WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.799 Welcome to DeSoto Hills Baptist Church. 00:00:02.959 --> 00:00:07.200 Our Sunday morning services are weekly at 9 and 10 30 a.m. 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:11.359 You're listening to an audio recast of this past week's service. 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:12.960 We hope you enjoy. 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:14.320 God bless. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:23.600 I know you didn't want to be with me to hear me sing it, but you don't know how many times I've left the church saying, I need thee, oh, I need thee. 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:25.519 Every hour I need thee. 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:29.839 Not because of anything wrong with you, but because of everything wrong with me. 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:31.679 I need thee. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:33.200 Oh, I need thee. 00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:54.240 Acts chapter 21, as you as you turn there today, let's begin for a moment thinking about 250 years ago, 1776, the American colonies faced and they stood against one of the greatest military powers in the world. 00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:58.399 Many believed that independence was impossible. 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:01.439 Defeat seemed inevitable. 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:07.519 Congress was divided, resources were scarce, families separated. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:12.319 There were days when the future looked hopeless. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:21.519 Yet John Adams, one of our founding fathers, he never stopped arguing that freedom was worth the cost. 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:28.560 He endured criticism, discouragement, and years away from his wife and family. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:36.480 Many delegates wanted to give up, yet not John Adams, because he remained steadfast. 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:46.079 He believed that some causes were too important to abandon simply because the road was difficult. 00:01:48.000 --> 00:02:04.560 While we have the Declaration of Independence today, and history remembers that declaration, sometimes what is forgotten is the countless days when giving up would have been easier than pressing on. 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:16.319 So thankful for that our founding fathers decided to press on, and we have today a country where we can celebrate and we can worship in freedom. 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:27.680 As we turn to our passage today, where we find Paul is he is in a situation where time is difficult. 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:30.639 Giving up seems easy. 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:38.800 What we're going to find in our passage today is Paul is arrested based on false accusations. 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:51.599 He is arrested and taken to taken arrested and being taken to Roman barracks for questioning in this passage simply because someone made up an accusation about him. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:53.919 Times were bleak for Paul. 00:02:54.319 --> 00:03:01.439 You know, and as we look today, listen, we we will, as believers, we will always face challenges. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:04.159 We will always face temptations. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:25.759 We will always face what sometimes we will face false accusations, but we will always stand in a place where things seem to be coming at us from all different directions, sometimes externally, sometimes internally, sometimes just the world seems like chaos, and it would seem easier to just give up. 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:36.000 But what we're gonna see in Paul, and what we're gonna see today, is even in the midst of difficult times, we must be ready to continue. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:44.400 We must be prepared to continue to humbly proclaim the gospel in every situation. 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:53.599 So the challenge for us is today is this be prepared to proclaim the gospel in every circumstance. 00:03:53.759 --> 00:03:58.000 No matter what is in front of us, no matter what is before us, we must be ready. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:01.599 We must be prepared to proclaim the gospel. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:05.120 So the question that we seek this morning to answer is this. 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:08.560 As we look at this passage, how was Paul prepared? 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:10.800 How did what are the some what are some things? 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:17.120 How was he ready to proclaim the gospel even when times were difficult? 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:24.879 So if you're able this morning, I invite you to stand with me as we give honor to the reading of God's word from Acts chapter 21. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:27.600 We're going to start reading in verse 27. 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:51.199 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:05:00.319 For they, moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:08.480 For they had previously seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:25.920 Then all the city was stirred up, and people ran together, they seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut, and as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort, and all that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:30.000 He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:33.920 And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:39.600 Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:43.519 He inquired who was who he was and what he had done. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:54.240 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another, and as he could not learn the facts, because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 00:05:54.399 --> 00:06:01.120 And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:05.920 For the mob of the people followed, crying out, Away with him. 00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:13.040 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, May I say something to you? 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:15.839 And he said, Do you know Greek? 00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:25.040 Are you not the Egyptian then who recently stirred up a revolt and led four thousand men of the assassins into the wilderness? 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:33.040 Paul replied, I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:36.240 I beg you, permit me to speak to the people. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:49.759 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hands to the people, and when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language. 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:51.360 Let's pray together. 00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:55.439 God, I thank you for today. 00:06:56.720 --> 00:07:00.399 I thank you for this opportunity that we have to open your word. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:08.399 You have revealed yourself to us through this word, and we pray that today we will see you. 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:12.079 Jesus, it's in your wonderful name that we pray. 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:13.040 Amen. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:20.879 So we are looking at today at how was Paul prepared. 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:26.720 Well, let's remember, before we dig deep here, let's remember what Acts is about. 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:40.319 Acts chapter 1, 8 says, Jesus said, You will receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to the uttermost parts of the earth. 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:49.759 So what we're going to find this week, really what we're going to find next week, is Paul doing that very thing, being a witness to the kingdom of God. 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:56.879 He is bearing witness, he is going to bear witness to what God has done in his life, what God is doing in his life. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:02.399 That's what we're going to see Paul ready to do in the face of dire circumstances. 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:05.680 So the question again is how was he prepared to do that? 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:08.319 What did he do to prepare himself to do that? 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:15.600 Well, first thing I think we see is Paul prepared himself by doing the right thing. 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:18.319 He was doing the right thing. 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:20.399 Don't miss verse 27. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:30.079 If we're not familiar with what happened last week, we'll just pass right over verse 27 when it says, when the seven days were almost completed. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:31.439 So here's what's happening. 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:35.759 Remember, last week where we found Paul is he traveled to Jerusalem. 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:41.600 He was on his way to Jerusalem, even though he knew that he was going to face situations like he is facing today. 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:46.799 He went to Jerusalem because the Holy Spirit had constrained him to go. 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:49.440 He met with James, the half-brother of Jesus. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:51.360 He met with the elders of the church. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:57.679 He told them about the mission to the Gentiles, about how well it was going, how God was bringing people to himself. 00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:03.679 And they said, listen, that is great, but you also need to know that Jews are coming to faith in Jesus too. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:05.519 And Paul, there's an issue. 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:12.399 So what we're going to ask you to do is we're going to ask you to participate in this purification ceremony for seven days. 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:25.519 We're going to ask you to participate, pay for the other three guys that were going through it, pay for them, and just allow that to ease some tensions between yourself and the Jewish believers for the unity of the body. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:27.679 Paul knew some things about this. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:32.320 He knew that participating in this would not bring salvation. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:46.000 He said in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8 and 9, when he wrote to that church in Ephesus, he says in Ephesians 2, 8 and 9, for by grace you have been saved through faith. 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:48.159 This is not your own doing. 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:53.360 It is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one could should boast. 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:58.799 Paul knows that participating in this ceremony is not going to bring salvation for himself. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:00.639 That's not why he's doing it. 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:10.080 He also, what he is doing is what he wrote to the church at Philippi in Philippians chapter 2, verses 12 through 13. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:18.240 He wrote this, therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed so now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:29.679 Hear this, he says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:38.320 What Paul is doing is he knows that God is working in his life and it has worked and brought salvation to his life. 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:45.600 So what he is doing is exercising that salvation, not for his own sake, but for the sake of the body. 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:52.080 He is participating in this ceremony for the unity of the body. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:58.080 He is doing this because he has been asked to ease tensions. 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:03.279 He is doing this because it is the right thing to do. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.399 It's the right thing to do. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:16.159 Listen, church, if we are going to be ready to proclaim, to humbly proclaim the gospel, we must be doing the right thing. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:29.600 When I was in college, my brother Clay and I, Clay is also a minister in the ministry too, and when we were in college, we were asked to lead a youth revival at a church in South Mississippi. 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:33.200 Now, I know you won't believe this, but here's what we did. 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:34.480 We rotated. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:42.480 One night, Clay would sing, lead worship, play the guitar, sing courses, and I would preach. 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:49.200 The next night, I played guitar and led worship, and Clay preached. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:50.000 You can laugh. 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:51.120 It's okay. 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:54.159 That's how we did it. 00:11:54.480 --> 00:12:03.679 One night after after after the after we met, a group of the of the students and Clay and I went to the local Dairy Queen for supper. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:08.720 Got to Dairy Queen and placed our order, and we got back to our table and sat down. 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:13.360 And lo and behold, on our tray was extra food. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:17.279 So we began to say, what should we do about this? 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.080 And so we had this discussion, and here's what we decided. 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:24.399 We decided, well, it was their fault that they gave us the extra food. 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:26.960 We didn't ask for it, it was their fault. 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:28.320 So you know what we did? 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:29.759 We just ate it. 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:45.279 A little bit later, another student came in after us and he talked to the guy behind the counter whom he knew, and he later came back and sat down with us, and the guy at the counter said, Man, are you with that group back there? 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:46.879 He said, Yeah. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:50.799 He said, They came in and they ordered food. 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:57.759 And then they accidentally got food that they didn't order nor did they pay for. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:04.399 I thought y'all were a group of Christians. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:09.120 Right here. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:14.080 Here we are leading a youth revival. 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:18.720 Proclaiming the gospel message to people. 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:26.720 But it really hurts when you're not doing the right thing. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:34.879 If we're going to humbly proclaim the gospel message, we must be living the gospel message. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:41.519 Listen, I know that sometimes because we're people, we're going to fail. 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:43.679 We did. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:47.759 We failed when we went into that dairy queen. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:49.120 We didn't do the right thing. 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:56.559 So, so so then when our lives don't match up with what we said and we haven't done the right thing, what do we do then? 00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:00.159 Well, at that point, you stop and you start doing the right thing. 00:14:00.320 --> 00:14:13.279 The right thing at that point is this you repent of your sin, you turn away from that sin, and you begin again trusting in Jesus and doing the right thing. 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:16.559 Listen, we're going to mess up. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:18.480 We're going to fail. 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:20.720 Scripture tells us that. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:23.200 But we don't have to live in that failure. 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:36.240 What we do at that point to do the right thing once we fail is we repent and we trust in Jesus and allow him to work out our salvation within us. 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:39.440 We repent. 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:46.320 If we are going to humbly proclaim the way Paul did, we must do the right thing. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:50.799 Then see what happens because Paul does the right thing. 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:55.759 Immediately, he at the end, the seven days wasn't even completely over. 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:59.919 And some people came up and they made some accusations against Paul. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:04.480 You see in verse 28 that men they came crying out, men of Israel, help. 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:11.600 Here's this man, and he is teaching everyone everywhere, and he's teaching against the people, talking about the people of God. 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:18.240 He is teaching against the law, talking about the law of Moses, and he's teaching against this place, the temple. 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:19.600 We addressed that last week. 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:23.919 Paul never really preached against those things, but they accused him of that. 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:30.159 And then here's what they said: they made these accusations that they brought some Greeks into the temple. 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:32.879 Now understand the setup of the temple of that time, right? 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:35.679 There's an outer court that anybody could go into. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:39.840 Then there was a court of women that Jewish ladies could go into. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:44.480 Inside that, there was the court of men that only Jewish men could go into. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:52.080 What they are accusing Paul of is taking Greeks into the Jewish court of men, that he's done that. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:53.840 And here's how they get there. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:54.879 It's crazy. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:16:03.120 It says in verse 29, they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city. 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:09.679 And hear this, they supposed that Paul brought him into the temple. 00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:20.720 Now listen, we live in a time of crazy conspiracy theories that have zero proof behind the accusations. 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:24.000 This takes the cake. 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:35.840 They saw Paul in the city with a Greek and assumed that he took that Greek into the court of the Gentiles. 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:39.200 No proof, no nothing. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:41.200 They didn't even see it themselves. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:43.919 It's not even them saying, we saw him in there. 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:52.480 They supposed that Paul took them in there and they began to stir the crowd up and throw them in confusion. 00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:57.279 They grabbed Paul, they brought him outside of the temple, they closed the temple doors. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:03.200 The crowd was stirred up so much that they began beating Paul and beating Paul. 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:04.720 And then the Romans got involved. 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:14.319 Now listen, the Romans, they typically wouldn't have been concerned about somebody breaking the Jewish law, but all of a sudden they're concerned because there seems to be a riot about to happen. 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:23.279 So the tribune grabs soldiers, grabs centurions, they run out, they find them beating Paul, and when they get there, they stop beating Paul. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:28.480 And so the tribune is trying to figure out what is happening and figure out what's going on. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:33.359 But verse 31 gives a great, great descriptor of what's happening in the city. 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:44.640 It says, and as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:48.480 They were in confusion. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:57.200 The tribune shows up, the crowd stops beating Paul, and of course, who do they chain? 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:58.880 Paul. 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:02.960 Hadn't done anything, but they chained Paul up. 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:08.319 They began to try to question to see what was going on, and they couldn't even get an answer. 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:11.440 In verse 34, again, confusion, the descriptor. 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:18.240 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing and some another. 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:21.920 The crowd didn't even know what they were accusing Paul of. 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:24.960 The crowd didn't even know why they were beating him. 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:27.279 It was just chaos. 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:34.640 So they take Paul and they began to carry him into the barracks so they could question him. 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:38.079 And listen, here's what happens just to get him through the crowd. 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:40.559 They have to pick him up and carry him. 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:45.279 Now we're not sure if they're carrying him because he's been beaten so bad that he can't walk. 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:50.960 We're not sure if they are carrying him because he's chained together at the hands and feet and can't walk. 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:56.480 We don't know if they're carrying him because the crowd is pushing in on him so much that they can't get through. 00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:58.400 We're not sure, but we know this. 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:03.440 He can't get through the crowd, so they are carrying him through the crowd. 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:11.599 But in the midst of all this, here's how Paul was prepared to proclaim the gospel. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:18.960 Because in the midst of all that, he remained calm. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:24.799 How do we know he remained calm? 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:27.119 See what happens. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:32.000 In verse 37, they're about to go into the barracks. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:37.920 Paul looks at the tribune and says, Can I say something to you? 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:41.200 At this point, he is utterly surprised. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:53.920 He thinks Paul is an Egyptian who has tried to lead a revolt against Rome with 4,000 men and escaped into the wilderness. 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:55.759 That's who he thinks Paul is. 00:19:55.920 --> 00:20:00.240 There could be no other reason for why what is happening in the city is happening. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:02.079 So he's that's what he thinks. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:10.400 But Paul, because he remained calm in Greek, looked at this tribune and said, Hey, can I say something to you? 00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:12.640 He's surprised. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:15.519 He said, Wait a second, aren't you the Egyptian that led the revolt? 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:16.160 What revolt? 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:17.359 Paul said, No. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:20.640 I'm a Jew from Tarsus. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:24.160 No, no obscure city. 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:29.680 Tarsus had a very dynamic Jewish population among it. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:33.359 He said, I'm not from an obscure city. 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:38.480 Please let me address the crowd. 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:47.519 See, Paul was able to remain calm because he knew he was in control. 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:56.640 He had been plunged to victory beneath the cleansing flood. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:59.119 He knew he was in control. 00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:05.440 He knew that he was going to face things like this when he went to Jerusalem. 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:10.880 It had been predicted by so many people, even the Holy Spirit. 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:16.000 He knew things like this was going to happen, but he knew that God was in control. 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:20.480 He didn't have to worry, he didn't have to fret, he didn't have to figure out what was going on. 00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:25.279 He knew God was in control, so he remained calm. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:33.119 And finally, what we see is he spoke confidently. 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:35.359 See what happens. 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:51.359 The tribune heard who Paul was, and because he was a Jew, because he was from a well known Jewish community, he said, Well, I guess you have the right to speak to these people. 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:59.599 So he, in verse 40, it says, When he had given him permission, Paul stands. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.200 Standing on the steps, he motioned with his hands to the people. 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:10.880 And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language. 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:13.359 He was prepared. 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:18.160 He was prepared to speak confidently. 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:21.440 He wasn't confident in his own abilities. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:24.799 He wasn't confident in the fact that. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:29.519 I mean, here he is, he's speaking, he's at least bilingual, right? 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:31.839 Speaking Greek and Hebrew. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:34.240 His confidence doesn't rest there. 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:41.759 His confidence rests in his Savior who plunged him to victory. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:47.759 I love what Paul writes about his imprisonment in Ephesians chapter 3, verse 1. 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:58.960 He says, this for this reason, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, on behalf of the Gentiles. 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:03.680 A prisoner of Christ Jesus. 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:07.680 Not of Rome, not of the Jews. 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:10.319 Because they weren't in control. 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:12.880 God was. 00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:20.160 So he could confidently speak as he commissioned Timothy to do. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:30.799 In his last letter to Timothy, right before he faced death, Paul wrote to Timothy and gave him some advice about how to lead the church. 00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:38.240 2 Timothy 4, verse 1 and 2, Paul embodies here exactly what he tells Timothy. 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:49.920 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is the judge of the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word. 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:53.279 Be ready in season and out of season. 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:58.319 Reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching. 00:23:58.559 --> 00:24:14.240 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:23.039 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist. 00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:27.039 Fulfill your ministry. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:30.480 Be ready. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:36.960 Be ready to proclaim the gospel message. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:57.920 Be prepared to proclaim the gospel message by doing the right thing, by living your life in a way that backs up your words, by remaining calm when the world is in chaos around us, having peace in the midst of that, in the midst of that chaos, remaining calm in the midst of that, knowing that God is in control. 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:06.880 And then rely on our Lord Jesus and preach the gospel. 00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:10.480 We must humbly proclaim. 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:20.480 I don't know where you are this morning, but if you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, hear the gospel message for yourself. 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:23.200 We are sinners. 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:27.440 Scripture tells us we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:30.960 Because of our sin, we deserve death. 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:38.799 But God, in his great love for us, sent his own son to die for us while we were yet sinners. 00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:41.119 You don't have to get right and come to Jesus. 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:43.440 You come to Jesus and He makes you right. 00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:52.799 God demonstrated in His own love for us that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. 00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:56.319 So here's what happens. 00:25:56.799 --> 00:26:07.759 When we confess with our mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God has raised him from the dead, we will be saved. 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:10.480 That's the gospel message. 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:12.640 You need Jesus. 00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:16.960 If you've never trusted in him, I pray that today you will. 00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:20.559 In just a moment, we're going to stand and we're going to sing a hymn of invitation. 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:22.319 We invite you to come. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:31.519 If you have trusted Jesus, but but maybe you find yourself today in a place where you know you're supposed to do the right thing, but you haven't. 00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:33.599 And grant, you don't know what I've done. 00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:35.039 It doesn't matter. 00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:36.400 Here's what we're called to do. 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:38.720 Here's the next right thing for you to do. 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:42.960 If you've been wandering away from God, here's the next right thing for you to do. 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:45.359 Repent and turn back to Him. 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:49.119 Maybe this morning you need to repent. 00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:51.359 We'll be up here to receive you. 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:52.319 We'd love to pray with you. 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:59.039 Or you can come kneel in these steps and make them your altar and repent and come to Him. 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:02.480 If you're looking for a church home, we invite you to come. 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:06.480 However, God is leading you, we invite you to come. 00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:08.319 Let's pray together. 00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:11.359 God, I thank you for today. 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:13.039 I thank you for how you love us. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:15.359 I thank you for all you've done for us. 00:27:16.559 --> 00:27:16.880 God. 00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:28.880 I pray that as you are moving among us, that we will hear your call. 00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:33.839 God, give us the faith that we need. 00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:40.079 To trust you, to follow you, to come to you. 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:43.759 For those who need salvation, draw them to yourself. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:47.599 For those who need to repent, draw them to yourself. 00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:50.000 God, work as only you can. 00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:52.559 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:53.599 Amen. 00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:56.960 Thanks for listening to this week's sermon. 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:02.880 If you have any questions for our pastor, feel free to reach out at DeSotoHills.com.