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Amen. 
Well, turn with me tonight in 

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your Bible to the book of 
Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 13. 

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It's good to see you. 
Good to welcome you all in the 

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Lord's name. 
Good to hear the rustling of the

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paper. 
Good to have a few friends in 

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from Ballymena. 
Remember years ago St there? 

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I can't remember who but someone
stopped me and asked me what do 

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you call a meal? 
Tea bag? 

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I was thinking Tatley and 
Pyjama. 

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And what's the name of that 
other one they make in Belfast? 

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Thompson's Tea. 
No Hebrews. 

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Hebrews. 
Hebrews 13. 

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Let's read the Word of God where
chapter 13 we're going to read 

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from verse one and we'll read 
right through to the verse 15. 

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Let brotherly love continue. 
Be not forgetful to entertain 

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strangers, for thereby some of 
entertained angels unawares. 

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Remember them that are in bonds 
as bound with them, and them 

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which suffer adversity as being 
yourselves also in the body. 

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Marriage is honourable in all, 
and the bed undefiled. 

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But whoremongers and adulterers 
God will judge. 

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Let your conversation be without
covetousness, and be content 

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with such things as you have. 
For he have said, I will never 

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leave thee, nor forsake thee, so
that we may boldly say, The Lord

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is my helper, and I will not 
fear what man shall do unto me. 

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Remember them which have the 
rule over you, who have spoken 

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unto you the word of God, whose 
faith follow, considering the 

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end of their conversation. 
Jesus Christ the same yesterday 

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and today, and forever. 
Be not carried about with divers

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and strange doctrines, for it is
a good thing that the heart be 

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established with grace, not with
meats which have not profited 

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them that have been occupied 
therein. 

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We have an altar, for off they 
have no right to eat which serve

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the Tabernacle. 
For the bodies of those beasts 

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whose blood is brought into the 
sanctuary by the high priest for

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sin are burned without the camp.
Where for Jesus also, that He 

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might sanctify the people with 
His own blood, suffered without 

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the gate. 
Let us go forth therefore unto 

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Him without the camp, bearing 
His reproach for He. 

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Or have we no continuing city, 
but we seek one to come by Him. 

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Therefore, let us offer the 
sacrifice of praise to God 

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continually. 
That is the fruit of our lips 

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giving thanks to His name. 
We'll end the reading there at 

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verse 15, and we pray God will 
stand with His own approval and 

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blessing, this reading of His 
own precious and infallible 

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Word. 
Now, today, on Remembrance 

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Sunday 2025, the United Kingdom 
paused in a still silence. 

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Across cities, towns, villages, 
churches and even fields, 

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thousands gathered to stand in 
solidarity and silence to 

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remember our glorious dead of 
World War One, World War 2, and 

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all such subsequent conflicts 
around the world. 

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Together we united in common 
gratitude, respect and 

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reflection to remember those 
that gave their everything so we

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could enjoy our cherished 
freedoms. 

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Now, I believe that the act of 
remembrance that we observed 

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this morning, and other churches
as well, is deeply personal. 

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I believe that behind every 
puppy lies a story. 

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The same is true for every book 
and display. 

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We thank those who brought stuff
and for the beautiful displays 

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this year. 
Take a look round before you go 

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home. 
Every pamphlet here, every medal

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here, it points to something. 
There's a story behind it. 

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We're thinking about a family 
member who who died in the war, 

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a comrade who was missing in 
action, presumed dead, and Ian 

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carved onto a stone memorial or 
a cenotaph somewhere. 

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Each name, you see, is an 
individual life, and every 

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individual life has their own 
story, the the history of their 

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life, the day of their birth, 
the life that they live, the day

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of their death. 
And those individuals, many of 

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them are now gone, but they're 
not forgotten. 

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The act of remembrance is also 
deeply powerful. 

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You see, it's a national 
collective act. 

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It's the country's way of saying
a big thank you to all who died 

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for your service and your 
sacrifice. 

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It's a big thank you in memory 
of our glorious dead. 

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It's a big thank you to all who 
fought and survived and bear in 

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their minds and in their bodies 
even physical scars and mental 

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scars. 
To this day, I believe the act 

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of remembrance is also something
that's very precious. 

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It's the right thing to do. 
And as I've told you often, it's

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the biblical thing to do because
the Bible resorts to remember 

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210 * 51 times. 
On top of that, it brings in the

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word remembrance. 
One of the things we're to 

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remember is remember the battle.
And of course we remember the 

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the greatest battle of all, 
especially the Battle of the 

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Cross. 
Jesus Christ emerged victorious 

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over death, sin, hail, and the 
devil. 

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But the Remembrance Act is not 
just a deeply personal thing, 

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deeply powerful and deeply 
precious, but it's also a deeply

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painful thing. 
You see, today, thankfully, the 

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guns are silent in the Western 
Front. 

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But as we have stood in 
solidarity and silence, we have 

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thought of the human cost. 
How many died in World War One? 

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Hello to high estimate 
15,000,000 to 40 million. 

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How many died in World War? 
270 to 85,000,000, 21 to 

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25,000,000 were military and 
some 50 to 60 million were 

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civilians, men, women and 
children. 

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Not just painful in terms of 
death numbers, but think of 

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those who came home from the war
injured, maimed for life. 

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Their life was changed forever. 
I often think as well of those 

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prisoners of war, Do you know 
that according to National 

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Archives, the British 
Exhibitionary Force, there was 

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something like 191,652 prisoners
of war? 

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And if we were to add in the 
total of all sides in the 

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conflict, including the Germans,
the PO WS would estimate to be 

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about 4 million. 
Now I want you to think with me 

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of the Royal Ulster 
Constabulary. 

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There's a beautiful uniform 
outside in the ports you can 

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look at coming in the 1st of 
June 1922 to the 4th of 

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November, 201. 319 officers were
murdered, 10,000 were injured. 

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370 individual officers received
a gallantry award, 712 for 

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distinguished service. 
Something like 1183 were forced 

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to move from their family homes 
and some were also abducted and 

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they became prisoners of the 
enemy and cruelly tortured and 

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eventually murdered and some 
were buried and their remains 

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have never been found. 
You look at Hebrews 13 for a 

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moment. 
Look with me at verse 3. 

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Listen to this verse. 
Remember them that are in bonds 

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as bound with them, and them 
which suffer adversity as being 

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yourselves also in the body. 
What is that verse telling us? 

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I believe it's saying this, and 
this is what it's said to me in 

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the week that has gone past. 
Remember the prisoners. 

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We are commanded here in Hebrews
13, verse 3 to remember the 

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prisoners. 
Out of the 210 things in the 

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Bible we are to remember, here's
one of them. 

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We're to remember the prisoners 
in Hebrews 13. 

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We are given some very practical
commands. 

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Hebrews 13, I should point out, 
remember rests in Hebrews 

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chapters 1 to 12. 
Hebrews 1 to 12 was largely 

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doctrinal. 
What follows the end is by way 

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of duty, and that's the usual 
pattern in the New Testament. 

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First doctrine, end duty. 
And if you just focus on 

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doctrine without duty, you'll 
discover that knowledge puffs 

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you up. 
And we have many professing 

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Christians sadly puffed up with 
just mere knowledge today. 

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On the other hand, to engage in 
duty to the neglect of doctrine 

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makes you like a solid biblical 
foundation. 

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And here in this chapter, after 
the doctrinal section, we've got

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some practical duties and the 
main command. 

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Here's in verse one. 
Let brotherly love continue, and

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some Wednesday night will preach
again on that subject. 

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And this leads to two very 
specific things. 

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One, show hospitality, be not 
forgetful to entertain 

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strangers, for thereby some of 
entertained angels unawares. 

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And then the other specific 
command is remember the 

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prisoners. 
Remember them that are in bones 

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as bound with them, and them 
which suffer adversity as being 

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yourselves also in the body. 
That's what I want to think 

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about now. 
Remember the prisoners. 

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I want you to think of three 
things. 

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One, let's think of the people 
that are mentioned. 

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It says remember them that are 
in bonds as bound with them and 

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then which suffer adversity as 
being yourselves also in the 

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body. 
Underline the word in bones and 

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we'll ask ourselves who are 
these people? 

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And the simple answer is they 
are Christians who have been 

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imprisoned for their faith. 
They've been arrested, they've 

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been detained and they've been 
put into, we'll call it a 1st 

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century jailhouse. 
Now remember, the Bible is a 

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first century book and you've 
got to always see it and sense 

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it in the 1st century context. 
And if we were to examine the 

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book of Acts, we would discover 
multiple references there to 

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persecution of the church. 
Remember what we read in Acts 

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00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:24,400
chapter 4? 
And the men that came out of the

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temple, Peter and John, remember
upon their arrest they were told

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this, but that it spread no 
further. 

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00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:40,680
Acts 417 among the people, let 
us straightly threaten them that

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they speak henceforth to no man 
in this name. 

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And they called them and 
commanded them not to speak at 

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all, nor teach in the name of 
Jesus. 

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You see, that was a form of 
persecution, wasn't it? 

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And then we come to Acts chapter
8, and we read in verse 4, in 

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Acts 8 and verse 4, verse 3. 
And As for Saul, he made havoc 

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of the church, entering into 
every house and healing men and 

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women, committed them to prison.
Therefore, they that were 

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scattered abroad went 
everywhere, preaching the word 

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right. 
You go right through the book of

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Acts, and it's not my intention 
to do that, but just to show you

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when we come to Acts 12 to give 
the action of Herod, James was 

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beheaded. 
Peter was put into prison. 

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And then further on then about 
Paul's arrest and imprisonment 

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and eventually making all the 
journey to Rome. 

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You see, there was persecution. 
This is what I'm trying to tell 

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you. 
In the early church, people were

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arrested, people were put into 
prison, and people were being 

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sentenced to death. 
You've got to think of prisoners

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in the 1st century, and 
according to Wikipedia, the 

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early Christians were heavily 
persecuted throughout the Roman 

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Empire right up to the 3rd or 
4th century. 

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00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,280
There was 10 periods of 
Christian persecution. 

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00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:13,520
Nero AD 54 to 68. 
The Mission, AD 81 to 96. 

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00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:20,640
Trajan, AD 98 to 117. 
Here's the fourth period of 

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00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:24,720
persecution. 
Antonius Pius Marcus Aurelius 

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00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:34,880
Antonius, 138 AD to 180 AD. 
The 5th was Severus AD 193 to 

194
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2:11. 
The next was Maximus 235 to 238,

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00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:46,920
then followed him was Desius 249
to 251. 

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00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:53,520
The eighth period was Valerian 
253 to 260, and then the 9th was

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00:15:54,000 --> 00:16:00,120
Aurelian 274 to 287. 
Did you know that during this 

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00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:08,840
man's reign, 6666 men from the T
Band Legion, they were 

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00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:14,200
butchered, put to death, They 
refused to March over the Alps 

200
00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:19,440
and kill the Christians. 
They were Christians themselves,

201
00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:25,880
and because they refused, they 
were put to death under 

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00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:34,760
Euryalians, the Empire's orders.
6666 men of the T Band Legion. 

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00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:40,040
And the 10th, of course, was 
Diocletian to 9, two to three O 

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00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,160
4. 
Did you know that Diocletian 

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00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,600
issued 4 edicts against the 
Christians? 

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00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:48,360
Here's the first one. 
Christian churches were to be 

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00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,600
closed and destroyed. 
Bibles were to be burned. 

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00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:57,160
Christians of possession of 
power were to lose that honour. 

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00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:05,599
Christians were to be put to 
death. 2nd edict involved the 

210
00:17:05,599 --> 00:17:09,520
imprisonment and torture of the 
leaders of the church. 

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00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:14,880
The third edict had to do with 
the leaders of the Christian 

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00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:17,079
Church. 
If they refused to sacrifice to 

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00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:21,160
idols, threw them into prison 
and let them suffer cruelty and 

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00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:25,160
torture. 
The 4th edict all Christians who

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00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:30,680
refused to sacrifice to the 
Empire were to be put to death. 

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00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:34,880
Now you can read all about that 
in the Fox's Book of Martyrs. 

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00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,320
And then we'll add into that 
over the centuries the 

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00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,880
persecution of the Waldensians 
and the Abogenzies and the 

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00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,960
Huguenots in France. 
And then we think about the 

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00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:50,480
Ulster Plantation in 1641 where 
where 100,000 Protestants were 

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00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:53,040
murdered. 
And then we think about the 

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00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,880
Covenanters and the killing 
times in Scotland. 

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00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,560
And then we think about the 
English reformers and the 

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00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:02,160
persecution there right up to 
the 18th century. 

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00:18:03,120 --> 00:18:07,040
Let's come into the 21st 
century, you know, according to 

226
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World Watch List 2025, 50 
countries where Christians face 

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00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:20,280
the most extreme persecution, 
where Christians are legitimate 

228
00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:23,000
targets of violence wherever 
they're found. 

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00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:28,400
Men, women, boys and children, 
Girls, let me name them, some of

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00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:39,440
them, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, 
Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, 

231
00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:45,720
Afghanistan, Yemen, Laos, China,
Pakistan, Vietnam, Libya, Cuba, 

232
00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:52,600
North Korea, India, Sri Lanka, 
Turkey, Kuwait, Indonesia, 

233
00:18:53,200 --> 00:19:02,600
Bangladesh. 
At this present time, some 310 

234
00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:08,200
million Christians face a very 
high and extreme level of 

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00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,480
persecution. 
One in seven Christians 

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00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:17,800
worldwide, one in five in 
Africa, two in five in Asia. 

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00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:25,400
Last year, in 2024, according to
Open Doors, 4476 Christians were

238
00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:33,360
murdered, 7679 churches were 
destroyed, many other Christian 

239
00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:40,880
properties have been attacked, 
and 4744 pastors and church 

240
00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:48,040
leaders have been imprisoned. 
And for the past 100 years, some

241
00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:56,200
2000 Christians have been 
martyred for their faith in our 

242
00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:58,880
world. 
Do you know that tonight 

243
00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:04,600
something like 66 governments 
around the world have restricted

244
00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:09,160
religious freedom when it comes 
to Bible believing Christianity,

245
00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:14,880
66 governments throughout the 
world are actively persecuting 

246
00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:19,680
the Christian and if we add it 
all up, not just those who have 

247
00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:25,240
an high extreme possibility of. 
Receiving a level of 

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00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:27,840
persecution. 
But if we add in even some low 

249
00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:34,160
levels of persecution, then the 
total adds up to 380 million 

250
00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:39,960
Christians worldwide. 380 
million Christians worldwide 

251
00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:43,960
suffer some form some level of 
persecution and discrimination 

252
00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,600
for their faith. 
Now let that sink in. 

253
00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:56,600
Let me repeat that 380 million 
of our brothers and sisters in 

254
00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:01,920
Christ are being persecuted 
across our world tonight. 

255
00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:07,240
And here's a call in the 1st 
century penned by the Apostle 

256
00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:09,960
Paul. 
But we have a duty for the 

257
00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:12,840
Church. 
And what's he telling us by way 

258
00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:15,920
of a commandment? 
This is not optional. 

259
00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:20,200
This is obligatory. 
Remember then that Arnn Borns is

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00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:24,200
bound with them and then which 
suffer adversity as being 

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00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:29,920
yourselves also in the body. 
It's a call to remember those 

262
00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:35,960
that are chained and those that 
are being cruelly treated in the

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00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:40,880
prison house. 
It's interesting that we read in

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00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:46,280
the Gospel, the Gospel of 
Matthew, in Matthew chapter 25 

265
00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:50,200
and verse 35. 
This is what the Lord Jesus 

266
00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:53,520
said, For I wasn't hungered and 
you gave me meat. 

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00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,480
I was thirsty and you gave me 
drink. 

268
00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:00,680
I was a stranger, and you took 
me in naked and you clothed me. 

269
00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:06,120
I was sick and you visited me. 
I was in prison, and she came 

270
00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:08,880
unto me. 
Then shall the righteous answer 

271
00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,240
him, saying, Lord, when we saw 
thee in hungered and fed thee, 

272
00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:16,400
or thirsty, and give thee drink,
when so we thee a stranger, and 

273
00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,200
took thee inner naked and 
clothed thee. 

274
00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:22,040
Or when so we thee sick or in 
president came unto thee? 

275
00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:26,960
And the King shall answer and 
say unto them, Verily I say unto

276
00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:30,520
you, In as much as you've done 
it unto one of the least of 

277
00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:36,200
these, my brethren, ye have done
it unto me. 

278
00:22:37,360 --> 00:22:39,320
You know there's a story told of
a pastor. 

279
00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:42,120
Don't think he was here and 
carried off for in Belfast even,

280
00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,720
but he was preaching one night 
in Mark chapter 4 verses 35 

281
00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:51,720
right through to verse 41 and he
was preaching about the storm in

282
00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:56,560
the Sea of Galilee and he was 
waxing elegant and he remarked 

283
00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,720
Jesus steals the storm in our 
lives. 

284
00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,800
You're going through a storm now
Jesus can steal your storm. 

285
00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:05,960
Maybe you're suffering 
loneliness or maybe it's some 

286
00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:09,040
illness or maybe it's a 
misunderstanding or maybe it's 

287
00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:12,400
some sort of hardship or 
opposition or persecution. 

288
00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:16,200
Jesus can deliver you from every
one of these storms. 

289
00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:20,880
Good preaching passionate. 
One man stood up in the 

290
00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:25,280
congregation, an old man. 
He was of Middle Eastern 

291
00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:28,880
descent, and he shouted up, and 
this is what he said. 

292
00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:34,480
I quote, my dear brother, if you
have been persecuted like I 

293
00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:38,600
have, you would really know the 
meaning of this passage. 

294
00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:44,920
It is not that Jesus takes the 
storm away, but that you don't 

295
00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:50,680
need to fear the storm you face 
if the Lord Jesus is with you in

296
00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:53,480
the boat. 
And he sat down. 

297
00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,000
There was silence in the 
congregation. 

298
00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,960
See the little chorus that we 
learnt in Colerie and in my day 

299
00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:04,320
with the Reverend White was 
there with Christ in the vessel.

300
00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:09,840
You can smile at the storm. 
With Christ in the vessel. 

301
00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,720
Is Christ in your vessel, your 
life? 

302
00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:16,000
You know something of his 
companionship, you've been 

303
00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,680
converted to Christ and he comes
and comforts you. 

304
00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,200
He counsels you, he cares for 
you. 

305
00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:24,960
See, that old man had a valuable
insight. 

306
00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:29,560
So I I asked tonight, do you 
know Christ? 

307
00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:33,000
Do you love him? 
Are you trusting in him as Lord 

308
00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:37,120
and Saviour? 
The people that are mentioned, 

309
00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:42,800
those in bonds, I want you to 
think secondly. 

310
00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:46,600
Oh, the procedure that is 
highlighted, if you go back to 

311
00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:51,160
our text, it says remember. 
Now underline the word remember.

312
00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:54,160
This is a command. 
I want you to feel the force of 

313
00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,520
this command. 
See, what does it mean? 

314
00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:59,800
A general precept would be, 
well, it means to recall to 

315
00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:04,520
mind, to think about the 
prisoners in the jailhouse. 

316
00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:09,200
It means that it includes that. 
But I want to tell you it's it's

317
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:14,560
much more than that. 
This is a very specific command.

318
00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,920
It means not only to recall to 
mind and think about the 

319
00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:25,680
prisoner, but to also get into 
the habit of calling to mind the

320
00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:31,320
persecution of the prisoner and 
those suffering adversity. 

321
00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:36,640
Literally the word remember 
means not just to recall to 

322
00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:40,400
mind, but make it your habit to 
remember. 

323
00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:45,640
Why did Paul write this? 
Was it because that the church 

324
00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:49,360
had neglected to do this? 
Was it because the church had 

325
00:25:49,360 --> 00:25:52,800
forgotten the prisoners and 
those that were suffering 

326
00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:57,280
adversity? 
What he's really saying is 

327
00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:02,760
remember the prisoner, those 
suffering affliction and not 

328
00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:06,080
only bring that to your mind, 
but didn't get into the mental 

329
00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:09,840
habit. 
Let this mental habit 

330
00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:16,720
characterise your love. 
You see, remember has the idea 

331
00:26:18,120 --> 00:26:24,720
and the concept of keeping 
something in your mind and it's 

332
00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:27,680
more than just a a mere mental 
action. 

333
00:26:29,120 --> 00:26:31,600
It's getting into the habit of 
not forgetting. 

334
00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:38,280
It's a bit like remember 1690 or
remember, as I love to say, the 

335
00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:47,880
Alamo, not when you recall that 
to mind, but to act upon it, to 

336
00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:52,560
make it your daily mental habit 
to be concerned and care for the

337
00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:56,720
prisoner who's been persecuted 
for his faith and those that are

338
00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:02,520
suffering affliction. 
Recall the prisoner for your his

339
00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:08,480
faith to your mind and as a 
result, be willing to respond in

340
00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:12,760
an appropriate manner. 
You see, the Hebrews that Paul 

341
00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:15,520
was writing to had experienced 
great persecution. 

342
00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:20,760
The local church had experienced
a lot of painful suffering. 

343
00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:25,000
If you want a record of that, 
look at Hebrews chapter 10 and 

344
00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:29,920
it says there in the verse 32. 
But call to remembrance. 

345
00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:34,320
Remembrance The former days in 
which, after ye were 

346
00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:39,120
illuminated, ye endured a great 
fight of afflictions, partly 

347
00:27:39,120 --> 00:27:42,600
whilst we were made a gazing 
stop, both by reproaches and 

348
00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:47,440
afflictions, and partly whilst 
ye became companions of them 

349
00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:51,400
that were so used. 
For ye had compassion of me and 

350
00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:56,320
my borns, and took joyfully the 
spoiling of your goods, knowing 

351
00:27:56,320 --> 00:28:01,520
in yourselves that ye have in 
heaven a better and an enduring 

352
00:28:02,120 --> 00:28:05,040
substance. 
He encouraged them in verse 35 

353
00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:08,680
of Hebrews 10. 
Cast not away your confidence. 

354
00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:11,720
You see, Paul knew where the 
prisoners were. 

355
00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:16,120
Paul could name them. 
In fact, he did name one of them

356
00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,680
one of the church leaders by the
name of Timothy. 

357
00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:21,160
Did you know Timothy was 
imprisoned for his faith? 

358
00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:26,400
It says there in the book of 
Hebrews 13 verse 23. 

359
00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:31,800
Know ye that our brother Timothy
is set at liberty with whom, if 

360
00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:34,800
he comes shortly, I will see 
you. 

361
00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:39,200
Timothy was known for his 
shyness. 

362
00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:49,560
He was known for his weakness 
bodily, but even he, as pastor 

363
00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:52,920
of the church at Ephesus, ended 
up in prison. 

364
00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:57,840
Now let me just point out very 
quickly, there's no such thing 

365
00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:01,960
as prisons in the 1st century 
funded by the taxpayer or 

366
00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:06,520
Majesty's government. 
They had no such thing as been 

367
00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:09,960
given gift of clothes or food or
medicine or any reading or 

368
00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:13,160
writing material that was 
dependent on the family, that 

369
00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:16,120
was dependent on friends and 
supporters. 

370
00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:20,240
And friends and supporters not 
only had to think about the 

371
00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:24,880
prisoner, but rise to a level of
care and compassion that 

372
00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:30,080
resulted in loving action. 
And that's what he means by the 

373
00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:33,880
word remember. 
Make sure you get into the habit

374
00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:38,480
of not only thinking about them,
but but mentally acting upon 

375
00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:42,240
that information. 
Not just remember them and 

376
00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:45,520
recall them to mine, but become 
concerned enough to act. 

377
00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,840
You know that at one time, 
during the persecutions of those

378
00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:55,960
10 persecutions that I've 
mentioned, the pastor was put in

379
00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:58,040
prison along with the church 
leaders. 

380
00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:02,280
The church people did everything
that they could to secure the 

381
00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:04,680
release. 
They offered money, a large sum.

382
00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:09,160
They visited the judge, they 
wrote letters and they 

383
00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:10,920
protested, and they were all 
denied. 

384
00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:15,000
And everyone in the congregation
decided that they would take 

385
00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:19,640
turns when going to the prison. 
And at night they slept outside 

386
00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:25,120
the cell door of the jailhouse 
out of loving concern for the 

387
00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:27,720
pastor and for the church 
leaders. 

388
00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:31,800
Of course, that kind of love is 
mocked Now. 

389
00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,440
Not everyone was in prison. 
Thousands of others were 

390
00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:35,840
mistreated. 
And that's what he goes on to 

391
00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:38,280
tell us. 
If you look with me at verse 3, 

392
00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:41,960
it says and them which suffer 
adversity as being yourselves 

393
00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:47,760
also in the body, they suffered 
adversity. 

394
00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:53,360
What did they suffer for the 
sake of Christ and the gospel? 

395
00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:57,520
Let me illustrate. 
They come home from church and 

396
00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:00,480
their home was looted and 
ransacked and all their 

397
00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:05,720
possessions were gone, and there
were soldiers standing outside. 

398
00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:09,960
Many of them, when they were in 
worship, had the service 

399
00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:14,120
interrupted by the soldiers 
coming in to stop the service. 

400
00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:16,800
See, we think of persecution 
today. 

401
00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,880
We think of low levels of 
persecution and this is bad. 

402
00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:25,960
Of course, people ordered to put
away their Bibles either in the 

403
00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:31,560
open air or in the park. 
I I'm thinking of one pastor, a 

404
00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:38,480
pastor Mick Fleming, who has a 
Bible verse John 3 and 16 in the

405
00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:41,200
camper van. 
He was approached there on the 

406
00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:47,520
27th of October just recently by
a police officer and told that 

407
00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:52,880
that text of scripture could be 
considered hate speech and he 

408
00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:56,880
could be up on a hate crime 
charge and he better take it off

409
00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:01,520
his van now. 
He's a pastor, he works with the

410
00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:04,680
homeless, he's involved in 
charity. 

411
00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:09,200
The police have been contacted 
in a place called Burnley and 

412
00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:12,880
they have said, oh, the officer 
was just acting in an advisory 

413
00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:16,280
capacity. 
See, that's the type of thing 

414
00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:18,800
that's going on. 
People are told in the open air 

415
00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:21,520
to stop praying outside abortion
clinics. 

416
00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:24,240
People are told to stop 
preaching in the open air 

417
00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:27,800
because someone's offended and 
it's hate speech. 

418
00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,760
That's why I'm back down at City
Hall and trying to hold an open 

419
00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:37,040
air there. 
Courthouses in America, school 

420
00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:40,280
houses have been ordered to take
down the 10 commandments. 

421
00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:43,680
And that's all a form of 
persecution. 

422
00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:50,480
But listen to me carefully. 
Vast majorities of Christians in

423
00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:55,360
the Western world know little 
about the terrible persecutions 

424
00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:58,160
of Christians in places like 
Nigeria. 

425
00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:04,960
Did you know that thousands of 
Christian villages in plateaus 

426
00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:13,880
of Kaduna, in Benue, in Tarabe 
State, lion ruins, do you know 

427
00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:17,480
that whole families have been 
murdered, fathers, mothers and 

428
00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:20,360
children? 
Churches have been razed to the 

429
00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:24,280
ground, mass graves have been 
dug. 

430
00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:28,280
You see the the war in Nigeria, 
you, you'll not hear this in the

431
00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:31,040
news. 
It's, it's not merely banditry. 

432
00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:35,200
It's not a farmer's conflict. 
I want to tell you what it is. 

433
00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:39,920
It's a systematic extermination 
of the Christians and it's 

434
00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:44,160
designed to break with this 
resistance and it's designed to 

435
00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:48,680
ethnic cleanse areas of 
Christian influence and to clear

436
00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,520
land for the advancement of 
Islam. 

437
00:33:54,440 --> 00:34:00,400
Since the year 2009, almost 
70,000 Christians have been 

438
00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:03,600
murdered. 
Did you know that 8000 were 

439
00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:08,199
murdered? 
2023 to 2024 and I stood in this

440
00:34:08,199 --> 00:34:14,639
pulpit in October in 2025 and 
told you that 2000 had just been

441
00:34:14,639 --> 00:34:18,320
murdered in one day or 24 hour, 
48 hour period. 

442
00:34:18,639 --> 00:34:25,560
And who's doing the killing? 
The murdering Boko Haram aligned

443
00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:30,159
with ISIS, faluni militia 
groups. 

444
00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:38,280
And you know what it is? 
It's a corporate genocide and 

445
00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:42,320
the world is silent. 
You're not hearing it in BBC, 

446
00:34:42,679 --> 00:34:45,719
you're not hearing it in the ATV
and we have to ask why. 

447
00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:52,760
I want to tell you it's not just
about the killings, it's about 

448
00:34:52,760 --> 00:35:00,880
the kidnappings. 
Young girls, teenagers, taken 

449
00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:06,800
from their parents, sold into 
slavery, turned into slaves for 

450
00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:12,360
the pleasure of wicked men. 
The Democratic Republic of 

451
00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:17,200
Congo, there's fifteen such 
kidnappings per day. 

452
00:35:19,240 --> 00:35:26,480
It's a tool of fear, and the 
Western world has a machinery of

453
00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:32,480
silence. 
The BBC conductor videos about 

454
00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:36,240
Donald Trump, but they can't 
declare the truth about what's 

455
00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:39,840
happening in Nigeria or Sudan or
any other place. 

456
00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:46,000
Do you know that in Sudan, in 
late October 2025, a teaching 

457
00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,080
hospital in Khartoum was 
attacked. 

458
00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:52,200
Dozens of incubators became 
coffins for newborns. 

459
00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:56,960
A week long siege. 
They cut off the power supply to

460
00:35:56,960 --> 00:36:01,200
the hospital. 
Soldiers in that hospital were 

461
00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:05,080
murdered in their bed, along 
with nurses and the elderly and 

462
00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:10,680
the babies. 
The death toll in Sudan of the 

463
00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:19,280
civil war which against another 
genocide, 400,000 mostly 

464
00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:26,800
Christians, kidnappings, deaths,
The thrift of aid that's coming 

465
00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:29,360
into the country. 
You're giving your money and 

466
00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,640
aid's been supplied and they're 
stealing it to sell it. 

467
00:36:33,720 --> 00:36:38,000
The closure of churches, 
beheadings, limbs Hacked Off 4 

468
00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:43,840
and 5 little boys and girls in 
Malaysia in 2009. 

469
00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:49,600
Two thousand Muslim militants 
targeted Christian villages. 

470
00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:53,640
Pregnant ladies were murdered, 
pastors were murdered, 

471
00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:56,880
kidnappings. 
It was wanton murder. 

472
00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:02,040
There wasn't a word. 
Did you hear it in 2009? 

473
00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:06,240
Do you know that in India a 
pastor was attending a 

474
00:37:06,240 --> 00:37:09,680
conference, some missionary 
society, I believe it was. 

475
00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:12,520
His name was Pastor Graham 
Stains. 

476
00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:15,960
Hope I pronounced it right. 
His six year old son. 

477
00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:20,040
They were outside the conference
venue and for some reason, don't

478
00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:22,040
ask me why, maybe it was 
shooting money, maybe they 

479
00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:25,520
couldn't find accommodation, but
they were sleeping in their car.

480
00:37:26,640 --> 00:37:30,280
You know, the Islamists came 
along and they set it alight, 

481
00:37:31,520 --> 00:37:34,800
burnt them to death. 
I want to tell you, I know time 

482
00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:36,520
has gone, but it makes us 
uncomfortable. 

483
00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:41,840
It makes me uncomfortable 
telling you, but I've got to 

484
00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:46,960
tell you we have to discover 
there's a cost of following 

485
00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:49,640
Christ. 
And as I've said, the vast 

486
00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:53,240
majority in the Western world, 
in the Christian Church, myself 

487
00:37:53,240 --> 00:37:56,840
included, know so little about 
what's going on in the world. 

488
00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:05,640
We've become indifferent. 
We've become anaesthetized and 

489
00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:08,360
apathetic. 
It's not that long ago in 

490
00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:12,320
Indonesia, the beheaded 3 little
girls at 6:30 in the morning 

491
00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:16,320
with their Bible heading to a 
Christian School. 

492
00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:18,880
And why did they behead them? 
Because they had a Bible. 

493
00:38:21,040 --> 00:38:23,720
If you were coming down the 
killing your road and told if 

494
00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:26,080
you carry that Bible down the 
road and it's seen you're going 

495
00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:29,320
to be beheaded, I wonder what 
you would do? 

496
00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:33,080
What would I do belonging to a 
Christian School? 

497
00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:35,960
Do you know, they took the heads
of those girls and they found 

498
00:38:35,960 --> 00:38:39,040
them near a police station and 
they had a written warning in 

499
00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:43,160
one of the heads targeting 
hundreds of other Christian 

500
00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:46,240
teenagers. 
And you know who's funding 

501
00:38:46,240 --> 00:38:54,000
radical Islam and radical 
amounts throughout the Middle 

502
00:38:54,000 --> 00:39:00,320
East and in England and in 
America, And I'll tell you, 

503
00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:06,720
Saudi Arabia, you know that in 
parts of East Africa, Christians

504
00:39:06,720 --> 00:39:10,200
are forced to go to Muslim 
schools because the government 

505
00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:12,800
refused to let them have their 
own Christian School. 

506
00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:16,520
And they have to learn surreal 
law and they have to learn to 

507
00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:24,840
read the Koran. 
See, here's a command to 

508
00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:29,680
identify with the prisoner. 
This is the procedure. 

509
00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:36,080
We have to think about it. 
I pray that the Lord will help 

510
00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:38,040
us. 
One final thing, our time has 

511
00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:39,680
really gone and you've been so 
patient. 

512
00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:44,320
The programme to be employed. 
Notice these words it says here 

513
00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:48,080
in the text has bound with them 
and then which suffer adversity 

514
00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:50,520
has been bound yourselves also 
in the body. 

515
00:39:50,680 --> 00:39:54,400
What can we do? 
We identify with these folks. 

516
00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:57,000
We can pray. 
Pray for the church leaders. 

517
00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:59,080
Pray for the people. 
Pray for the protection of 

518
00:39:59,080 --> 00:40:01,480
church property. 
Pray for faithful pastors. 

519
00:40:01,640 --> 00:40:04,960
Pray for the born again 
believers to have safety and, 

520
00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:08,440
and, and have strength. 
Pray for those Christian 

521
00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:10,800
families who are under pressure 
to convert to Islam. 

522
00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:14,320
Protest. 
Amen. 

523
00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:16,440
Cathy. 
Lobby the government. 

524
00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:22,240
Write a letter, sign a petition.
Put something into the press. 

525
00:40:22,840 --> 00:40:26,040
Contact international bodies. 
What can I do? 

526
00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:30,440
Preach the gospel. 
Be faithful to the great truths 

527
00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:33,600
found in Christ. 
Christ was born for sinners. 

528
00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:36,200
Christ lived the sinless life 
for sinners. 

529
00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:38,440
Christ died in atoning death for
sinners. 

530
00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:40,840
Christ called sinners to 
repentance and faith. 

531
00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:44,160
Christ arose bodily from the 
dead and defeated sin and hell 

532
00:40:44,160 --> 00:40:45,880
in the grave. 
Christ is coming. 

533
00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:47,520
We're living in light of the 
trumpet. 

534
00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:52,800
The Bible says to whom the sun 
sets free, he shall be free 

535
00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:55,320
indeed. 
The end of World War One, World 

536
00:40:55,320 --> 00:40:57,960
War 2, they let the prisoners of
warless. 

537
00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:01,240
Let's pray for the release of 
the prisoners held fast in 

538
00:41:01,240 --> 00:41:04,720
bondage to the devil. 
And we can also practise our 

539
00:41:04,720 --> 00:41:08,960
faith. 
We can give, we've already given

540
00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:13,400
some money for the pencil cases 
and there's about 100 maybe in 

541
00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:17,640
50 of them. 
Now it'll go out to the land of 

542
00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:21,200
the Philippines. 
We could follow open doors. 

543
00:41:21,200 --> 00:41:26,440
I I just got brother Mark to 
help me to go into their website

544
00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:31,280
stay informed and updated Voice 
of the martyrs international 

545
00:41:31,440 --> 00:41:34,360
Christian concern. 
We can identify with God's 

546
00:41:34,360 --> 00:41:38,280
people and as I close tonight 
identify with the Saviour. 

547
00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:41,440
Look at this verse as we finish 
it says in verse 20. 

548
00:41:41,640 --> 00:41:44,160
Now the God of peace that 
brought again from the dead. 

549
00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:46,840
Our Lord Jesus, that great 
shepherd of the sheep through 

550
00:41:46,840 --> 00:41:50,760
the blood of the everlasting 
covenant, think of him who's the

551
00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:53,480
shepherd of the sheep. 
Think of what he did, how he 

552
00:41:53,480 --> 00:41:55,240
suffered for us without the 
gate. 

553
00:41:55,360 --> 00:41:59,120
A perfect substitute, surety, 
sin, bearer, sin offering, 

554
00:41:59,120 --> 00:42:03,880
sacrifice and Saviour. 
Remember, we're all sinners. 

555
00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:06,080
You're a Sinner tonight if 
you're not saved, you've all a 

556
00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:09,160
soul more important than 
anything that this world can 

557
00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:12,360
buy. 
And you need a saviour tonight 

558
00:42:12,760 --> 00:42:15,920
and there is a saviour Jesus 
Christ, the Son of God, and you 

559
00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:19,200
can be saved if you come and 
repentance and faith in Christ. 

560
00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:25,040
We thank God for our freedoms, 
but what about the gospel? 

561
00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:28,320
Freedom has the sunset you free,
you say? 

562
00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:30,560
I want to tell you young people 
tonight, many of you are not 

563
00:42:30,560 --> 00:42:32,480
here. 
The church is not boring. 

564
00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:38,320
I want to tell you, people have 
tell me that the church means 

565
00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:40,880
nothing and stands for nothing. 
Well I want to tell you this 

566
00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:46,760
church is different. 
We're going to practise what we 

567
00:42:46,760 --> 00:42:49,960
preach. 
We're going to pray and protest 

568
00:42:50,960 --> 00:42:54,040
God helping us. 
This is the programme I believe 

569
00:42:55,480 --> 00:42:59,440
to be employed as we remember 
the prisoners. 

570
00:42:59,880 --> 00:43:03,760
May the Lord take these few 
thoughts and bless them to our 

571
00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:04,160
hearts.