1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,560 It, it is, well, I don't really believe in coincidences, but 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,600 it's sort of coincidence that today is also persecuted Church 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:08,119 Sunday. So that slot that Lily LED us 4 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,920 through earlier on in the video that we watched, it was only 5 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,160 this week that we discovered it was the persecuted Church 6 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,440 Sunday. But as we've begun to see in 7 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:17,920 recent passages in Acts and as we're going to see much more in 8 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:22,400 the coming ones as well as today, the the early church here 9 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:30,000 is in a time of persecution. So that's true of them then and 10 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,080 persecution of course in different forms as we've seen 11 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,240 already continues around the world today. 12 00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:39,080 So we're going to see two big things today. 13 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,600 This is the the kind of the headlines as to where we're 14 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,040 going take this in. And hopefully this then connects 15 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:45,800 to the to what we see as we walk through our passage. 16 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:47,040 We're going to see two big things. 17 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:50,840 Firstly, we're going to see the opposition and persecution is 18 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:56,240 real and is painful. Painful somewhat understates it, 19 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,600 I think really. But opposition, persecution is 20 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:03,920 real and we could say painful, we could say horrific, whatever 21 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,440 the right word there might be. That's the first thing that 22 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,560 we're going to see. And in the light of that, we're 23 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:13,960 going to have some questions we'll come back to in a second. 24 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:16,800 But the second thing, we're going to see that God is more 25 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,680 powerful than even the strongest opposition. 26 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:24,040 God is more powerful than even the strongest opposition. 27 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,840 I imagine if we went to Christians in what were the top 28 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:34,960 ones today, North Korea, Yemen, Somalia, Iran, Nigeria, 29 00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:39,600 Afghanistan, etcetera, it would be very easy perhaps for us to 30 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,240 think we will find Christians who think, yeah, this opposition 31 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,640 is so strong it feels much stronger than God. 32 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,480 Maybe that feels true for us today. 33 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:51,720 I suspect it's much less likely for us today. 34 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:53,840 We'll think about what that might mean for us as well. 35 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,040 Just back to that first point before we dive more in. 36 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,200 Opposition and persecution is real and is painful. 37 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,640 The question then that comes in the light of that for the 38 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:04,040 apostles. The question that comes for us 39 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,440 is in the light of that opposition, will we follow God 40 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:13,400 or will we follow the opposing principles, people, priorities, 41 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,240 etcetera, etcetera? Will the apostles keep sticking 42 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,600 to God, keep sticking to Jesus in their message about Him, or 43 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,280 will they be led to other things from their own hearts or from 44 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,960 the persuasive people and situations around them? 45 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:32,800 And what about us? Will we keep following Jesus 46 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,160 when there might be all sorts of things that would make us turn 47 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,720 astray? I did say in my notes at one 48 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,320 point, fear and follow God, and I mean that, but I I use the 49 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,680 word fear carefully. We want to have a reverence of 50 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:49,920 God, but I think it's really clear to say that we could fear 51 00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:53,400 people much more than we could fear God, couldn't we? 52 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:58,680 We could think that the things that drive my daily behaviour, 53 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,280 that drive my decisions, that drive what I do, is about 54 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,320 pleasing people much more than it might be about pleasing God. 55 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,280 Because it feels so present, so real, doesn't it? 56 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,520 People are here in front of me. If I humiliate myself, if I say 57 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,680 something that they hate me for, I'll be opposed. 58 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,160 I might be persecuted, I might lose those friendships. 59 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,440 Whereas perhaps it feels less immediate if we don't fear and 60 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,680 follow God. So opposition and persecution is 61 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:29,960 real and painful. In the light of that. 62 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,040 Will we, will the and will the apostles follow God or we follow 63 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,200 other things that will tug at US and tug at US hard. 64 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:40,840 And as I say, we'll see that God is more powerful even than the 65 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:45,480 strongest opposition. In this passage, we kind of see 66 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,720 it's basically man versus God. And it's not just man. 67 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,680 It's the principles of sort of the power base of the 68 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:54,360 Israelites. It's what we're going to meet 69 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:56,800 the Sanhedrin. It's the religious rulers and 70 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:03,240 leaders battling against God. I'm no great superhero guy, but 71 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,320 it could feel a little bit like Batman versus Superman. 72 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:08,560 And you go, well, these guys are fairly evenly matched. 73 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:09,720 I don't know. One of them is going to win, 74 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:11,800 maybe, but probably they'll come to some sort of impasse. 75 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,560 But instead of feeling like that, it feels like Batman and 76 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:19,040 Superman against, well, it's just us or it's against God and, 77 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,120 and, and they seem to have so much power. 78 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:27,040 Who's going to win if it's man versus God that we see in these 79 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:28,720 passages? And it is again and again and 80 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:30,320 again. Just going to give you the 81 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:31,960 spoiler. I don't know if you've seen that 82 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:34,200 film, but here's the spoiler to this one. 83 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,760 It is man versus God and God wins. 84 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:42,160 It is man versus God, but God wins. 85 00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:45,560 But the challenge is that it doesn't feel like God wins, does 86 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:47,720 it? So often in daily life we're 87 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:49,040 struggling. It's all sorts of different 88 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:51,720 things that might go on. If you're in South North Korea 89 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,680 or if you're in Afghanistan, you are struggling against very, 90 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:58,120 very real pressures and persecution from people against 91 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,440 God. Does it feel like God wins? 92 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:06,000 Couple of chapters after this, Stephen's going to be martyred 93 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,920 for his faith. By the end of the book, loads of 94 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,040 the early apostles would have been martyred for their faith. 95 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:12,280 God wins. Really. 96 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,520 Yes, that is the spoiler. It is, right. 97 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,640 So with those two things in in mind, let's dive into the 98 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,600 passage bit of context as to who we're going to meet. 99 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,040 First of all, two groups of people, one I've mentioned 100 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:27,280 already. But firstly, and I've mentioned 101 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:29,160 them both already, firstly, we're going to find various 102 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,640 words, the Sanhedrin high priest and his associates, the 103 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,760 Sadducees, and we'll see some Pharisees. 104 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:37,040 We don't actually meet the Pharisees and the elders, but 105 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,400 just to explain. So the Sanhedrin is a group of 106 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:43,560 about 70 people. They're the religious elite of 107 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,480 Israelite of the Israelites and Jerusalem. 108 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,680 If you know what's happened a few books before, a few chapters 109 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,600 before the beginning of Acts, we will have heard of these guys 110 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,800 persecuting Jesus and wanting to kill him off. 111 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,440 The Romans might have done it, but they were led there by the 112 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:04,120 high priest, by the Sadducees and the Pharisees who opposed 113 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:06,600 Jesus throughout his earthly ministry and wanted to get rid 114 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,240 of him. So one part of this story is 115 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:12,640 it's, it's the, it's the Sadducees, it's the Pharisees, 116 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:14,600 it's the scribes and elders, it's the high priest that make 117 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:19,200 up this group, this, this the gathering of the Sanhedrin. 118 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:22,960 They're strong, they look mighty. 119 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:24,720 They have all the power with them. 120 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,840 On the other side, we see the apostles featuring Peter here, 121 00:06:27,840 --> 00:06:31,120 the only one named. And they, as we kind of know, if 122 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:32,920 you've been with us in the rest of Acts and through the Gospels, 123 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,960 they're pretty ordinary people. They've mess up. 124 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:40,400 They've abandoned Jesus already when he died, and yet they've 125 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,480 been transformed by his resurrection. 126 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,760 And here they are having the courage to stand up for Jesus 127 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:52,120 and his message. We started our reading in verse 128 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:53,720 17 today. But if you just glance back to 129 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,160 verse 12, Richard covered this briefly at the end of last week, 130 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,360 you can see all sorts of things going on there from verse 12 131 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,120 through to verse 16. Apostles performing signs and 132 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:04,840 wonders. People even being healed by the 133 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:08,640 shadow of the apostles, a shadow of Peter as they walk past. 134 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:13,080 Incredible things going on. And then from verse 17, we start 135 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,440 to see more about how these, the Sanhedrin specifically, first 136 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,840 the Sadducees and the high priest, how they feel about 137 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,760 what's going on. Do you see that in verse 17? 138 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:25,400 Then the high priest and all his associates who are members of 139 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,920 this party, the Sadducees were filled with jealousy. 140 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,400 They want the power, they want the control, they want the 141 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,240 attention. And instead these apostles are 142 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,120 getting it. They've already killed off 143 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:39,880 Jesus. Now his apostles are coming and 144 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,200 taking away attention as well. So what do they do? 145 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:46,440 They say let's put them in jail. So they locked them away in the 146 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,760 public jail, verse 18. And then there's this amazing 147 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,880 thing that happens that's just sort of, it's just a line in the 148 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,600 story, isn't it? But then during the night, an 149 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,120 Angel of the Lord opened the door to the jail and brought 150 00:07:58,120 --> 00:07:59,760 them out. Hang on, what? 151 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:02,920 There they are locked away in prison by the powerhouse of 152 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:04,760 Jerusalem. And an Angel of the Lord just 153 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,400 goes in and he opens the door and he takes them out. 154 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:08,360 And he doesn't just leave it there. 155 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:12,600 He says to them, go to the temple courts and tell the 156 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:19,240 people all about this new life. Out you come, but don't go into 157 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,680 hiding. Go to the temple courts and tell 158 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,600 all the people all the message about Jesus. 159 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,400 And what do they do? Verse 21 at Daybreak. 160 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:30,080 In other words, as soon as they could, they enter the temple 161 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:34,080 courts as they've been told and they began to teach the people 162 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:39,080 they go and do it. They're not shield into to 163 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,559 hiding by how they're being dealt with. 164 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,640 They're rescued and immediately they carry on teaching this 165 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,760 message about Jesus, which is the very thing that put them in 166 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,440 jail in the 1st place. We then get what I think is 167 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,280 quite a funny, I'm not sure how witty it's meant to be, but it's 168 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,520 quite a comedy kind of episode that follows next. 169 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,320 Because the high priests and their associates that they get 170 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,480 together, all this group of the Sanhedrin 70 plus of them and 171 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:03,680 they send to the jail go and bring us the apostles. 172 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,840 And off some of them go and they discover that the jail is locked 173 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,560 but empty. There's no one there. 174 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,640 So they think, oh, what's going on? 175 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:14,400 They've been jealous before. Then we see more of their 176 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:19,280 emotion. 1st 24. They were at a loss wondering 177 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:21,640 what this might lead to. You imagine these powerful 178 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:25,200 rulers and suddenly they're like, I've got no idea what's 179 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:26,120 going on. Where have they gone? 180 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,240 No one, no one, no one knows what's happening. 181 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,760 But then someone says, don't we look those men, they're now in 182 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,840 the temple courts and they're keeping teaching about Jesus. 183 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,000 They're not hiding, but there they are in public teaching 184 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,760 about Jesus doing exactly as they have been told. 185 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:45,600 So again, I think this is, this is fascinating. 186 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,040 They go off, the captain went with his officers and brought 187 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:52,080 the apostles. 1st 26 Do you notice they didn't use force? 188 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:54,200 Well, partly because the apostles have obviously come 189 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:58,560 willingly, but also because they feared the people, the 190 00:09:58,560 --> 00:10:02,240 powerhouse of Jerusalem. These religious leaders are 191 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,920 afraid that the people might stone them if they take the 192 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,800 apostles by force because they are listening to their message 193 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:13,000 about Jesus. You might begin to think that 194 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,400 they're getting the picture that they are not in control. 195 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:19,280 They do not have lots of power. In fact, I meant to put that up 196 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:20,600 on my next slide, didn't I? Where are we? 197 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:21,920 Here we go. Here's what we're trying to find 198 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:23,000 as we as we walk through the passage. 199 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:24,560 What? What do each of these characters 200 00:10:24,560 --> 00:10:27,400 do and what's motivating them? They've been motivated by 201 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:29,440 jealousy. And then they're confused. 202 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:34,560 And then they bring them before them and say, we told you not to 203 00:10:34,560 --> 00:10:39,360 speak, verse 28. We gave you strict orders not to 204 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:42,440 teach in this name, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your 205 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:45,480 teaching. And well, this bit's amazing. 206 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:46,640 Do you remember who these guys are? 207 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,400 These are the guys who just chased Jesus to his death. 208 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,480 And then they say to the apostles, and you're determined 209 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:54,480 to make us guilty of this man's death. 210 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:57,520 Hang on. You are guilty of this man's 211 00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:59,640 death. It's a bizarre thing. 212 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:01,400 And I've been watching the Traitors recently. 213 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:02,680 Traitors. I'm not going to give it away. 214 00:11:02,680 --> 00:11:03,600 Don't worry. Lots of hands. 215 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:04,880 OK. If you've been busily what? 216 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:06,000 I could give you a spoiler. Couldn't I'm? 217 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:07,200 No more spoilers. God wins. 218 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:08,360 That's the only spoiler of the morning. 219 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,160 But if you watch the Traitors, the Traitors, they have to 220 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:12,920 murder someone each night. Not for real. 221 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:14,120 If you haven't watched it, it's OK. 222 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:15,960 It's all good fun. But every now and again, they 223 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:17,880 have to murder someone in plain sight. 224 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,400 So that's happened once or twice in this series. 225 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:21,800 Or has it not? If you haven't yet watched it, 226 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:25,040 who knows? But it happens, OK, murdering in 227 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:28,840 plain sight, the Sadducees, the high priest, the Pharisees, this 228 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,080 group of people in the Sanhedrin, they have murdered 229 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,240 Jesus in plain sight, but not just with a bit of a secret 230 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:35,440 thing. And maybe I'll touch his ear, 231 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:37,600 maybe I'll do. They have ganged up on Jesus and 232 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:39,280 said, this is the guy we want to kill him off. 233 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:42,120 He's a threat to us. And then they turn to the 234 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:45,080 apostles here and go, really, you want to make it as if we've 235 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,120 done something wrong. It's a fantastic, I mean, it's 236 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,000 it's kind of comedy, but it's not comedy because of how 237 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:56,480 serious it is. And then the apostles turn. 238 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,760 Peter is named verse 29. Peter and the other apostles 239 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:04,760 reply and say we must obey God rather than human beings. 240 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:09,040 Do you feel this funny tension in the story? 241 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:12,200 You've got, you've got the guys who seemingly have power locking 242 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:14,040 them away and saying don't speak. 243 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,480 And then we told you not to speak, don't speak. 244 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,600 And yet an Angel comes along and frees them from jail and says, 245 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,840 go and speak. And they go and speak. 246 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:29,080 And then they say, come on, are we going to obey you or are we 247 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,880 going to obey God? Of course we're going to obey 248 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:36,240 God rather than you, a mere human being. 249 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,760 And then what is most brilliant at the heart of this passage is 250 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:44,000 this Sanhedrin who are determined to make them not 251 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:48,680 speak the good news about Jesus. Well, then they have an audience 252 00:12:48,680 --> 00:12:53,360 with Peter and the apostles to hear the good news about Jesus. 253 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,920 So we get this brilliant little gospel and a nutshell here from 254 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,400 them. They say this God of our 255 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:03,800 ancestors raised Jesus from the dead, whom you killed by hanging 256 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:06,080 him on a cross. You know, if there was any doubt 257 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,320 that they were suggesting that they'd done it, absolutely not. 258 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:14,680 You killed him, but verse 31 God exalted him to his own right 259 00:13:14,680 --> 00:13:19,280 hand as Prince and savior that he might bring Israel. 260 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:24,520 That includes these guys that includes the elders the the the 261 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:28,640 the Sanhedrin here together. God has made him Prince and 262 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,120 savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive 263 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,600 their sins. We, that's the apostles, are 264 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,520 witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God 265 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:40,640 has given to those who obey him. Peter and the apostles get this 266 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:42,360 opportunity in front of the Sanhedrin. 267 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:44,800 Despite the fact they're doing everything they can to quiet 268 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,800 them, they suddenly get this brilliant audience in front of 269 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:52,440 them and they use that moment to say precisely who Jesus is. 270 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:57,280 God sent Jesus, he lived on earth, you killed him. 271 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:01,560 But God rose him, raised him up from the dead, and he's now 272 00:14:01,560 --> 00:14:05,480 sitting at God's right hand as Prince, as Saviour. 273 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:09,600 Back to Anne's thing, helpfully. First he is the perfect king, 274 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,360 fulfilling all that was coming with all his other kings, the 275 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,240 judges, and then the kings. He is far better than King 276 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,640 David, and he's there forever. And he's not just the king, he 277 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:22,000 is the Saviour, bringing repentance to all who will trust 278 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,320 in him. And again, another brilliant 279 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:31,560 twist of irony in the story. How do they react, these guys 280 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,400 who don't want to be considered guilty of Jesus death, they 281 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:38,640 decide, well, we're so furious now, clearly the best thing is 282 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,880 let's kill these guys. And it's, it's bizarre, isn't 283 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,560 it? These religious rulers were so 284 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:49,880 blind, the message of Jesus, so angered by it and by the 285 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:51,320 apostles that they want to kill them. 286 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:58,240 Verse 33 Then we get this guy Gamilio who comes along, he's a 287 00:14:58,240 --> 00:14:59,560 Pharisee. First time a Pharisee's 288 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:01,360 mentioned in this particular story. 289 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:04,200 But we know of Pharisees, don't we, from the Gospels. 290 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:06,360 They talk to Jesus lots, they try and trick him out often. 291 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,520 This Pharisee who's a really respected guy, we'll see him 292 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,160 lots of connections to others in, in Acts, probably taught 293 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:18,240 Paul, even honoured by all the people we're turned and told in 294 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:21,360 verse 34. And he says, let me have a 295 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:22,320 moment. Can I talk to you? 296 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:24,200 I want to, I want to just explain something. 297 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,960 So they send the apostles out and he talks to the Sanhedrin 298 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,520 and he says to them, verse 35, men of Israel, consider 299 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,360 carefully what you intend to do to these men. 300 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,840 And then he talks about two recent episodes, one about a guy 301 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:39,200 called Thudus and 1A guy called Judas, not Judas Iscariot who 302 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:41,000 betrayed Jesus, but a different Judas. 303 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,040 And these two both rose up and they had a bit of a following 304 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,240 around them for a while, a few hundred men and women who 305 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,280 thought, oh, maybe this guy's something and they followed him. 306 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:51,560 They paid attention and then what happened? 307 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:53,120 Both of those guys were killed off. 308 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:57,600 And in the days that followed, the weeks, the months, the years 309 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,520 that followed, all those followers of Thudus and Judas 310 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,720 disappeared. They realized, well, of course 311 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:04,160 they were nothing. They've lived for a while. 312 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:05,840 They looked impressive, but they've died off. 313 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:11,720 End of story. So Camilio says this Jesus guy 314 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,560 is probably very similar. It's probably another moment 315 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,200 when a Thudus or a Judas or whoever comes along and we 316 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:18,320 think, oh, is this the next big thing? 317 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:19,800 No, he's not. Let's forget about it. 318 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:22,680 So the best thing to do probably is just leave them alone. 319 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:29,000 But actually, if he is something special, if he is from God, then 320 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:31,160 we're just going to end up fighting against God and we'll 321 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,840 lose. So he says verse 38. 322 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,160 Therefore, in the present case, I advise you leave these men 323 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,000 alone. Let them go, for if their 324 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,360 purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 325 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:46,240 But if it's from God, you will not be able to stop these 326 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,080 things, these men. You will only find yourself 327 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:55,080 fighting against God. If this is a story of man versus 328 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:58,560 God, the men at this point, the people, the religious rulers, 329 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,960 think they are winning. Emilio says, Look, if it is man 330 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:04,720 versus God, of course we're not going to win. 331 00:17:05,839 --> 00:17:08,200 And if it's only man versus man, it's going to fade out anyway. 332 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:13,760 So don't worry about it. And these religious rulers are 333 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,079 verse 40. They're persuaded by him. 334 00:17:16,079 --> 00:17:18,680 And yet it's really interesting. They're persuaded by him. 335 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:21,640 They decide to let them go, but they think, let's a bit of a 336 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:25,160 guarantee back up here. They call them in, they flog 337 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:31,200 them. That's 39 brutal lashes, beaten 338 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:35,240 and battered. They flog them and then once 339 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:41,120 again order them to be silent. So yes, they're persuaded. 340 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:42,560 Let's leave it and see what happens. 341 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,800 But they are still trying to be in control. 342 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:48,360 They flog them. They want to beat them into fear 343 00:17:48,360 --> 00:17:51,560 and submission and they want to force their silence. 344 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:57,080 And then isn't the response in verse 41, isn't it just amazing? 345 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:00,840 I don't know how you, I mean, it's we can't even picture 346 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:03,400 ourselves there. Can we picture ourselves in 347 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:05,480 those countries and in those situations that we're watching 348 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:06,120 on screen? Everyone. 349 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,720 But if your imagination can take you there at all, you've just 350 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:14,240 been beaten 39 lashes, having previously been locked up in 351 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:16,600 prison because of the message of Jesus that you're proclaiming. 352 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:25,000 They leave rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of 353 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:30,280 suffering disgrace for the name, the name of Jesus that they've 354 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,240 been told. You must not speak this name. 355 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,200 They rejoice because they've been counted worthy of suffering 356 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:42,720 disgrace for him. And then verse 42, day after day 357 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:47,240 after day after day after day in the temple courts and wherever 358 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:50,400 they go from house to house to house to house, they go about 359 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:55,160 teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the 360 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:56,200 Messiah. They never stop. 361 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,920 They never stop despite the beatings, despite the threats, 362 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:02,360 despite the imprisonments, despite the everything else. 363 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:07,200 They never stop. They proclaim that Jesus is the 364 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:12,640 Messiah. It's a great story, isn't it? 365 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:14,000 And I say story, it's a true story. 366 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:19,520 This really happened and it's an amazing story of God at work in 367 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:24,720 people and three people, but in the face of terrible opposition 368 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:28,040 and persecution, said at the start, opposition and 369 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:31,280 persecution is real and is painful. 370 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:33,000 Sometimes that pain is emotional, isn't it? 371 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,840 It might be about disconnection, it might be about hatred, it 372 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,520 might be about people moving away from us. 373 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:41,720 Sometimes it's very physically painful. 374 00:19:42,120 --> 00:19:45,560 These guys were battered and bruised and beaten by the 375 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:51,600 Sanhedrin and opposition and persecution was true then, it's 376 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,960 true now. We see in this story it's 377 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,120 motivated by all sorts of different things, isn't it? 378 00:19:57,120 --> 00:19:59,840 Ultimately, it's about a rejection of God, a rejection of 379 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:01,960 his message. And ultimately behind that 380 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:06,960 stands Satan, God's enemy, who wants to destroy God's work and 381 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,360 God's people. But at a human level, we see it. 382 00:20:10,360 --> 00:20:12,640 It's through jealousy, it's through fear, it's through 383 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:16,280 control, it's through anger. It's a desire for power, for 384 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:18,520 autonomy. Shove off God, I'm in charge. 385 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:20,480 I want things to be as I want them to be. 386 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:25,080 Life my way. All of which drives opposition 387 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,520 and persecution to the real message of Jesus, because the 388 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:31,000 real message of Jesus is one of salvation and of complete 389 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:34,280 change, isn't it? Where actually now this is about 390 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:38,600 God and not about me. So the question here for the for 391 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:44,080 the apostles, the question then for us is who will we fear and 392 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:47,560 follow? It's very easy to be afraid of 393 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,000 people. These guys are scary. 394 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:53,680 These guys are there with all the power of the establishment 395 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,440 as it was. They're able to lock them up in 396 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,720 prison, they're able to give them 40 lashes, and they're able 397 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,360 to to kill them, as they will do in the coming chapters. 398 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:08,240 So will they follow people and the pressures and where the 399 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:10,160 persecution would take them, or will they follow their own 400 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:14,400 desires for comfort, for an easy life, for power, for authority, 401 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:16,840 whatever it might be? Or will they follow God? 402 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:19,640 And we see, don't we, so amazingly, they keep following 403 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:21,240 God. They obey what that Angel has 404 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,040 said, go and proclaim the full message about Jesus. 405 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:31,120 And we see that God is more powerful than even the strongest 406 00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:34,800 opposition. But it doesn't look like it in 407 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,520 the in the short term or the immediate term. 408 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:40,200 And for many of them, it probably never looked like that 409 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:41,640 in their life. As they say, a couple of 410 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,160 chapters later, Stephen's going to be killed. 411 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:50,960 The church is scattered. Others then follow, but God is 412 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:55,760 more powerful than even the strongest opposition here, 413 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:58,840 bringing the people out of jail, just opening the door, just 414 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,440 taking them out, just popping them ready to go and preach the 415 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:04,160 gospel. Amazingly, the resurrection of 416 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,680 Jesus, when it looked like all had failed, there's Jesus dead 417 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,880 in the tomb. And yet Jesus, God in his power, 418 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:16,000 brings him out to life. And then amazingly, that 419 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,440 promise, that offer that we see right in the heart of this 420 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:22,560 passage as Peter talks to the to the religious rulers, there is 421 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:26,760 forgiveness for everybody, new life for everybody who trusts in 422 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:31,440 him. And ultimately we see that God 423 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:34,000 is more powerful. Here we are 2000 years later, 424 00:22:34,360 --> 00:22:37,520 still in a world with masses of opposition, masses of terrible, 425 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:39,280 terrible persecution. What was that stat? 426 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:44,280 One in seven Christians globally, and yet the church is 427 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:47,120 bigger than ever and it's thriving. 428 00:22:47,120 --> 00:22:51,120 It's growing, often most of all in those places where people 429 00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:58,320 meet persecution and opposition. So through Acts and beyond, to 430 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:03,000 us and beyond, until Jesus comes again to bring all things to the 431 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,400 good, we see again and again and again that God is more powerful 432 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:08,760 than even the strongest opposition. 433 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:12,680 Paul and Romans puts it like this. 434 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:14,880 What then shall we say in response to these things? 435 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:18,440 If God is for us, who can be against us? 436 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,680 If God is for us, who can be against us? 437 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:25,560 God is more powerful than even the strongest opponent, the 438 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:27,920 strongest opposition, the strongest persecution. 439 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:32,360 If God is for us, who can be against us? 440 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:37,640 And yet we know, don't we? Day by day, that can be pretty 441 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,160 tough. It doesn't feel like it doesn't 442 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:44,000 look like God is the winner. We've got all sorts of things in 443 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:47,320 ourselves and in the world around us that pull us in a 444 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:50,960 different direction. But I hope those two truths 445 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,640 might be helpful for us to hold onto Opposition and persecution 446 00:23:53,640 --> 00:24:00,120 is real and painful, but and God is more powerful than even the 447 00:24:00,120 --> 00:24:04,920 strongest opposition. And just to pull that together 448 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,880 as we move towards finishing, I wanted to come back to what 449 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:10,960 Peter talks about to the Sanhedrin when he gets that 450 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:15,200 opportunity, when he explains this wonderful gospel message of 451 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:19,880 Jesus, which is that Jesus gives life to everyone who believes in 452 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:23,920 him. That's how we get on the winning 453 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,760 side, isn't it? If there is this, there's this 454 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,800 ongoing opposition between God and man, we need to make sure 455 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:35,640 that we're on the right side. So three connections to this 456 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:38,800 Jesus gives life to everyone who believes in, believes in him. 457 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:42,840 So follow him, believe in him, follow him. 458 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:44,920 That's the call for all of us in this room today. 459 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:47,080 I don't know everyone in this room. 460 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,600 I know the majority of us and I know that most of us are 461 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:51,400 followers of Jesus, But yet there are others here this 462 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:55,160 morning who I'm sure are a bit unsure about who this Jesus is, 463 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:57,880 a bit unsure about this message. It's brilliant to be together. 464 00:24:57,880 --> 00:24:59,880 Thank you for being with us. Please keep coming. 465 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:08,240 Please come and learn more. We can be today made right with 466 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:11,040 God. We can receive the new life that 467 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:12,640 Peter spoke about to the Sanhedrin. 468 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:17,720 These are the guys who pursued Jesus to his death, and even 469 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:20,680 they could be rescued and given new life. 470 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:27,040 You might think that your past, your present is pretty bleak, 471 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:31,040 pretty black, pretty dark. You think, surely if people in 472 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,400 this room knew what I've done, knew where my thinking takes me, 473 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,880 knew what my heart longs for, then no one would tell me that 474 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,880 Jesus could save me. You'd be wrong. 475 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:46,520 Jesus came for those who pursued him to his death, and Jesus came 476 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,840 for every single one of us in this room and beyond. 477 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,280 No one of us is too far from that reach. 478 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:56,360 No one of us is beyond His love. If you've not yet started to 479 00:25:56,360 --> 00:26:03,920 follow him, why not today if you have, if you are a follower of 480 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:08,200 Jesus, then the call for us, I think, is to keep following 481 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:10,360 Jesus. It's not kind of super new and 482 00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:12,640 exciting in some ways, is it? But it's about keeping following 483 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:14,720 Jesus. We're going to meet all sorts of 484 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:16,240 opposition, all sorts of persecution. 485 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,520 Perhaps there'll be competing calls for our hearts, won't 486 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:20,880 there? Particularly, I wonder if we 487 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:25,240 feel that more in 21st century Britain rather than persecution. 488 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:29,320 Actually, there are so many things around us that my heart 489 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:33,960 might long for. For comfort, for power, for 490 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,040 attention, for money, for relationships, for things that 491 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,480 make me feel good and make me feel like I'm in control. 492 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:46,800 Those things will continue to compete for my heart and yours, 493 00:26:47,360 --> 00:26:49,760 day by day by day. Our desires, our pleasures, our 494 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:52,760 comforts, our priorities, our worries, our values will all 495 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:55,360 potentially suck me away from following Jesus. 496 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:00,440 So will the culture that we live in and other people, maybe even 497 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:05,480 with persecution and opposition. The call for us as Christians is 498 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:09,920 will we day by day by day with his help, as we pray with the 499 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:13,720 Spirit living with us, will we continue to to follow Him, to 500 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:18,040 try and keep in step with the Spirit to keep living for God, 501 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:22,120 sacrificing my own desires and living for God and his 502 00:27:22,120 --> 00:27:25,400 priorities. That's not a life of plain 503 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:28,520 sailing ease and bliss and melt money and wealth and happiness, 504 00:27:29,120 --> 00:27:31,240 but it's a life of obedience. Just as we saw from the 505 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:35,200 apostles, Jesus calls us towards something far greater than the 506 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:36,920 best things this world has to offer. 507 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:40,520 The apostles could only endure what they endured because they 508 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:43,520 trusted that for the future and and we need to be the same, 509 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:46,680 don't we? So what will, what will we 510 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:50,120 pursue? Will we keep following Jesus day 511 00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:53,040 by day? And then the third thing, and 512 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,200 this is so core to the message for the apostles, isn't it, is 513 00:27:55,440 --> 00:28:02,520 that as we follow him, will we proclaim him, speak about him to 514 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,680 others? Will we do that lovingly and 515 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:07,640 compassionately? You know, we're not called to, 516 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:11,680 we're not meant to get opposition and persecution 517 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:14,440 because we're brash and irritating and annoying in how 518 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:16,480 we speak to people. OK, we could all go and get 519 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:18,320 opposition, couldn't we, by just being unpleasant. 520 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:20,400 That's not the point. The point is actually, we've got 521 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:22,840 an amazing message to people who we love. 522 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:25,640 It's the message that's offensive. 523 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:28,000 We're not meant to be offensive, people. 524 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:30,920 That's not what we're called to. But we are called to speak 525 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:35,720 lovingly and compassionately and boldly and clearly about this 526 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:39,360 Jesus. And here's the thing I found 527 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:42,840 really hard this week as I've prepared this, and I wonder if 528 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:46,400 it might be a challenge to all of us if I'm never opposed. 529 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:50,120 If I go through life day by day, week by week, year after year, 530 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,240 and I don't meet opposition. My friends know I'm a Christian. 531 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,080 They know I go to church, but they never kind of that doesn't 532 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:57,680 cause a worry in our relationships. 533 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:02,120 Am I being anything like clear enough about what it means to 534 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:07,000 follow Jesus? I was playing tennis with a 535 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:08,440 friend on Friday night. Pete, what are you doing this 536 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:10,760 weekend? No, I'm, I did the right thing 537 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,600 and I'm preaching at church on Sunday, so I'm preparing for 538 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,160 that tomorrow or whatever brief conversation. 539 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:18,160 We've had various conversations over the years. 540 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,520 But actually, if he really knew, if I was really bold enough and 541 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:28,280 loving enough towards him to try and speak the truth about Jesus, 542 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:31,600 would our relationship always be quite so comfortable? 543 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:34,520 Or might I feel a bit of opposition, a bit of 544 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:37,680 persecution, a bit of you think what you're saying? 545 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:44,320 What about me? And about really, I'm still 546 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,040 trying to process that one. I wonder if that connects there 547 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:48,200 for all of us. Like if we go through life day 548 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:50,760 by day by day, and it is fairly plain sailing from the point of 549 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:53,440 view of persecution that no one really thinks that we're saying 550 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:55,720 anything or believe anything that's slightly offensive. 551 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:00,400 Do I believe it enough? Am I clear enough about it or do 552 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:02,680 I really need to pray about that and hope and and pray that God 553 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:07,720 would help me to be clearer? What I do want to say is it's 554 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:10,240 not our opposition. It's not the opposition that we 555 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:11,760 receive or the persecution that we receive. 556 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:14,480 That's not what saves us. We're not going to stand on the 557 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:17,120 final day and say, Jesus, look at these bruises on my back. 558 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:18,360 Look at these cuts that I've taken. 559 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:20,040 Look at the words of abuse that I took. 560 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:22,880 I should be saved. We'll stand there on the final 561 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:26,160 day, and the only thing that will save us is if we are 562 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:31,560 trusting in the one who suffered the ultimate persecution for me 563 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:35,240 and for each of us. If we're trusting in Jesus on 564 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:40,080 that day, His suffering, his opposition, his persecution, His 565 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:44,440 death and resurrection in our place, then we with him for 566 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:47,560 eternity. Then we'll be with him in that 567 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:51,480 future that He called us to, which is better by far than all 568 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:53,920 the best things that this world has to offer today. 569 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,560 So maybe we should be praying that he would be bigger and 570 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:02,520 bigger and bigger in our hearts and in our minds, and that the 571 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:07,320 desires of my own heart and that the world would sell to me would 572 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:09,560 be smaller and smaller. Because that's the fight that's 573 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:12,960 going on, isn't it? But in that fight of God versus 574 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:17,720 man, God wins. Let's pray. 575 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:28,280 Father God, thank You for all the true stories that we see in 576 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:31,320 Your Word that help us see more and more about You, more and 577 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:38,880 more about how you work and how people, broken, damaged men and 578 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:44,040 women like us, can follow the example of other Christians 579 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:46,840 through the years who with the help of the Holy Spirit, have 580 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:51,160 lived for you. Lord, in many ways we wish that 581 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:54,240 opposition and persecution wasn't true. 582 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:57,040 We wish we shouldn't need to expect that and face that. 583 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:00,080 And yet we do because that's how the church has grown for 584 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,160 centuries. So I pray that you would help us 585 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:04,480 to believe in and follow in Jesus. 586 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:09,400 Help us day by day to keep following Him, but to know that 587 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:12,680 you, Father God, are more powerful than all opposition, 588 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,880 and that you would fill our vision and our our passions and 589 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:19,360 desires more and more as we go on. 590 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:22,840 In the Lord Jesus, help us, we pray, Lord, Amen.