1 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:08,119 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,240 Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland, 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,400 County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,720 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,200 Our goal is to love people, to have opportunity to share the 6 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,680 gospel with people that think differently than we do, right? 7 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:50,440 To have patience with people and to listen to them and not to put 8 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:54,840 them down, but to be able to dialogue with people so that 9 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:59,000 they might have an opportunity to hear the truth and come to 10 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,480 the knowledge of the truth and then repent, right? 11 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,400 Because there was a time in our lives that we didn't believe 12 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:06,520 this stuff. As Christians, there's a fine 13 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,480 line between living in the world and living of the world. 14 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:13,520 Jesus lived this dichotomy perfectly. 15 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,520 He loved sinners, dined with tax collectors, prayed for his 16 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:21,920 enemies, and was kind to a Roman centurion, all while living a 17 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,200 sinless life. We may not be able to achieve 18 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:29,280 perfection, but today Pastor Clark encourages us to be active 19 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:33,520 in the lives of non believers. They need to see Jesus and hear 20 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,600 the gospel through US. Everyone is yearning for the 21 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,480 hope that only Jesus can offer now. 22 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:43,840 Here's Pastor Clark in the book of Acts Chapter 28 with today's 23 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,200 edition of Living Waters of Grace. 24 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,480 I get strength of being with you guys and I can leave here today 25 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:52,480 and be encouraged that we're not alone. 26 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,160 We are not the minority of the world says we are. 27 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,640 We are really a majority in the sense of God's Kingdom 28 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,240 eventually going to be coming on earth as it already is in 29 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,560 heaven. So we have every reason to be 30 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:10,240 joyful and happy people, right? And not be down and discouraged 31 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:12,600 and complaining about the condition of the world. 32 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:17,480 Jesus said in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good 33 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:19,840 cheer. I have overcome the world. 34 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,520 He has Amen. He's overcome the world and we 35 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:26,800 can be overcomers, walking by faith, staying in the word, 36 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,040 being prayerful people and looking for opportunities in 37 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:34,280 this life to speak into the laws of people who are hopeless or 38 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:38,520 may be searching for an answer. And so now when he came to Rome, 39 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,040 he eventually gets to Rome. The centurion delivered the 40 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,360 prisoners to the captain of the guards. 41 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,880 So all these people that survived this incident and 42 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:50,840 Lennon and Malta are now in Rome and every one of them are 43 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,720 accounted for. And Paul was permitted to dwell 44 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:55,880 by himself with the soldier who guarded him. 45 00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:00,280 So again, God's favor. Paul wasn't a vicious murderer 46 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,200 or someone who had committed some horrific crime. 47 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,400 He committed no crime. So he's able to live in his own 48 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:11,120 house, but he's chained to someone six hours and God takes 49 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:12,680 a break. Someone else chained to him for 50 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,320 six hours. This is just how he's permitted 51 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,920 to dwell. And so the soldier says, guarded 52 00:03:17,920 --> 00:03:20,360 him. And it came to pass after three 53 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:24,120 days, verse 17, that Paul called the leaders of the Jews 54 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,600 together. So when they had come together, 55 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,200 he said to the men and brethren, though I've done nothing against 56 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,160 our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as 57 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,520 a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who 58 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,080 when they had examined me, wanted to let me go because 59 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,680 there was no cause for putting me to death. 60 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:51,440 So he's emphasizing again that he's not guilty of anything, and 61 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,240 he's with these Jewish people that really don't know a lot 62 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,760 about anything yet in regard to the gospel. 63 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:00,760 All they know is by hearsay. There's this sect called The 64 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:05,480 Way, which is the move of what is now known as Christianity, 65 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,480 Christians. So Paul's expecting them to have 66 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,200 all these complaints about who he is. 67 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,279 And when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to 68 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,800 Caesar. Not that I had anything of which 69 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,960 to accuse my nation. So Paul made it clear I was 70 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,800 never against the nation of Israel, and I never said 71 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:31,200 anything derogatory about the Kingdom of the city, the plan of 72 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,520 God. For this reason, therefore, I've 73 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:37,360 called for you to see you and speak with you, because for the 74 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,280 hope of Israel, I'm bound with this chain. 75 00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:43,080 Now the hope of Israel is the Messiah who is to come, the 76 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:47,720 Messiah, Lord Jesus. Today the hope of Israel still 77 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,640 is a Messiah. But unfortunately majority of 78 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,280 Jewish people don't believe that Jesus is a Messiah. 79 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,240 They're waiting for Messiah who will come, who will come as a 80 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:00,400 conquering king to rule and reign in Jerusalem and and put 81 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,000 everything in this world in place. 82 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,360 The way we know prophetically it will be put in place when Jesus 83 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:09,280 comes the second time and he's he lands on the feet of the 84 00:05:09,280 --> 00:05:12,880 Mount of Olives and he sets up and establishes Kingdom for the 85 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:17,200 millennial reign of 1000 years that will come to pass at that 86 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,720 point in time when Jesus comes again the second time, they'll 87 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,200 be this technology. We already have it now we're 88 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,160 we're going to be able to see through TV and media and 89 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,160 iPhones, whatever. What's that object coming from 90 00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:32,920 the middle of the universe? What's that bright light moving 91 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,240 and and this crowd of looks like an army with him. 92 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:40,640 That's the Lord Jesus coming back with his Saints, and he's 93 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,960 going to land. And the Bible says every eye 94 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,760 shall see him. And the Jews in Jerusalem, it 95 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:52,640 says when they see him, they will see him is the one whom 96 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,000 they've pierced. And at that point in time, 97 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:56,960 they'll realize that Christ is a Messiah. 98 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,800 And a lot of people will come to be born again at that time, to 99 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,480 come to be saved at the second coming of Jesus Christ. 100 00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:09,440 So Paul's reasoning with them and to explain to them this, I'm 101 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:13,160 bound because I'm telling you guys that Jesus Christ is the 102 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:17,520 Messiah, the hope of Israel. Then they said to him, this is 103 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,440 interesting. We neither receive letters from 104 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:24,160 Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren came and 105 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:28,800 reported or spoken evil of you. So everything that was made to 106 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:33,480 be like a big deal when he was in Jerusalem and they wanted to 107 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,640 kill him and martyr to him, martyr him. 108 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,800 Now he's in the situation where no one's got any complaints. 109 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,840 Isn't that amazing? They can't even accuse him of 110 00:06:42,840 --> 00:06:45,760 anything. And sometimes you think in life 111 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:50,080 when stuff happens that in the moment is is really overwhelming 112 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:53,160 maybe, and you don't know how to maneuver and how to deal with 113 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,360 it. Give it some time, because in 114 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,240 time things aren't going to be quite as bleak or as difficult 115 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:03,440 as they might seem right now. Time heals, and we see God's 116 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,760 perspective differently after we have a chance to reflect on 117 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,880 something we're really counting on that maybe didn't come to 118 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:14,200 pass and we're discouraged. And then all of a sudden we see 119 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,880 days, weeks, months, years later. 120 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,600 Oh, now I see. That was good that that didn't 121 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,800 turn out the way I was hoping it would turn out. 122 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,200 God, you had a better plan, didn't he? 123 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,760 God's plan is always better than what our plan is. 124 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:31,960 So Paul was anticipating this uproar, this upheaval and there 125 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,440 is none. But they did have a question 126 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,640 verse 22. But we desire to hear from you 127 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,160 what you think for concerning this sect. 128 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,800 We know that it is spoken against everywhere. 129 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,080 It's still being spoken about against everywhere. 130 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:51,760 I'm I'm appalled, they're shocked. 131 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:57,200 I shouldn't be, but how there's people in our own country that 132 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:02,720 say that we are as Christians, we're white supremacists, we're 133 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,800 dangerous to the to the society, we're Zionists. 134 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,080 I mean, put all these various terms on on us that aren't even 135 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,720 true. Instead of the same way Jesus 136 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,920 said by this people will know you're my disciples by the love 137 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:19,320 you have for one another. And that's what I sense when I'm 138 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:21,440 with now you got extreme groups everywhere. 139 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:25,000 I get it. A true believer is not someone 140 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:28,800 who's interested in anarchy or turning over governments or 141 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,600 persecuting people that don't believe the same way we do. 142 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,600 Our goal is to love people, to have opportunity to share the 143 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:41,039 gospel with people that think differently than we do, right? 144 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:46,640 To have patience with people and to listen to them and not to put 145 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:50,920 them down, but to be able to dialogue with people so that 146 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,960 they might have an opportunity to hear the truth and come to 147 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:57,440 the knowledge of the truth and then repent, right? 148 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,280 Because there was a time in our lives that we didn't believe 149 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:04,640 this stuff, that we thought that people that did what we did, 150 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:08,200 where I thought they were fanatics, I thought it was some 151 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,320 kind of cult. I grew up in a Presbyterian 152 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,160 Church of frozen, frozen chosen, right. 153 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,400 We, we didn't, we went, but we didn't talk about what we, why 154 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,560 we went or what we believe. And then I'm not putting 155 00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:22,720 Presbyterian Church down, just different culture. 156 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:27,960 And so whenever I graduated from high school and I wanted to go 157 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:32,400 party and, you know, get in trouble and misbehave, right, 158 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:36,040 like a typical 18 year old. And I hope you young ladies are 159 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:37,680 graduated and aren't thinking that way. 160 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,560 But if you are, guaranteed God will catch up with you. 161 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,720 I get off the bus in Norfolk, West Virginia. 162 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:51,520 I leave Irwin which is 100% white. 163 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:56,640 I'm in the bus and me and my buddy are the only white people 164 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:58,760 on the bus. I realize there's a whole 165 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,720 different culture group that I never even knew anything about. 166 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,800 Didn't have any prejudice. I just never was around black 167 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,760 people before and I found out they're just like me, just like 168 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:11,680 you. And so we get off the bus and 169 00:10:11,680 --> 00:10:14,240 we're a minority and we're invited to a Christian coffee 170 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:15,800 house. And I didn't know it was a 171 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:17,720 Christian coffee house. These people just were real 172 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:18,960 nice. Hey, we got some food. 173 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,040 You want to come over and have something to eat? 174 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,320 And I only had like about 6 bucks in my pocket. 175 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,120 I figured well, if I stuff myself, I might not have to 176 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:29,160 worry about the what I have to buy later on for dinner. 177 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:34,800 So I got in there and these people were sitting there, right 178 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,840 here, down here. And they're they're sitting 179 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:39,720 there all clean cut and have Bibles on the table. 180 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:41,320 And I'm thinking like, what is this? 181 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,600 What is this like Jehovah Witness or what is this? 182 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,760 I knew that that was weird, you know, So they started, you know, 183 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:50,080 giving us this food and the food wasn't that great. 184 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,560 It was like steel Donuts and kool-aid. 185 00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:56,560 So it wasn't. And I said to my buddy, they 186 00:10:56,560 --> 00:10:58,920 were talking to us and I said, you know, we got to get out of 187 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,000 here. These people are weird there. 188 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:02,560 There's something wrong with these people here. 189 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:04,120 And I could tell it was getting to him. 190 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,480 He was considering what they were saying about Jesus, but I 191 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,320 had no interest. I thought I was OK because I was 192 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:14,760 a Presbyterian, right. So we, we get off the bus and we 193 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:19,120 get get back on the bus and I go down to, to carry on in Virginia 194 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:23,200 Beach because it was you could drink beer at 1832 beer. 195 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:25,720 You had to drink twice as much to get a buzz. 196 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:30,240 But I was OK. And so I, I went there and I, I 197 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:33,200 go into the men's room and, and I got to go to the bathroom and 198 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:36,320 wouldn't you know it, right on top of the toilet lid, there's 199 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:42,760 these Bible tracts about sin, about God, about death. 200 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,640 You know, they had the words of Jesus and red and the words of 201 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:49,800 sin and black and Oliver B Green track. 202 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,960 If you remember him, save a soul that's near as hell. 203 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:55,200 That's what he'd always say on his radio program. 204 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:57,760 But anyway, I, I just like, I couldn't get away. 205 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:01,440 The Holy Spirit was grabbing me, drawing me, prompting me, 206 00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:04,640 speaking to me. And I, I was running. 207 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,800 I didn't want to hear. And when you think about people 208 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,400 in the culture and people that Paul was going to begin to talk 209 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,160 with now, not everybody's going to believe right away. 210 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:15,920 Not everybody's going to be open, are they? 211 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,400 And maybe you're here today and you've never heard or never 212 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:21,400 believed and you're still not ready to believe. 213 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:26,480 But God will never give up on working to convince you by life 214 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,920 circumstances or through the word of God that you need a 215 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:32,520 Savior. Jesus loves you and he wants to 216 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,400 let you know that he died and forgave you of your sins, that 217 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:41,400 you might have eternal life. But anyway, Paul says they asked 218 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:43,680 him about this cult. So when they had appointed him a 219 00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:47,440 day, many came to him at his lodging to whom he explained and 220 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:50,880 solemnly testified of the Kingdom of God persuading them 221 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:53,920 concerning Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets 222 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:56,600 from morning to evening. So he gave him a day, Hey, meet 223 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,200 me at my place. The place was super PAC. 224 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:04,120 These inquirers came interested about like this sect and and he 225 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,000 was teaching them because they didn't have a New Testament at 226 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,640 the time. He was teaching them from the 227 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:12,360 prophets in the Old Testament and the Law of Moses. 228 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:16,680 He's an expert in these things. And so he's, it's not a short 229 00:13:16,680 --> 00:13:19,280 study like the day, maybe 45 to 50 minutes. 230 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:20,920 Can you imagine being here till night? 231 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:22,600 I'd probably be the only one here. 232 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:24,200 Some of you are sleeping already. 233 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:27,400 You're getting ready for bed and it's not even 9:00 at night yet. 234 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:29,640 You're sleeping here. But you wouldn't last, you know, 235 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:33,360 you wouldn't last that long. So and so some were persuaded by 236 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:35,800 the things which were spoken and some disbelieved. 237 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,200 So that's in any audience. Anytime you're sharing, some are 238 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,600 going to believe. Praise God. 239 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,040 There was a time when you and I believed and we got saved, 240 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:45,920 right? But then there was a time where 241 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:47,920 we heard this and we weren't interested, right? 242 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,160 You know, we had to hear it more than one time to believe. 243 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:58,200 And so when they did not agree among themselves, they departed 244 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:02,480 after Paul had said one word. The Holy Spirit spoke rightly 245 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:04,520 through the Isaiah, the prophet to our Father. 246 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:07,240 So, so Paul is there getting ready to leave and all that kind 247 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,360 of stuff. Paul brings this verse out from 248 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,760 from the book of Isaiah. He's going to speak to them 249 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:16,240 about what God said prophetically regarding how 250 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:20,640 people would respond to what it is that they're hearing. 251 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:25,160 And Jesus used this many times in the Gospels and it was also 252 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:29,440 used in the book of the Acts before prophet Isaiah said, go 253 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:34,360 to this people and say hearing you will hear and shall not 254 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:38,040 understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive. 255 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:42,160 Isn't that interesting people here maybe you're hearing today 256 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:45,120 and you think I'm nuts. That's OK and and you don't 257 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:48,640 understand what what there was this guy flapping his jaws about 258 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,800 up there doesn't make sense and seeing you see the worship, you 259 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:55,480 see the cross, you see the dove that represents the Holy Spirit. 260 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:59,200 You see people worshiping God, praising God says seeing you 261 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:03,120 will see and not perceive and that's OK because all of us were 262 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,640 that way at one time. Only God can open your eyes 263 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:11,520 believe in to see and understand him and trust for the hearts of 264 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:16,440 this people have grown dull and their ears are hard of ears are 265 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:19,160 hard of hearing what happens in life. 266 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:23,440 It wears you down. It caused you to be cynical the 267 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:26,200 older you get. That's why they say, you know, 268 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:28,440 get saved when you're young, when your heart's open and 269 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:31,960 you're not jaded by life and, and many times unfortunate by 270 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:36,720 Christians or churches, whatever that you are hearing and you 271 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,920 want to hear what Jesus is saying and you want to know. 272 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:44,520 But the the longer you wait and the Jewish people were putting 273 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:46,480 this off and still are putting it off. 274 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,440 It's really hard to penetrate the heart of someone whose heart 275 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,400 is like stone. Of course God can penetrate any 276 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:58,240 heart, but it's not making it easier for you and your, your, 277 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:01,080 your doll spirit. You have no sense spiritually. 278 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,640 And their eyes, they have closed. 279 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,800 Some of your eyes have are closed here today. 280 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:09,560 Why are your eyes closed? Didn't you get enough sleep last 281 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,120 night? You know, they didn't even want 282 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,240 to deal with us. Let's say should see with their 283 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:17,680 eyes and hear with their ears. Let's say should understand with 284 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,440 our hearts and turns that I should heal them. 285 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,400 And so tragic. The Lord's got his arms out. 286 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,160 You won't come unto me. Come unto me. 287 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:30,760 He's calling us to come to Him. He wants us to, to follow him, 288 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,040 to know him, to trust him, to believe in him. 289 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,920 He wants to gather it's like chicks, like a mother hen, 290 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,520 because he wants to protect us and bless us and keep us from 291 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:44,280 destroying our lives with sin. He knows what sin does to people 292 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,600 he had to die for. He knew their hatred, the 293 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,480 murder, the rape, the all the different things that happened 294 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:53,440 in life, the the thievery, the the, the extortion, the, the, 295 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:56,760 you know, the stealing, all the things that human beings are 296 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,120 capable of. He sees what's happening to the 297 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,640 world as it goes on. It's becoming more and more 298 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:09,200 godless, more and more Antichrist, more and more anti 299 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:14,440 scripture, more and more self-centered men being lovers 300 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,160 of themselves rather than lovers of God. 301 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:20,640 Materialism is the idol that we all struggle with. 302 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:23,079 Nothing wrong with having stuff, but when the stuff begins to 303 00:17:23,079 --> 00:17:26,440 control you and consume you and that's all you think about, then 304 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,000 you got a different God than the God of the Bible. 305 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:35,360 And so he, he wants people to turn to him, let's say, should 306 00:17:35,360 --> 00:17:38,280 understand with their hearts and turns that I should heal them. 307 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,360 And whenever you come to Jesus Christ and you put your faith in 308 00:17:42,360 --> 00:17:45,960 him and you ask him to forgive you, he will give you a brand 309 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,400 new life. And seriously, he'll radically 310 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:52,520 change your way of thinking, your internal mechanism of how 311 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:55,880 you dialogue with other people in the world. 312 00:17:55,880 --> 00:18:00,560 Your, your, your focus would be now more on eternal values and 313 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:02,680 what will last forever as opposed to things that are 314 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:04,720 perishing and are going to end and die. 315 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:10,040 You have no more guilt. He takes your guilt, he takes 316 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,320 the condemnation you have on your life because of the things 317 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:14,880 you've done. You wish you wouldn't have done 318 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,440 that you if you had a chance to do it over again, you, you 319 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,240 wouldn't do. He cleans all that up. 320 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:24,080 He washes, he gives you a clean slate so that you can now have a 321 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:28,560 relationship with God and have peace in your life and not chaos 322 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,840 and this guilt ridden and depression and all the different 323 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,120 terrible things that are consequences of of turning away 324 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:39,600 from God. I mean God's plans good, but the 325 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,840 plan of this world is is unfortunately perishing. 326 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,600 Therefore let it be known to you verse 28 that the salvation of 327 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:49,840 God has been sent to the Gentiles and they will hear it. 328 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:53,240 So Paul was called to be the apostle to the Gentiles even 329 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:55,960 though he was Jewish, he loved the Jews and any chance he had a 330 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:58,880 chance, he would preach the gospel to the Jews, but he knew 331 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,400 they weren't going to be open to it like the Gentiles. 332 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,680 And because of that, the gospel then went into the Roman Empire 333 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,200 and then eventually to all the rest of the world. 334 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:11,520 And the majority of the church is made-up of Gentiles today, 335 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:13,840 people like us. Aren't you glad that the Lord 336 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,760 had a plan for the gospel to be for the whole world and not this 337 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:20,040 one people group? He loves the whole world. 338 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:24,040 For God so loved the world, the whole world, that He gave His 339 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:28,480 only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him 340 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:34,640 should not perish, but have everlasting life. 341 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,120 And later on down that gospel, he says God did not send his Son 342 00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:42,000 into the world to condemn the world, but that the world 343 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:45,080 through him might be saved. That's how we have to be with 344 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:47,440 the world and people in it that don't believe, that don't 345 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:51,360 understand, to give them grace, to give them space, to give them 346 00:19:51,360 --> 00:19:56,480 time to process, to think, to reflect, not to condemn, not to 347 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,160 guilt, not to judge, not to hate. 348 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:03,160 We're to be known as people that are merciful and patient and 349 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,640 gracious because God has been that way to us. 350 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,520 And verse 29, as we wind down. And when he had said these 351 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:14,240 words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among 352 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,320 themselves. And I'm sure it was a dispute. 353 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,360 Some of them are probably saying, man, I, I never heard 354 00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:20,560 that before. Do you? 355 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,240 Did you hear what the apostle said? 356 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,040 I believe I know Jesus is a Messiah. 357 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,000 You're crazy, man. Those people are called that 358 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,400 guy's nuts. You know, he, he used to be a 359 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,000 Pharisee and he, he must have had a breakdown. 360 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,200 And so he's saying stuff and teaching stuff that's not even 361 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:38,160 true. And and so they had this 362 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,640 dispute, great dispute among themselves. 363 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:45,120 Then Paul dwelt 2 whole years in his own rented house and 364 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:48,720 received all who came to him preaching the Kingdom of God and 365 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:51,520 teaching the things which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ 366 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,040 with all confidence, no one forbidding him. 367 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:59,680 So Paul had this open audience. He wasn't in some dank prison at 368 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:01,800 this time. He had this nice home. 369 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,960 He was able to receive people. They believe that Nero did not 370 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:09,240 martyr him at this time. Night is probably 63 AD. 371 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:15,160 He wasn't martyred till 6768 AD. So he was in prison in this 372 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:17,600 house for two years. When they found out that he was 373 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,440 not guilty. Then they let him free and 374 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:22,480 supposedly he was there for another couple years. 375 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,800 According to tradition, he actually went back to Ephesus. 376 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:29,280 He wrote Ephesus, the book of Colossians, the book of 377 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,440 Philippians in the book of Philemon while he was in Rome in 378 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:35,120 that house prison. So thank God he had time to 379 00:21:35,120 --> 00:21:38,920 write those books for us. But in second Timothy is pastor 380 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:42,400 Lewis took us through recently. He was eventually in a really 381 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:46,440 cold, dark prison where his life was in jeopardy. 382 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,200 And then he said no one stood with him at that time. 383 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,760 Everybody was sort of getting away from him because it became 384 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:55,960 obvious he was going to be martyred and he was beheaded. 385 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:58,960 But this guy gave it all for the Lord Jesus. 386 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:03,920 I mean, you know, he, his, his life was the Lord's and all he 387 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,200 wanted to do was to be used by the Lord 24/7. 388 00:22:07,360 --> 00:22:09,960 Whoever wanted to knock on the door, no matter what time of the 389 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:13,280 day it was. He was there to preach the 390 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,960 Kingdom of God and teach the things which concern the Lord 391 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:19,360 Jesus Christ. And he taught with all 392 00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:24,400 confidence, totally dependent upon the truth of the word of 393 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:29,720 God, and no one forbid him. And we live in a time right now 394 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:33,800 where we have the opportunity to be able to do what we do without 395 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:36,160 consequences. Thank God. 396 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:40,120 And I pray it'll continually be that way and that we'll have the 397 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:43,120 freedom to to share our faith where people can come and go in 398 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:47,800 churches and worship God around our nation without fear of 399 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:53,760 reprisal and persecution. And we have to take the time 400 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:57,880 that we have right now, all of us with neighbors, friends, 401 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:02,400 relatives, Co workers, to gently sow the seed and share the faith 402 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,640 of the gospel. Not pushing it on him, but just 403 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,280 talking about Jesus, right? Telling him what he's done, what 404 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:12,880 he continually does, what he's willing to do, what he's willing 405 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:14,600 to do for people that don't believe. 406 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,360 And well, all we're doing is throwing seed out there, right? 407 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:22,960 Little by little, day by day, 11 by 1, we got a radio station in 408 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:26,240 Greensburg, 100.3 FM that goes out and preaches this kind of 409 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:31,760 stuff 24/7 through men of God and eventually on 91.7 410 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,520 throughout the Pittsburgh area. And the privilege we have and 411 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,120 the time that we live is to do what we do right. 412 00:23:38,120 --> 00:23:45,520 And this is what we do teach the word, learning everyone of the 413 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:50,480 judgment that's to come and that people can flee judgment and the 414 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:53,880 anger and wrath of God becoming the faith in Jesus Christ. 415 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,480 Amen. Thanks for joining us on this 416 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,440 journey through Acts. On today's edition of Living 417 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,840 Waters of Grace, Pastor Clark shares that one of the most 418 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:08,560 remarkable things about the book of Acts is how it shows the 419 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:12,640 disciples transformation. The followers of Jesus we meet 420 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:17,480 here are very different from the often confused and fearful 421 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:21,280 disciples in the Gospels. After Jesus's death and 422 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,680 resurrection, and especially through the power of the Holy 423 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:29,200 Spirit, the apostles experienced a profound change in their 424 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:32,960 hearts and boldness. Their faith became unwavering, 425 00:24:33,120 --> 00:24:36,840 and they moved forward with courage to spread the gospel 426 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:41,400 despite opposition and hardship. Acts reminds us that the same 427 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:46,360 Spirit who empowered them is at work in US today, shaping our 428 00:24:46,360 --> 00:24:49,960 hearts and giving us strength to live boldly for Christ. 429 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,960 Living Waters of Grace is a ministry of Calvary Chapel 430 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,800 Westmoreland. If you're in the Greensburg, PA 431 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:02,080 area, we invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM at 400 E 432 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:04,320 Pittsburgh St. Unit 6B. 433 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:09,480 Visit calvarychapelonline.com For more information, where you 434 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:13,920 can also join our e-mail list. Submit prayer requests, give 435 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,560 online and download our mobile app. 436 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:20,720 If you are in the Greensburg area, you can listen to Grace FM 437 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:25,360 on the new 91.7 frequency. Pray about helping support the 438 00:25:25,360 --> 00:25:28,360 new station that will reach thousands more listeners. 439 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:35,760 Send gifts to Grace FMPO Box 716, Greensburg, PA 15601. 440 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,960 If you can join us in person, you can subscribe to the Calvary 441 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:42,680 Chapel Westmoreland YouTube channel so you'll be alerted 442 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:44,720 when new material becomes available. 443 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:48,360 We're so grateful that you joined us today in Axe TuneIn 444 00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:51,880 again soon for another edition of Living Waters of Grace.