1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,080 All rise. No, not you. 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,480 We're talking about the courtroom on this week's episode 3 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:10,480 of Liberty at Home. No, really, You could sit down 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:21,070 now. Welcome, my friends. 5 00:00:21,070 --> 00:00:24,470 I'm glad you've decided to join us for yet another edition of 6 00:00:24,470 --> 00:00:27,910 Liberty at Home here on Easton Community Access Television. 7 00:00:28,230 --> 00:00:31,630 My name is Pastor Adam Rivero from the Liberty Baptist Church 8 00:00:31,870 --> 00:00:35,560 right here in Easton, and today, as always, we're broadcasting 9 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,480 from Easton, MA, where there's a rumor spring is on its way, but 10 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,760 I don't know I believe it yet. Today I want to consider some 11 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,480 thoughts from a situation I found myself in a few years ago 12 00:00:45,480 --> 00:00:49,240 when I was in court. No, I wasn't under arrest, but I 13 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,680 was a member of the jury, so let me explain. 14 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:58,200 All rise, hear ye hear ye hear ye all persons having anything 15 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,480 to do before the Honorable Sharon Donatelle of the Superior 16 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,720 Court. Draw near, give your attention, 17 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,320 and you shall be heard. God save the Commonwealth of 18 00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:10,440 Massachusetts. Slowly, I sat down in my chair 19 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:12,160 located to the side of the courtroom. 20 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,120 I've been sitting in the jury box for well over a week now, 21 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,960 listening to testimony and considering the arguments of the 22 00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:20,800 attorneys as they presented their cases to the 13 other 23 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,720 jurors seated around me. How did I end up here? 24 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,440 Well, like I just mentioned, a few years ago, I was chosen out 25 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,600 of a pool of hundreds of potential jurors for a case in 26 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,640 Fall River Superior Court. Aren't I special? 27 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:37,040 I'll save you from the sensitive details of the case we had to 28 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,440 deliberate over, but suffice it to say, I never thought I'd be 29 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,360 chosen for a jury. Even further, I never imagined 30 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,440 that I'd have to drive to Fall River from Easton for three 31 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,640 weeks to fulfill my civic duty, all while still being a pastor 32 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:53,200 who preached 3 sermons a week among my any all my other 33 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:55,920 duties. Although many things stick out 34 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,240 in my mind about my civic service to the Commonwealth, the 35 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,640 opening of that court officer each day still rings in my ears 36 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,160 years later. In particular, I took note of 37 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,560 the phrase God save the Commonwealth. 38 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,600 When we hear this phrase or it's close kin God Bless America, 39 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,920 it's an acknowledgement that there is a higher power than us 40 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:18,600 that we must appeal to. But who is this higher power? 41 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,080 Is it some generic God that is mystical and more of a state of 42 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,440 mind than an actual being? Or is it one God who goes by 43 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,120 many different names and no matter what you call him or her, 44 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:32,440 we all call out to the same deity? 45 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,600 The Bible gives us a clear answer and spoiler alert it's 46 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,480 neither of the options I just gave you. 47 00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:42,440 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, 48 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,400 the man Christ Jesus says First Timothy chapter one verse 5. 49 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,600 Further Isaiah chapter 44 verse 6 maintains. 50 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,200 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the 51 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,240 Lord of hosts. I am the 1st and I am the last, 52 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:00,720 and besides me there is no God. First Corinthians chapter 8 53 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,480 verse 6 tells us, But to us there is but one God the Father, 54 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:09,160 of whom are all things, and we in Him, and 1 Lord Jesus Christ, 55 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:13,200 by whom are all things, and we by him who can save the 56 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,240 Commonwealth, our nation, or a soul from sin. 57 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,280 Peter speaks of Christ in Acts chapter 4 verse 12 when he says 58 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,320 Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none 59 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,840 other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be 60 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:29,440 saved. Christ paid the penalty for sin 61 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:33,200 on the cross and only He has the ability to save us from our 62 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,800 sins. Now this may sound quite 63 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,760 exclusive and many may take exception to the fact that 64 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,120 someone like me would say that Jesus Christ is the only way to 65 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,080 salvation. Yet as exclusive as it may seem, 66 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,080 it's also equally inclusive. And this is because salvation is 67 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,400 available for all mankind and then available throughout all of 68 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:54,920 human history. The Bible's wellest, most well 69 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,800 known verse, John 316, tells us that Christ died for the sins of 70 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,280 all when it states, for God so loved the world that he gave his 71 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:04,960 only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him 72 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,720 should not perish, but have everlasting life. 73 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,880 Romans chapter 10, verse 13 further reminds us of the global 74 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,320 availability of salvation. For whosoever shall call upon 75 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:17,279 the name of the Lord shall be saved. 76 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,920 Why do we need God's salvation? Well, because there's a judgment 77 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:22,640 coming. No, I'm not talking about 78 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,280 Superior Court, but rather an eternal 1. 79 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,120 And it's been appointed unto men once to die, but after this the 80 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,800 judgment says Hebrews 9, verse 27. 81 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:35,400 Would you accept His free gift of salvation before you stand 82 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:37,240 before Him at the great White Throne Judgment? 83 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,840 Well, time always goes by so quickly here on Liberty at Home, 84 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:45,200 and today is no exception. But before we close, I want to 85 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,320 remind you, as always, that you have an open invitation to visit 86 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:52,120 Liberty Baptist Church anytime. We're located 800 Washington St. 87 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,960 Route 138 here in Easton. You can learn more about LBC. 88 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,560 Catch our services online by visiting my libertybaptist.org. 89 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,480 Well, until next week. This is Adam Rivera reminding 90 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,760 you that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's Liberty. 91 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,440 See you next week here on Liberty at Home.