1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,120 There is one man in history who made Caesar Nero, the most evil 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:07,680 Antichrist, go insane. He wears a lot of different 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,040 hats. He's an inmate, he's a tent 4 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:12,080 maker. He's an author of huge parts of 5 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:14,280 the Bible. He's someone who could not stand 6 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,320 Christians and yet ended up becoming a Christian himself. 7 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:19,640 But his main objective was very focused. 8 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,600 It was to travel across earth and preach Jesus Christ 9 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:25,200 everywhere. This man was exposing magicians, 10 00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:27,720 planting churches, and confronting some of the most 11 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:31,240 powerful Roman rulers until the only, only thing they could do 12 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,480 was to silence him. You cannot ignore this man, even 13 00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:36,080 if you are skeptical about faith. 14 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,000 Why? Because he literally turned the 15 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,720 world upside down and made the most feared man that ever lived, 16 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,680 Nero, go crazy. And we're about to prove it to 17 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:46,800 you. So allow me to introduce to you 18 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,640 the Apostle Paul and the life that no one can explain. 19 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,480 It's 5AD and we're in a very busy city called Tarsus where 20 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,680 the Apostle Paul is about to be born. 21 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,960 Saul, which was his first name was a bit unusual. 22 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,680 He was an Israelite but at the same time he was a Roman citizen 23 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,360 which was like having a permanent VIP pass and you'll 24 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:11,080 see later he used it to his advantage in heated situations. 25 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,040 Now take a look at this. This is known as Saint Paul's 26 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,640 well in Tarsus and it's a 38 metre deep Roman era well that 27 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,320 still provides fresh water where many believe Saul's family home 28 00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:24,960 likely stood. It's also worth noting that 29 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:28,720 Tarsus was famous for making tent cloth out of goat hair, 30 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,640 which explains why the Bible people says that Paul worked as 31 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,240 a tent maker to pay for his travels. 32 00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:38,680 OK, let's sweep across to 18 AD on our timeline where we find 33 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:42,120 Paul is now a teenager and he's moved from his family home in 34 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,960 Tarsus to the big city of Jerusalem to attend what would 35 00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:49,960 be like the Harvard of his time, the school of Gamalio. 36 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,760 Who was this guy? Well, Gamalio was a legendary 37 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,520 teacher in the Jewish community, known for being wise and fair. 38 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:58,800 Have you ever heard of the Southern Steps before? 39 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:02,680 I hadn't, but they were located at the Temple in Jerusalem and 40 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,320 it was a massive stone staircase where teachers like Gamaliel 41 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,520 often sat to give lessons. And I can promise you this. 42 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,320 It was here where Paul learned how to be a brilliant debater, a 43 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,000 skill he would later use to convince and disarm kings and 44 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,760 governors, including the infamous Caesar Nero. 45 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:25,600 Let's meander along to around the time of 31 AD, Saul was at 46 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:27,240 the top of his game as a Pharisee. 47 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,400 If you didn't know, these were a group of religious leaders who 48 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,400 are like the ultimate rule followers of the day. 49 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:35,920 In his own writings, specifically in the book of 50 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:40,280 Philippians 3 verse five, he proudly lists his credentials. 51 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,920 He was born into the tribe of Benjamin and he was so dedicated 52 00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:46,520 to Jewish law that he followed it perfectly. 53 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,720 During this time he likely wore a phylactery, a small leather 54 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,560 box containing scripture. This would have gone on his 55 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,600 forehead or on his arm, a tradition the archaeologists 56 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,960 have actually confirmed by finding 2000 year old leather 57 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,120 fragments in the caves near the Dead Sea. 58 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,480 Interestingly, the word Pharisee actually comes from a word 59 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,080 meaning set apart. Saul and his friends believed 60 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,560 that they had to stay separate from anything they thought was 61 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,520 impure so that they could be holy. 62 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,760 And the fact he mentioned he was from the tribe of Benjamin is 63 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,800 also pretty significant because this was the same tribe as the 64 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,760 very first king of Israel, King Saul, which is likely why his 65 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,920 parents gave him that name. Dot over to 32AD with me, 66 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,400 because here we'll see. A young and fiery soul stood on 67 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:37,160 the outskirts of Jerusalem, watching with cold approval as a 68 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,200 crowd turned on a Christian preacher called Stephen. 69 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,520 Although Saul didn't do the dealings himself, he held the 70 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:47,280 coats of the men who did, acting as an official witness to the 71 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:51,480 very first Christian who paid the ultimate price for Jesus. 72 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,480 It was a brutal, unforgettable moment where Stephen even prayed 73 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,200 for the very men doing this evil. 74 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,600 A scene that must have seared itself into Saul memory. 75 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,480 Sadly, this is the place where it all took place. 76 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,720 The Lions Gate, also known as Saint Stephen's Gate. 77 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,960 That is where tradition states it was the starting points and 78 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,280 then it LED down into the Kidron Valley where the final moments 79 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,320 took place. By the way, these weren't just 80 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:17,920 small pebbles. The limestone rocks scattered 81 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,240 across Jerusalem's hills were heavy lethal chunks. 82 00:04:21,399 --> 00:04:25,520 And I almost hesitate to show you this, but in 415, ADA priest 83 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,600 claimed to uncover Stephen's tomb. 84 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,000 Now again, we can't be certain that this is truly where it is, 85 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,640 but there is a very old monastery church which is built 86 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:37,200 over the supposed site where Stephen was laid to rest. 87 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,240 OK, let's trace our timeline to 33 AD. 88 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,280 During this time, Saul became the most feared opponent of the 89 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:47,280 early believers, launching a relentless campaign to shut down 90 00:04:47,280 --> 00:04:50,440 their movement by raiding homes and dragging people off to 91 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:52,720 prison. Even though he was acting out of 92 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,200 a place of deep belief, thinking that he was protecting his 93 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,560 faith, he was effectively working as an enforcer for the 94 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,640 higher authorities, hunting down anyone who followed the 95 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,920 teachings of Jesus Christ. History shows us that these 96 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:08,720 raids often happened in the crowded, narrow streets of 97 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,600 Jerusalem's upper city, where archaeologists have uncovered 98 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,040 grandstone mansions belonging to the wealthy families who would 99 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,880 have authorized Saul's mission. But then everything changes for 100 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:22,520 Saul in 34 AD. Here he was walking down a dusty 101 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:26,280 road to Damascus, where a light brighter than the midday sun 102 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:27,880 suddenly knocked him to the ground. 103 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:30,760 It left him blind whilst he was at the same same time hearing a 104 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:34,240 voice calling his name and asking why are you oppressing 105 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:36,040 me? Do you know who this was? 106 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,920 It was the resurrected Christ himself, appearing to Saul in a 107 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:43,960 moment that was so powerful that it left him not only blind, but 108 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,760 completely transformed. He went from being an enemy to 109 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:51,200 being a follower of Christ. His friends led him by hand into 110 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,080 the city, where he stayed on a major thoroughfare the 111 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,960 archaeologists still call the street called Straight. 112 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,560 It's a massive 1500 meters, the long road that was the Main 113 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,880 Street of ancient Damascus. Guys, can I be a little bit 114 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:07,320 honest with you? Until I researched this, I had 115 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:10,400 no idea that there was 2 Ananiases in the Bible. 116 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,000 Yes, there's the famous one with his wife Sapphira who really 117 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,280 messed up. But then there's one who Saul 118 00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:20,360 stayed with who was actually a really loyal disciple in 119 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,640 Damascus. You can actually visit his house 120 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,720 today and it's named, surprise surprise, the House of Ananias. 121 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,960 If you do decide to go there, you'll see an underground storm 122 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:33,120 home room where the faithful disciple who helped Saul regain 123 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:37,160 his sight is said to have lived. After his dramatic turn around, 124 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,640 Saul didn't go back to Jerusalem immediately. 125 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:44,720 Instead, between the years 34 and 37 AD, he travelled S into 126 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,560 Arabia. Historians think he likely spent 127 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:52,080 time in the lost city of Petra, a city carved entirely into pink 128 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,920 sandstone cliffs. And this place was a huge hub 129 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,800 for trading spices and silk. But over to you. 130 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,920 What do you think he spent his time doing whilst he was there? 131 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:04,520 Many think he probably used his skills as a leather worker to 132 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:08,000 make tents to survive, all the while spending these three years 133 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,480 thinking deeply about theology and the word of God, before 134 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:15,120 eventually returning to Damascus to begin his new mission. 135 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:19,360 It's 37 AD and whether you like it or not, Saul's bold new 136 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:23,200 message about Jesus made him some very powerful enemies. 137 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,480 And so he found himself trapped in Damascus with guards watching 138 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,920 every game to try and catch him. Imagine this scenario. 139 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,080 Paul is in a scene that looks like it's straight out of a spy 140 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,080 movie. His friends have snuck him into 141 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,080 a house built inside of a massive city wall, and then they 142 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:42,400 help him escape by lowering him out of a window outside in a 143 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,560 large Wicker basket under the cover of night. 144 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,880 Did you see my Biblical walls video where I told you about 145 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,400 this and how you can still see the Bab Kissan which is a gate 146 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,520 in the ancient Roman wall of Damascus where a Chapel now 147 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,680 stands to remember this very daring incident. 148 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:03,560 Once Saul was safe, he travelled to Jerusalem in 38 AD for a high 149 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,960 stakes meeting with Peter, the leader of the apostles, and 150 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:10,400 James, the brother of Jesus. This was a massive deal because 151 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,000 just a few years earlier Saul had been the biggest enemy of 152 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,040 the church. After only 15 days, it was too 153 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,920 dangerous for him to stay, so his new friends rushed him to 154 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,520 the port of Caesarea and sent him back home to Tarsus. 155 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,000 OK, it's essential you remember that for the next eight years 156 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:31,360 between the years 38 AD and 46 AD, Saul, as we've just 157 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:35,159 mentioned, was living in Tarsus in what historians often call 158 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,799 his silent years. Now whilst we don't have a diary 159 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,400 of what he did, we do know that it was likely he was sharpening 160 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,800 his tools for ministry and working as a tent maker using 161 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:49,280 the famous goat hair cloth that Tarsus was known for. 162 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:53,400 All right, we now pick up the story in 46 AD as Barnabas has 163 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,040 travelled about 80 to 100 miles from Antioch to Tarsus. 164 00:08:57,600 --> 00:08:59,920 Why? Because he was looking for Saul. 165 00:08:59,920 --> 00:09:02,920 He knew that the growing church needed a brilliant leader to 166 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,720 help the new believers and Saul of Tarsus was going to be that 167 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:08,240 man. Have you ever thought about this 168 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,240 before though? Because once in Tarsus, Barnabas 169 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:15,080 would have had to navigate a bustling city of around 300,000 170 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:18,560 people searching through its grand streets and markets to 171 00:09:18,560 --> 00:09:22,560 find Saul. Then in 47 AD, Saul and Barnabas 172 00:09:22,560 --> 00:09:24,920 arrived in the massive city of Antioch. 173 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,320 While staying there, a prophet named Agabus gave them a 174 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,880 chilling warning that a massive hunger was going to fill the 175 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,440 whole world. So to help the believers in 176 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:37,880 Antioch, they collected money and sent Saul and Barnabas on a 177 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:40,920 rescue mission to bring aid to the people in Jerusalem. 178 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,800 Now look closely here because archaeologists have found 179 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,640 ancient Roman Anona coins from this era that show the Roman 180 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:49,800 goddess Anona. Who, by the way, was the 181 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:53,720 personification of grain supply and so by putting her on the 182 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:56,360 coin with sheaves of corn, it was supposed to show the 183 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,160 emperor's role in trying to provide food during these 184 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:03,480 difficult years of lack. Shall we surge over to 48 AD? 185 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:07,240 This is where Saul and Barnabas set off on an epic adventure 186 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,720 sailing from the busy port of Seleucia to the sun drenched 187 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,800 island of Cyprus. Some of you are probably like 188 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:17,280 me, and you want to know when it was that Saul started being 189 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,480 referred to as Paul because he didn't immediately drop the name 190 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,240 after his conversion to Christianity. 191 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:26,160 Like for instance Simon being called Peter instantly by Jesus. 192 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:30,000 In fact, in the book of Acts, the apostles continue to refer 193 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,400 to him as Saul for many years afterwards and it's really only 194 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:38,360 found around this time in 48 AD that we see a definitive change. 195 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,280 But why? Well, Saul likely had both names 196 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,840 from birth because of his jewel identity as a Jew from the tribe 197 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,280 of Benjamin and also his identity as a Roman citizen. 198 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:52,360 So Saul, his Jewish name has a Hebrew meaning that means asked 199 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:56,800 for and Paul is Latin meaning small or little which would have 200 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,480 functioned quite well in the gentile non Jewish world. 201 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,560 I am curious though, do you think that he embraced the name 202 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:07,120 small or Paul as an expression of humility to prove to the 203 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:10,920 world that Christ really must increase and he must decrease 204 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,520 Because after all, it sounded a lot more humble than being named 205 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,800 after a king of Israel. After hiking across the whole 206 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:21,640 island, our friends have arrived at a place called Paphos where 207 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:25,680 things get very dramatic. Initially, everything was going 208 00:11:25,680 --> 00:11:27,720 well. They met a Roman governor named 209 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,960 Sergius Paulus. He was an intelligent man who 210 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:34,120 actually wanted to hear more about Jesus and the Gospel. 211 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,640 But here's the catch. He had a man in his court, a 212 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:40,360 Jewish sorcerer and a false prophet called Bar Jesus, who 213 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,560 really was a troublemaker. This magician tried to turn the 214 00:11:43,560 --> 00:11:46,880 governor away from the message. Paul, filled with the Holy 215 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,640 Spirit, publicly rebuked this magician for twisting the truth. 216 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:54,680 He declared that Bar Jesus would be temporarily struck blind 217 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,200 immediately. The man couldn't see and he had 218 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:00,200 to be LED around by the hand. When the governor saw this 219 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:04,360 happen, he was astonished, and he believed the message about 220 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:06,840 Jesus Christ. Hey, this next part's a little 221 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:08,840 bit important, so you might just want to catch it. 222 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,520 After sailing N to the mainland, they arrived in Perga, where the 223 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,960 mission hit a major bump in the road. 224 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:19,120 Young John Mark decided he'd had enough and he decided to head 225 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,400 home, back to Jerusalem. So Paul and Barnabas pushed on 226 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,640 without him. But then trouble knocked on the 227 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:26,200 door again. In Lystra. 228 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:29,520 Paul had just healed a man who couldn't walk, and the local 229 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:33,240 crowds went wild thinking that Paul and Barnabas were actually 230 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,400 the Greek gods Hermes and Zeus in human form. 231 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:39,440 However, the mood changed instantly when the schemers 232 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,000 arrived. The crowd turned into a mob and 233 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,200 went for Paul, dragging him outside the city and leaving him 234 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,040 in such a state that everyone thought it was over. 235 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:52,160 Then, in an incredible moment of bravery and most likely through 236 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,800 divine intervention, Paul stood back up. 237 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:58,240 He brushed the dust off himself and he walked right back into 238 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:03,480 the city to continue preaching. Let's soar along to 49 AD on our 239 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,600 timeline as Christianity has faced a huge make it or break it 240 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:09,560 moment. The church had sent for Paul and 241 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:13,000 Barnabas, and so they raced back to Jerusalem for a high stakes 242 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,160 meeting known as the Jerusalem Council. 243 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:18,280 Some people are arguing that new believers had to follow follow 244 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:22,360 every single old Jewish rule. But Paul stood his ground, 245 00:13:22,560 --> 00:13:26,760 insisting that faith in Jesus was for everyone, no matter what 246 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,720 your background was. OK, before you hear about Paul's 247 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:32,760 most embarrassing moment as a Christian pastor, I just want to 248 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:35,480 take one moment to address a question that you might be 249 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:38,680 asking, just like they were asking in the Jerusalem Council. 250 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:42,920 And it's this Do we just forget about the Old Testament rules? 251 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,600 Well, the answer is no, but there is a problem. 252 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:49,360 None of us can keep them. The Bible says is that no one is 253 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,400 justified by the works of the law. 254 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:55,240 The law was a schoolmaster. It showed us our weakness, our 255 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,800 frailty, our inadequacy, and it showed us that the only one who 256 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,600 could keep it perfectly is Jesus Christ. 257 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:04,480 So how are we saved? Well, it's through faith. 258 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,840 That's why the Bible says the just shall live by faith. 259 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,680 When Jesus went to the cross it was all about our sin. 260 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,520 All of it, all the rubbish, all the junk, past, present and 261 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,000 future. It was laid on him. 262 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:21,360 And that's why Jesus says come for all things are now ready. 263 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,320 There is nothing you and I have to do. 264 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:25,080 We just have to come empty handed. 265 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,760 Put our faith in Christ and he will do the rest. 266 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:31,280 I was so taken aback the first time I heard this story. 267 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,560 So here they are. They're in Antioch again and 268 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:35,320 they're planning their next big trip. 269 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:38,880 But then something happens. They have a massive falling out. 270 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,440 Paul and Barnabas have an argument over John Mark. 271 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,400 Barnabas wanted to give his cousin a second chance, but 272 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,640 Paul, who remembered how John Mark had quit and left last 273 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,320 minute, he decided, and there's no way I can take him. 274 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:55,680 And it led to a sharp contention that actually split the team in 275 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,040 two. This was a very tense meeting, 276 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,160 but something wonderful came from it. 277 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,360 It meant that instead of having one mission team in God's 278 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:07,320 Providence, there were now 2, leading to an expanded reach and 279 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:11,360 more souls hearing the gospel. So Barnabas and John Mark set 280 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:15,120 sail for the island of Cyprus, whilst Paul chose a new partner 281 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:18,160 named Silas. All right, it's 50AD. 282 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,560 Paul and Silas are hiking back in the rugged mountains of Asia 283 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:25,440 Minor until they reach the dusty town of Lystra, where Paul met a 284 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,600 brilliant teenager named Timothy, who was so well 285 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,920 respected by local believers that they invited him to join 286 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:35,480 the team as his prodigy. The team then felt a mysterious 287 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:38,800 nudge from the Holy Spirit to keep moving, eventually arriving 288 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:41,240 at the busy coastal city of Troas. 289 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,640 One night while staying in the city, Paul had a gripping vision 290 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:48,640 of a Macedonian man standing across the sea, waving his hands 291 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,520 and pleading. Come over and help us. 292 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,480 I know this doesn't sound like a massive deal, but it was 293 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:58,640 actually really huge. It was Agps moment for the early 294 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,760 church because it meant they were about to cross from Asia 295 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:04,520 into Europe for the very first time. 296 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:08,600 Moving along to 5180, the Apostle Paul is by the Zykactus 297 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:12,600 River in northern Greece, where he met a lady called Lydia, a 298 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:16,120 successful businesswoman who dealt with expensive purple dye 299 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,040 fabrics. And you know what's crazy? 300 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,800 Archaeologists have even found inscriptions in Philippi 301 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,640 mentioning purple dyers from her country, proving just how 302 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,120 accurate biblical history truly is. 303 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:30,600 But the adventure took a dark turn in the city's marketplace 304 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:33,800 after Paul cast a demon out of an unnamed woman who was 305 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,800 providing her boss's much financial gain through her 306 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,880 fortune telling because she was operating under the spiritual 307 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:41,240 realm. So what did they do? 308 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,960 They got Paul and Silas dragged away into a dark subterranean 309 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:46,560 prison. It's around midnight in this 310 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:49,280 prison and whilst they're praying and they're singing, a 311 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:53,160 sudden earthquake shook the building so much that the doors 312 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:55,960 flung open and their chains came loose. 313 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,560 The prison guard, thinking the prisoners had escaped and 314 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,320 fearing what would happen to him, was about to do something 315 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,800 very stupid, but Paul called out that everyone was still there. 316 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:08,560 The Philippian jailer was stunned and asked what must I do 317 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,599 to be saved? And the answer was so simple. 318 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:16,319 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, you and 319 00:17:16,319 --> 00:17:18,359 your household. And so they did. 320 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:22,000 He and his household became believers that very night. 321 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:25,720 Not long after, Paul reached the massive Roman metropolis of 322 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:27,720 Thessalonica. Whilst he was preaching in the 323 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,960 synagogue there, Paul's message caused such a stir that he had 324 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,480 to flee under the cover of night to Berea. 325 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,920 Berea was a quieter town where the residents were famous for 326 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,200 double checking everything that the preacher said against their 327 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:42,960 own scriptural scrolls. That's why it's important for us 328 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,760 as Christians to be Bereans, that we test whatever the 329 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,200 preacher might say, even me, by the word of God. 330 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,320 Right Between his escape from Berea and his arrival in 331 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:54,440 Corinth, Paul was now effectively on the run and he 332 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:56,640 was waiting for his friends in Athens. 333 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:58,040 But you don't need me to tell you this. 334 00:17:58,120 --> 00:18:00,720 He didn't just spend his time sightseeing, his heart was 335 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:03,800 provoked by the thousands of idols everywhere. 336 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,040 It's quite fascinating to remember too that they have 337 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,840 found that ancient Athens was literally a forest of statues, 338 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:14,080 including the massive 30 foot tall bronze Athena promachos 339 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,600 whose spear tip gleamed so brightly it could be seen by 340 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:21,840 sailors miles out at sea. Now the local philosophers of 341 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,680 the city got wind of what Paul was all about, so invited him to 342 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,440 the Areopagus, also known as Mars Hill. 343 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,920 While standing on this slippery limestone rock, Paul didn't yell 344 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:34,280 at them. Instead, he used their unknown 345 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:38,000 God as a bridge to explain that the true Creator doesn't live in 346 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,320 handmade temples like the Parthenon, which was towering 347 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,440 above him, but that God had revealed himself through the 348 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:48,040 resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some people laughed at him, but 349 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:51,680 a few, including a man named Dionysus, believed right then 350 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:55,240 and there and started a fire of faith in the heart of Greek 351 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:59,720 philosophy. Between 54 and 50 55 AD, whilst 352 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:03,440 Paul was establishing the church in Ephesus, a massive political 353 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:06,480 conundrum hit Rome. The Emperor Claudius died 354 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,200 suddenly, allegedly by eating tampered with mushrooms given to 355 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:13,440 him by his wife, a crepina. What's for dinner tonight, Emma? 356 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:18,360 This cleared the way for her 16 year old son Nero to become the 357 00:19:18,360 --> 00:19:22,720 new master of the empire. Nero, as you know, was a very 358 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:27,040 evil man and also the same man who many believe in the Bible is 359 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,240 going to be the man of lawlessness who has prophesied. 360 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:32,720 And you can actually see uncovered coins from the first 361 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:36,400 five years of Nero's reign, some even showing his mother a 362 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:40,080 graphena right next to him, highlighting just how much she 363 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:43,520 pulled the strings during his early days as emperor. 364 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:46,040 Back in Ephesus, Paul wasn't just preaching. 365 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,800 He was challenging the city's entire way of life. 366 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,800 He spent two entire years teaching in the lecture hall of 367 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,880 Tyrannus. And the Bible says that the 368 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:57,800 message was so powerful that extraordinary miracles happened. 369 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:01,440 Even clothes that touch Paul were used to heal the sick. 370 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,080 But this Christian revival hit the local economy hard. 371 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:09,040 Ephesus was the home of the temple Artemis, one of the seven 372 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:11,920 wonders of the ancient world. And a silversmith named 373 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,400 Demetrius was furious. Because no. 374 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:17,560 No one was buying his silver goddess statues anymore because 375 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:19,720 they were all converting to Christianity. 376 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,320 The tension boiled over into a massive riot. 377 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,120 A shouting mob dragged Paul's friends into the Great Theatre 378 00:20:26,120 --> 00:20:29,280 of Ephesus. This was a colossal stone arena 379 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:33,640 that could hold 25,000 people. If you visit the ruins today, 380 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,920 you can stand on the very stage where the crowd chanted Great is 381 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,360 Artemaeus for two hours straight. 382 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,680 Let's zoom in on 56 AD. Paul was on a mission fuelled by 383 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,840 the Holy Spirit, racing through Macedonia and Greece, 384 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:51,160 encouraging the local churches. After a quick detour back N to 385 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,200 avoid a plot against his life, he ended up in Troas. 386 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:57,360 Historians have discovered that houses there were often called 387 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:00,200 insulas. They were cramped, multi Storey 388 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:02,920 apartment buildings where the working class lived. 389 00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:07,000 It was likely in one of these hot, smoky third floor rooms 390 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,440 that a teenager named Uticus, whose name ironically means 391 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:14,360 lucky, nodded off during Paul's midnight sermon and fell out of 392 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,160 one of the windows to his death. What happens next is a powerful 393 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:20,440 reminder of God's victory over death. 394 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,120 Paul rushed down, embraced the boy, and God miraculously 395 00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:27,320 restored his life, proving that the gospel isn't just about 396 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:29,800 words, it's also about power too. 397 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:33,200 OK, but on a lighter note, have you ever fallen asleep in a 398 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:35,400 sermon? Hopefully no one's nodding off 399 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:37,640 at this point. So if you are awake and you are 400 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:41,120 enjoying this video, please do subscribe for more ad free Bible 401 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:44,720 documentaries. In 57 AD, Paul arrived arrived 402 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,840 in Jerusalem, a city simmering with tension. 403 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:51,360 So he was participating in a purification ritual at the 404 00:21:51,360 --> 00:21:55,240 temple when a riot ignited after he was falsely accused of 405 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:59,160 bringing a Greek into the sacred inner 'cause this wasn't just a 406 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:01,520 religious rule. Archaeologists have discovered 407 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:05,080 the temple warning inscription, which is a stone tablet that 408 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:09,040 explicitly warned foreigners they would face death if they 409 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:10,840 crossed into the restricted area. 410 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:14,800 The mob dragged Paul out, but Roman soldiers saw the chaos 411 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:17,800 from their high towers and rushed down the stone stairs to 412 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:20,120 rescue him. As they prepared to scourge him 413 00:22:20,120 --> 00:22:23,440 to get a confession, Paul dropped a legal bombshell. 414 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,160 He was a Roman citizen. Do you remember how I told you? 415 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:29,360 In those days, being a citizen was like having a protective 416 00:22:29,360 --> 00:22:31,960 shield. Under Roman law, it was a crime 417 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,480 to beat one of their people without a trial. 418 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:37,680 So the centurions immediately backed off, realizing that they 419 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:41,360 had nearly committed something pretty bad under their laws. 420 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:45,200 The next day, Paul stood before the Sanhedrin, the powerful 421 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:48,280 Jewish council. He cleverly divided the group by 422 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:51,520 mentioning the resurrection of the dead, causing such a massive 423 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,240 argument between the Pharisees and Sadducees that the Roman 424 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:57,560 commander had to snatch him away again for his own safety. 425 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:01,560 That night in the dark barracks of the fortress, Paul received a 426 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:05,640 miraculous visit from Jesus, who encouraged him by saying that he 427 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:07,920 would soon bear witness for him in Rome. 428 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:13,000 But a deadly plot was brewing. 40 men vowed not to eat or drink 429 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:16,400 until they had got Paul out of the picture. 430 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,000 Fortunately, Paul's nephew had heard the plan and warned the 431 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:20,800 Romans. So to keep him safe, the 432 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:25,000 commander ordered a massive military escort, 200 soldiers, 433 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:29,840 70 horsemen and 200 Spearman to whisk Paul away in the middle of 434 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,880 the night to see Zaria. The mission was successful. 435 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:36,240 He was delivered safely to the Praetorium, the grand palace of 436 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,840 Governor Felix, where the next league battle for the gospel 437 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:41,920 would begin. When the Apostle Paul stood 438 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:45,120 before the Governor Felix, he had to defend himself against a 439 00:23:45,120 --> 00:23:48,640 group of leaders who claimed he was a troublemaker, causing 440 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:51,400 riots. Paul stayed calm and explained 441 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,320 that he hadn't done anything wrong, he was simply there to 442 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:58,080 worship God and share his belief that Jesus had risen from the 443 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:00,920 dead. Felix, who was a pretty corrupt 444 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:04,560 leader, decided to keep Paul in a sort of easy prison where his 445 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:06,880 friends could visit him. But things got really 446 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:10,720 interesting when Felix and his wife later asked that Paul would 447 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:15,000 explain to him his faith. In private, Paul spoke to Felix 448 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:18,040 and his wife about Christ, reasoning with them about 449 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:21,360 righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgement. 450 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:25,240 This actually made Felix tremble with fear because he knew he 451 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:28,360 wasn't a very good person. Which, news flash, is a wake up 452 00:24:28,360 --> 00:24:30,840 call for you and I? None of us have done enough good 453 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:34,160 works to get into heaven and that's why we need Jesus Christ 454 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:38,120 to transfer His goodness, His perfect track righteousness into 455 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,680 our our accounts. And by the way, this transaction 456 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,760 happens the very moment you believe on His name. 457 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:48,000 Anyway, instead of Felix repenting or letting Paul go, he 458 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:51,520 got nervous and sent him away saying you would listen more to 459 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:55,520 him when it was convenient. This led to Paul being left in 460 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:58,960 prison for two whole years, mostly because he was hoping 461 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:01,920 that Paul would offer him some kind of bribe to get out. 462 00:25:02,120 --> 00:25:07,040 That brings us to our arrival in the year 59 AD on our timeline, 463 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,600 and the Apostle Paul's case has reached a major turning point 464 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:13,960 where he stood before the new governor Festus, because the 465 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:17,560 Jewish leaders still wanted him gone, Festus suggesting moving 466 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:20,840 the trial to Jerusalem. Knowing this was a trap, Paul 467 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:24,440 used his legal right as a Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar, 468 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:28,040 which meant he had to be sent to Rome for the emperor himself to 469 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:30,520 hear the case. Before leaving, though, he gave 470 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,440 a powerful speech to King Agrippa the Second, who was so 471 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:37,000 impressed that he famously said that Paul had almost persuaded 472 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,960 him to become a Christian. Paul's journey to Rome was 473 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,360 anything but easy. He was put on a ship and he 474 00:25:42,360 --> 00:25:44,840 sailed to Myra. That's modern day Turkey for you 475 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,560 and I, where he was moved to a large Alexandrian grain ship. 476 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,480 The sailors struggled against the wind to reach the island of 477 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:54,680 Crete, and even though Paul had warned the crew that sailing 478 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:58,200 further was dangerous, they ignored him and got caught in a 479 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:01,440 massive, terrifying storm called a northeaster. 480 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:05,640 For two weeks, the ship was tossed around in total darkness 481 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,640 until it finally crashed and was destroyed near the island of 482 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:12,120 Malta. Quite remarkably, every single 483 00:26:12,120 --> 00:26:15,040 person on board survived by swimming to shore or grabbing 484 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:17,920 pieces of broken ship. But after the shipwreck, Paul 485 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:20,960 and the others did wash up onto this island of Malta, where the 486 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,360 locals showed them unusual kindness by building a massive 487 00:26:24,360 --> 00:26:27,280 bonfire to help them dry off from the cold rain. 488 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:28,960 Are you imagining this right now? 489 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:32,240 Because as Paul was helping out by tossing bundles of sticks 490 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:35,800 into the fire, the heat woke up a venomous Viper that had been 491 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:39,120 hiding inside. The snake lunged out and latched 492 00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:42,440 onto Paul's hand, hanging there whilst the Islanders watched in 493 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:44,840 horror. These locals immediately thought 494 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,760 that Paul was some kind of criminal, and between themselves 495 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,840 they whispered that even though he had survived the sea, the 496 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:54,200 goddess of justice was still punishing him with this fatal 497 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,720 snake bite. Everyone held their breath 498 00:26:56,920 --> 00:27:00,200 waiting for the obvious to happen, but Paul simply shook 499 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,840 the snake off into the fire and went back to work as if nothing 500 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,400 had ever happened. When everyone saw that he didn't 501 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,400 need to slow down, the locals were so shocked that they 502 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,000 flipped their opinion and decided that Paul must be some 503 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,880 kind of God. Meanwhile, this miracle opened 504 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:18,560 doors for Paul to meet the Islanders top official Publius, 505 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:20,840 whose father was dying before their eyes. 506 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,800 Paul prayed and healed him, which led to the people from all 507 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:26,720 over the island coming to Paul for help. 508 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:31,000 Feast your eyes on this though. Divers have found Roman era 509 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,960 anchors in the waters around Malta, including one famous lead 510 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:38,240 anchor discovered near Salina Bay that might just have 511 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:40,880 belonged to a ship just like Paul's. 512 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:44,960 Fast forward to 60 AD, Paulus finally arrived in Rome, marking 513 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,200 a major milestone in his journey. 514 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:51,080 Even though he was a prisoner, his status as a Roman citizen 515 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:54,560 granted him a unique privilege. Instead of a dungeon, he was 516 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,680 allowed to live in a private rented house on the House 517 00:27:57,680 --> 00:27:59,840 arrest. But guys, it wasn't exactly 518 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:03,320 luxury because he was always chained to a Roman soldier. 519 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:06,280 And one does wonder, did that Roman soldier become a 520 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:07,880 Christian? Because I can be sure of one 521 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:09,720 thing. He heard the gospel one or two 522 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,840 times or more. Just three days after arriving, 523 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:16,040 Paul called for the local Jewish leaders so that he could explain 524 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:18,920 his situation, telling them that he had done nothing wrong, 525 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,080 nothing against their people, but he was forced to appeal to 526 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:25,000 the emperor because of the opposition in Jerusalem. 527 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:27,760 The Jewish leaders were curious because they they hadn't heard 528 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:31,320 anything bad about Paul yet, so they set a date to listen to him 529 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:34,160 on that day. From morning until evening. 530 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:38,360 Paul used the ancient scriptures to explain that Jesus was the 531 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:42,080 long-awaited Messiah. While some were convinced, 532 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:46,280 others were not and this LED Paul to declare quite boldly 533 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,600 that the message of God's salvation would now be sent to 534 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:53,400 the non Jewish people, the Gentiles who would on the other 535 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,560 hand listen. So here's the part we all want 536 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:00,120 to know What's the deal with Cesar, Nero and Paul? 537 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:03,360 Christian tradition and early historical accounts, such as 538 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:08,160 those by Eusebus and Lactinaeus, describe a dramatic shift in 539 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,440 Emperor Nero's character that seemed to align with his 540 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:14,880 rejection of the Gospel that was presented by the Apostle Paul 541 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:16,640 during the first five years of his reign. 542 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:20,520 Nero was considered a golden ruler who followed the guidance 543 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:24,120 of his tutor Seneca. And so Nero actually, quite 544 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:28,000 rather astonishingly, granted Paula a degree of leniency 545 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,080 during his first Roman imprisonment. 546 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:34,560 However, as Paul's influence spread, even reaching members of 547 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:38,800 the imperial household, Nero's disposition changed rapidly and, 548 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:42,640 to put it kindly, the cords of his mind unhinged. 549 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,800 According to the interpretation of Eusebus, Nero's descent into 550 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:51,280 what many described as insanity or monstrous cruelty was all 551 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,600 started by his final rejection of the gospel. 552 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:58,360 And also he made a decision to scapegoat Christians for the 553 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:02,000 great fire of Rome in 64 AD. But we're going to come back to 554 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,760 that in a minute. It sounds almost unbelievable to 555 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:09,040 us, but after his release in 62 AD, Paul did not slow down. 556 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:12,760 He likely set off on what many call his fourth missionary 557 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:15,240 journey. The Bible doesn't give us a day 558 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:18,640 by day diary of this time, but in his letters to Timothy and 559 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:23,000 Titus, he mentions visiting places like Crete, Ephesus and 560 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:25,720 Miletus. However, whilst Paul was 561 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:29,080 travelling, things in Rome were getting very intense. 562 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:33,080 In 64 AD, this massive fire broke out near the Circus 563 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:36,360 Maximus which was the giant chariot racing stadium. 564 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:40,160 And this fire, it raged for 9 days, destroying most of the 565 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:42,920 city. Now to stop the rumours that he, 566 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,520 Nero had started the fire to make room for his new palace, 567 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:50,320 the Golden House, Emperor Nero pointed the finger at 568 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:53,960 Christians. This sparked A terrifying time 569 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,080 of hatred towards Christians, and according to the Roman 570 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:01,080 historian Tattacus, Nero turned the death of Christians into a 571 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:05,280 cruel show, even using them as human torches to light up his 572 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:08,320 garden at night. Around this same time on our 573 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:13,080 timeline, between 63 and 64 AD, another famous figure arrived in 574 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:15,960 Rome, the Jewish historian Josephus. 575 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:20,560 Interestingly, Josephus got help from Nero's wife who was known 576 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:24,680 to be very sympathetic to the Jewish people, so much so that 577 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:27,840 Josephus even called her a God fearing woman. 578 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,920 Now whilst Josephus was successful in his mission, the 579 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:36,040 tension between the Roman Empire and both Christians and Jews was 580 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:40,920 reaching a boiling point. By 66 AD, the world was changing 581 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:44,560 rapidly and dangerously. Paul was arrested for a second 582 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:48,160 time, but this time it was very different from his rented house 583 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:50,200 stay. Instead of a comfortable room, 584 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:54,040 he was likely thrown into the Telilian Prison, a dark, 585 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:56,880 freezing stone dungeon in the heart of Rome. 586 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:00,840 In his final letter, Second Timothy, Paul wrote about being 587 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:04,960 cold and lonely, asking his friend Timothy to bring a cloak 588 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:07,280 and his scrolls. This was no longer a 589 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,280 misunderstanding over riots under Nero's reign. 590 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:14,240 Being a leader of Christians had now become a crime that deserved 591 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,000 death, and Nero was about to have his way. 592 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:21,040 However, as Paul sat in that dungeon, the Rome woman world 593 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:24,880 was exploding into chaos. You and I were still in 66 AD 594 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:27,800 when the Great Jewish Revolt began in Judea. 595 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:31,880 The Jewish people tied of heavy taxes and Roman disrespect for 596 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:34,120 their temple. They rose up in a massive 597 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:37,000 rebellion. However, whilst Paul was waiting 598 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:41,080 for his death sentence date a young general named Vaspacion 599 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:44,440 and his son Titus, who would later both become emperors. 600 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:48,280 By the way, they were sent by Nero to crush the revolt. 601 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:51,400 This was just the beginning of the the end of the city of 602 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,400 Jerusalem and its temple. And then it happened. 603 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:59,400 We can't say for sure, but sometime between 66 and 67 AD, 604 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:02,840 Paul was taken to a place called Trey Fountain. 605 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:06,360 Because he was a Roman citizen, he was spared the slower, more 606 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:08,440 public death Nero used for others. 607 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:12,760 Instead, he had the same quick end that another man of God, 608 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:15,160 John the Baptist, also went through. 609 00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:19,240 Even though Paul's story stops here, history didn't stop. 610 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:22,960 Just a year or so after Pauls death, Neros reign collapsed. 611 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:26,880 He became so unpopular that the Senate declared him a Public 612 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:29,200 Enemy. And in just a year or two later, 613 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:33,360 68 AD, he, like Paul, stepped into eternity. 614 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,120 But we can be sure of one thing. They would have been greeted 615 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:39,680 very differently by God. But if you thought that stirred 616 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:42,120 the parts, wait until you hear this. 617 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:45,920 We can say for certainty that the Apostle Paul is no longer 618 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:49,840 alive, but the same cannot be said about the Apostle John. 619 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:53,600 In fact, there are a whole heap of people who believe that John 620 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:57,320 is still alive on earth today. If you want to know why people 621 00:33:57,320 --> 00:33:59,600 believe that, and you want to know what all of the commotion 622 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:03,680 is about, you better watch this video right here.