travelled around the country, verse 32, he went to 162 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,720 visit the Saints in Lydder. There he found a man named 163 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:10,640 Aeneas, A paralytic who'd been bedridden for eight years. 164 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:15,800 Just imagine that a moment. There's this guy, bedridden, 8 165 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:20,000 years, unable to get up, unable to move, no doubt known in the 166 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,000 community, perhaps actually because he was a paralysed guy, 167 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,400 You know, you imagine if there was a homeless person on the 168 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:29,480 street in, in Queens Road or something for eight years, those 169 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:31,760 of us who walk around Clarendon Park, we would get to know the 170 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:33,280 person, whether we knew his name or not. 171 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,200 We'd, we'd recognise him, we'd know that he was there. 172 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,800 We'd know that this guy was suffering. 173 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:43,040 We'd know that he was paralysed. Perhaps we'd talk about him. 174 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:44,920 How could we, how could we help out this guy? 175 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,440 Look, he's begging again. He's yeah, we, we would, we 176 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:49,000 would know about this guy to some extent. 177 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:59,480 Peter then meets Enaeus and he simply says, Enaeus, Jesus 178 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:05,880 Christ heals. You get up and roll up your mat. 179 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:10,880 Very simple. There's nothing else that we're 180 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:12,960 told about what he says or what else is going on. 181 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:16,720 He simply looks at him and says Jesus Christ heals you. 182 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:28,800 So get up, roll up your mat, get on your way and incredibly and 183 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,920 yes, immediately gets up. I'm not sure whether he was 184 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:33,760 doing a jig straight away, but I suspect he was. 185 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:35,920 I think I might be if I've been paralysed for eight years and 186 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,120 suddenly you're on your feet and you've kept, He's not got a mat 187 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:40,200 in his hand in my image there, forgive me, but there he is 188 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:43,800 immediately on his feet in response to this command of 189 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:45,760 Peter. But notice it's not Peter's 190 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,960 words, it's Jesus. Jesus Christ heals you. 191 00:10:49,680 --> 00:10:55,440 So get up and what happens next? What's the response? 192 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:59,240 We see his response. He gets up and others as we see 193 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:03,800 it says in verse 35 all those who lived in Lidder and Sharon 194 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:09,760 saw him and turned to the Lord. As I say, I suspect the all 195 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:13,480 doesn't literally mean every single person, but you get the 196 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:18,400 picture of great loads of people in Lidder and Sharon seeing this 197 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:24,080 guy no longer lying on his mat on Queens Rd. but instead 198 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:27,200 walking around and telling anyone who will listen Hey, this 199 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,680 guy Peter came along and told me that Jesus has made me better 200 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,680 and I'm better. I'm back on my feet because this 201 00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:36,680 guy Jesus has done this amazing thing. 202 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:46,440 Then we discovered that in Joppa there was a disciple named 203 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:50,200 Tabatha or Dorcas. Now, Joppa is about 12 miles 204 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:53,160 away. OK, so in Joppa, 12 miles. 205 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:54,840 I meant to look at what's 12 miles away. 206 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,920 What's that? Hinckley, Loughborough maybe I 207 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:01,360 don't need something like that. So there he is, 12 miles away. 208 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:05,320 She is, sorry, 12 miles away. And she, I love this. 209 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:07,800 She was always doing good and helping the poor. 210 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:12,160 That's what a great epitaph to have said about you. 211 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:13,440 Who's this woman? Dorcas. 212 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,000 Oh, she's the one who helps the poor all the time. 213 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:16,040 She's the one who's always doing good. 214 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:18,080 Oh, Tabatha. Oh, I didn't realise that. 215 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:19,600 Yeah, of course Tabatha. We know her. 216 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:21,440 She's the one who's always doing good in helping the poor. 217 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:24,960 Interesting to see, wouldn't it? What? 218 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,360 What? What would be our one sentence 219 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:28,720 of the lepertard for any one of us? 220 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:31,880 How are we known if we're believers in Jesus? 221 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:33,240 What would people say about us? Oh, yeah. 222 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:34,960 They're the ones who are always having people round for dinner, 223 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,160 aren't they? They're the ones who take time 224 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:39,680 and really listen to me carefully and, and pray with me. 225 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:42,320 That's the, that's the one who. Yeah. 226 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:42,960 No. Do you remember? 227 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:45,040 I, I, they've read the Bible with me one to one when I was 228 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:47,240 really struggling or when, when I wasn't sure about this 229 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:53,120 Christianity thing. Tabitha has gone down in the 230 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,600 history of the Bible as someone who always did good and helped 231 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:00,320 the poor. About that time she became sick 232 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,600 and died and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 233 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:06,160 Lidder was near near Joppa, say 12 miles away. 234 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:08,560 So when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lidder, they sent 235 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:11,160 two men to him and urged him please come at once. 236 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:14,200 Now bear in mind, they haven't just jumped in a helicopter and 237 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,160 flown that 12 miles. They haven't even driven the 12 238 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,000 miles. So when it's urgent, urgent, 239 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,960 please come quickly. They've had to do a 12 mile walk 240 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,560 to go and find him. This girl who was dead is very 241 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:27,080 dead. She's been washed, she's been 242 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:30,040 prepared, she's been laid on the bed so people can mourn and say 243 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:31,520 their farewells before she's buried. 244 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:38,400 Peter went with them, and when he arrived some hours later, 12 245 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,360 miles, he was taken upstairs to the room. 246 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,960 All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes 247 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,280 and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still 248 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:47,320 with them. You can imagine it, can't you? 249 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:48,240 There they are. You're going. 250 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:50,240 Ah, this was the one. She was so lovely. 251 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:52,840 She helped the poor. She was also kind. 252 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,000 Look, she made all these things for the homeless. 253 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,200 She made all these things for these people who had nothing, 254 00:13:57,560 --> 00:14:03,400 and now she's gone. So Peter sent them all out of 255 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:05,760 the room. Verse 40 Then he got down on his 256 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:11,240 knees and prayed. Sorry, got my side in the right 257 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,560 place. He got down on his knees and 258 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:16,080 prayed. Then he turned towards the dead 259 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:17,440 woman. And as I say, she's been dead 260 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:19,400 here for for some hours, hasn't she? 261 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:26,080 And he says Tabitha get up. Or if he was saying it in 262 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:30,360 Aramaic and these words might be familiar to us, Tabitha Kum, 263 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,200 maybe to the point that Mark or John made earlier reminds us of 264 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:39,120 Jesus when he says Talitha Kum back in the Gospels. 265 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,280 It would be one letter different. 266 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,640 I think the mirror, the connection is meant to be really 267 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:47,080 obvious for us here. That meant little girl get up. 268 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:54,360 This means Tabitha get up. What does she do? 269 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:59,480 She opened her eyes and seeing Peter, she sat up. 270 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,280 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. 271 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,200 Then he called the believers in the widows and presented her to 272 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:09,240 them alive. This girl who's been dead. 273 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:14,000 This young woman who's been dead for some hours a day. 274 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:19,800 Day and 1/2 enough time to get a message to Peter to get him 275 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:23,360 back, to have prepared her body and there she is sitting up, 276 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,800 walking around, probably helping people again actually, because 277 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,480 that seems to be her nature. And the people will be 278 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:33,840 astounded. This became known verse 42 all 279 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:39,800 over Joppa and many people believed in the Lord. 280 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:44,040 They are remarkable miracles, aren't they? 281 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:47,120 They're absolutely incredible. It's it's, I guess, you know, we 282 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:48,920 can read these words and go, Oh yeah, that's right. 283 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:51,880 And on we go. Imagine being there. 284 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:54,440 Imagine knowing this guy in this. 285 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:56,640 We see him on Queens Road every day for eight years. 286 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,840 We've seen him as we go and walk off to wherever we're going or 287 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:02,160 we grab a cup of coffee or whatever and then suddenly we 288 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:07,680 bump into him walking and praising this guy Jesus, or 289 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:11,000 we're 12 miles away down the road and and this woman who was 290 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,520 an amazing woman and because she was so lovely when she died, 291 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:17,000 everyone knew about it. News of her death spread and 292 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,760 everyone was really sad. And there she is back on her 293 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:29,520 feet helping people out again. They are incredible miracles and 294 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,320 they are meant to, I believe very clearly here, reflect and 295 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:37,080 mirror the miracles of Jesus during his earthy ministry. 296 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,840 As we've said already, let me read those to us if we don't 297 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:42,960 know them. You can find these both in 298 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,280 Mark's gospel and Luke's gospel. I've got the references at the 299 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:47,720 end of them, so they'd be great to look up at home if you don't 300 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:53,000 know these so well. This story, Jesus is in a packed 301 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:57,280 room, there's no way in. And these friends of this 302 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:00,520 paralysed man want to get this paralysed man to Jesus. 303 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,760 So they dig a hole through the roof, having lifted him up onto 304 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:07,079 the roof, and then they lower him down to Jesus. 305 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:12,000 And Jesus, when he saw their faith, said, friend, your sins 306 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:15,720 are forgiven. The Pharisees and the teachers 307 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,920 of the Lord began thinking to themselves, who is this fellow 308 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,960 who speaks blasphemy, who can forgive sins but God alone? 309 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:24,920 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked why are you 310 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:26,119 thinking these things in your heart? 311 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,880 Which is easier to say your sins are forgiven or to say get up 312 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:33,760 and walk? But I want you to know that the 313 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:36,280 Son of Man, that's one of the names that Jesus used to speak 314 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:40,640 of himself has authority on earth to forgive sins. 315 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:43,840 Note that Jesus is going to heal this guy physically. 316 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:49,000 So they they will know that he has authority to forgive him 317 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,760 sins, not just to to resuscitate someone or heal someone 318 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:55,680 physically and temporarily back into a body that's going to 319 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:58,680 break down again, but to forgive them and give them resurrected 320 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:02,640 new lives that will be forever. I want you to know that the Son 321 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:04,440 of man has authority on earth to forgive sins. 322 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:09,160 So he said to the paralyzed man, I tell you, get up, take your 323 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:13,600 mat and go home immediately. He stood up in front of them, 324 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:17,440 took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 325 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,440 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. 326 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:23,760 They were filled with war and said we have seen remarkable 327 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:27,040 things today. You notice the same words. 328 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,240 Peter says Jesus Christ heals, you get up. 329 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:31,760 Jesus looks at the man and says get up. 330 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:34,160 What does God do when Jesus is in the grave? 331 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:40,200 He says get up, be resurrected, have new life. 332 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:46,240 The other story that echoes is Jesus raising Jairus's daughter. 333 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,520 Jairus daughter had died. She was laid in her bed, people 334 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:51,240 all around her mourning her death. 335 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:54,760 Jesus goes to the room and he puts them out. 336 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:57,200 He took the child's father and mother and the disciples who 337 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,120 were with him and went in where the child was was. 338 00:19:00,120 --> 00:19:04,400 He took her by the hand and said to her, not Tabitha kum, but 339 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:06,360 Talitha Kum, which means little girl. 340 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:08,520 I say to you, get up immediately. 341 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:10,200 The girl stood up and began to walk around. 342 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:14,040 She was 12 years old. At this they were completely 343 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,560 astonished. They're basically mirror images, 344 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:19,880 aren't they? These, these different healings, 345 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:21,680 They're healings of Jesus in his earthy ministry. 346 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:29,120 And well, of who now miracles of Peter, yes, but no. 347 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:32,640 Those are miracles of Jesus during his earthy ministry when 348 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:37,640 he had flesh and blood. These are miracles of Jesus now 349 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,440 when the flesh and blood bit is Peter. 350 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:49,120 But it's Jesus still at work. This is Jesus power, not Peter's 351 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:53,720 power. You notice that they don't go 352 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,480 away from these stories praising Peter. 353 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:00,760 They don't say, oh, we want to be believers and followers of 354 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:05,680 Peter. They turn to the Lord. 355 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:10,000 It is clear in the way that Peter conducts himself, the way 356 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,640 that he does these incredible miracles, that he is not the 357 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:16,360 center of attention. The focus here is Jesus. 358 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:23,360 And not Peter. So Jesus is the real story. 359 00:20:24,120 --> 00:20:25,120 Yes. Acts 1 to 9. 360 00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:27,920 We have Peter, we have Stephen, we have Philip, we have Saul. 361 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,280 We come back to Peter. But it's Jesus who's over all of 362 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:35,800 that here this morning. We've got all of us. 363 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:40,760 But if you're in Jesus, if you're a Christian this morning, 364 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:44,960 you are in him. And therefore the big story is 365 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,040 what is Jesus doing in US and through us? 366 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,360 We don't do things as a church or do things out there on our 367 00:20:52,360 --> 00:20:56,000 own so that we get the glory. Instead, we're doing it in Jesus 368 00:20:56,000 --> 00:21:03,240 power so that he gets the glory. We long, don't we? 369 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:08,400 That the same outcome would come that people turn and not go, oh, 370 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:10,400 Pete, you're brilliant, Richard, you're amazing. 371 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:15,440 But let's say Jesus is amazing. I want to turn my life and I 372 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:21,360 want to follow him because Jesus is the real story. 373 00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:26,920 The risen Jesus is powerfully at work here through Peter, and the 374 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:29,040 people get it. They see that Jesus is the real 375 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,040 story. That's why they turn not to 376 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,040 Peter, but that's why they turn to him. 377 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:35,640 That's absolutely the right result. 378 00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:42,320 It also confirms, as I said at the start, that Peter is Jesus. 379 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:48,960 True Apostle Peter is really important in the growth of the 380 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:50,800 early church and of this establishment. 381 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:54,120 We're going to see next week of this understanding that it 382 00:21:54,120 --> 00:21:59,280 wasn't just good news for Jewish people, but for the whole world. 383 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:03,880 Peter needs to be clearly having Jesus authority. 384 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:07,440 He needs to it needs to be clear that that he is Jesus mouthpiece 385 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:09,760 if you like. He's his instrument on earth to 386 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,960 continue to do his work here in a physical way with healing. 387 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:19,000 But next week, as we'll see in spiritual biblical understanding 388 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:25,520 of God's salvation plan. This confirms him as an apostle. 389 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:27,960 I'm just going to flick forward just to give you a reference for 390 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:33,080 that 2 Corinthians 12 verse 12 Paul writing rather than Peter, 391 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:36,800 but Paul in in arguing really trying to persuade the 392 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:40,760 Corinthian Church of who he is. He says the things that mark an 393 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:46,040 apostle signs, wonders and miracles were done among you 394 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:49,800 with great perseverance. The things that mark an apostle, 395 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:53,040 signs, wonders and miracles were done among you with great 396 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:56,320 perseverance. That was true of Paul, but 397 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,280 that's true of Peter. Here we see these incredible 398 00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:03,360 miracles and it establishes and confirms Peter is Jesus apostle, 399 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:06,760 his representative. He has authority from Jesus. 400 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:13,760 So the risen Jesus powerfully at work through Peter. 401 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:18,000 Peter was great, but actually, remember, Peter's messed up many 402 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,120 times. Peter was the one who who 403 00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:24,480 abandoned Jesus before his death, saying no, no, I don't 404 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:29,720 even know the guy. And when he died, like the rest 405 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,240 of the disciples, they scatter full of fear, full of crisis. 406 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:35,880 Who's this Jesus guy? We thought he was going to be 407 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,640 someone, and actually it turns out we were wrong all along. 408 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:45,000 But Jesus in his kindness, in his goodness, in his mercy, he 409 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:49,120 is using Peter. He restores Peter to be the rock 410 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:52,840 that will help establish the early church. 411 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:01,040 So the risen Jesus powerfully at work through Jesus, through 412 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:03,280 Peter. Jesus is the real story though. 413 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:08,200 Peter is really important as an apostle and the take away for 414 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:12,920 us, I hope today is this, that the risen Jesus is still 415 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,200 powerfully at work through his people today. 416 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:19,520 The risen Jesus was powerful at work through Peter and through 417 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:21,560 Stephen and Philip and through Paul. 418 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:26,760 The risen Jesus is still powerfully at work through those 419 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:32,240 of us who are Christians today through his same Holy Spirit who 420 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:35,600 was at work through Peter, that Holy Spirit. 421 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:39,320 Remember Acts One, verse 8, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, 422 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:43,880 you will go out to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends 423 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:47,040 of the earth. That explosion into the future 424 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,680 that's still happening today, 2000 plus years later. 425 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,080 We're all evidence of that. If you're a Christian here this 426 00:24:54,080 --> 00:25:00,160 morning, you're evidence of that expansion geographically and to 427 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:05,120 all people, groups represented, the Holy Spirit is still at 428 00:25:05,120 --> 00:25:08,000 work. He is the reason that any of us 429 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:11,440 have come to faith and it's He who is at work in US 430 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:15,520 individually and together as we seek to continue Jesus mission 431 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:17,680 to take the good news out to the nations. 432 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:22,360 So let me ask you this morning, is that you? 433 00:25:22,360 --> 00:25:26,200 I've just said a couple of times there, if you're a Christian, if 434 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:31,080 you're a Christian, have you come to put your faith and trust 435 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,760 in Jesus? Have you, like these people here 436 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:38,480 in Lidda and Joppa, seen this? Jesus seen his power, seen his 437 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:43,400 authority over sin, and turned to follow him? 438 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:47,680 That's the invitation for all of us. 439 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,120 No matter how badly we've messed up in the past, no matter what 440 00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:54,080 state of relationships have been, no matter how selfish and 441 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:59,040 stubborn, no matter how impure our backgrounds or our 442 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:04,600 foregrounds, Jesus calls us to turn and follow Him. 443 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,280 You may think you're absolutely not worthy of that. 444 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:12,520 You're right. But Jesus says, I don't. 445 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:14,320 It's not about whether you're worthy. 446 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:18,120 If you think that, you've misunderstood the point. 447 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:20,760 We can never be worthy of God's love. 448 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:24,640 We can never be worthy of being part of Jesus family. 449 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:30,600 But he says, I want you. And that same power that raised 450 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:33,960 Tabitha from the dead and healed this paralyzed man. 451 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:36,600 But both of them were going to get ill again. 452 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,960 Both of them would die again. Tabitha was, was raised, but she 453 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,360 was resurrected. She was she was resuscitated for 454 00:26:42,360 --> 00:26:47,680 a period of time. But Jesus says trust in me and 455 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:51,120 you will have new and everlasting life in bodies that 456 00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:53,800 will never get old, will never suffer and creak and need to 457 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:59,360 wear glasses or never, whatever else it might be not because you 458 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:02,640 are worthy or because you are capable or you are good, but 459 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:06,960 because Jesus is. So you might read this passage 460 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:08,720 today and go, these are amazing miracles. 461 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:11,640 Just does Jesus still do miracles in the world today? 462 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:17,800 I hope that our immediate answer straight away is yes, of course 463 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:22,800 he does. There's 100 and whatever 464 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:24,960 evidences of it in this room. I was here a few weeks ago with 465 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:27,840 Mark and Duke up at the front here talking about their 466 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:30,640 conversion stories, the Jesus coming into their lives. 467 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:34,760 Those are miracles. Far greater actually than 468 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:37,200 raising someone from the dead or healing a paralyzed man, giving 469 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:44,400 new life which will never end. Does Jesus still perform 470 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:46,120 miracles today? Absolutely. 471 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:53,840 New life, resurrection forever. Does he still hear like this? 472 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,680 Should we be going around and walking down Queens Road or down 473 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,640 Charles St. and saying, I say to you paralyzed man, Jesus hears 474 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,920 you get up. I don't think that's the point 475 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:06,760 of this passage. I think this passage here, we 476 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:09,800 see Peter's power, or at least Jesus power through Peter 477 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:12,040 establishing Peter in this special way. 478 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:15,880 Does Jesus, does God still heal people and do amazing miracles 479 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:16,800 today? Absolutely. 480 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,160 And there'll be people in this room this morning who'll testify 481 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:24,880 to that. It's not our normal experience, 482 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:29,520 but sometimes God in his mercy chooses to heal. 483 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:35,600 But we are not apostles and we don't have this same authority 484 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,960 and this same role. But we can pray, can't we? 485 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:42,600 We can pray that God would be at what we pray for healing. 486 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:44,040 It's good and right that we do that. 487 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:46,480 We've got people in our church family today who are who are 488 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:47,880 suffering. You can't be here this morning. 489 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,880 And if you're on on watching online, it's great to have you 490 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,480 there who would love to be here, who themselves would love to be 491 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,800 here, but can't be because they're physically 492 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:00,280 incapacitated. Others who who perhaps have are 493 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:02,680 going through mental illness and to such an extent that that they 494 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:06,640 can't be with us. It is right that we pray that 495 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:13,280 God would be merciful and would heal, but that's not a test for 496 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:15,360 God. Are you real or do you really 497 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:19,840 love us? Instead, it's saying we're going 498 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:23,000 to trust you, Jesus, and we believe that you could do this, 499 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:25,480 but we believe that you are with us by your Holy Spirit. 500 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:28,000 Are they the same? Risen Jesus is still powerfully 501 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,840 at work through his people. Very importantly, if people do 502 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:34,440 claim healings, perhaps there'd be Christians out there who 503 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,160 would claim healings in their churches or what have you. 504 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,160 Just remember, all of this doesn't point to Peter. 505 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:43,120 It all points to Jesus. If we find people who are, who 506 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,720 are claiming healings, claiming amazing things, and it points to 507 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,880 them and how great they are, can be part of my church. 508 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,600 Follow me on YouTube. Follow me on Instagram. 509 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:57,040 No, it should point to Jesus and his glory. 510 00:30:02,770 --> 00:30:07,010 So the risen Jesus is still powerfully at work through his 511 00:30:07,010 --> 00:30:11,330 people. Do we believe that? 512 00:30:11,330 --> 00:30:15,570 I think sometimes that's really hard, isn't it, to believe that. 513 00:30:17,250 --> 00:30:19,130 What does that mean? What does that look like 514 00:30:19,130 --> 00:30:21,730 day-to-day? That the risen Jesus is still 515 00:30:21,730 --> 00:30:25,490 powerfully at work through his people, through me, through you. 516 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:30,440 Yeah, absolutely. The Holy Spirit who was here 517 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:36,720 empowering the church to grow is still the Holy Spirit. 518 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:40,800 And he is with us, empowering us to go. 519 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:45,880 And for that gospel, the good news, to reach the ends of the 520 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,320 earth, that might be Ethiopia. It might be not. 521 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:54,200 Might be wherever else. It might be your school 522 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:58,680 tomorrow, it might be your neighbors this afternoon, it 523 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:02,880 might be your place of work next week, it might be your loved 524 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,560 ones who can't be here or live elsewhere or don't know. 525 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:11,720 This Jesus, the risen Jesus is still powerfully at work through 526 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:17,520 his people. And for us, we continue to be 527 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:22,280 part of that salvation plan that grows and grows and goes out to 528 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:25,480 the ends of the earth. Let's pray to that God, shall 529 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:33,640 we? Let's pray, Lord Jesus, we thank 530 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:39,760 you that you are risen indeed. Thank you that death couldn't 531 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:44,680 hold you and you got up not to then lie down again, but 532 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:46,680 actually as Richard read from that verse in Hebrews earlier 533 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:52,800 on, to sit down at the right hand of God the Father and we 534 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:54,480 remember Jesus, You're not sitting down because you're 535 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:58,400 tired or lazy, but because you have authority over all things 536 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:05,720 and the work of winning salvation is finished, but it's 537 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:09,200 expanding. Thank you for each one of us 538 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:12,200 here this morning who are privileged enough to call Jesus 539 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,040 our Lord. And I pray that for anyone here 540 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:18,440 who, who doesn't yet, who is unsure about this Jesus, 541 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:22,920 skeptical, unsure, questioning, Lord, would you please by the 542 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:27,440 power of your Holy Spirit, bring new understanding, new insight, 543 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:31,560 new awe, and new acceptance of who you are. 544 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:36,200 And Lord, please continue to be powerfully at work through US, 545 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:38,280 your people. We mess up all the time. 546 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:41,520 Lord, we doubt, we question, we forget. 547 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:46,520 But by your Spirit, we pray that you would powerfully continue to 548 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:50,440 be at work despite us. But in US and through US, for 549 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:54,160 your glory always we ask Lord Jesus, Amen.