WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:17.920 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:20.640 We're together. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:22.480 Lord, we mean those words. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:27.120 That's why people for centuries have sang those words. 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:28.719 It's a great thing about hymns. 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:36.399 They're not trendy and they're timeless because they're packed dense with theological truth, richness, Lord. 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:40.079 Soul gravy awaits those who sing hymns. 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:43.439 Not that courses aren't good, we we sing those as well. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:56.320 But when we say, hey, you're the high king of heaven, whatever befall, which means whatever happens to us, we're not gonna let it affect the way we see you, know you, and relate to you. 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:01.679 When we don't get our way, we're not gonna spit the bit and go, this Jesus thing isn't working for me. 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:04.159 You don't work for us. 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:10.079 We serve you because God has made you both Lord and Christ. 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:12.959 And so we've not come today to make you Lord of anything. 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:15.680 We're not adding to your status or your nature. 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:21.599 We are submitting ourselves to those two realities for our betterment and yet for your glory. 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:24.480 The Holy Spirit, illuminate the scriptures. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:32.159 We don't need a religious lesson today, we need the life that Jesus died for to come off the page and get in our head and in our heart. 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:34.400 The rest will sort itself out. 00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:36.959 And so, Lord, let's engage our minds now. 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:42.879 Let's think to the glory of God, let's feel to the glory of God, and let's be to the glory of God. 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:44.400 This is our desire, God. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:46.560 Make it our experience, we pray in Jesus' name. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:48.959 And everyone said, Amen, amen. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:50.239 You can have a seat if you've got a Bible. 00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:53.120 I invite you to take it and open it up to Acts chapter 2. 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:54.159 Acts chapter 2. 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:56.000 If you're our guest today, let me tell you what we're doing. 00:01:56.239 --> 00:02:00.159 We preach through books of the Bible and not a religious lecture, not to bore you. 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:04.239 Uh, there's not gonna be a quiz or anything, but uh uh we're preaching through the books of the Bible. 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:04.959 We're in Acts. 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:10.800 Acts is basically, it's called the book of Acts because it's the Acts of the Apostles, the kind of the first followers of Jesus. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:13.439 This is what they did, this is how they changed the world. 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:18.240 Matter of fact, what happens here in the book of Acts is the reason you're sitting in this building right now. 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:25.360 You may not think that or put that together, but this all started with Jesus, who got 12 people called his disciples to hang out with him. 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:26.719 They were not perfect people. 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:31.520 One of them was a money-grubbing ratfink who sold him out for 30 pieces of silver. 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:34.879 Uh and and they're like the they're like the New England patriots. 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:35.919 They're like next man up. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:38.560 Uh, they cast lots, they got another disciple to join them. 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:44.639 And Acts is where God gives the Holy Spirit, the church is born, and then the church begins to spread. 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:48.159 And so Acts chapter two, what's happening, so and we get the context. 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:50.080 We've already preached a couple sermons for this. 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:51.199 This guy named Peter. 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:52.080 Remember Peter? 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:55.520 Peter's one of those guys that he over-promised and under-delivered. 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:58.080 Jesus, I'll never deny you, I'll never do anything. 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:01.199 And Jesus is like, easy, check yourself before you wreck yourself, Skippy. 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:04.319 Uh, and he just flat out and said, I don't know him, man. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:05.039 I'm sorry. 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:06.960 Uh and then the rooster crow. 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:08.800 This Peter, why do I point that out? 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:12.319 Because you may have had a moment where you weren't as consistent as you needed to be. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:13.039 Look at me. 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:14.639 God didn't give up on you. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:16.800 God didn't say, Well, that's your one chance. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:22.560 Christianity is not like walking on a high line wire over the Grand Canyon where one misstep and you fall to your death. 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:25.759 That's why when he rose from the dead, he said, Go tell my disciples. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:27.039 And what's the next two words? 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:28.879 And Peter. 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:30.400 And Peter. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:31.360 And Peter. 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:34.879 God has a specific word for people who knew better but did it anyway. 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:40.240 So this Peter, who totally, totally blew it, God restores him. 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:43.520 And he preaches one of the greatest sermons in the history of the world. 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:45.840 And we're in the we're in the last part of it. 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:47.039 Uh, Acts chapter 2. 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:48.960 I'll start reading in verse 22. 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:52.159 And I want to talk to you about this: how to talk about Jesus. 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:53.520 How to talk about Jesus. 00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:54.560 Because here's my concern. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:56.400 I'll just put my cards on the table right up front. 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:02.400 The way that the church in America has historically taught people to talk about Jesus, it's not very engaging. 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:04.240 It's it's not very helpful. 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:06.560 It's almost controlling and manipulative. 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:11.039 It's kind of like, let me take over the conversation and then take it somewhere you didn't want it to be. 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:14.879 Uh, and so it was really disconcerting for me when I first became a Christian. 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:16.639 Like they would say, this is what you do. 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:19.600 And you ask this question, if they say this, then you say this. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:23.920 And I was just like, are we just trapping people in a conversation they don't want to have? 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:26.879 Or can we talk about Jesus in compelling ways? 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:35.600 One of the things you'll notice in the book of Acts, they talked about Jesus in a way that was very alluring, that was very like, oh my gosh, that's incredible. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:37.199 Please tell me more. 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:40.879 And people responded in ways we haven't seen since then. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:47.120 I think we've gotten better at having systems and mechanisms, but we've not gotten better about talking about Jesus. 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:50.480 And so I want to just read and let's think about how to talk about Jesus. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:52.959 Acts chapter 2, verse 22. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:56.319 Peter says this, men of Israel, hear these words. 00:04:56.480 --> 00:05:01.360 We have a new sanctuary, a dynamic children's ministry, and a thriving student ministry. 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:04.879 That's the way we talk about Jesus nowadays. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:06.319 We talk about the church. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:07.360 Look what they said. 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:09.439 Men of Israel, hear these words. 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:21.360 Jesus of Nazareth, first and foremost, Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:30.560 This Jesus, this Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:36.720 God raised him up, loosing the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:43.680 For David says, Concerning him, I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken. 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:54.720 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced, my flesh uh also will dwell in hope, for you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your holy one see corruption. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:06:00.240 You have made known to me the path of life, you will make uh me full of gladness with your presence. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:01.600 Now, why is that in there? 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:05.519 Because Peter's quoting the Old Testament, because a lot of people are kind of like, is David talking about himself? 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:07.439 Because a lot of people, King David is great. 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:13.680 And what Peter's saying to these people is, hey, David wasn't talking about himself, David was pointing forward to the Messiah who was to come. 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:14.959 He's talking about Jesus. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:20.079 This is why he says, and he's like, Hey, let me explain to you how wrong you guys got it. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.920 Because you you understand you need to understand the historicity of Christianity. 00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:27.680 And if you get the history wrong, then the present can't be right. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:29.120 Let me say that again. 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:32.480 If you get the history wrong, the present cannot be right. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:35.199 And so Peter is checking them up here and clarifying. 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:44.399 That's why he says in verse 29, he says, Hey, brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:58.560 Being therefore a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would uh set one of his descendants on the throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:04.319 This Jesus God raised up, and and that we all are and of that we are all witnesses. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:14.399 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:22.399 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself said, The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:24.480 He handles the historical part. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:26.000 And then it gets real personal. 00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:27.199 Look at verse 36. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:35.360 He says, Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:41.839 Now, when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:50.720 And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:57.439 For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:04.560 With many other words, he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:11.519 So those who received his word were baptized, and they were added that day, about 3,000 souls. 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:16.959 Have you ever been to a church service where 3,000 people became Christians on that Sunday morning? 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:22.399 You see, we've gotten better at systems and processes and how to manage and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:26.160 But we've not gotten better at talking about Jesus because this is the best way. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:27.279 It starts with Jesus. 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:31.360 And notice they don't say, hey, by the way, God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life. 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:33.679 Because that's what I was taught when I first became a Christian. 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:42.480 I went to a little training for continuous witness training, CWT, and you go out there with a memorized spiel, and you tell people God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:45.600 And I remember thinking, what if people's life is really stinking? 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:48.879 Are we supposed to convince them that's God's wonderful plan for their life? 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:52.399 The Bible says, hey, by the way, it starts with human guilt. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:57.600 The Bible says, hey, your life is like it is because you've sinned and you've transgressed the law of God. 00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:01.600 Believe it or not, that makes more sense to people than your memorized spiel. 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:06.240 They're kind of like, oh, yeah, that explains my marriage. 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:07.600 Thank you very much. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:10.000 So, how do you talk about Jesus? 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:10.639 Three things. 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:12.399 Number one, engagingly. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:13.600 Engagingly. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:17.039 They start with Jesus, but notice this phrase in verse 22. 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:28.799 He says, Men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:31.279 It's that little word attested, I want to draw your attention to. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:33.759 It means to demonstrate or prove. 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:41.759 If you've ever wondered why doesn't God do more miracles, I hear this all the time from unbelievers, friends of mine, and people I meet, they're like, hey, I'm not very religious. 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:44.799 I'm not, I'm I'm kind of spiritual, but I would believe in God. 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:46.240 This is a quote from a man. 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:51.120 I would believe in God if God got on TV and proved a miracle to me so I could believe in him. 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:53.039 And I said, Here's the problem with that. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:57.759 Be careful that your concept of God doesn't require you to have faith in God. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:09:59.679 And he said, What do you mean? 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:01.120 You got to engage people. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:03.279 You can't just say the same thing to everybody. 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:06.559 And he says, Well, don't you think it'd be better if God got on TV and did a miracle? 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:15.039 I said, Hey, God's already proven, He's already attested, God has already testified to the reality of Jesus by all the signs and wonders and miracles that he did in the Bible. 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:17.840 He goes, Yeah, but if you got on TV, I would believe in him. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:19.840 So you wouldn't have to have faith. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:24.399 The Bible says that, hey, blessed are those who don't see and yet they believe. 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:28.879 So if you're going to insist on believing, you want an experience, you don't want faith. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:30.559 He's like, Well, what's the difference? 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:32.320 I said, They're a world of difference. 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:33.679 A world of difference. 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:35.120 You believe in the Grand Canyon. 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:36.480 Oh, yeah, I've seen pictures. 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:37.360 Have you ever been there? 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:38.000 Well, no. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:39.039 How do you know it's real? 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:40.320 Well, I've seen pictures. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:43.200 There's so many pictures in the Bible of who God really is. 00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:46.320 You have more faith in a postcard than you have in the Bible. 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:48.480 He's like, You're kind of a smart aleck. 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:52.399 Is that what you say that every time you start losing the discussion? 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:54.799 I'm just saying you have to engage people. 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:55.840 This is what they say. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:57.039 Hey, he's attested. 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:00.720 And so basically, the Father doesn't need to prove Jesus to us. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:07.519 You should ask yourself, hey, what would God need to do in your life for you to believe in Jesus? 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:10.960 And here's the other thing I want to point your attention to, verse 23. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:19.519 He says, This Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:20.159 Okay? 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:26.240 God raised him up, loosened the pains of death because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:31.440 There's this big theological truth that I want to point to, and I want to do it in a very accessible way. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:33.279 It's called divine sovereignty. 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:34.399 What do you mean? 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:38.720 This Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:39.759 Divine sovereignty. 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:44.799 Sovereignty is a big word that basically means God is in control, God is in charge. 00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:50.000 And so in this one passage, verse 23, we have divine sovereignty and human responsibility. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:51.519 And it's all through the Bible. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:58.879 And basically, this means that Christ died under God's authority in his timing and according to his plan, the definite plan of God. 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:00.879 And yet, don't miss this, look at me. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:04.480 Israel, these people, they are responsible. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:05.519 They're guilty. 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:11.919 Now, if you're a thinking person, you should be like, now wait a minute, if this is God's plan, why am I responsible for God's plan? 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:20.799 And so divine uh sovereignty and human responsibility, just because God knows, it doesn't mean we're not morally responsible. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:24.399 Just because God knows, and I'll bear this out in just a minute, just stay with me. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:30.240 Because you're gonna come across a lot of circumstances and situations in life where, hey, is God sovereign? 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:31.600 God's really in control. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:34.559 Uh uh, well, why didn't he stop this from happening? 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:38.480 Because he gives us a free will, and we are morally accountable. 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:42.159 Even if God knows, it doesn't make us less accountable for our actions. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:43.279 He said, What do you mean? 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:47.600 Don't turn there, but just a couple chapters later, Acts chapter 4, verse 27. 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:50.399 Because this is what sustained the early church. 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:55.840 They believed that God was sovereign, and yet we are responsible for our behavior and our life in this world. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:58.639 Acts 4, verse 27 demonstrates this truth again. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:12.960 He says, For truly in this city they were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and then the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:14.159 Hello. 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:16.159 These people conspired. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:20.879 They thought, oh, we're getting rid of Jesus, Herod and Pontius Pilate and all these people. 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:27.440 And the Bible says they did whatever your hand and your plan had already determined, had predestined to take place. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:29.679 Now look, just stay with me just for a little bit. 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:30.399 You still with me? 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:31.120 Say yes. 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:34.879 Now, some of you may be like, huh, this is like a chemistry pop quiz. 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:35.600 No, it's not. 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:43.679 Look at me, because if you're not careful, if you don't understand divine sovereignty and human responsibility, you'll just you'll spit the bit and go, ah, that's just too much for me. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:44.240 No, it's not. 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:45.039 No, it's not. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:46.320 He said, Well, what do you mean? 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:52.639 To lean too far in either direction is dangerous because one produces anxiety and the other produces neglect. 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:56.399 To lean too far in either direction, one produces anxiety. 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:59.039 What do you mean, if you lean too far into human responsibility? 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:04.639 Like I had a friend that she would go to the mall and she would walk around and she would say, Yeah, I want to get this is a quote. 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:11.200 Well, I was gonna get these earrings, but I didn't get a word from the Lord about it, so I'm just gonna walk around until the Lord confirms whether I should buy these earrings. 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:15.840 And I was just like, I think you're putting you're you're reading too much into this. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:17.279 Do you like the earrings? 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:17.519 Yeah. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:18.960 Do you have the money to buy the earrings? 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:20.480 Yeah, buy the earrings. 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:23.039 I don't think God cares if you buy earrings or not. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:30.480 See, if you lean too far into human responsibility, you will have a crippling anxiety because you're like, you you you overanalyze everything. 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:34.559 It's just like, oh my gosh, do I cross the street here or over there? 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:42.320 But if you lean too far into divine sovereignty, it produces neglect because you're it's got, well, if God already knows, why do anything? 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:44.639 I hear that all the time from people. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:53.519 And what you what you really want to be delivered from is the divine tension of divine sovereignty and human responsibility, and nothing's going to relieve that. 00:14:53.600 --> 00:14:59.279 But what helps keep what helps us process these things and hold them in balance is prayer. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:00.480 Prayer. 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:02.159 Let me just bring it down to where we live. 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:03.440 You say, What do you mean, prayer? 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:06.480 Because prayer depends on balancing both principles. 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:07.600 Allow me to explain. 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:14.000 If God is not sovereign, there's no point in praying because he is unable to answer anything you say. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:16.000 Let me say it again. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:24.559 If God is not sovereign in control, you should ask yourself, do my prayers, do my prayers express, do they demonstrate? 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:27.759 Are your prayers in keeping with God's capacity? 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:32.240 Are your prayers in keeping with God's capacity? 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:35.039 Are you like, well, I'm just kind of doing this because you're supposed to do this? 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:41.600 Because if God's not sovereign, there's no point in praying because he is unable to do anything about what you're asking. 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:46.720 It makes you feel better, but it has no real outcome, no real effect on the outcome of life. 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:48.240 This morning, you know what I pray? 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.559 I believe and I want my prayers to reflect. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:52.720 Hey, I want them to be in keeping with God's capacity. 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:57.279 You know what I said to God this morning, drinking my coffee at about 7.10 this morning? 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:06.320 I said, God, would you open up the windows of heaven and pouring a blessing upon us where we pay off our sanctuary and we expand the children's building all in one smooth move? 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:07.200 Amen. 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:12.080 Now, if you were sitting in that room with me, you'd be like, Are you drunk? 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:13.840 That's a lot of. 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:16.480 If God's sovereign, it's a lot of what? 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:18.879 It's just a lot of faith. 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:21.039 It's just a lot of faith. 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:22.399 By the way, here's a fun fact. 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:25.440 Uh, you remember the actor, what's his name? 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:26.720 Uh Jimmy Stewart. 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:28.960 Remember the guy like a folk guy that talked like this? 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:33.759 You know, Jimmy Stewart had on his collection of movie memorabilia, and he dedicated it. 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:35.840 I mean, excuse me, he left it when he died. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:44.879 He he he he he bestowed it to a college that that he none of his kids went to, he never went to, he had no connection with them whatsoever. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:46.639 And everybody asked him, I said, Why? 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:48.399 Why did you say he said that before he died? 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.440 They said, Why'd you do that? 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:50.799 You know what his revenge was? 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:52.159 Because they asked. 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:56.480 You know what the college was? 00:16:56.720 --> 00:16:58.480 Brigham Young University. 00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:03.440 And by the way, fun fact, Jimmy Stewart was a very devout Presbyterian. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:05.759 He's not even Mormon. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:08.799 He just shrugged with his folks in cracker barrel cells. 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:09.839 They said, Why'd you do that? 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.559 This is worth hundreds, probably millions of dollars. 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:14.319 He said, Because they asked. 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:19.119 You ever wonder if you're gonna get to heaven and God's just gonna shrug and go, why didn't you ask? 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:22.240 Why didn't you ask? 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:24.880 What are you afraid of? 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:26.960 You see, prayer balances this out. 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:32.720 If God's not sovereign, there's no point in praying, because he's unable to answer most prayers, but flip it over. 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:35.920 If he is, what's too much to ask? 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:47.279 If he really is in control of everything, and the other side, if men don't have any responsibility, there's no point in praying because nothing you ask or do will matter anyway, because we're not responsible. 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:55.039 I would just ask, and by the way, I've been I I've had these conversations many times with people, and I just asked the same question. 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:59.440 If no one is responsible, then how do you explain the existence of heaven and hell? 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:03.440 They're the ultimate expression of man's responsibility. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:06.240 And so, how do you talk about Jesus? 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:09.119 Number one, engagingly, number two, historically. 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:11.279 Okay, pop quiz is over, let's come back. 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:12.000 You done? 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.839 You know, like that was a lot. 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:19.200 No, see, because people that you work with, this is how they think. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:26.319 They may not say, could you explain to me the relationship between between divine sovereignty and human uh uh uh uh uh responsibility? 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:30.480 Uh no, but they'll say, Hey, if God is blank, then why blank? 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:34.720 All right, here's the here's the most common expression of people's misunderstanding of that. 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:37.279 If God knows everything, then why pray? 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:42.400 Well, if if God if if you believe in the election, then why even share the gospel? 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:43.759 Why even preach? 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:48.559 That all falls under the category of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:51.920 And the thing that keeps them in this deliberate tension is prayer. 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:53.839 So, how they talk about Jesus in there? 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:57.039 They talked about Jesus in a way that was engaging. 00:18:57.200 --> 00:18:59.759 Secondly, they talked about Jesus historically. 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:02.160 It's verse 23 to verse 25. 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:13.839 Historically, this is where they get into the conversation about hey, is David talking about himself or is he looking forward and prefiguring, saying, hey, it's not about me, it's about the Messiah who is to come. 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:22.880 But let me say this: before Christianity is personal, it's historical, which means a lot happened before you were born, and it would serve you well to know about it. 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:29.599 Because one of the things you see in the book of Acts is how fluent Christians were with the history of God's dealings with his people. 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:40.400 Don't turn there, but in Acts chapter 7, this guy named Stephen gets in trouble because he's talking, and the religious people of the day are just getting it handed to them, and they're so frustrated. 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:43.920 And he gets they that they basically bring him before the officials and they charge him. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:46.160 And the people ask him one question. 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:48.720 They said, Are these things true? 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:53.519 And and this is how you you know the person understands the historicity of the Christian faith. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:59.200 They just said, Hey, basically, we think you you're breaking the law because you're talking about Jesus and faith in Jesus. 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:01.759 We have Caesar as our king and our Lord. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:04.079 People would say, Caesar is Lord. 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:08.720 And so the statement, Jesus is Lord, is a political statement, not a religious statement. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:11.839 They're saying we have another ruler, we have another king. 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:14.640 And they were like, dude, are you spreading this nonsense? 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:16.799 And he didn't even defend himself. 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.119 Check me, get home today and check me on this. 00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:20.160 Acts chapter 7. 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:21.200 Are these things true? 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:26.319 The next 50 verses he summarizes all the way from Genesis to the present day. 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:27.519 Why? 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:33.680 Because people want to know, is this just a thing y'all thought of, or is there some background to this? 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:36.640 Is there some history to this Christianity thing? 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:42.880 Uh, probably one of the best examples, and again, don't turn there, is in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians chapter 10. 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:46.640 It's kind of it has these warnings for Christians who don't know their history. 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:51.599 Uh now, this was brought to bear on me as a seminary student back in 1991. 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:55.839 Uh, if you were not born in 1991, say amen. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:57.599 Listen up. 00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:02.559 Uh, I was in an accountability group uh with a professor in seminary, his name was Dr. 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:02.960 Fish. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:03.359 Dr. 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:09.200 Fish was 63, and I remember thinking then I was just a punk, 20-something, I was like, man, that guy's old, he could die any minute now. 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:11.519 63 is now midlife, okay? 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:19.119 Uh and so we're sitting there, me and five, four other preachers, five young preacher boys, and one of the guys was engaged, and Dr. 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:23.200 Fish said, Hey, friend, how are y'all doing physically? 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:28.079 And the air left the room. 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:30.400 And he's like, well, young Dr. 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:35.519 Fish, and I'm just enjoying it. 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:35.920 And Dr. 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:40.240 Fish just reached over and put his hand on his leg and said, Hey, friend, we love you. 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:42.319 You don't have to fake it in here. 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:51.039 And I was like, Oh, and he said, Oh, I remember his wife's name was Jeannie. 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:53.440 He said, I remember when I first met Jeannie. 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:55.359 I couldn't hold a thought in my head. 00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:57.279 All I want to do is think about her and be with her. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.680 And I was like, please stop, please stop, please stop. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.880 Please stop. 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:04.160 And then the old man dropped this on us. 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:09.599 He said, Hey, what do you understand about how God has dealt with his people in the past that is helping you today? 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:14.319 And I was like, But he said it again. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:18.880 He said, What do you understand about how God has dealt with his people in the past that is helping you today? 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:21.759 And he looked at us and said, Hey, you brothers, help your brother. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:23.680 And I'm like, I got nothing. 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:25.039 I sipped my coffee. 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:27.200 I'm gonna let y'all take this one. 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:29.599 I know, but I don't want to say anything. 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:35.119 And then the 63-year-old man opened the Bible to 1 Corinthians, because he was like, Well, you know, Dr. 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:38.799 Fish, it's 1991, times have changed, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:40.640 Sound like your kids? 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:42.880 It's the 21st century, times have changed. 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:43.759 It's 2023. 00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:45.839 I mean, they have TikTok back then. 00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:49.440 He out of his mouth, he said, Well, you know, it's 1991. 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:51.200 And I just said, What's that got to do with it? 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:54.880 Well, I mean, times are changing, and we're getting married in a couple months, and yeah. 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:58.400 And I was like, Oh, dude, you're just hanging yourself. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.000 And Dr. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:02.640 Fish, he wasn't hate, he wasn't a hater, he wasn't harsh. 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:06.160 He just turned over and said, friend, let me help you from God's word. 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:09.599 And the old man read these words from 1 Corinthians 10, starting verse 6. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:14.079 Now, this is just in the context of, well, it's 1991, you know, things are different, we're getting married. 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:19.359 Rationalization and justification because you don't know your history. 00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:22.480 You don't want to live as a prisoner to the moment. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.960 The old man opened up 1 Corinthians 10 and read these words. 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:38.799 Now, these things, these things took place as examples for us that we might not desire evil as they did, nor uh do not be idolaters as some of them were, as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. 00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:45.200 He we must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and 23,000 fell in a single day. 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:53.119 We must not put Christ to the test as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 00:23:53.359 --> 00:24:00.400 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction on whom the end of the ages has come. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:04.880 Therefore, let anyone who th who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:09.200 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. 00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:16.480 And then the old man closed his Bible and looked at us and said, Hey boys, make sure you don't give yourselves permission. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:20.000 The Bible never does, just because it's 1991. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:35.839 You ever been in the in the presence of somebody that's so wise and knows the Bible so well, you're just like and it was just an awkward silence. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:49.279 No one said anything, and we all just kind of sat there and it's like and he said, Boys, there's plenty of examples for you all to conduct yourselves in the right way. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:53.359 Stop making excuses and you be an example. 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:54.960 Let me pray for you. 00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:56.160 And then he stood up. 00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:57.200 We're in a little circle. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:59.759 I mean, it's no bigger than, I mean, we're almost knee to knee. 00:24:59.920 --> 00:25:04.880 He stood up and walked over and grabbed that one-old boy by the ears and just put his hands on him and started praying over him. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:08.559